Sharp just brought its 30-second face-scan skincare app to iPhone. Seven face-analysis skincare apps for iOS that read your skin and route a routine.
Looking for setlog alternatives on Android? We tested 7 close-friend photo and vlog apps: Locket, BeReal, Retro, Snapchat, Instagram, Marco Polo, Google Photos.
KAUCHE built a social shopping habit in Japan on top of the Pinduoduo model, but shipping delays, thin inventory, and the farm mini-game grind push shoppers elsewhere. Here are 7 KAUCHE alternatives that work in 2026.
ANA Mileage Club ties miles to ANA Pay for daily spend, but single-program lock-in pushes travelers elsewhere. We compared 7 ANA Mileage Club alternatives.
Polygon flagged Wabisabi Sushiderby as a $5 Steam and Switch alternative to Umamusume, no gacha. Seven desktop games that scratch the same cute-sim itch.
Square Enix launched Star Ocean Second Story R on Switch 2 with no upgrade path for owners of the original. Seven JRPG remakes and heirs that already run on PC.
Polygon called Culdcept Begins an unexpected Sega Saturn revival. Seven desktop games that scratch the deckbuild-plus-board-game itch Culdcept invented.
Fire Emblem Heroes still burns limited-time banners. Seven Android tactical RPGs (gacha and pay-once) that scratch the same tactical itch without the 8-year power-creep.
Matsukiyo Cocokara covers two chains, but the coupon feed and store network still miss most of Japan. Here are 7 drugstore loyalty apps that fill the gap.
Kantan netprint files expire in 24 hours and only print at 7-Eleven. We tested 7 alternatives that print at FamilyMart, Lawson, or straight to a home printer.
JRE POINT rewards JR East riders but goes quiet everywhere else. Here are 7 rail loyalty and IC card apps for the trips JR East doesn't cover.
DCM's app helps at DCM stores. Everywhere else, you're on your own. Here are 7 Japanese home-center and cross-chain loyalty apps that cover the gap.
d Point Club works everywhere Docomo does, but not everywhere else. Here are 7 Japanese loyalty apps that earn faster or spend easier.
Ghost of Tsushima on PC is stunning, but its combat and open world are not for everyone. Here are 7 samurai and feudal-Japan action games worth playing instead.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles ends after two games and Capcom stays quiet. Seven Steam picks that fill the void, ranked by how close each lands.
Frieren's season 3 wait is real. Seven Android apps that surface the seasonal chart, upcoming premieres, and where to watch every airing anime this quarter.
Seven desktop apps for making hand-drawn anime and manga art. Ink line control, watercolor brushes, and traditional workflows on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
The best Persona 5: The Phantom X alternatives for Android in 2026: Honkai Star Rail, Nikke, Wuthering Waves, Reverse: 1999, Snowbreak, Another Eden, and Zenless Zone Zero.
The best Attack on Titan game alternatives for PC in 2026: God Eater 3, Toukiden 2, NieR: Automata, Devil May Cry 5, Sekiro, Naraka: Bladepoint, and My Hero One's Justice 2.
Love and Deepspace's Valko cancellation frustrated fans. Seven Love and Deepspace alternatives on Android for otome and romance-game players who want more options.
Japan's streaming market is the most surprising on the planet. Eight Android apps for streaming Japanese TV, anime, drama, and Hollywood titles in 2026.
From The Bugle Call to Frieren, fantasy anime is the strongest genre on streaming. Eight Android apps for fantasy anime streaming in 2026, free and paid.
Desktop Mate's anime companion is a Steam hit, but it's not the only option. Seven Desktop Mate alternatives for PC across desktop pets, shimeji apps, and virtual companions.
Pokémon TCG Pocket's new Everyday Wonders expansion landed this week. Here are 8 Android card battlers that scratch the same itch on mobile.
Re:Zero just broke records ahead of its season 4 announcement. Seven streaming apps ranked on isekai catalogue depth, simulcast speed, and price.
Modern Android already filters obvious spam calls without a third-party app. Whoscall ships a regional database that catches what Google misses. Here is how the two compare on coverage, privacy, and what to install where.
Whoscall is unbeatable in Taiwan and East Asia, but the permission ask is heavy and Premium adds up. We tested 7 alternatives that identify spam calls, filter SMS, and ask for less of your data.
Persona 5 Royal is a 110-hour commitment. We tested 7 alternatives on PC that hit the same JRPG plus social-sim sweet spot.
Gundam Rogue Orbit lands in 2027. We tested 7 mech-action alternatives on PC right now that scratch the cockpit-and-thruster itch.
JRPG fans had a stacked Summer Game Fest. Eight of the best JRPG games on Windows in 2026, ranked from new to classic, with notes on length and combat style.
Square Enix's HD-2D shelf keeps growing. Seven of the best HD-2D RPG games on Windows in 2026, from Octopath to Dragon Quest III Remake and the new Final Fantasy.
Nintendo just revealed Xenoblade Genesis for Switch 2. PC players want open-world JRPG depth now. Seven Xenoblade Chronicles alternatives on desktop.
Capcom is bringing Onimusha back on Switch 2, but PC players want demon-slaying samurai combat now. Seven Onimusha alternatives for desktop in 2026.
Square Enix's Final Fantasy Resonance launches as the first mobile HD-2D RPG. Seven HD-2D RPG apps for Android that scratch the same retro-modern itch.
Persona 4 Revival was just announced for spring. Until it lands, we ranked 7 PC JRPGs that capture the same social-sim plus dungeon-crawl rhythm.
Aimy ships a deep anime character creator and voice chat, but Japanese-only menus and uneven character memory push users to look elsewhere. Seven AI companion apps that fit better.
ZOZOTOWN's unified size data and 3,900-brand catalogue are unmatched, but list prices and limited international shipping push shoppers to look elsewhere. Here are 7 alternatives for 2026.
Yahoo! Shopping's PayPay-points stack is generous, but campaign fatigue and sponsored-first search results push shoppers to look elsewhere. Here are 7 alternatives for 2026.
Yahoo! Flea Market offers low fees and PayPay payouts, but the smaller buyer pool and slower listing turnover push sellers to look elsewhere. Here are 7 alternatives for 2026.
Yahoo! Auctions still rules Japan's auction scene, but rising fees and the LYP Premium gate push sellers to look at flea-market apps instead. Here are 7 alternatives for 2026.
trifa's eSIM prices are sharp from Japan, but coverage gaps and slow support push travelers elsewhere. Seven trifa alternatives for global travel data in 2026.
Rakuten Music is built around Rakuten Points and Mobile bundles, but plans are stacked and the catalog lacks lossless. These seven Rakuten Music alternatives cover full on-demand catalogs, lossless audio, and lower entry points.
Rakuten Ichiba's point system is generous, but the cluttered UI and fragmented shipping push many shoppers to look elsewhere. Here are 7 alternatives that work in 2026.
radiko is the default for Japanese broadcast radio, but the free area-restriction, the 1,080 yen Premium fee, and the limited podcast layer push some listeners to look elsewhere. These seven radiko alternatives cover Japan, global radio, and on-demand audio.
Qoo10's Mega Sale and K-beauty depth are unmatched, but slow shipping and patchy customer service push shoppers to look elsewhere. Here are 7 alternatives for 2026.
Pokekara's karaoke scoring is sharp, but its catalog skews Japanese and the premium plan adds up over a year. These seven Pokekara alternatives cover global hits, lossless backing tracks, and free-tier karaoke.
Peach's cheap fares win on Japan domestic, but baggage fees and a thin Asia network push travelers elsewhere. Seven Peach Aviation alternatives for budget flights in 2026.
NHK Radiru carries NHK live and on-demand, but it only streams NHK, only works in Japan, and stops short of podcasts. These seven NHK Radiru alternatives cover commercial Japanese radio, global stations, and on-demand audio.
Mercari is the default flea market app for many shoppers, but rising commission, occasional buyer/seller disputes, and growing competition push people to look elsewhere. Here are 7 alternatives that work in 2026.
LINE WORKS works in Japan but stalls everywhere else. Here are 7 LINE WORKS alternatives, from Slack to self-hosted Mattermost, that handle real cross-border teams.
LINE MUSIC is built around J-pop and karaoke, but the monthly fee climbs once the trial ends. These seven LINE MUSIC alternatives cover lossless streaming, cheaper J-pop coverage, and ad-free free tiers.
GU's trend-fast UNIQLO-adjacent pricing is hard to match, but quality and sizing tradeoffs push shoppers to look elsewhere. Here are 7 alternatives for 2026.
dHits is bundled with NTT Docomo for 690 yen, but the catalog leans into playlists and the my Hits slot caps at 10 songs a month. These seven dHits alternatives cover full on-demand catalogs, free tiers, and Japan-friendly billing.
whoo killed the Zenly nostalgia for a while, but the battery hit, the paid wall and the small friend cap eat at it. Here are 7 whoo alternatives that handle friend location sharing better.
Toyoko Inn runs a 350-hotel budget chain across Japan, but flat decor and quiet loyalty rewards push travelers elsewhere. We compared 7 Toyoko Inn alternatives.
TimeTree handles shared calendars until ads and missing external feeds wear thin. Seven TimeTree alternatives we tested for couples and families.
skyticket aggregates Japanese LCCs and legacy carriers in one screen, but limited international inventory and slow refunds push travelers elsewhere. We compared 7 skyticket alternatives.
Silent Camera works in regions where the OS forces a shutter sound, but it lags on quality. We tested 7 Silent Camera alternatives that shoot quietly without sacrificing image detail.
Rakuten Travel ties hotels to Rakuten Points, but limited English support and shallow international inventory push travelers elsewhere. We compared 7 Rakuten Travel alternatives.
Pokécolo Twin's twin care loop wears thin and the gacha leans hard on premium. Here are 7 Pokécolo Twin alternatives for cute avatar dress-up, doll customisation and fashion gameplay.
Pococha's tier system stalled, gifting fees climbed and Family chats are noisier than ever. These 7 Pococha alternatives cover karaoke, gaming, anime avatars and global rooms.
Pigg Party still draws cute avatar fans, but gacha pulls, event grinding and limited 3D depth push players to look around. Here are 7 Pigg Party alternatives for avatar chat and virtual world hangouts.
note's discovery feed pushes celebrity creators, payouts shifted again and the editor still does not like long pieces on mobile. Here are 7 note alternatives that handle text-first writing and creator pay better.
Livly Island's slow loop and gacha-style item pulls wear thin after a few weeks. Here are 7 Livly Island alternatives that handle virtual pets, cozy avatars and idle care better.
LINE Sticker Maker only publishes to LINE's catalogue. We tested 7 LINE Sticker Maker alternatives that make WhatsApp, Telegram, and cross-platform stickers from photos and videos.
JTB bundles flights, hotels, and tours with retail-store backup, but high markups and a dated app push travelers elsewhere. We compared 7 JTB alternatives.
JAL's redesigned app handles boarding, miles, and Wi-Fi well, but full-service fares and a thin LCC layer push travelers elsewhere. We compared 7 JAL alternatives.
Jalan owns Japanese ryokan and onsen discovery, but limited international reach and a dense interface push travelers elsewhere. We compared 7 Jalan alternatives.
HELLO CYCLING runs 13,000+ shared bike stations in Japan, but coverage gaps and battery anxiety push riders elsewhere. We compared 7 HELLO CYCLING alternatives.
Gravity's anonymous SNS in Japan helped users vent and meet, but the planet rooms get noisy and STAR is now needed for the good parts. Here are 7 Gravity alternatives for anonymous chat and small-circle social.
Asoview owns Japanese day-activity discovery with electronic tickets and reviews, but limited international reach pushes travelers elsewhere. We compared 7 Asoview alternatives.
APA runs Japan's largest budget chain with a points-heavy app, but small rooms and politics push travelers elsewhere. We compared 7 APA Hotel alternatives.
ANA ties Japan's largest network to a slick booking app, but premium fares and a narrow LCC layer push travelers elsewhere. We compared 7 ANA alternatives.
Ameba's ranking pages are quieter, the editor lags on long posts and AmebaPick payouts shifted again. Here are 7 Ameba alternatives for lifestyle and personal blogging in Japan and beyond.
LIVLIES blends post-apocalyptic exploration with creature collection and cozy crafting. Seven cozy-survival and pet-collection alternatives worth installing.
