Best Language Learning Apps 2024

The best language learning apps to become a fluent speaker

Being able to have a chat with someone in their native language is always an amazing experience and, without a doubt, also a very valuable asset that may unlock new job and career opportunities or make language-based knowledge more accessible.

This review suggests 12 of the best language learning apps that will enable you to start a new language or further advance it. Some of those apps are free and some are rather costly but there will be at least one app that will suit your unique needs.

Best Language Learning Apps – Top 5

Promova	Busuu	Rosetta Stone	Pimsleur
Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website
iOS, Android	iOS, Android	iOS, Android	iOS, Android
★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★☆

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Read the full disclosure below.

1. Promova

Promova (visit website) is certainly among the most interactive language learning apps. Their personalized study plans are based on your goals and time, and deliver bite-sized lessons focusing on vocabulary, grammar, and real-world usage.

Having a user-friendly interface (yes!), Promova tracks your progress, ensuring lessons remain challenging and effective. What’s great, each session lasts just about five minutes and includes engaging exercises like vocabulary review, contextual usage, and interactive drills. Although Promova’s grammar modules are limited, it is quite good in conversational language, making real-world application easier.

Promova also offers group lessons via Google Meet and personalized tutoring sessions for English learners. These options provide interactive and tailored learning experiences, enhancing speaking, listening, and comprehension skills. The Free English Conversation Club is a fantastic way to practice in a friendly environment.

Users like me appreciate Promova’s modern interface and the focus on practical language use. It is one of the most interesting apps for language learners seeking flexibility and engagement. Languages include English, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese, Arabic, French, Japanese or Korean.

Apps for: iOS, Android, Web, Mac | Rating: ★★★★★.
Price: $34.99/3 months. Deal: Save up to 33%. See pricing.
Info: View website. Get up to 33% discount.

2. Busuu

Busuu (visit website) offers online language tutorials, with twelve languages on offer (most of the popular European and Asian languages). Some critics find the limited choice of languages to be a drawback but they readily admit that the material on offer is of very high quality. Users often refer to Busuu as being a polished and professional app.

Busuu is free but it also offers a premium version. In the free version, only one language may be chosen and instruction takes place mainly by means of flashcards. Busuu Premium unlocks a lot of additional material. Quizzes, grammar exercises and, best of all, access to native speakers of the language you are learning are now available. Being able to interact with native speakers is perhaps one of the very best features of this language learning app.

Another feather in Busuu’s cap is its exceptionally well-designed dashboard and the excellently structured manner in which new material is presented. Beginners, especially, find it useful to know exactly what they have learned already and what they will be learning next. Each lesson builds on the previous one.

System: iOS, Android | Review: ★★★★★
Price: Visit website to claim discount. Free download. In-app offers.

3. Rosetta Stone

Anyone looking for a language app is bound to stumble upon Rosetta Stone (visit website), winner of numerous software awards and not just in the category for language learning apps. Twenty-four languages are on offer.

Reviewers are unanimous in praising Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent technology and its ongoing research efforts. TruAccent is one of the three pillars upon which Rosetta Stone rests. It is a patented speech recognition engine that helps you to perfect your pronunciation of words in a foreign language.

The other two pillars are the Phrasebook (an extensive collection of common phrases related to greetings, ordering from a menu and exchanging pleasantries) and Translation, an app that helps you translate words back into English.

User feedback is not all positive. Rosetta Stone does not offer definitions of new words and neither do they explain them within context. This, many users feel, is a drawback. It is nevertheless one of the best language learning apps currently available.

Platform: iOS, Android, Web | Review: ★★★★★
Pricing: Visit website. From 11.99/month. Get lifetime offer. All languages.

4. Pimsleur

Paul Pimsleur started teaching people new languages by mainly employing audio lessons. Pimsleur (visit website) has progressed, over the years, from a cassette-based program to a slick and efficient online language learning app. They still focus on audio to teach you a new language but they now also offer digital flashcards, reading lessons and written transcripts.

Pimsleur’s central point of departure is spaced repetition and critics agree that they are very good at using this approach to maximum effect. New words and phrases are introduced time and time again, greatly aiding your retention. Speed round games are fun and they are excellent at testing your conversational skills.

Lessons are around 30 minutes long and you can choose to download them for offline listening as an alternative to live streaming. Pimsleur firmly believes that passive listening is not productive, hence, the app encourages active participation during lessons. Instead of just memorizing words and phrases you are required to recall an actual exchange. It works! Pimsleur offers affordable payment plans.

Availability: Web | Review: ★★★★☆
Price: Visit website. Subscription from $14.95/month.

5. Memrise

Memrise, with more than 42 million users, is firmly established as one of the most popular and best language learning apps around. Boasting an editor’s choice award from PC Magazine, Memrise uses flashcards, quizzes and spaced repetition techniques to help you learn a new language (21 different languages are on offer).

Setting up a Memrise account is free but there is a Pro account too. Nevertheless, the free account offers very valuable content, especially for users who simply wish to expand their vocabulary. Upgrading to a Pro account unlocks additional features such as offline access to your lessons or learning faster with help from the chatbots and videos of native speakers.

Difficult Word exercises will help you to master words that you previously got wrong and statistics on your progress are available at all times. Pro membership can be purchased per month, per year or for a lifetime. Use the links to grab a discount.

Platform: iOS, Android, Web | Review: ★★★★☆
Pricing: Free and premium plans. Codes: Simply15. Simply50
Download: App Store | Playstore.

6. Duolingo

Online media hail Duolingo as one of the very best language learning apps overall and by far the best free app. More than 30 languages are on offer, but this includes only tutorials aimed at English speakers.

Even more, languages are offered for native speakers of other languages such as Dutch, Chinese and even Esperanto. More than 300 million learners use Duolingo to learn new languages or improve their vocabulary in existing languages.

Lessons are short, about five minutes each, making it easy to squeeze learning time into a busy schedule. Duolingo believes that learning should be fun and therefore their lessons are more like playing games than textbook learning. Even the quizzes and practice sessions are fun. Lessons are nevertheless very well structured, each lesson building upon the previous one.

Duolingo’s approach to learning a new language is to first introduce learners to words and phrases that they are most likely to use. Multiple examples of the use of words in different contexts help learners to become fluent quicker.

System: iOS, Android | Review: ★★★★☆
Price: Free download. In-app offers.
Download: App Store | Playstore.

7. Babbel

Babbel uses tried and tested language learning principles to teach 13 different languages. Lessons are short, 10 to 15 minutes each. One of the very few language learning apps that focus on all aspects of learning a new language (listening, writing, speaking and reading), Babbel claims that you will be conversing in a new language very quickly.

Every new word or phrase is introduced with its spelling, its pronunciation and the different contexts within which word is used. Regular revisions will help you remember what you have previously learned. Lessons are sorted into categories, allowing you to study words and phrases that you are most likely to need. These categories include travel, work, social interaction and everyday life.

Some critics say that while the exercises are useful, they are rather tedious and limited in scope. Babbel is also available on the web and offers modest pricing options for a year, six months, three months and one-month subscriptions.

System: iOS, Android | Review: ★★★★☆
Price: Free download. In-app offers.
Download: App Store | Playstore.

8. Drops

With 35 languages on offer, Drops is another of the many language learning apps that believe that five minutes of learning each day is all it takes to master a new language.

Minimalist graphics (simple hand-drawn pictures) are used to teach you new words and to review them from time to time. The pronunciation of every word is also provided with every new flashcard. Drops makes excellent use of the core principles on mnemonics in conjunction with fast-paced games.

Reviewers by and large agree that Drops is a very effective way in which to build up or improve your vocabulary in any of the languages. Unfortunately, Drops does not pay any attention to grammar whatsoever and new words are never presented within context. On the plus side, Drops is one of the very few apps that also offer “alphabet tutorials” for languages such as Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese and Japanese.

System: iOS, Android | Review: ★★★★☆
Price: Free and in-app plans
Download: App Store | Playstore.

9. Rype

Rype stands out from other language learning apps because it is not really an online learning application but rather an online language learning facilitation app.

It works this way: you choose the language that you want to learn (currently seven languages) and you book 30 or 60-minute classes with carefully selected online tutors.

Rype has more than a hundred native-speaking tutors from all over the world to choose from. These are real live tutors interacting with you in real-time over Skype.

Once you booked a session, you will get a reminder concerning the time and duration of the lesson and after completion of the lesson, you will receive a document summarizing the outcomes of the session, a list of resources to study before the next lesson and some assignments.

Of course, a specific tutor may not be available at a required time, but it is also possible to simply book a convenient time (for you) and Rype will assign a tutor that will be available at that time.

System: Web | Review: ★★★★☆
Price: Premium offers.

10. Mondly

“Play your way to a new language”, is Mondly’s motto, and having fun when learning is productive and motivational. With more than 50 million users worldwide and a few awards in its mantelpiece, Mondly certainly has a point.

Lessons are short and use audio, speech recognition technology and neuroscience principles to speed up your learning. And, you learn by playing games.

Mondly believes that it is best to first learn core words and phrases that will get you conversing in your new language. It is also one of the very few language learning apps that allow you to learn from any of the 33 languages on offer without paying extra.

Reviewers and users agree that Mondly maintains a perfect balance between teaching pronunciations, grammar, vocabulary and sentence construction. Lessons are dynamically adapted to make provision for your personal progress and there are extensive reports on your progress.

Mondly can be accessed through their website or you can download it for use on your mobile. Lifetime access can be purchased for a modest amount.

System: iOS, Android, Web | Review: ★★★★★
Price: Subscription, life-time plans.
Availability: App Store | Playstore.

11. Mosalingua

Flashcards, used in conjunction with spaced repetition and speech recognition technology have been proven to be a very effective way to teach languages and this is exactly what MosaLingua does.

It uses a mix of audio, graphics and text to aid faster learning and improve retention. Extremely well-structured lessons methodically build upon previous lessons. In each lesson, you first see the new word and hear it spoken by a native speaker. Next, you are shown the English translation and you memorize the word. Then you write the word or phrase and finally you review the session.

Revision schedules are cleverly designed and unique to each individual learner. MosaLingua does not bother with reviews on material that you have clearly mastered.

Setting up a MosaLingua account is quick but keep in mind that only eight languages are offered. “Ridiculously affordable” is perhaps the best way to describe the price. When you register you may opt for an assessment to gauge your proficiency.

Platform: iOS, Android, Web | Review: ★★★★★
Price: Free and premium.
Availability: App Store | Playstore.

12. Beelinguapp

Learning a new language involves much more than just memorizing words and phrases. True fluency means that you must speak the language, listen to the language being spoken and read in that language. Beelinguapp focuses solely on this last aspect: reading the language.

A large collection of reading material (mostly general articles and children’s stories) is offered for 12 different languages. Beelinguapp provides translations for all its material and you can choose whether you wish to see the text side-by-side in both English and the language that you are practicing or just the language you are learning.

Do not expect to learn a new language with Beelinguapp. It is an excellent app for improving your reading skills but at best useful as a supplementary app for other more comprehensive language learning apps.

Beelinguapp can be downloaded free for both Android and iOS. While the free version offers lots of reading material, additional material can be purchased for a very reasonable fee. All the in-app advertisements will also be removed.

System: iOS, Android, Web | Review: ★★★★☆
Pricing: Free download. In-app offers.
Get it here: App Store | Playstore.

Best Language Learning Apps – Summary

With such an array of language learning apps on offer, you may be forgiven if you are at a loss on which one(s) to choose. Start by listing your own requirements.

Perhaps you can only spare a few minutes each day, or you just want to practice a language you have already mastered. Maybe you are going on a trip and only need the essentials. Make your final choice based upon your particular needs and use free versions or free trial versions to see if any of those language learning apps appeal to you.

What are the most spoken languages?

According to ethnologue.com the top 200 languages cover almost 90% of all spoken languages. However, there are more than 7,000 around the world.

• English – 1,130 Million
• Mandarin Chinese – 1,100 M
• Hindi – 615 M
• Spanish – 530 M
• French – 280 M
• Standard Arabic – 275 M
• Bengali – 265 M
• Russian – 260 M
• Portugues – 235 M
• Indonesian – 200 M

What are the best language learning apps in your opinion? What are your learning goals for this year? Please leave a comment below.

Also interesting: Wikipedia – List of official languages

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to some providers of language apps. Speed Reading Lounge may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. It does not add any extra costs. All reviews, opinions, descriptions, and comparisons expressed here are our own.