A lot of language resources are available online. That’s why many language learners are baffled about which language learning app they should use. As a result, I would like to give a reliable commentary on which learning apps (FluentU vs. Mango languages) are the best in helping you acquire proficiency in a new language. Likewise, I will introduce an alternative language app that is guaranteed to give you all the fun while learning. If you are ready for that, then let’s bring it on!
FluentU Review
FluentU is a language learning software that helps its users to master their target languages. It offers interactive videos in which a user can download transcriptions and subtitles to review new words. A user can also choose what interactive subtitles (other languages) they can use in watching the video lessons. For this reason, several language learners will be engaged and be motivated to learn languages through an audio-visual method of learning. From here, mastering the vocabulary of foreign languages is made smooth and simple.
Aside from the interactive and real-world videos, the language app also provides blog posts that include cultural aspects of foreign languages. Thus, FluentU will teach a beginner about language skills and appreciate and acknowledge the way of life of a particular country in using the different foreign languages.
In addition, FluentU is equipped with 10 common spoken languages like Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, German, English, Russian, Italian, Korean, and Portuguese. Thus, users can choose more than one language they wish to study. Moreover, this language learning app is accessible both on the website and smartphones (App Store and Play Store).
Can FluentU Help You Become A Native Speaker?
Most language learning software like FluentU is inadequate in helping its users to become native speakers of their second language. Though this app provides interactive videos and blog posts related to the learner’s target language, these features are not enough for them to achieve language proficiency and acquisition. Moreover, users may need other language resources to keep them on track.
How To Use FluentU
If you are a first-time user, you need to sign up first and enter information about yourself. Hereafter, you need to select which level you are learning a foreign language, such as Beginner level, Intermediate level, or Advanced level. Once you’re done, you will come across video lessons related to your target language. You need to finish watching the video you chose because you will be given a quiz from thereon. After that, you will hear several native language speakers that will give you feedback about your answers.
Features Of FluentU
You can use various features to practice your vocabulary exclusively when you use the app’s premium version. Below are the following specialty courses of FluentU:
- Video Lessons – educational and real-world videos with clickable interactive subtitles that indicate grammar information, proper pronunciation from native speakers, and phrases and sentences used in real-world contexts. A user can also place the unknown words or phrases on the flashcard reviews to learn them afterwards.
- Audios – these audios are associated with related pictures to guide the language learners in studying a new language.
- Flashcards – these flashcards have native speaker audio associated with pictures so that learners can figure out the sample words used in different contexts that are being flashed.
- Audio And Video Playlists – these audio and video playlists are the lesson compilation of the user to be reassessed afterwards.
- Educational Blogs – these blog posts are compiled like books in a local library to pore over by the language learners. Other blog posts related to their target language has topics that encompass the history, culture, writing system, parts of speech and other conversational skills in learning a language.
- Games –game-like quizzes are provided to master basic words. These interactive exercises have corresponding points to help the users advance to a new level.
Is FluentU A Free App?
FluentU is a free language learning app. However, this free version is accessible only for just 14 days, with which a user can use this trial for one minute a day. If you want to learn practical conversational skills, you need to subscribe to the app’s premium version. In addition, you can learn the 10 languages in an unlimited way using the premium version.
FluentU Premium Version And Subscription
Below are the two premium versions of FluentU: There are two premium subscription plans to choose from:
A monthly subscription costs $29.99
The annual subscription costs $239.99
Pros And Cons Of FluentU
Pros | Cons |
Provides video lessons (real-world videos and real-life context) | Simple graphic user interface |
Provides audios from various native speakers | Limited languages available (10 foreign languages) |
Downloadable transcriptions and subtitles | Video lessons are too complex for a beginner |
Keep goals on track | Focused only on vocabulary skills and listening skills |
Listening exercises and interactive exercises (SRS quizzes) | Lacks grammatical lessons (sentence structure) |
Informational blog posts and articles in all the languages (10 foreign languages) | Premium subscription is pricey |
Mango Languages Review
Like other language learning apps, Mango Languages is one educational app that experienced language learners use. The advantage of this app is that it provides 70 different languages, unlike other language learning apps that have a few languages to choose from. Furthermore, the languages that this app offers also include unusual languages, so a user can learn other languages aside from popular languages.
Likewise, the Mango Languages can be accessed even when a user is in offline mode. Also, this app is compatible and can be downloaded using smartphones (App Store and Play Store).
Can Mango Languages Help You Become A Native Speaker?
Mango Languages is an excellent language tool in learning a language. However, it only aimed to teach limited language skills like vocabulary, understanding basic grammar notes, and pronunciations. Due to the limited feature, Mango Languages cannot help a language learner be a native speaker of their second language.
How To Use Mango Languages
Mango Languages prefer their users to learn a language based on their learning styles. Once you’ve signed up to the app, you may bump into several listening exercises like repetitive flashcards and reading exercises to discover new words, followed by an interactive quiz to test your comprehension and speaking skills.
The downside of Mango languages is it does not have writing exercises.
Features Of Mango Languages
Learning languages in this app is like having an electronic module. Using this, a beginner will learn a language per unit and chapter using one of Mango Languages’ features, the Learning Pathway. As a result, Mango Languages will assess its users if they truly master the new words and phrases.
Here, the app is teaching words using structured, patterned colors is a good way because this will make the learning uncomplicated, especially for beginners. More than that, Mango languages also provide short grammar notes and cultural notes to study the target language passionately.
Machine translations are also one of the features of Mango languages. This is similar to Google Translate, at which point the recorded audio provides voice comparison when a user delivers a recorded voice. These machine translations will assess the user’s recorded voice to know if it’s correct or not. However, this machine translation has a monotone voice. For that reason, I do not suggest using Mango Languages if you want to learn the correct pronunciation of your target language.
Additionally, the video lessons in Mango Languages serve as an additional language learning tool because it helps the users recognize and be familiarized with the native language and expressions that are often used by the daily lives of native speakers.
Some of the foreign languages that Mango Languages offer are French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and other minority languages. A user can learn new language courses by availing of the app’s premium version.
Is Mango Languages A Free App?
Using Mango Languages has free resources like offline resources. A language learner will not access other features like libraries, language learning schools, and organizations because it is only available in the premium version.
Mango Languages Premium Version And Subscription
The three premium subscriptions of Mango Languages are the following:
1. Single Language
- The monthly subscription costs $7.99
- The annual subscription costs $6.67 per month or $79.99 per year
2. All Languages
- The monthly subscription costs $17.99
- The annual subscription costs $14.99 per month or $179.99 per year
3. Enterprise
- The price is personalized and customized
Pros And Cons Of Mango Languages
Pros | Cons |
An excellent language app to quickly master new words | The monotone voice of the native speaker audio |
Provides cultural notes | The conversations are composed and formulated |
Provides direct English translation | No writing exercises |
Engaging graphic user interface | Constant and repeated flashcards |
Excellent app to improve speaking skills (real-life conversations) | The machine translations have a low and stiff voice |
FluentU Vs Mango Languages: Final Thoughts
After giving an honest review about these two language learning apps, I strongly suggest having an additional language learning app because the two apps lack free resources.
As I reviewed Mango languages and FluentU, FluentU is better regarding its offered language courses. Despite it being a costly subscription, a language learner will quickly acquire fundamental cultural concepts and common words. Also, FluentU provides more visual components than Mango Languages. This app is excellent for a learner who has audio-visual intelligence. Considering that learners in this generation are more tech-savvy, they used to have a learning platform that corresponds to their learning style.
After all, these two apps are adaptable in learning all the languages they offer. It’s just that they should come up with accessible features at an affordable and reasonable price. If you’re looking for another option and these two apps are not your preference to learn a language, I recommend you an alternative language app: the Ling App.
Alternative Language Learning App: Ling App
The Ling App by Simya Solutions is a language learning app that can guide and help you master your target language. It offers 60+ languages and provides engaging language exercises like quizzes and flashcards. You can also exchange messages using an A.I. chatbot and read other blog posts related to learning the new language. Moreover, you can read more app reviews such as HiNative Vs Busuu and Drops Vs Lingvist.
Hurry! Grab Ling App now and start a new way of learning languages!