Learning a new language is a fun challenge, right? And thanks to our handy smartphones, we’ve got a bunch of apps that can help us out.
But with so many options, it can be overwhelming to find the best language-learning app for your specific needs.
Don’t sweat it, though.
I’ve done the hard work for you. I’ve checked all the options and compiled a list of the top six free language learning apps you may want to try.
Today, I’ll walk you through each app, highlighting what makes them shine and how they can support you in mastering a new language.
So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at these apps in the comparison table below.
| App | Key Features | Pricing |
| Duolingo | Gamified learning, wide range of languages | Free, Super version starts at $6.99/month |
| Memrise | Real-world language, video clips of native speakers | Free, Pro version starts at $14.99/month |
| Rosetta Stone | Immersive learning, TruAccent speech-recognition technology | Free, offers in-app purchases. Starts at $11.99/month |
| Busuu | Community learning, personalized study plans | Free, Premium version starts at $13.95/month |
| LingQ | Reading and listening focus, import your own content | Free, Premium version starts at $12.99/month |
| The Ling App | Over 60 languages, interactive lessons | Free, Premium version starts at $8.99/month |
Duolingo – Best For Gamified Learning
First up on our list is Duolingo, an app that’s turned language learning into a game.
Now, I know what you’re thinking – a game? Really? But hear me out. Duolingo has made learning a new language feel less like a chore and more like a fun challenge.
With Duolingo, you’re earning points for correct answers, racing against the clock, and leveling up.
It’s like playing your favorite video game, but you’re learning a new language. And with over 40 languages, Duolingo has something for everyone.
But don’t let the game-like feel fool you. Duolingo’s lessons are comprehensive and effective. It’s a serious learning tool that just happens to be a lot of fun.
Duolingo’s Standout Features
- Game-like Lessons: You earn points, unlock levels, and collect rewards, making the learning process an exciting game.
- Personalized Learning: Duolingo uses AI to adapt lessons to your learning level and pace. This ensures you’re always learning at a level that suits you.
- Global Community: With Duolingo, you’re part of a community of over 300 million learners. You can compete on leaderboards and stay motivated while learning alongside other users.
What Users Are Saying
Duolingo has made quite an impression with a 4.5-star rating on Google Play and many reviews to back it up.
Users praise the engaging, game-like lessons and the wide range of languages. But, like everything else, there’s room for improvement.
Some users wish for more detailed grammar explanations and a more seamless experience between the online and mobile versions.
How Much Does Duolingo Cost?
Duolingo offers both free and premium plans. Here’s a quick overview:
| Plan | Price | Features |
| Free | Free | Basic language learning features, such as lessons, quizzes, and challenges |
| Super Duolingo (monthly) | $6.99 | Ad-free learning, unlimited hearts, the ability to review your mistakes, and access to exclusive content |
| Super Duolingo (yearly) | $83.99 | All of the features of the monthly plan, plus a 15% discount |
| Duolingo Family Plan | $119.99 | A single subscription that can be shared by up to 6 family members |
Memrise – Best For Real-World Language
Next up is Memrise, an app that stands out for its focus on real-world language.
Instead of just teaching you vocabulary and grammar rules, Memrise immerses you in the language as it’s used in everyday life.
How does it do this? Memrise uses video clips of native speakers in real-life situations. This way, you’re not just memorizing words but also seeing how they’re used in context.
But it’s not just about listening. Memrise also uses a tool called MemBot. This little helper pops up to remind you of the words you’ve learned, helping to reinforce them in your memory.
And with over 30 languages to choose from, you’re sure to find the one you’re interested in.
Memrise’s Standout Features
- Real-world Language: This is what sets Memrise apart for me. It’s not just about memorizing words and phrases. It’s about understanding how they’re used in real life.
- Chatbot Conversations: This is a feature I really enjoy. The chatbot lets you have simulated conversations, a great way to practice speaking the language.
- Spaced Repetition: If you’re struggling with a word, Memrise shows it to you more often. If you’ve mastered a word, you see it less.
What Users Are Saying
I’ve seen a lot of love for Memrise out there. With a 4.8-star rating on Google Play, it’s clear I’m not the only one who appreciates its real-world language focus.
The chatbot feature gets a lot of praise – it’s like conversing with a native speaker. But, like all language apps, it’s not perfect. Some users would like more grammar-focused lessons.
How Much Does Memrise Cost?
While you can start learning with Memrise for free, they offer additional features through their premium plans. Here’s a quick look at what each plan offers:
| Plan | Price | Features |
| Monthly | $14.99 | Full access to all languages and lessons, 30,000 native speaker videos, no ads |
| Annual | $7.50/month ($89.99 billed annually) | Same as Monthly |
| Lifetime | $199.99 (one-time payment) | Same as Monthly, but with a one-time payment |
Rosetta Stone – Best For Immersive Learning
No one can deny that Rosetta Stone is one of the best free language learning apps out there. It’s a name that’s been a heavyweight in the language-learning world for quite some time.
Rosetta Stone believes in immersion. They don’t want you to just memorize words and phrases. They want you to live the language.
Imagine you’re a kid again, learning your first language. You didn’t start with grammar rules or vocabulary lists, right?
You learned by listening, associating words with images and actions, making mistakes, and figuring things out. That’s exactly what Rosetta Stone aims to replicate – a natural, intuitive way of learning.
Rosetta Stone’s Standout Features
- TruAccent Speech-Recognition Engine: It listens to your speech, compares it with that of native speakers, and gives you instant feedback.
- Dynamic Immersion Method: Instead of spoon-feeding you translations, Rosetta Stone encourages you to learn from context. You see a picture, hear a phrase, and you figure out what it means.
- Live Coaching with Native Speakers: You can join live sessions with native speakers and get immediate feedback on your overall language skills.
What Users Are Saying
I looked at the user reviews on Google Play, and it’s clear that Rosetta Stone is a hit with its users. It has a 4.7-star rating, with many users praising its immersive approach and the quality of its lessons.
One user said, “The language training is logical and progressive. With discipline, it really does work!” However, some users did mention issues with the voice recognition feature, so that’s something to keep in mind.
How Much Does Rosetta Stone Cost?
Rosetta Stone offers a free version with limited free lessons, but if you want the full experience, you’ll need to go premium. Here’s a quick breakdown:
| Plan | Price | Features |
| 3 Months | $11.99 | Bite-sized lessons, fully immersive environment, speech recognition technology, access to the award-winning app |
| 12 Months | $9.99 | Same features as the 3-month plan |
| Lifetime Subscription | $299 (one-time payment) | Unlimited access to all 25 languages, plus all the features of the other plans |
Busuu – Best For Community Learning
Let’s move on to Busuu, a language app that’s taken a unique approach to language learning by leveraging the power of community.
Busuu is a social network of learners. The idea here is simple yet effective: learn and practice a new language with a community of native speakers.
Busuu’s methodology is based on CEFR (The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), offering 12 languages.
The interactive lessons cover all aspects of language learning – reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
But what sets Busuu apart is the opportunity to submit your exercises to native speakers in the Busuu community for feedback.
Busuu’s Standout Features
- Community Learning: Busuu’s community of over 100 million learners is its standout feature. You can submit your exercises to native speakers for feedback.
- Study Plan: Busuu offers a personalized study plan that adapts to your schedule, helping you stay on track with your language learning goals.
- Certification: Busuu offers a certification service in partnership with McGraw-Hill Education.
What Users Are Saying
Busuu has a 4.6-star rating on Google Play, with users praising the community learning aspect and the comprehensive lessons.
However, some users have pointed out that the app can sometimes be a bit buggy. Overall, users appreciate the unique approach to language learning that Busuu offers.
How Much Does Busuu Cost?
Busuu does offer a completely free version. However, you’ll want to consider one of their premium plans to unlock all the features and get the most out of the app. Here’s a breakdown of Busuu’s pricing:
| Plan | Price | Features |
| Free | Free | Basic language learning features, such as lessons, quizzes, and challenges |
| Premium (monthly) | $13.95 | Full access to all courses, grammar lessons, offline mode, and community feedback |
| Premium (6 months) | $8.45 | All features of the monthly plan |
| Premium (12 months) | $4.87 | All features of the monthly plan, plus a 30% discount |
LingQ – Best For Reading And Listening
Then there’s LingQ, a language-learning platform that has truly embraced the power of reading and listening.
So what’s so special about that? Well, LingQ is a platform that immerses you in a sea of authentic content that you’d genuinely enjoy.
The concept is pretty straightforward but incredibly effective: you read or listen to content in your target language. Then, LingQ helps you understand and learn new words and phrases in context.
But that’s not all. LingQ boasts a vast library of lessons, podcasts, books, interviews, and more, all with transcripts.
And the best part? You can import content from the web, like Netflix shows or YouTube videos, and turn them into interactive lessons in the app.
LingQ’s Standout Features
- Language Storytelling and TPRS: LingQ leverages language storytelling and TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling). You can access thousands of hours of downloadable audio mp3 files, all with transcripts.
- Import Lessons: This feature allows you to import YouTube videos, Netflix shows, and more as lessons. This way, you can learn from YouTube videos and content that you find interesting and relevant.
- SRS (Spaced Repetition System): LingQ uses SRS to help you review and learn vocabulary in context. This method is proven to help information stick in your memory.
What Users Are Saying
LingQ has a rating of 4.3 stars from over 25,000 reviews on Google Play. Users appreciate the unique approach to language learning, especially the ability to import content for personalized lessons.
Some users have mentioned minor synchronization issues with imported lessons, but the feedback is positive overall.
How Much Does LingQ Cost?
LingQ offers a variety of pricing options to suit different needs. Here’s a quick rundown:
| Plan | Price | Features |
| Free | Free | Basic language learning features, such as lessons, quizzes, and challenges |
| Premium (monthly) | $12.99 | Full access to all courses, grammar lessons, offline mode, and community feedback |
| Premium (6 months) | $11.99 | All features of the monthly plan |
| Premium (24 months) | $7.99 | All features of the monthly plan, plus a 38% discount |
The Ling App – Your Free Companion For Learning 60+ Languages
Last but not least is the Ling app, our very own language-learning app.
Now, I might be a bit biased here, but I genuinely believe that the Ling app offers a comprehensive and engaging approach to language learning that’s hard to beat.
What makes Ling stand out? Well, it’s the app’s gamified approach to learning. You see, Ling doesn’t just teach you grammar rules or vocabulary words.
Instead, it immerses you in a world of fun and interactive lessons that make learning feel like a game. And trust me, it’s a game you’ll want to keep playing.
With Ling, you can learn over 60 languages, from the most widely spoken ones like English, Spanish, and Mandarin, to less common ones like Japanese or even Swahili.
But it’s not just about the number of languages. It’s about the depth and breadth of the content.
The Ling app doesn’t just teach you words and phrases. It teaches you how to use a foreign language in real-life situations.
The Ling App’s Standout Features
- Gamified Learning: Ling turns language learning into a game, making it fun and engaging. You’ll earn points, level up, and unlock new challenges as you progress.
- Comprehensive Content: With Ling, you can learn everything from basic vocabulary to complex grammar rules. You’ll learn about the culture, giving you a deeper understanding of the language.
- Real-Life Scenarios: The lessons are based on real-life situations, helping you learn practical words and phrases that you can use in daily conversations, travel, business, and more.
What Users Are Saying
The Ling app has a rating of 4.6 stars from over 9,000 reviews on Google Play. Language learners love the interactive exercises and the app’s wide range of languages.
Some users have mentioned that the app is a bit pricey. Interestingly, most agree that the content quality and the teaching methods’ effectiveness make it worth the cost.
How Much Does The Ling App Cost?
As for the pricing, the good news is there’s a plan for everyone. Let’s break it down:
| Plan | Price | Features |
| Basic | Free | Beginner lessons, introductory chatbot |
| 1 Month | $8.99 | Beginner lessons, introductory chatbot, 200 lessons in 50 units, access to 60+ languages, sync across all your devices, talk with the chatbot about 20 topics, grammar tips in many languages |
| 1 Year | $6.67 | All features of the 1-month plan |
| Lifetime | $149.99 (one-time payment) | All features of the 1-year plan, lifetime access |
Which Of The Free Language Learning Apps Is For You?
Choosing the right one from these free language learning apps depends on your style and goals. If you enjoy gamified learning, Duolingo or our Ling app could be your match.
If you prefer real-world immersion, consider Memrise or Rosetta Stone. For reading and listening enthusiasts, LingQ is an excellent choice. And for language learning software focused on community interaction, Busuu stands out.
Remember, the best app is the one you’ll use consistently. So, choose an app you enjoy, fits your routine, and keeps you motivated.
Still unsure? They’re all completely free to start, so why not try them out? You might just find your perfect language-learning companion.
As for us, we’re here to support your language learning journey with the Ling app.
With over 60 languages, interactive lessons, and a gamified approach, we’re confident that the Ling app can help you reach your language learning goals.
Ready to start? Download the Ling app from Google Play and App Store now. Let’s make language learning fun and effective together!
