Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
- Free with few limitations
- No limit to how many languages you can learn
- Clear structure, great exercises
- Can test out of lessons that are too easy
- Excellent podcasts
- Low price for paid subscription
- Quantity of material varies by language
- Grammar lessons could be more prominently placed
Duolingo is by far the best free language learning app. And it would still be among the best even if you had to pay—which you can do with Duolingo Super. That subscription unlocks an ad-free experience, a special mode for practicing your mistakes, and other perks. But what makes Duolingo so good? Its content is very strong, and the app design makes it easy to pick up and practice for a few minutes per day or sit down for longer study sessions. We also love Duolingo’s podcasts and Stories feature for the languages that have it.
Ideal for beginner or intermediate students, Duolingo lets you learn more than 30 languages for free. It’s also available on all major platforms, including mobile devices.
Price Includes
All Languages, All Levels
Style of Program
Interactive Exercises
No. of Languages Offered (Not Incl. English)
37
Average Duration of Lesson (Mins)
4
Learn More
Duolingo Review
- Affordable
- One-on-one and small group classes via Zoom
- Qualified, enthusiastic instructors
- Excellent learning materials
- Includes placement test
- Offers classes for only a few languages
- No software-based courses
Lingoda offers one-on-one and small group classes via Zoom for very reasonable prices. More importantly, however, the classes are highly structured. You get PDFs of all the materials before the class, which the instructor works their way through. What Lingoda offers is completely different from tutoring, in which a student often brings up topics they want to practice or learn. With Lingoda, students work their way through all the classes at a particular level before advancing to the next one.
Lingoda is one of the very few online language learning programs that’s appropriate for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students. If you’ve studied a language for several years but need so-called maintenance classes, Lingoda can handle that, too. It’s also suitable if you’re just starting out with a language, as long as you commit to practicing by yourself. We don’t recommend using only Lingoda if you are a new speaker, though. Pair it with another class or learning app to get the best results.
Price Includes
Small Group Classes and Materials
Style of Program
Live Video Call Classes
No. of Languages Offered (Not Incl. English)
4
Average Duration of Lesson (Mins)
60
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Lingoda Review
- Excellent content and compelling format
- Wonderful cast of instructors and actors
- Buy once, access forever
- Appropriate for deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing people
- Free for parents of deaf children under 36 months
- No mobile apps
- Small improvements to interactive quiz design would help
We tested quite a few apps and websites for learning American Sign Language, and Sign It ASL is easily the best. Working through a lesson feels a little like watching a television show because characters in the segments essentially perform short skits in ASL with closed captioning and narration to help you learn. Interactive sessions for practicing and quizzing yourself follow each skit. Sign It ASL does a wonderful job of conveying a lot of information about culture, etiquette, and other aspects of ASL that are essential to learning this language.
Sign It ASL is for teen and adult learners looking to learn American Sign Language. Because Sign It uses both narration and closed captioning, you can be hard of hearing or deaf and use this program, but you don’t have to be. The app is also appropriate for parents and family members of deaf infants and very young children who will need adult support in acquiring the language as they grow. There’s even a special application process for those parents to get Sign It ASL for free. The team that makes Sign It ASL has programs and YouTube videos for young children learning ASL, too.
Price Includes
Video Lessons
Style of Program
Quizzes
No. of Languages Offered (Not Incl. English)
1
Average Duration of Lesson (Mins)
45-60
Learn More
Sign It ASL Review
Best for Instructor-Led Videos
Fluenz
- Comprehensive core content
- Good for beginners
- Uses a building blocks approach
- App design prevents distractions
- Limited number of languages
- Only basic voice recording
If Rosetta Stone didn’t click for you, Fluenz is the best alternative. It’s just as good at teaching beginners and intermediate students what they need to know about a language, but the approach is completely different. With Fluenz, you get a virtual instructor in short, classroom-style videos. Then, you move into interactive practice modules, which are tougher than Rosetta Stone’s because they don’t enforce the deductive method of learning.
If you learn better with a teacher than with a game-like app, try Fluenz. Just keep in mind that it doesn’t offer too many languages: Chinese (Mandarin with Pinyin only), French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Latin American Spanish, and European Spanish.
Price Includes
1 Level
Style of Program
Exercises
No. of Languages Offered (Not Incl. English)
7
Average Duration of Lesson (Mins)
45
- Excellent, polished user experience
- Accurate
- Plentiful bonus content
- Optional online tutoring sessions
- No placement test
- Repetitive
- Full course outline isn’t visible
Rosetta Stone is one of the best programs for learning a language, especially for beginners. It excels at introducing new words and basic grammar (such as conjugation and agreement) at just the right time and in a compelling way. It also does an excellent job of getting you to commit to learning and studying for about 30 minutes per day with its wonderfully clear and structured lessons.
When you’re just getting started with a new language and are still uncomfortable with it, nothing quite beats Rosetta Stone. Once you know a language well enough to converse a little and read with some fluidity, however, you’re probably beyond what it has to offer.
Price Includes
12-Month Subscription
Style of Program
Interactive Exercises
No. of Languages Offered (Not Incl. English)
23
Average Duration of Lesson (Mins)
30
Learn More
Rosetta Stone Review
- High-quality lessons unique to each language
- Small group and individual live classes offer exceptional value
- Difficult content
- Total amount of content varies by language
- Unmemorable lessons
Babbel offers unique, high-quality content for 13 languages, along with affordable live classes for English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. It covers listening, reading, speaking, and writing thoroughly enough that you will need to take notes and reference them as you go. The lessons might feel dull, but they are among the most rigorous we’ve come across and really push your comprehension. For a change of pace, you can try learning with Babbel’s tailored podcasts.
Choose Babbel if you are looking for a challenge. It won’t hold your hand or even let you progress until you get an exercise correct. Its live classes are also an exceptional value.
Price Includes
Subscription
Style of Program
Exercises
No. of Languages Offered (Not Incl. English)
13
Average Duration of Lesson (Mins)
5
- Helps you speak and understand spoken languages
- Clear, audio-based instruction
- Superb lesson structure
- Programs for 50 languages, along with ESL courses
- Expensive
- Difficult to learn new scripts
Pimsleur uses a unique teaching method from Dr. Paul Pimsleur (the namesake for the program). The Pimsleur method introduces you to words and concepts, has you repeat them, and then has you wait a specific amount of time before recalling them. The idea is that these timed intervals between moments of learning and recall strengthen your memory. Pimsleur courses have great content, too.
If you have a difficult time adjusting your pronunciation for a new language, Pimsleur is exceptional. It gives you the opportunity to hear words and practice saying them before you see them. The app is also ideal if you prefer audio-based learning or need to practice a language while multitasking. It has courses for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students.
Price Includes
All Languages, All Levels
Style of Program
Audio
No. of Languages Offered (Not Incl. English)
50
Average Duration of Lesson (Mins)
30
Learn More
Pimsleur Review
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The Best Language Learning Apps for 2025
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Buying Guide: The Best Language Learning Apps for 2025
What Is the Best Language Learning Software?
The best app for learning a foreign language depends on your needs and goals. Apps and online services let you learn at your own pace and in spaces where you’re most comfortable. The trick is figuring out what you need to work on at different stages.
When you first start out, you might like a program that tells you exactly what to study for an intensive 30 minutes per day. Rosetta Stone and Fluenz are both exceptional at that. Then, add a mobile app with more bite-sized content so you can refresh your memory in short bursts. Duolingo is especially good for practicing on the go, as is Quizlet. Quizlet isn’t a language app per se, but it helps you create study sets (essentially groups of flash cards) and works exceptionally well for foreign language learning.
Some language learners find that looking at written language trips up their pronunciation. In that case, you might be better off starting with an audio-focused program, such as Pimsleur or Michel Thomas. Between the two, Pimsleur rates higher in our testing.
If you’re already an intermediate or advanced speaker, self-paced apps alone won’t be challenging enough. You should add one-on-one tutoring or a small-group class lesson. Lingoda has both: They’re exceptional and happen over Zoom. Another place to get human instruction is Rype, which focuses on one-on-one tutoring in 30-minute sessions. Not quite ready to converse? Try Yabla, a site flush with videos of native speakers that can help you acclimate your ear and expand your vocabulary.
Sometimes, you need resources specific to the language you’re learning. For example, if you are studying American Sign Language, you really need either a live instructor or videos. Sign It ASL, an online course that offers TV-show-like video lessons, is the best we’ve tested for that language.
Similarly, for languages with a script that’s new to you, it’s best to find an app that includes content for teaching reading and writing. In some cases, you might pick up two apps, one that focuses solely on reading and writing and another that teaches listening and speaking. There are plenty of apps that teach just writing for Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and other non-Roman scripts.
How Do You Learn Language Best?
One of the hardest parts about learning a different language is that if you are succeeding 100% of the time, it’s not difficult enough. If it’s too easy, you’re not learning. That’s uncomfortable for many people, but it’s another reason you need to explore all your options, across language learning apps and resources, that match your skill level.
Podcasts are a great way to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. Babbel and Duolingo both have good podcasts. If you can understand about 80% of what’s being said, that’s right where you should be. If you’re not into podcasts in the first place, though, you might get frustrated and give up.
A few apps, including Lingoda, offer placement tests so you can find out which level is the most appropriate for you to start.
What Is the Best Free Language Learning App?
The best free app for learning a language is Duolingo, hands down. We recommend it enthusiastically, no matter your level or language goals, as it has just about everything. You won’t become fluent using just Duolingo, but it’s excellent for helping you study and keep up your skills.
It’s available as both a web and mobile app, and it works well whether you’re a total beginner or already have experience. You can study as many languages as you like with Duolingo. It has more than 30 languages with instruction in English, as well as more options if you prefer a different language of instruction.
A quiz in Duolingo (Credit: Duolingo/PCMag)
If you’re not a beginner, Duolingo lets you take a placement test to find the right place to start. It also makes it easy to practice specific skills, because its lessons focus not only on vocabulary themes (such as family or hobbies) but also on verb tenses and grammatical rules (such as past imperfect or dative case).
You can practice exercises in short bursts or explore content for intermediate and advanced speakers, including Stories and podcasts, which are available only for some languages. Duolingo also has some gamification aspects, so you can set a goal for yourself and compete against others. The more you hit your goal, the more bonus points you earn. You can support the company by paying for a Super Duolingo account, but it’s not necessary to get everything this app has to offer.
Is Rosetta Stone Worth the Price?
Rosetta Stone is the most polished language-learning app, and it has plenty of extras. Among paid programs, it continues to be one of our top picks alongside Fluenz. Rosetta Stone is often on sale, so you can reasonably expect to pay less than the list price to get it. If you and your family members study multiple languages often, the Lifetime membership is a good deal, since it gives you access to all of Rosetta Stone’s languages for your lifetime for one flat rate.
A storyboard in Rosetta Stone (Credit: Rosetta Stone/PCMag)
Rosetta Stone is accurate, thorough, and reliable: It covers more than 20 languages. We like its rigor, especially for beginners. You know what to do every day, and you can plan to spend about 30 minutes completing your lesson. If you follow this routine, Rosetta Stone has enough content to keep you busy for months. Again, you won’t become fluent in a language using only Rosetta Stone, but it’s superb for helping you build a foundation for future learning.
The Best Language Software With a Virtual Teacher
Some learners do best when they have an instructor to guide them. When you’re starting with a language, seeing another human being speak it and watching their facial movements can make it feel less intimidating. Fluenz gets that. This program uses videos of a teacher to introduce new lessons and review concepts, then follows them up with interactive learning exercises and quizzes. It’s as rigorous as Rosetta Stone but uses a completely different approach that you might prefer.
A video lesson in Fluenz (Credit: Fluenz/PCMag)
As Fluenz progresses, the instructor walks you through lessons in pronunciation and grammar and culture, too. If you learn best when you see a familiar face, Fluenz is a great option.
Fluenz offers seven language courses: Chinese (Mandarin with Pinyin writing only), French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Latin American Spanish, and European Spanish.
The Best App for Group Classes and Speaking Practice
Lingoda is our top pick for live, video-based group classes designed to get you speaking. With Lingoda, you take a placement test and then commit to a package of classes, which you pay for up front. Classes take place over Zoom and are limited to five students. One-on-one sessions are also available for a higher per-class cost.
A small group class in Lingoda (Credit: Lingoda/Zoom/PCMag)
Lingoda’s curriculum and levels are based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Lingoda offers classes in French, German, Spanish, English, and Business English.
What Is the Most Challenging Language Instruction App?
One app stands out for having lessons that are harder than others: Babbel. While testing this app, you might need a notebook by your side to fill with words and phrases just to keep up. Not everyone can jump into tough language learning content, but some people can and like it. In particular, people who already speak three or four related languages might find that some programs are too slow for them. That’s when Babbel is worth trying.
Babbel is the best language learning app for people who like challenging content. (Credit: Babbel/PCMag)
Babbel has 13 languages, assuming your language of instruction is English. You can learn Danish, Dutch, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian only), Russian, Spanish (Latin American or European), Swedish, and Turkish. There’s also a course for learning English, with instruction available in French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish.
Recommended by Our Editors
If you’ve studied a language before and find that most language learning apps are too easy, you might want to try an app that gives you movies and TV shows in your target language, along with tools to help you learn the expressions, phrases, and words that are new to you. Two good apps offer this: Yabla and Lingopie. Both let you watch videos with the option to show closed captioning in the native language as well as English subtitles. You can look for content from a particular country or region if you’re trying to acclimate your ear to a certain dialect or accent.
A quiz screen in Yabla (Credit: Yabla/PCMag)
What makes them different? Yabla teaches five languages: Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish, plus an English program for Spanish speakers. When you sign up, you choose just one language. Lingopie has six languages as well (French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish). When you pay for an account, you get access to all the content in all the languages. Yabla has more interactive exercises for practicing the new words you learn, and in terms of genre, it offers both instructional learning videos and entertainment. Lingopie has only entertainment—no lessons on grammar or anything else—and flash cards for interacting with new words you learn along the way.
The Best Audio-Focused Language Apps
If you enjoy audiobooks and podcasts, consider an audio-focused language learning program. Two that stand out are Pimsleur and Michel Thomas. Each takes the name of the person who created the learning technique it uses. Both were sold as tapes, then as CDs. Now, they are available as apps.
Pimsleur uses Dr. Paul Pimsleur’s spaced repetition method. In other words, the program uses specific intervals of time between when you first learn a word and when it asks you to recall it to maximize language retention. Each lesson takes about 30 minutes, and you’re supposed to do exactly one lesson per day. For select languages, you get interactive exercises.
A lesson breakdown in Pimsleur (Credit: Pimsleur/PCMag)
The Michel Thomas app uses a different method. Michel Thomas was a polyglot who developed a method of informal teaching. It involves putting people into a classroom and teaching them words that they could use as building blocks. That way, you get to speaking quickly and can mix and match the words you’ve learned to say in several sentences. When you buy the Michel Thomas program, you hear the recording from one of these classrooms, and you’re supposed to play along as if you were there in person.
The Best Apps for Hard-to-Find Languages
Most language-learning software is available for French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. So, what do you do if you want to learn Igbo or Ojibwe?
When you’re in a bind to find an app for a certain language, there are two sources to try: Mango Languages and Transparent Language Online. Transparent has programs for more than 100 languages. Some of those programs are short, but the company adds to them over time. Mango Languages is an option if you’re stuck. We don’t recommend it, but it might be your only option.
The Best App for Learning ASL
There are several good apps for learning American Sign Language, but the absolute best is Sign It ASL. This app teaches everything from fingerspelling to culture, etiquette, and grammar.
A video lesson in Sign It ASL (Credit: Sign It ASL/PCMag)
As you might guess, Sign It ASL is entirely video-based. Its content is prerecorded and professional. You get a lot of information in relatively long (up to an hour) lessons that are entertaining and engaging.
Make Sure Your Apps Are Tough Enough
However you choose to learn a language, stick with it! Don’t be afraid to change the app you use as you progress. When an app feels too easy, it’s time to stretch yourself in new ways.
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