The best apps to learn Arabic in 2026

Duolingo is the best overall app to start learning Arabic in 2026, and also the best free one: its listing says every course is free, and its Arabic course teaches Modern Standard Arabic in the Arabic script. If your goal is to talk with people, Pimsleur is the strongest paid pick, because it is the only app here that lets you choose between Egyptian, Eastern and Modern Standard Arabic. Whichever you choose, learn the alphabet properly first: Arabic Alphabet: Quran Letters teaches reading letter by letter, and Write It! Arabic checks your handwriting.

Quick answer

• Best overall: Duolingo. A free, game-like Arabic course in Modern Standard Arabic, with ads unless you subscribe.
• Best for spoken dialects: Pimsleur. Audio courses in Egyptian, Eastern or Modern Standard Arabic, according to its listing.
• Best for learning to read: Arabic Alphabet: Quran Letters. 27 lessons that build reading skills one letter and its forms at a time, for a single $9.99 unlock.
• Best for conversation practice: Kalam. AI conversation scenarios, speaking drills and video lessons, all behind a subscription.
• Best for handwriting: Write It! Arabic. Handwriting recognition that checks each letter you trace, stroke by stroke.
• Best for Quranic Arabic: Quranic. Vocabulary and grammar taught through verses of the Quran, most frequent words first.
• Best for kids and families: Arabic Alphabet. A $0.99 alphabet app with tracing, quizzes and Apple Watch support, and no in-app purchases.
• Best offline phrasebook: Arabic by Nemo. Essential words and phrases with native audio, offline, with no data collected.

Comparison table

How to choose an Arabic app

Arabic asks more of English speakers than the European languages: the US Foreign Service Institute puts it in its hardest group. Three things explain why, and each one should shape your choice of app.

The first is the script. Arabic has 28 letters written right to left, most letters join to their neighbors and change shape depending on whether they stand alone or at the start, middle or end of a word, and several letters differ only by dots (ب, ت, ث). Short vowels are usually left out of everyday writing and shown only as small marks in learner texts and the Quran. Sounds such as ع (ʿayn), ح and ق have no English equivalent.

The second is which Arabic. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is used for writing, news and formal speech across the Arab world, but people speak regional dialects at home and in the street, such as Egyptian, Levantine, Gulf or Moroccan Arabic, which differ a lot in words and pronunciation. Quranic or Classical Arabic is a third goal for many learners.

The third is grammar built on roots: k-t-b gives kitāb (book), maktab (office) and kataba (he wrote). Most apps here teach one slice of this, so it helps to combine two:

• If you want to read and write before anything else, start with Arabic Alphabet: Quran Letters for reading and Write It! Arabic for handwriting.
• If you want a free, general course, use Duolingo, knowing it teaches MSA rather than a spoken dialect.
• If you want to talk with Egyptians or with family from the Levant, choose Pimsleur's Egyptian or Eastern Arabic course.
• If you want to understand the Quran, Quranic teaches the vocabulary of the Quran itself.
• If you want to practice speaking with no one around, Kalam's AI conversations are built for that, but check which variety of Arabic it uses.
• If you are teaching a child the letters, Arabic Alphabet is a one-time $0.99 purchase with tracing and quizzes.

For a broader comparison of multi-language courses, see apps for learning languages.

Duolingo: Best overall

Duolingo lists Arabic among its free courses, and the listing says "every course is free". The course teaches Modern Standard Arabic in Arabic script, with audio for words and short game-like exercises; the screenshots show the general format, with picture matching and a progress bar. For a beginner, Duolingo's main strength here is that it keeps you meeting the script every day in small doses, which is how the letter shapes become readable.

The free tier carries ads. Super Duolingo removes them and adds unlimited energy, with a 14-day free trial; on the US App Store in November 2026, it is listed at prices from $9.99 to $119.99.

Strengths: free, daily practice with the script, last updated on November 2, 2026.

Limits: MSA is not what people speak at home, so you will need a dialect source to hold everyday conversations. The listing does not describe grammar explanations, which matter for Arabic's root system. Eight data types may be used for tracking, and it requires iOS 17. Our page on Duolingo alternatives lists other general courses.

Pimsleur: Best for spoken dialects

Pimsleur is the only app on this page that lets you pick a variety of Arabic: its listing names "Eastern, Egyptian or Modern Standard Arabic" among its courses. That choice matters more than any feature, since a learner moving to Cairo needs different words and sounds than one reading the news. Lessons are 30-minute audio sessions in which you listen, answer aloud and recall phrases at spaced intervals; the listing says they work offline and hands-free. Audio-first teaching also suits Arabic's hardest sounds, which you need to hear many times before you can produce them.

You can try a lesson for free. On the US App Store in November 2026, the price list shows an All Access Subscription at $20.99 and annual All Access plans at $131.99 and $164.99; no Arabic-only plan appears in the list.

Strengths: dialect choice, strong speaking and listening drill, usable in the car.

Limits: the listing says feature availability depends on the language, and its AI conversation coach is described for Spanish and Japanese only. It does not say how much reading each Arabic course includes, so pair it with a script app. Five data types may be used for tracking.

Quran Letters: Best for learning to read

Despite its full name, Arabic Alphabet: Quran Letters is aimed at anyone who wants to read Arabic, for travel, personal interest or the Quran, according to the description. It is built on the Muallim Sani textbook method and introduces letters by difficulty rather than in alphabetical order: 27 lessons, each centered on one letter and all its positional forms, ending with full words. The screenshots show a lesson on the letter ص with a written explanation of where the tongue goes, a toggle to switch transliteration and sound on or off, a recording exercise to train the letter, and a tracing screen for writing.

The listing says there are no ads, and all lessons are unlocked with one in-app purchase, "Open all lessons", at $9.99 on the US App Store in November 2026. The listing does not say how many lessons are free before that.

Strengths: a clear path from zero to reading words, explanations designed for English speakers, and a privacy label that says no data is collected.

Limits: it teaches reading, not vocabulary or conversation. It has only 224 ratings, and the same developer sells a simpler alphabet app, so make sure you download the right one.

Kalam: Best for conversation practice

Kalam is a newer app, released in June 2025, that focuses on speaking. The description lists three features: conversations with AI characters "tailored for different scenarios", an immersive course with speaking drills, video lessons and interactive questions, and flashcard review. The screenshots show a FreeTalk menu of everyday topics such as meeting a new friend and ordering at a coffee shop, and courses with names like Arabic Unlocked and Desert Dialogues.

The description is clear that all of these features require a subscription. On the US App Store in November 2026, the price list includes a monthly plan at $9.99 and several "Free Trial" plans from $29.99 to $99.99, the highest labeled as one year.

Strengths: lots of speaking practice without a partner, last updated in October 2026, a privacy label with no data linked to you.

Limits: the listing does not say whether it teaches Modern Standard Arabic or a dialect, which is the first question to answer before paying. Nothing meaningful is free. Purchases and usage data may be used for tracking. A screenshot shows a higher rating and ratings count than the US listing, so rely on the store figure.

Write It! Arabic: Best for handwriting

Write It! Arabic teaches you to write all 28 letters of the alphabet on screen, with handwriting recognition that checks what you draw. The listing describes a practice mode with stroke-by-stroke guidance, a timed test mode, a customizable review mode and progress tracking, all available offline. The screenshots show a grid of letter lessons with star ratings and a tracing screen for bāʾ in its standalone form, with buttons to play the sound and show the model.

Tracing letters makes you notice the dots and small strokes that separate similar letters, so it is a good companion to a reading or course app. A full unlock is listed at $4.99, $6.99 or $8.99 on the US App Store in November 2026.

Strengths: real handwriting feedback, short lessons, offline.

Limits: letters only, with no words or grammar. The age rating notes advertising, and identifiers, usage data and diagnostics may be used for tracking. One paragraph of the description refers to "Hebrew script", apparently copied from a sister app, which does not inspire confidence in the listing's care.

Quranic: Best for Quranic Arabic

Quranic is built for Muslims who want to understand the Arabic of the Quran rather than order coffee in Amman. The developer says it teaches the most common Quranic words first, using verses and readings from the Quran itself, with spaced repetition and grammar notes. The screenshots show fully vowelled verses, a "tap the pairs" matching exercise and a translation task for a highlighted word, with a lives counter.

There is a free tier: the latest release notes mention that stories unlock on a schedule for free users. On the US App Store in November 2026, the price list includes a BasicPlan at $4.99, a ProPlan at $9.99, a Pro Annual plan at $49.90 and a Family Plan Annual at $99.99.

Strengths: a precise focus, a high rating (4.9 from 4,200 ratings), a family plan.

Limits: Quranic vocabulary and style are of little use in everyday conversation. The age rating notes messaging and user-generated content, and contact info may be used for tracking.

Arabic Alphabet (Hamdouchi): Best for kids and families

Arabic Alphabet, from Hamdouchi Interactive, is a paid app at $0.99 with, according to the listing, no in-app purchases. For each of the 28 letters you can see it, hear its sound and name, and see a common word that starts with it; the screenshots show the letter alif with a picture of a rabbit (arnab). You can finger-write each letter, print a practice sheet, and quiz yourself in Sprint (60 seconds) or Survival mode. It adds Apple Watch flash cards, Letter of the Day widgets and daily streaks. The developer, a native Arabic speaker from Morocco, says the audio was recorded by a college professor of Arabic, and the app runs in English or Arabic.

Strengths: one low price for everything, playful for children, offline, no tracking.

Limits: it requires iOS 26, so older iPhones and iPads cannot install it. It covers the alphabet only, with no reading of full sentences or grammar.

Arabic by Nemo: Best offline phrasebook

Arabic by Nemo drills the most common Arabic words and phrases with native speaker audio, in short sessions rather than lessons; the developer says it is "not built around lessons at all". The screenshots show a phrase card with the Arabic, a transliteration (Shukrān lak) and the English "Thank you", plus topic lists for greetings, food, shopping, hotels and travel. Its Speech Studio records you and plays your voice next to the teacher's, which helps with sounds English does not have. It also runs on Apple Watch.

The starter set is free and the full version is one purchase, the Nemo Arabic Foundation pack, at $14.99 on the US App Store in November 2026. Audio is stored on the device.

Strengths: offline, no subscription, and a privacy label that says no data is collected.

Limits: last updated in August 2024. The listing does not say which variety of Arabic it uses, and it teaches no grammar.

What we left out

• Quran Teacher: free with no in-app purchases and lessons on reading the Quran with tajweed, but its focus is recitation rather than learning Arabic as a language.
• Arabic 101, Alif and Drops Arabic: last updated in 2024, 2019 and 2020 respectively; the newer alphabet apps above do the same job.
• Learn Arabic for Beginners and similar clones: generic topic lists with no stated choice between MSA and dialect; Arabic Dictionary + is a dictionary, not a course.

Frequently asked questions

Should I learn Modern Standard Arabic or a dialect first?

It depends on your goal. MSA is the right choice for reading, news and formal settings, and it is understood across the Arab world. If you mainly want to talk with people in one country or with family, a dialect such as Egyptian is more useful day to day. Pimsleur is the only app here that offers both.

Is there a free app to learn Arabic?

Yes. Duolingo's Arabic course is free with ads, according to its listing. Quran Teacher is free for learning to read the Quran. Most alphabet apps cost a few dollars, such as Arabic Alphabet at $0.99.

How long does it take to learn Arabic?

The US Foreign Service Institute places Arabic in its hardest group for English speakers and estimates about 2,200 classroom hours, or 88 weeks of full-time study, to reach professional working proficiency. Learning to read the script takes far less time, and an alphabet app is the best first step.

Which app teaches Egyptian or Levantine Arabic?

Pimsleur's listing names Egyptian and Eastern Arabic courses alongside Modern Standard Arabic. None of the other apps on this page states that it teaches a specific spoken dialect, so check before you subscribe.

Is Duolingo good for learning Arabic?

It is a good free way to start, especially for getting used to the script. It teaches Modern Standard Arabic, not a spoken dialect, and the listing does not describe grammar explanations, so most learners will need a second app for conversation or grammar.