The best language learning apps in 2026

Duolingo is the best language learning app for most people and the best free one: its description says every course in its 40+ languages is free, and its short game-like lessons make a daily habit easy to keep. If you will pay for more structure, Babbel teaches 14 languages with grammar explained in context, from $17.99 for one month of a single language on the US App Store in November 2026. Beyond those two, the right app depends on the method that suits you: audio lessons, native speaker video, a human partner or an AI tutor.

Quick answer

• Best overall: Duolingo. Free courses in 40+ languages with short daily exercises; ads and an energy limit unless you subscribe.
• Best paid course: Babbel. Lessons built for your native language, with grammar notes and speech recognition, in 14 languages.
• Best audio method: Pimsleur. 30-minute spoken lessons in 50+ languages, including rare ones, that work hands-free.
• Best for Asian languages: LingoDeer. Teacher-made courses with character tracing for Japanese and Chinese and native audio for Korean.
• Best for native speaker videos: Memrise. Short clips of locals plus AI conversation bots, for learners who want real accents.
• Best for quick vocabulary: Drops. Illustrated word games in 55+ languages, built for five-minute sessions.
• Best for language exchange: HelloTalk. Free chat with native speakers who are learning your language in return.
• Best for live tutors: Preply. Book one-on-one video lessons with human tutors in 90+ languages.
• Best AI conversation partner: Pingo AI. Open-ended spoken conversations with an AI tutor in 25+ languages.

Comparison table

How to choose: the five ways apps teach

Language apps look alike in the App Store, but they teach in very different ways. Game-like drills (Duolingo, Drops) are good at building a habit and vocabulary. Structured courses (Babbel, LingoDeer) explain grammar step by step. Audio courses (Pimsleur) train listening and pronunciation. Immersion apps (Memrise) put native speech in front of you early. Conversation apps connect you with people (HelloTalk, Preply) or with an AI tutor (Pingo AI). Most learners do best with one course plus one source of real conversation.

• If you are starting from zero and want to spend nothing, begin with Duolingo, then add HelloTalk once you can write simple sentences.
• If you want to understand why sentences work, pick Babbel for European languages or LingoDeer for Japanese, Korean and Chinese.
• If you learn best by ear or have a commute, Pimsleur's audio lessons fit where screen-based apps do not.
• If you are learning a less common language, check Pimsleur (Ojibwe, Twi, Haitian Creole), Drops (Hawaiian, Maori, Yoruba) and Duolingo (Irish, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic) first.
• If you freeze when you have to speak, practice with Pingo AI before a live session on Preply, where a human tutor adapts to you.
• If you study several languages, compare the all-language plans: Babbel All Languages, LingoDeer Multilingual Pass and Pimsleur All Access.

Duolingo: Best overall

Duolingo is the most widely used app on this list, with 5.6 million ratings averaging 4.7 and an Apple Editors' Choice badge. Each language is a path of bite-sized exercises for reading, listening, writing and speaking, with streaks, leagues and rewards to bring you back every day. The course picker in the screenshots lists Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese and Korean next to chess, math and music, and the description adds smaller courses such as Irish, Welsh, Hawaiian, Scottish Gaelic and Latin.

All courses are free according to the description. Super Duolingo removes ads and adds unlimited energy and a monthly streak repair; it is listed at prices from $9.99 to $119.99 on the US App Store in November 2026, with a 14-day free trial.

Strengths: the widest free offer, low effort to start, an app interface in 32 languages.

Limits: free lessons have ads and an energy meter; short exercises do not replace longer listening or real conversation; the privacy label declares 8 data types used to track you, more than any other app here.

Babbel: Best paid course

Babbel is a classic course in app form. Its description says lessons are written by language experts for speakers of your native language, so grammar is explained where you need it. Lessons combine listening, speaking with speech recognition, writing and review, and Babbel Speak (beta) adds an AI conversation partner. The 14 languages are Spanish (Latin American or Spain), French, Italian, German, Portuguese, English (American or British), Russian, Polish, Turkish, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Dutch and Indonesian.

On the US App Store in November 2026, single-language items such as "French 1 month" are $17.99, 3-month plans $45.99, and an All Languages 12-month plan $107.99. The description lists 3, 6, 12-month and lifetime plans; you can take one free lesson.

Strengths: clear structure and grammar, a choice of Spanish and English varieties, offline lessons.

Limits: a subscription is required for full courses; only 14 languages and 9 app interface languages; tracking declared for purchases, identifiers and usage data.

Pimsleur: Best audio method

Pimsleur teaches through 30-minute spoken lessons: you hear a conversation, get prompted to answer, and recall earlier phrases at spaced intervals. It works offline and hands-free, which suits driving, walking or cooking. The language list is the longest of any structured course here, over 50 languages, from Spanish and Japanese to Ojibwe, Pashto, Twi and both Eastern and Western Armenian. Reading lessons, flashcards and quick-match games sit around the audio, and an AI conversation coach is now available for Spanish and Japanese, according to the listing and release notes.

The price list shows single-language Premium items at $19.99, All Access at $20.99, and annual All Access at $131.99 and $164.99 on the US App Store in November 2026. A free first lesson is offered.

Strengths: builds pronunciation and listening without a screen; covers rare languages.

Limits: extra features vary by language; little written grammar; long lessons; the privacy label lists five data types used to track you, including location.

LingoDeer: Best for Asian languages

LingoDeer was built with Asian scripts in mind. Its courses, made by language teachers according to the description, start from the alphabet and add grammar tips inside lessons, studio-recorded native audio, flashcards and short stories. The screenshots show hiragana line tracing and a Korean speaking exercise with a pronunciation score. A Character Drill handles Japanese kanji and Chinese characters. The 20 courses also include Spanish (Latin American or European), Brazilian Portuguese, Arabic, Thai and Vietnamese, though the "Fluent" conversation feature exists only for Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Spanish and French.

The description says subscriptions start at $14.99 per month; the price list also shows a quarterly pass at $34.99, an annual pass at $95.99 and lifetime passes from $119.99 to $299.99 on the US App Store in November 2026.

Strengths: grammar explained clearly for languages with new writing systems; offline lessons; one pass covers all languages.

Limits: full access needs a subscription; fewer ratings (28,100) than the big apps; conversation practice is limited to five languages.

Memrise: Best for native speaker videos

Memrise mixes three steps, shown in its screenshots: learn words and phrases, watch short videos of native speakers using them, then practice with AI conversation bots. The description pitches it at learners with a specific goal, such as travel, a partner's family or an exam. It names about two dozen courses, with separate versions for Spain and Mexico Spanish and for Portugal and Brazil Portuguese, plus languages such as Icelandic, Yoruba and Mongolian.

The free plan includes limited vocabulary lessons, limited videos and conversations, and ads, according to the description. Memrise Pro is listed with a monthly plan at $24.99, an annual plan at $61.99 and a lifetime plan at $329.99 on the US App Store in November 2026, with lifetime offers at $98.99 and $131.99.

Strengths: real faces and accents early on; choice of regional varieties; Apple Editors' Choice.

Limits: the monthly price is the highest here; the free plan is limited and has ads; unlimited speaking practice and all videos need Pro.

Drops: Best for quick vocabulary

Drops is a vocabulary app, not a full course. Words come with custom illustrations and quick swipe-and-tap games, and the description says the list covers more than 3,000 words and phrases per language. Its 55+ languages are the most varied here, from Spanish (Mexican or European) and Portuguese (Brazilian or European) to Hawaiian, Maori, Yoruba and American Sign Language. The screenshots show the language picker and a word card for "gracias" with an AI-written note on where the word comes from.

Drops Premium is listed at prices from $7.99 to $99.99 on the US App Store in November 2026, with a 7-day free trial; the description does not say how much is free.

Strengths: fast and visual; the description says it also teaches scripts such as Korean, Arabic, Hebrew and Hindi.

Limits: no real grammar or conversation practice, so it works best next to a course; the age rating lists advertising; tracking declared for contact info, identifiers and usage data.

HelloTalk: Best for language exchange

HelloTalk is a language exchange network: you chat with native speakers of the language you learn, and they practice yours in return. The description says it matches partners by native language and level, and you can filter by age, location and gender. Built-in translation, transliteration and captions help when you are stuck, and the screenshots show a chat list with Translate and "AI Grammar" buttons. Voicerooms, livestreams and a social feed called Moments add group practice in 260+ languages.

Chatting is free, according to the description. VIP Membership is listed at $12.99 (monthly) and $79.99 (yearly), and HT Coins sell from $0.29 to $149.99 on the US App Store in November 2026.

Strengths: real people, real conversations, at no cost.

Limits: no course, so beginners need basics first; quality depends on the partners you find; rated 13+, and you are talking with strangers.

Preply: Best for live tutors

Preply is a marketplace for one-on-one video lessons with human tutors in 90+ languages. You filter tutors by language, price, ratings, availability or specialty, book a slot, and meet in the app; the screenshots show a video call with a tutor. A teacher can correct you, adapt to your goals and prepare you for exams in ways no app on this list can.

The app itself is free and has no in-app purchases listed. Tutors set their own prices, and the listing does not give a range, so the cost depends on the tutor you book.

Strengths: human feedback and accountability; any goal or level; dozens of languages.

Limits: you pay per lesson, so regular practice costs more the more you book; prices are not shown in the listing; the privacy label lists four data types used to track you, including purchases.

Pingo AI: Best AI conversation partner

Pingo AI is an AI tutor you talk to like a friend. The description says it builds a learning plan from your goals, remembers your progress and gives instant feedback on pronunciation and grammar after each exchange. The screenshots show a voice chat that opens in Japanese and conversation topics such as Mexico City, street food and a family visit. It lists 25+ languages, including Hebrew, Persian, Greek and Ukrainian.

A subscription is required for full conversation practice, according to the description. Pingo Pro is listed at prices from $14.99 to $99.99 on the US App Store in November 2026, and the description says monthly and annual plans exist.

Strengths: unlimited low-pressure speaking practice at any hour.

Limits: released in December 2024; the listing shows a single app interface language; an AI partner can make mistakes a human tutor would catch; tracking declared for purchases, identifiers and usage data.

What we left out

• Busuu: a good structured course with feedback from native speakers, covered in our Duolingo alternatives guide; it requires iOS 18.
• Rosetta Stone Classic: the listing says it is only for current Classic subscribers and enterprise or education users.
• Mondly: the description says 41 languages while a screenshot says 33, and a subscription is needed for all courses.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free language learning app?

Duolingo, because its description says every course is free in 40+ languages; the free version has ads and an energy limit. HelloTalk is the best free way to practice with real people, since chatting with native speakers costs nothing.

Which app is best for Japanese, Korean or Chinese?

LingoDeer is the strongest choice here for Asian languages, with character tracing, grammar tips and native audio. Drops helps with scripts and vocabulary. For deeper comparisons, see our guide to apps for learning Japanese.

Are AI tutor apps worth paying for?

They are useful for speaking practice when you have no partner, and they never lose patience. Pingo AI requires a subscription for full practice, at prices from $14.99 to $99.99 on the US App Store. They work best on top of a course, not instead of one.

Can one subscription cover several languages?

Yes. Babbel's All Languages 12-month plan is $107.99, LingoDeer's Multilingual Pass covers all its courses from $14.99 per month, and Pimsleur All Access is listed at $20.99 and $131.99 to $164.99 (annual). Duolingo is free for every course.

Which app should I use for Spanish?

Spanish is offered by every app on this page, so the choice comes down to method and variety. Our page on apps to learn Spanish compares Spanish-only options, Latin American versus Spain Spanish, and budget courses.