The best apps to learn Portuguese in 2026

Babbel is the best app to learn Portuguese for most English speakers who want the Brazilian variety: it teaches Brazilian Portuguese with grammar explained in short lessons, from $17.99 for one month of a single language on the US App Store in November 2026. Duolingo is the best free option, also in Brazilian Portuguese, with ads and an energy limit unless you subscribe. If you are moving to Portugal, pick Practice Portuguese, the only app here built entirely for European Portuguese, whose dialogues and grammar notes are free to use.

Quick answer

• Best overall: Babbel. A structured Brazilian Portuguese course with grammar in context and speech recognition.
• Best for European Portuguese: Practice Portuguese. Lessons from A1 to B2 and 800+ dialogues recorded for Portugal.
• Best free option: Duolingo. A free, game-like Brazilian Portuguese course with daily streaks.
• Best audio course: Pimsleur. 30-minute spoken lessons, with a choice of Brazilian or European Portuguese.
• Best for hearing locals: Memrise. Native speaker videos, with separate courses for Brazil and Portugal.
• Best for native speaker feedback: Busuu. A Brazilian Portuguese course with corrections from a community of native speakers.
• Best one-time purchase: Nemo. Essential Brazilian words and phrases with a record-and-compare pronunciation tool, unlocked for $14.99.
• Best phrasebook for Portugal: Learn Portuguese Phrasebook. 200+ free travel phrases in European Portuguese, offline, with no data collected.

Comparison table

Brazilian or European Portuguese?

This is the first choice to make, because most apps teach only one. The two varieties share grammar and spelling for the most part, but they sound different, use different everyday pronouns ("você" is the common "you" in Brazil, while "tu" is common in Portugal), and have different words for daily things, such as "ônibus" and "autocarro" for a bus. Practice Portuguese says its focus covers what makes European Portuguese hard: closed vowels and formal versus informal speech.

• If you are learning for Brazil or Brazilian friends and family, Babbel, Duolingo, Busuu and Nemo all teach Brazilian Portuguese.
• If you are moving to or traveling in Portugal, start with Practice Portuguese and keep the Learn Portuguese Phrasebook for travel phrases.
• If you are not sure yet, or need both, Pimsleur and Memrise offer separate courses for each variety.
• If you want to speak quickly, Pimsleur trains listening and pronunciation from the first lesson.
• If you are on a budget, Duolingo is free, Practice Portuguese has free dialogues, and Nemo is a single $14.99 unlock.

Babbel: Best overall

Babbel's Portuguese course is Brazilian Portuguese, taught in short lessons that mix listening, speaking with speech recognition, writing and grammar notes. Its description says courses are tailored to your native language, so an English speaker gets explanations written for English speakers, and Babbel Speak, an AI conversation partner marked beta, adds free-form practice. Its screenshots include a speaking exercise where you hear a phrase and repeat it into the microphone.

The price list on the US App Store in November 2026 does not show a Portuguese-specific item, but single-language one-month items such as "Spanish 1 month" are $17.99, 3-month plans $45.99 and the All Languages 12-month plan $107.99. The description offers one free lesson.

Strengths: clear structure, grammar explained when you need it, offline lessons.

Limits: no European Portuguese course; a subscription is required for full courses; tracking declared for purchases, identifiers and usage data.

Practice Portuguese: Best for European Portuguese

Practice Portuguese focuses on one language only: European Portuguese as spoken in Portugal. The description lists interactive lessons from A1 (beginner) to B2, grammar and culture "Learning Notes" with audio, 800+ dialogues with translated subtitles, speed controls and comprehension quizzes, spaced-repetition flash cards and verb conjugation practice. The screenshots show a fill-in-the-blank exercise ("A casa tem ___ de jantar?") with normal and slow audio buttons, and a note that you can follow units in order or jump to any topic.

Unusually, the description spells out the free part: Learning Notes, short dialogues, videos and podcasts, and offline audio with speed control. Premium adds 100+ units, all transcripts and translations, Smart Review, verb practice and a members' forum. It is listed at $19.99 for "1 Month – Premium Membership" on the US App Store in November 2026.

Strengths: the only course here built for Portugal; generous free content; no tracking on the privacy label.

Limits: only 88 ratings, averaging 4.1; many features, including lessons and transcripts, need an internet connection; no Brazilian content.

Duolingo: Best free option

Duolingo's Portuguese course for English speakers teaches Brazilian Portuguese through short exercises: pick the right picture, translate, listen and speak, with streaks and leagues to keep you coming back. Its description says every course is free. The lesson screenshot shows an energy counter, and the description sells Super Duolingo with unlimited energy, no ads and a monthly streak repair, so free users get ads and a limited energy meter.

Super Duolingo 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 most complete free Portuguese course on this page; easy to keep up daily.

Limits: Brazilian only, so not suited to Portugal; the free version has ads; the privacy label declares 8 data types used to track you, the most of any app here.

Pimsleur: Best audio course

Pimsleur is the clearest choice for learners who need both varieties or are undecided: its description lists European and Brazilian Portuguese as separate courses. Each core lesson is a 30-minute audio conversation you answer out loud, with offline downloads and a hands-free mode, plus reading lessons, flashcards and quick-match games around the audio. The screenshots show a lesson page with "Meet + Greet" and "Polite Phrases" skills and a download button.

On the US App Store in November 2026, the price list shows single-language Premium items at $19.99 (Spanish, Japanese and Italian are listed; Portuguese is not shown), All Access at $20.99, and annual All Access items at $131.99 and $164.99. A first lesson is free.

Strengths: strong on pronunciation, which matters for Portuguese vowels; usable while driving.

Limits: the AI conversation features are described for Spanish and Japanese, not Portuguese; little written grammar; tracking declared for five data types, including location.

Memrise: Best for hearing locals

Memrise teaches words and phrases, then shows short videos of native speakers using them, then lets you practice with AI conversation bots, as its screenshots show. Its description lists separate Portuguese (Portugal) and Portuguese (Brazil) courses, so you can hear the accent you need. It pitches itself at learners with a concrete goal, such as travel, a partner's family or work.

Without paying, you get a limited number of vocabulary lessons, videos and conversations, with ads. On the US App Store in November 2026, Memrise Pro costs $24.99 for the monthly plan and $61.99 for the annual plan, and lifetime access is listed at $329.99, or $98.99 and $131.99 as offers.

Strengths: real faces and accents for both varieties; Apple Editors' Choice.

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

Busuu: Best for native speaker feedback

Busuu's Portuguese course is Brazilian Portuguese, as its description states. Lessons are written by language experts, and a community of native speakers gives feedback and tips on your exercises, and you can help other learners in return. The description also lists a personalized study plan with reminders, a Smart Review of words and grammar, video flashcards with real people and official certificates. The screenshots show a short video exercise with a true-or-false question.

Busuu says a lot of its features are free, with a subscription needed for the rest. On the US App Store in November 2026, monthly items are listed at $6.99, $9.99 and $23.49, and 12-month items from $70.00 to $139.99.

Strengths: feedback from native speakers; a set study schedule.

Limits: Brazilian only; requires iOS 18.0; the privacy label links location and purchases to you; rated 13+.

Nemo: Best one-time purchase

Brazilian Portuguese by Nemo is a phrase trainer rather than a course; its description says it is "not built around lessons" and is meant for a few spare minutes during the day. You work through essential words and phrases with native speaker audio, quiz yourself, and use the Speech Studio to record your voice and play it next to the teacher's. The screenshots show topic lists (Hello and Goodbye, Food, Shopping, Hotel) and a flashcard for "Obrigado". Audio is stored on the device, so it works offline, and it runs on Apple Watch.

The app is free to download; the Nemo Portuguese Foundation pack, its only in-app purchase, unlocks the complete version for $14.99 on the US App Store in November 2026. The privacy label says no data is collected.

Strengths: one purchase, no subscription, no tracking, good for pronunciation practice.

Limits: no grammar course; Brazilian only; last updated in January 2025, older than the other picks.

Learn Portuguese Phrasebook: Best phrasebook for Portugal

This Webron Software phrasebook teaches European Portuguese for visitors to Portugal. The free version includes 200+ phrases in categories such as greetings, numbers, directions, transportation, eating out and emergencies, each recorded by a native speaker with an option to play it slower. Upgrading unlocks 1,000+ phrases in 18 categories, from accommodation and shopping to feeling sick and tongue twisters. It works without internet, and you can save favorites and search. The screenshots show a category grid and a favorites list with "Boa noite".

The price list on the US App Store in November 2026 shows a weekly item and a monthly Premium item at $4.99, a yearly subscription at $34.99 and a "Portuguese" item at $29.99. The privacy label says no data is collected.

Limits: a phrasebook, not a course; the description says there are no adverts, but the age rating lists advertising; 248 ratings.

What we left out

• Learn Portuguese (Beginners) by BNR Languages: the description says all content is free, yet unlock items go up to $69.99 and the label declares tracking of location and identifiers.
• Falou: offers Portuguese, but the listing does not say whether it teaches the Brazilian or European variety.
• Learn Portuguese Language Fast: an older single-language app from the makers of Drops, last updated in March 2022.

If you already speak Spanish, our page on apps to learn Spanish covers the same companies' courses from the Spanish side, and our guide to apps for learning languages explains how the main teaching methods differ.

Frequently asked questions

Should I learn Brazilian or European Portuguese?

Learn the one you will use. Brazilian Portuguese is taught by far more apps, including Babbel, Duolingo, Busuu and Nemo. For Portugal, Practice Portuguese and the Learn Portuguese Phrasebook focus on European Portuguese, and Pimsleur and Memrise teach both.

What is the best free app to learn Portuguese?

Duolingo has the most complete free course, in Brazilian Portuguese, with ads and an energy limit. For European Portuguese, Practice Portuguese gives free access to its Learning Notes, short dialogues, videos, podcasts and offline audio.

Can you learn European Portuguese with Duolingo?

No. Duolingo's Portuguese course for English speakers teaches Brazilian Portuguese. Learners heading to Portugal should use Practice Portuguese, or Pimsleur's or Memrise's European Portuguese courses.

Which Portuguese app is best for pronunciation?

Pimsleur, because every lesson is spoken and answered out loud, in either variety. Nemo's Speech Studio, which plays your recording next to a native speaker's, is a cheap way to check individual phrases in Brazilian Portuguese.

Is there a Portuguese app without a subscription?

Yes. Nemo unlocks its full Brazilian Portuguese content with a single $14.99 purchase and collects no data, according to its privacy label. Duolingo's course is free without paying at all, with ads.