9 Best Language Learning Apps of 2026

Babbel reads like an adult course, not a game. Its App Store listing says lessons are tailored to your native language, so an English speaker learning Spanish gets different lessons than a French speaker, and that the courses come from 200+ language experts. You learn to speak, listen and understand grammar in context, then practice with Guided Conversations and Babbel Speak, an AI conversation partner that is still in beta. Babbel lists 14 languages, including Latin American or Spain Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Polish, Turkish and the Scandinavian languages, and claims over 60,000 lessons across 5,000+ courses. Lessons are short, starting around 10 minutes a day, and can be downloaded for offline study. On the US App Store a one-language 1-year plan is $89.99, the All Languages 12-month plan is $107.99 and a single month is $17.99. The catch is that there is no free tier beyond a first lesson, and learners of Japanese, Korean or Chinese need another app because Babbel does not teach them.

Duolingo is the easiest way to find out if you will actually study every day. Its App Store listing says every course is free and covers 40+ languages through bite-sized lessons that practice speaking, reading, listening and writing, from Spanish and French to Japanese, Korean, Irish and Welsh. The app is built around habit: streaks, rewards and competitive Leaderboards push you back daily. The free tier carries ads and limits Hearts, so mistakes cost you. Super Duolingo removes ads and adds unlimited Hearts, personalized skills practice, mistakes review and free challenge entry, and Super Family shares those features across up to 6 accounts. The Super page offers 1 week free before billing, and the US App Store lists Super Duolingo purchases starting at $9.99. For adults the trade-off is depth: lessons are short exercises with less explicit grammar than a course app, so many learners pair Duolingo with a tutor or a structured app once the basics are in place.

Busuu sits between a structured course and a language exchange. Its App Store listing describes complete courses in 14 languages, from English, French and Spanish to Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Arabic and Polish, written by its own language experts in bite-sized lessons. The part other apps lack is the community: Busuu connects you with native speakers who give feedback and tips on your exercises, and you can help other learners in return. A personalized Study Plan asks when and how long you want to study and sends reminders, and Smart Review collects the grammar and vocabulary you have met so you can revise it. Busuu certificates give proof of level. Many features are free, but full access needs a subscription. On Busuu's premium page, Premium adds Grammar Review, Vocabulary Review, Speaking Assessments, no ads and certificates, while Premium Plus adds AI conversations, pronunciation practice and communication Skills courses, some only in select languages. The US App Store lists 12 months of Premium at $70.00.

italki is not a course app but a marketplace of online tutors, and for adults who need to speak it fills the gap every self-study app leaves. You browse tutor profiles, filter by price, native language and specialties such as test preparation or business, book a trial lesson and then pay per lesson. italki splits teachers into community tutors, who focus on conversation, and professional teachers with teaching credentials. Its Spanish page says tutors cost between $4 and $60 per hour depending on experience and lesson format, and that a 30-minute Spanish lesson typically costs $4 to $10. Each listing shows the tutor's rate, ratings and lesson count, and many tutors offer a cheaper trial. The site also lists group classes. The downside is that there is no curriculum unless your tutor brings one, quality depends on who you pick, and you must fit lessons into another person's calendar. italki estimates that most learners reach conversational Spanish in 6 to 12 months with regular tutoring.

Memrise has moved from flashcards to listening and speaking with real people on screen. Its App Store listing says it is built around native-speaker videos rather than robotic voices, so you hear how people actually talk, then practice in role-play with AI Buddies, its personalized language bots. You choose from hundreds of real-life scenarios and specialized courses for goals such as an exam, work or a partner's family. The listing names courses in French, Spanish for Spain or Mexico, German, Korean, Japanese, Turkish, Italian, Chinese and more, and says Memrise is trusted by 80 million learners. The free plan keeps limited vocab lessons, videos and conversations with ads. Memrise Pro unlocks all vocab lessons and native-speaker videos, unlimited speaking practice and no ads. On the US App Store the Annual Language Learning Plan is $61.99, the monthly plan $24.99 and a Lifetime Plan $329.99. Grammar is not its focus, so treat it as a strong second app next to a course.

Speak exists for one problem adults hit with most apps: they can read a language but freeze when they have to talk. Its App Store listing describes a four-step method. You learn essential phrases in a lesson led by a local teacher, repeat them out loud, get real-time feedback from an AI tutor on pronunciation, grammar and more, then use them in simulated real-life conversations. The speech analysis looks at pronunciation, intonation and fluency, and progress tracking points to weak areas. The full curriculum covers Spanish, English, French, Italian, Japanese and Korean, with Chinese also named in the listing's subtitle. Membership unlocks all courses, singles and review material. On the US App Store, Annual Premium is $83.99 and Monthly Premium $17.99, while Premium Plus is $164.99 a year or $39.99 a month. The language list is short, and there is less grammar reference than in Babbel or Busuu, so Speak works best as a speaking add-on or for learners of its core languages.

Pimsleur is the oldest method on this list and the best fit for learning in the car. Each core lesson is 30 minutes of audio that prompts you to listen and answer out loud, building vocabulary, pronunciation and speaking without grammar tables. The App Store listing names courses in 50+ languages, including rarer ones such as Ojibwe, Twi, Pashto and Swiss German, and a free lesson is offered in 51 languages. Lessons run offline and hands-free, and Pimsleur's site lists Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. Around the audio there are reading lessons, flashcards, Quick Match and Speed Round games, Speak Easy role-play with transcripts and Voice Coach, an AI tool that compares your pronunciation with native speakers. Pimsleur's site says you can add up to 3 users. On the US App Store a one-language Premium subscription is $19.99 a month, All Access is $20.99 a month and All Access annual is $164.99. It costs more than most apps, and some features are only available for certain languages.

Rosetta Stone has rebuilt its product as Rosetta Stone Sapphire, and new learners should use that app: the older Classic app is now only for existing subscribers. Sapphire keeps the Dynamic Immersion method, where you learn through pictures and audio in the new language rather than translation, in lessons as short as 5 minutes. TruAccent speech recognition compares your voice with data from native speakers and gives immediate pronunciation feedback. A subscription includes every lesson in all 25 languages, from Spanish and German to Hebrew, Farsi, Irish and Latin, and works in the mobile app and on the web. Chat Missions add practice conversations in scenarios such as ordering at a restaurant, flashcard sets cover 500+ topics, and Sapphire Studio lets you build custom matching games. Rosetta Stone offers 1 month and annual memberships and 7 days free. On the US App Store Sapphire is listed at $19.99. Adults who want grammar rules spelled out may find immersion slow and should look at Babbel.

Mondly, from Pearson, is the widest cheap plan on this list. Its App Store listing names 41 languages, from Spanish and Japanese to Bengali, Tagalog and Urdu, and 1,320 language combinations, so you can learn from a native language other than English. The core course has 200+ lessons sorted into practical topics such as family, weather, travel, sports and food, with 38 vocabulary builders, grammar features and conjugation tables, and 50+ conversations between fluent speakers. Practice tools include a chatbot, voice recognition and hands-free learning. Daily Lessons, Weekly Quizzes and Monthly Challenges keep a habit going, and business learners get over 300 specialized lessons. English learners get 30+ progress tests with Pearson content. A subscription is needed for all courses and features. On the US App Store, Unlimited Access is $74.90 for 12 months or $15.90 monthly, with a 1 week free trial. Mondly is strongest at beginner topics and offers no live tutors or community feedback, so serious learners will outgrow it.