We make Misu, so it’s first on this list. Every other app is described from its own website, help pages and app store listings, checked in October 2026.
Pick by what you’re missing
Duolingo is good at a daily habit and the basics, and its own research shows learners reaching beginner levels. Does Duolingo work? covers what it does and where it stops. What to add depends on where you feel stuck.
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Grammar that’s explained
Babbel and Busuu teach it step by step, in courses with clear levels.
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Speaking
Pimsleur gets you talking from the first lesson; a tutor on italki talks back.
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Real listening and reading
LingQ turns videos, podcasts and articles into lessons.
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The words themselves
Misu teaches the 1,500 words you’ll hear most, in a story, then turns words from your own shows into flashcards. Drops makes first words a game.
At a glance
| App | Best for | Free to start | Spaced repetition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Misu | The words real shows and books use | Yes, with limits | FSRS-6 |
| Babbel | Grammar explained, step by step | First lesson of each course | Yes |
| Busuu | Courses with feedback from native speakers | Limited lessons, with ads | Yes |
| Pimsleur | Speaking from day one, hands-free | One lesson | Built into the audio |
| LingQ | Reading and listening to real content | 20 saved words | Yes |
| italki | Conversation with a tutor | Pay per lesson | Not in lessons |
| Memrise | Native speakers on video | Limited lessons, with ads | Yes |
| Drops | Five-minute word games | 5 minutes every 10 hours | Yes |
The eight apps
Misu
Made by usThe words Duolingo never gets to. Misu’s beginner decks teach the 1,500 words you’ll hear most, in a story told only with words you already know, and every flashcard has a picture, an example and audio. Then save the words you meet on Netflix and YouTube as you go.
Best forGetting from Duolingo’s basics to understanding real shows, books and conversations.
- Platforms
- iPhone, Android, Chrome
- Languages
- 10 courses; your own flashcards in any language
- Free
- Free to start, with Misu Plus for more
- Reviews
- FSRS-6, fitted to you every month
Good at
- Ready-made decks for beginners, and for everyone after that
- Every flashcard made with pictures, examples and audio
- A flower in your garden for every day you review, and a receipt of your month
- Words saved from Netflix, YouTube and any page, in context
Falls short on
- Words, not lessons: no speaking practice
- Ready-made courses in ten languages
Babbel
Short, structured lessons built around dialogues, with the grammar explained in English as you go.
Best forLearners who want grammar explained, in a course that tells them what to do next.
- Platforms
- iPhone, Android, web
- Languages
- 13 for English speakers
- Free
- The first lesson of every course
- Reviews
- Spaced repetition for vocabulary
Good at
- Grammar explained in English
- Lessons built around conversations
- Little gamification
Falls short on
- Paid after the first lessons
- Its own course content only
Busuu
Courses from beginner to advanced, A1 to C1, with native speakers in its community correcting your writing and speaking.
Best forLearners who want a structured course and feedback from real people.
- Platforms
- iPhone, Android, web
- Languages
- 14
- Free
- Limited lessons, with ads
- Reviews
- Spaced repetition (Smart Review)
Good at
- Corrections from native speakers
- Clear levels, A1 to C1
- Videos of real speakers
Falls short on
- Ads and upgrade prompts in the free plan, store reviews say
- Full courses and AI conversations are paid
Pimsleur
Audio lessons of about 30 minutes: you listen, recall and answer out loud, so you’re speaking from the first lesson.
Best forSpeaking and listening while you drive, walk or cook.
- Platforms
- iPhone, Android, web, CarPlay, Android Auto
- Languages
- 50+
- Free
- One lesson
- Reviews
- Spacing built into the audio
Good at
- You speak from lesson one
- Hands-free, and works offline
- More than 50 languages
Falls short on
- A subscription after the free lesson, or a course bought outright
- A fixed course, with nothing of your own to add
LingQ
A reader and listener for real content: lessons from its library or imported from YouTube, Netflix, podcasts and articles, with every new word a tap away.
Best forIntermediate learners who want to read and listen to real content.
- Platforms
- Web, iPhone, Android, browser extensions
- Languages
- 53
- Free
- 20 saved words in total
- Reviews
- Spaced repetition for saved words
Good at
- Turns almost anything into a lesson
- Tracks the words you know
- 53 languages
Falls short on
- Hard going for complete beginners, store reviews say
- The free plan saves only 20 words
italki
A marketplace for one-to-one video lessons with tutors and teachers, booked one lesson at a time.
Best forConversation practice and feedback on your speaking, in almost any language.
- Platforms
- Web, iPhone, Android
- Languages
- 150+
- Free
- No: pay per lesson, with cheaper trial lessons
- Reviews
- Flashcards with italki Plus
Good at
- Real conversation with a person
- Rare languages and dialects
- No subscription needed
Falls short on
- Costs more per hour than an app
- How good it is depends on the tutor you pick
Memrise
Courses built on short videos of native speakers saying everyday phrases, plus AI conversation practice.
Best forHearing how real people say everyday things.
- Platforms
- iPhone, Android, web
- Languages
- About two dozen courses
- Free
- Limited lessons, with ads
- Reviews
- Spaced repetition
Good at
- Native speakers on video
- AI chats to practise speaking
- Short daily sessions
Falls short on
- Much of it needs Pro, store reviews say
- Less control over reviews since its 2024 redesign, reviewers say
Drops
Five-minute vocabulary games with illustrations: you match words to pictures and swipe through them.
Best forA quick, visual way into your first words.
- Platforms
- iPhone, Android, web
- Languages
- 55+
- Free
- 5 minutes every 10 hours
- Reviews
- Spaced repetition
Good at
- Fun and visual
- Done in five minutes
- More than 55 languages
Falls short on
- Words only, no grammar
- You can’t add words of your own
Use more than one
Most people who get far use a few things at once: one app for lessons or words, hours of real shows and books, and a person to talk to once they’re ready. The free word lists below are a good place to start, whatever else you pick.
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Chinese 1,500 words Level test -
French 1,500 words Level test -
German 1,500 words Level test -
Hindi 1,500 words Level test -
Italian 1,500 words Level test -
Japanese 1,500 words Level test -
Korean 1,500 words Level test -
Portuguese 1,500 words Level test -
Russian 1,500 words Level test -
Spanish 1,500 words Level test