The best language learning apps in 2026, compared

Disclosure: We build Lingoo. This comparison was written by the Lingoo team, and our own app is ranked first. So you can check our reasoning, we state our criteria up front, describe the other apps using their App Store listings and websites, and tell you when another app is the better fit. All details as of October 2026.

There are more language apps than ever, and nearly all of them promise to get you speaking. The real differences are in the details. How much do you actually say out loud? Are you working through a fixed course, or through material about things you care about? And what does it cost per month?

We compared six apps that are either among the best known or take a distinctive approach to speaking: Lingoo, Speak, Babbel, Duolingo, Busuu and Memrise. If you are looking for the best language learning app for your situation, you will find the facts here, kept separate from our opinion.

How we ranked them

This ranking is for one specific group: adults who mainly want to learn to speak a language and have 5 to 15 minutes a day for it. For that group, we asked four questions:

1. 1.Do you speak for yourself? Open conversation counts for more than repeating phrases or picking answers.
2. 2.Does the content fit you? Level and topics should match you, not an average learner.
3. 3.Does it all connect? Reading, practice and speaking should build on the same words.
4. 4.Does it fit your day? Short sessions with a predictable length that you can actually keep up.

We list price, languages and platforms for every app but did not weight them as main criteria. If your priority is learning for free or picking up a less common language, the order changes. Each section below says how.

The apps at a glance

Prices from the German App Store in euros, as of October 2026. Prices vary by country, and offers on the providers' websites can differ.

1. Lingoo: our pick for learning to speak

Lingoo is an iPhone app that writes every lesson for you. You start with a short placement test that finds your level between A0 and C2. Then you pick a situation, such as "At the train station" or "Job interview", or describe a topic of your own: a crime story in Rome, street food in Barcelona, your next meeting.

A session takes 5, 10 or 15 minutes and has three steps:

• Read and listen: Lingoo writes a short story on your topic at your level and reads it aloud sentence by sentence.
• Practice: Questions, gaps and vocabulary from that very story, with feedback on every answer.
• Speak: In a roleplay with an AI, you order food, ask for directions or talk about your day. You do the talking, and a coach shows you what you could say differently.

What holds it together is a single thread: the words from the story come back in the exercises and again in the conversation. After that, Lingoo reviews them at growing intervals, always in the sentence where you first learned them. We explain the idea behind this in our article on spaced repetition.

Why it ranks first: On all four criteria, we think Lingoo comes out ahead. Every session ends with a conversation where you speak freely. The content is written for your level and your topic. And all three steps build on the same words. That is not an add-on next to a fixed course, it is how the whole app works. It is also what we mean when we talk about learning languages with AI: not a chatbot bolted onto a course, but a course written for you.

Limits you should know about:

• Lingoo is iPhone only (iOS 26 or later). There is no Android version and no web app.
• With English as your base language, you can learn Spanish, French, Italian or German. No other languages are available.
• Explanations are in English or German.
• The first 7 days are free, then Lingoo costs €12.99 a month. There is no free tier. Our grammar lessons on the website are free.
• Stories, exercises and conversations are created with AI. There are no human teachers and no community that corrects your answers.

2. Speak: strong on spoken fluency

Like Lingoo, Speak is built around speaking. You learn everyday phrases, say variations of them until they come out without thinking, then use them in conversation with an AI tutor. The app listens and gives you instant feedback on pronunciation and phrasing.

• Languages: For English speakers, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean and Chinese. Speakers of other languages can learn English.
• Price: 7-day free trial, then a subscription. In the German App Store, Premium starts at €14.99 a month or €89.99 a year. Premium Plus costs more and adds lessons tailored to you, among other things.
• Platforms: iOS and Android.

When Speak is the better fit: If you want intensive drilling of pronunciation and sentence patterns, or you want to learn Japanese, Korean or Chinese, Speak is a very good choice. And unlike Lingoo, it runs on Android.

Why not first: Personalized lessons on your own topics come with the more expensive Premium Plus plan, whereas in Lingoo they are the default. Speak does not offer German.

3. Babbel: the structured course

Berlin-based Babbel is the natural choice if you want a well-designed course with grammar. Courses are written by language experts and tailored to your native language. You speak in scripted dialogues and in Babbel Speak, an AI speaking feature that got its current name in September 2025 and is listed as a beta in the App Store.

• Languages: 14, including Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish and Turkish.
• Price: You can try one lesson for free, then you need a subscription. In the German App Store, one language costs €18.99 a month or €95.99 a year, and all languages together cost €107.99 a year.
• Platforms: Web, iOS and Android.

When Babbel is the better fit: If you want to build up grammar systematically, like learning on a computer, or want a language such as Swedish, Polish or Indonesian.

Why not first: At its core, Babbel is a course that is the same for every learner. Babbel Speak added open speaking practice, but in our view it sits next to the course rather than at the center of every lesson.

4. Duolingo: the free way in

Duolingo is the best-known language app and, for many people, their first contact with a new language. Short, playful lessons, rewards, leaderboards and streaks make it easy to show up every day.

• Languages: More than 40 according to its App Store listing, plus courses in math and music.
• Speaking: Lessons include speaking exercises. With Video Call, you can also talk freely with the character Lily. For a long time this was reserved for the most expensive plan, Duolingo Max. According to CEO Luis von Ahn, Duolingo is rolling it out to Super subscribers step by step in 2026, so whether you have it depends on your account and course.
• Price: All courses are free, with ads. Super removes ads, adds unlimited hearts among other things, and comes with a 14-day free trial. The app shows you the exact price, which depends on plan length and current offers.
• Platforms: Web, iOS and Android.

When Duolingo is the better fit: If you want to start for free, are learning a language few other apps offer, or are motivated by game mechanics. For getting started and keeping daily contact with a language, Duolingo is hard to beat.

Why not first: The course is the same for everyone, and many exercises involve picking, matching and translating. Open conversation exists through Video Call, but depends on plan and course. Read our full comparison in Lingoo vs. Duolingo.

5. Busuu: feedback from native speakers

Busuu combines courses written by language experts with a community: native speakers correct your written and spoken answers, and you can help other learners in return. A study plan sets when and how long you learn.

• Languages: 14, including Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Arabic.
• Price: Many features are free; the full app needs a subscription (Premium or Premium Plus). Prices vary considerably by plan length and offer, and the app shows you the current price.
• Platforms: Web, iOS and Android.

When Busuu is the better fit: If you want feedback from real people and like a clear study plan.

Why not first: Community corrections are valuable, but they arrive with a delay and do not replace a real-time conversation. The content follows a fixed course rather than your own topics.

6. Memrise: real videos and an AI conversation partner

Memrise is built around videos of native speakers: the app collects clips from across the internet, analyzes them and recommends ones that match your level and interests. For speaking, there is MemBot, an AI conversation partner that plays roles like a barista or an interviewer and, according to the App Store listing, is free.

• Languages: Several, including Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean and Chinese. According to Memrise, features can vary by language pair.
• Price: Free to start; full access requires Memrise Pro. In the German App Store, the annual plan costs €69.99 and the monthly plan €21.99.
• Platforms: Web, iOS and Android.

When Memrise is the better fit: If you want to train your listening with real everyday speech and are looking for a relatively low annual price.

Why not first: In our view, videos, vocabulary training and MemBot sit side by side rather than in one session where reading, practice and speaking build on the same words.

How we compared

• Sources: German App Store listings and the providers' official websites, checked in October 2026. Prices change and vary by country, plan length and promotion.
• Weighting: The four criteria above. A different goal, such as spending as little as possible or learning a rare language, leads to a different order.
• No study: We did not measure learning outcomes. This ranking is our reasoned assessment of features, not a scientific evaluation.
• Bias: We build Lingoo. Read our reasoning critically, and if in doubt, try several apps. Almost all of them can be tested for free.

Bottom line: which app is right for you?

There is no single best app for everyone, but there is a best app for your goal:

• You want to learn to speak, using topics you care about: Lingoo. That is why it is our number one.
• You want speaking drills, an Asian language or an Android app: Speak.
• You want a classic course with plenty of grammar: Babbel.
• You want to start for free or learn a rare language: Duolingo.
• You want corrections from native speakers: Busuu.
• You want listening practice with real videos: Memrise.

If you are using Duolingo right now and looking for a Duolingo alternative that gets you speaking more, read our head-to-head comparison Lingoo vs. Duolingo. You can try Lingoo free for 7 days on the App Store.