Have you found that your lack of English skills have been keeping you back in your career, or perhaps you want to have a much better mastery of one of the world’s most spoken languages?
Learning a language can be daunting, especially if you are not a polyglot. People often ask me how I do it, and still keep doing it, as I speak 8 languages and 4 of them at near-native level.
The answer is simple. I devour learning resources, such as immersive exposure to languages, apps, games, social media, entertainment, and more. It seems there’s an app for everything lately, and we’re all glued to our phone screens, but at least, learning English in the process is a win-win for the whole family.
have found my personal best language-learning apps, but I wondered which would be best for learning English. Join me as I explain my findings.
Why Learn English with an App?
When you learn English with an app, you have flexibility and convenience at your fingertips. You can choose:
- Which app(s) to use
- Whether you’ll use the freemium version or subscribe
- How you want to learn
- When you want to learn
- How much you want to learn
An app can teach you English from scratch, you can use it to improve a specific language skill, or the app can help you review what you’ve previously learned.
My Experience with English Language-Learning Apps
I learned English in primary school in Ukraine, but I wished there were apps and so many more learning methods back then. Since I’m a polyglot and an app tester, I had to find out which language-learning platforms are the best for you to learn English.
Here are my favorites and a short overview of my experiences with each:
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Highly Recommended Apps
- Babbel: The app is great if you want to focus on your conversational skills while learning and reviewing English vocab, language tips, and basic grammar.
- Mondly: Mondly is an indispensable tool to boost your vocab, get conversation practice with an AI bot, and learn via augmented and virtual reality technologies.
- Preply: Like interacting with a teacher or tutor? Preply has hundreds of English tutors and teachers at affordable rates.
- Wlingua: You can learn loads of English vocab and grammar rules on Wlingua.
Interested in language learning? Explore my reviews listed below:
Recommended but Average Apps
- Pimsleur: Ideal for auditory learners, you listen to 30-minute audio lessons and have the option to complete interactive lessons and quizzes that really help the language sink in.
MosaLingua: MosaLingua’s main aim is to help you permanently retain the English you’ve learned so you can recall and use the language when needed.
- HelloTalk: You can use HelloTalk free of charge or subscribe, and connect with other language learners all over the world. Not ideal for beginners since there are no vocab and grammar lessons.
- Langster: Learn English with thousands of stories on this platform; ideal for intermediate learners.
- LingQ: Also ideal for auditory learners, LingQ teaches you via audio lessons, interactive quizzes, and conversations with the community.
Less Recommended Apps
- Duolingo: Ideal if you want to start learning English but don’t have the budget to pay for a subscription. The gamified interactive lessons, animated characters, Practice Hub, and features like the Leagues make learning fun.
Busuu: Connect with the community to learn a language and complete the interactive lessons to learn English words, phrases, and grammar.
- Rosetta Stone: Learn English “in English” and other immersive strategies to develop your reading, listening, and speaking skills. Unfortunately, the app doesn’t offer any grammar explanations so you’ll have to figure out how the English language works by yourself (or with the use of additional resources).
12 Tested Apps for Learning English
Here’s the low-down on each of the best apps for learning English. I explain the learning methods, what English dialect you can learn, how costly the subscriptions are, and what other users think of the app.
1. Babbel - The Best for Beginners
Babbel is a German-based language-learning platform that’s best suited for beginner and intermediate English learners. Teens and adults will enjoy the grown-up look of the app.
You’ll mostly develop and improve speaking skills with all the conversation practice after each interactive lesson.
In addition to English, you can learn 13 other languages on the app.
What English Does Babbel Teach?
British English
What I Like about Babbel
- Basic grammar explanations so you don’t drown in the nitty-gritty details.
- A great vocabulary trainer and review feature.
- Learn via immersion, translation, and memorization.
- Set daily goals to keep you on track while learning English.
Costs
You can complete the first lessons of each level on Babbel, but if you really want to learn, sign up for:
- Babbel Self-Study (interactive lessons), starting at US$13.95 per month.
- Babbel Live (interactive and live group lessons), starting at US$99.00 per month.
User Ratings: 3.8–4 out of 5 stars
Babbel’s users like that it offers a structured course that builds your knowledge; however, others complain about the cost since there are more affordable language-learning apps.
2. Mondly - The Best for Intuitive Learning
With Mondly, you can create a personalized learning plan tailored to your preferences. You can choose which topic to tackle first, which helps you focus on learning active vocabulary instead of following a predetermined language course structure that teaches you language you won’t use or need right now.
Mondly has interactive lessons, a vocab reviewer, and conversation lessons with each topic stack, ensuring you get ample practice.
Mondly teaches you 40+ languages, including English.
What English Does Mondly Teach?
American English
British English
What I Like about Mondly
- Learn English from 30+ source (or native) languages.
- Grammar conjugation tables that are most helpful.
- Learn more than 5,000 English vocabulary terms.
Costs
You can use Mondly for free, but you can only do the Hello lesson stack and the daily lessons.
The Premium subscription has 3 options:
Monthly plan at US$9.99.
Yearly plan at US$47.99.
Lifetime Access at US$1,999.99.
User Ratings: 4.7–4.8 out of 5 stars
Users love Mondly’s innovative ways of teaching a new language since you can use the main Mondly app, Mondly Kids, Mondly AR, and Mondly VR. The speech recognition software can be glitchy at times and don’t give you personalized feedback.
3. MosaLingua - The Best for English Vocabulary
If you want to focus on English vocab, check out MosaLingua. Using spaced repetition and various learning techniques, the app helps ensure optimal memory formation.
MosaLingua teaches via audio, video, its AI chatbot, stories, MosaSpeak, and media such as articles and books.
Besides English, MosaLingua also teaches 8 other languages.
What English Does MosaLingua Teach?
American English
British English
What I Like about MosaLingua
- Learn new vocabulary with context and real-life situations to increase understanding and memorization.
- Develop speaking, reading, and listening skills.
- Start at the beginner level and progress to an advanced one.
Costs
Use the 15-day free trial, or subscribe:
- Annual Subscription costs US$59.90 per year.
- Lifetime Access costs US$4,090.00.
I was also shocked at the cost of the Lifetime Access option, but MosaLingua regularly offers a discount and you can get it at a 98% discount if you’re lucky.
User Ratings: 4.2–4.5 out of 5 stars
Users don’t like the tech issues that crop up, but they love the varied English content they can use to learn the language.
4. Busuu - The Best for Interaction with Natives
Busuu has 14 language courses, one of them being English. The app is great if you want to network and learn from native speakers, since Busuu’s Community feature is one of the main reasons students sign up to learn on the app.
You can also learn via the video flashcards and quizzes.
What English Does Busuu Teach?
American English
British English
What I Like about Busuu
- Immediate feedback from the community to learn from your mistakes.
- An affordable subscription.
- Get cultural insights to learn faster.
Costs
Watch an ad to learn for free on Busuu, or subscribe.
Busuu’s Premium subscription costs US$13.90 per month.
User Ratings: 3.8–4 out of 5 stars
Users enjoy the content and interacting with locals, but they complain about the technical issues.
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5. Duolingo - The Best for Free Learning
Duolingo is one of the most popular apps for learning any language, and with an offering of 40+ language courses (including English), you can learn plenty.
On Duolingo, you can start the English course from scratch, skip units, or take a placement test. The app is good for beginner and intermediate students who want to learn, practice, and review the target language.
What English Does Duolingo Teach?
American English
What I Like about Duolingo
- Gamified approach that’s highly entertaining, amusing, and motivational.
- Comprehensive freemium version, though there are feature restrictions and ads.
- Varied exercises so you don’t get bored.
Costs
Learn English for free, but for an ad-free experience, subscribe:
- Super Duolingo at $7.99 per month or US$47.99 per year. There’s also the US$71.99 family plan.
- Duolingo Max at about US$30.00 per month.
User Ratings: 4.7 out of 5 stars
Duolingo-ers love how user-friendly the platform is, but they strongly agree that it’s best to use the app with other language-learning resources.
6. Pimsleur - The Best for Audio-Based Learning
The Pimsleur Method for learning a new language has been around for 60+ years. The apps and website-based learning that Pimsleur offers are newer!
If you like to listen to audio lessons while you commute, do daily chores, or relax, then Pimsleur is ideal. You’ll learn mostly with the 30-minute audio lessons, but you can also complete the various interactive activities for extra practice.
You can learn 50 languages on Pimsleur, but English as a second language is available for:
Arabic speakers
Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese speakers
Farsi Persian speakers
French speakers
German speakers
Haitian speakers
Hindi speakers
Italian speakers
Korean speakers
Portuguese speakers
Russian speakers
Spanish speakers
Vietnamese speakers
What English Does Pimsleur Teach?
Standard American English
What I Like about Pimsleur
- How the app teaches relevant vocabulary without it feeling overwhelming.
- Use of authentic, native speakers so you can learn the correct pronunciation and intonation.
- Variety of exercises, even if you aren’t a predominantly auditory learner.
Costs
The first lesson is free, but afterward, you need to choose a subscription option:
- Pimsleur All Access costs US$20.95 per month or US$164.95 per year (learn all 50 Pimsleur languages).
- Pimsleur Premium costs US$575 for a complete course (with 5 levels) or US$150 per level (can only learn English).
- Pimsleur Audio Only for only English costs US$550 for the complete course or US$119.95 for 16 hours (one level).
User Ratings: 4.5–4.7 out of 5 stars
While the subscription options are quite pricey compared to similar language-learning apps, Pimsleur users like all the practice opportunities that ensure they remember what they’ve learned.
7. Rosetta Stone - The Best for Immersive Learning
Rosetta Stone is also a popular language-learning platform, and it’s a firm favorite of the U.S. military, tertiary institutions, and companies.
The app uses its Dynamic Immersion method, which dates back to the 1990s, to teach you English or any of the other 20+ languages.
The Dynamic Immersion method teaches you English in English, similarly to how you learned your native tongue as a child.
While the teaching technique is effective, it means you need to invest time in the lessons, especially as the activities become more advanced, to figure out what words and phrases mean and how the grammar works.
What English Does Rosetta Stone Teach?
American English
British English
What I Like about Rosetta Stone
- Learn via interactive lessons, live classes, or both.
- Well-structured language course that comprehensively covers the essentials of English.
- Lots of extra resources, like videos, to help you learn English.
Costs
Rosetta Stone doesn’t have a free trial, but if you subscribe and don’t like the platform, you can request your money back in 30 days.
Here are the 3 subscription options you’ll choose from:
3-month plan (for English only) at a once-off US$47.97.
12-month plan (for English only) at a once-off US$126.00.
Lifetime plan (for all 25 languages) at US$399.00.
You can also do live lessons on Rosetta Stone at an extra cost per lesson.
User Ratings: 4.7–4.8 out of 5 stars
While some users love the full immersion teaching method of Rosetta Stone that doesn’t teach English in their native language, not every learner has the time to invest in learning that way. Plus, the app doesn’t explicitly explain grammar rules.
8. LingQ - The Best for Learning via a Variety of Content
One of the creators of LingQ, Steve Kaufman, speaks 20 languages, and he developed the app according to his best language-learning techniques. You’ll learn immersively via LingQ’s audio hours, interactive quizzes, and the community.
Plus, you can import content like your favorite articles, books, and podcasts to learn.
English is one of the 40+ languages you can learn on LingQ.
What English Does LingQ Teach?
British English
What I Like about LingQ
- The audio gives you a sense of the language and helps you improve your pronunciation.
- Improve your written and oral language skills by engaging with the community of native speakers.
- Learn when you browse the internet with the LingQ extension.
Costs
The app has a limited freemium version; otherwise, opt for LingQ Premium or Premium Plus:
- Premium subscription at US$9.99 per month for the yearly plan.
- Premium Plus at US$36.99 per month for the 12-month plan.
User Ratings: 4.4–4.7 out of 5 stars
Users love how effective LingQ is at teaching them a new language; however, some complain about the app’s glitchiness and that it isn’t 100% user-friendly.
9. Langster - The Best for Learning via Short Stories
Langster can help you get from a beginner A1 proficiency level to an upper-intermediate B2. You’ll learn via an extensive library with 1,000+ immersive stories, articles, interactive quizzes, flashcards, and more.
The app has a vocabulary trainer, grammar explanations, and story quizzes to test your comprehension.
What English Does Langster Teach?
American English
What I Like about Langster
- Add words and phrases you want to review and practice.
- User-friendly app with daily stories.
- Natives recorded the stories to help you get used to the target language and practice pronunciation, comprehension, and listening skills.
Costs
Some of the stories are free, but they rotate. You can access a 7-day free trial to see if you like Langster.
If you do, a monthly subscription costs US$12.99, while a yearly subscription is US$59.99.
User Ratings: 4.5–5 out of 5 stars
Users love the variety of content for all levels, but they complain about the app’s glitchiness.
10. Preply - The Best for Learning with a Tutor/Teacher
Many language students love learning with the help of a teacher or tutor, and that’s where Preply comes in.
You can sort through the thousands of teachers/tutors via various search criteria, do trial lessons to see if you like the tutor and their teaching style, and book regular 50-minute lessons once you’ve found a teacher you gel with
What English Does Preply Teach?
American English
British English
What I Like about Preply
- More than 20,000 English tutors to choose from.
- Practice listening, speaking, understanding, pronunciation, and writing skills.
- Forum feature to ask questions and get answers from natives.
Costs
You pay per lesson on Preply, with the tutors charging a reduced fee for a trial lesson and another for regular lessons.
In general, you’ll pay between US$15 to US$50 per hour. But some teachers charge as little as US$5 for the 25-minute trial and as much as US$100 for a 50-minute lesson.
User Ratings: 4.6–4.8 out of 5 stars
Users enjoy learning with language tutors and praise the great teachers on Preply; however, they say that the lessons are best on a PC, especially when the teacher shares their screen.
11. HelloTalk - The Best for Learning with Conversation Partners
HelloTalk is like a social platform on which you can learn English. You can chat with natives, find language partners, create a community, learn via livestreams, and share moments with others in the language you’re learning.
What English Does HelloTalk Teach?
American English
British English
What I Like about HelloTalk
- Built-in intuitive language tools for pronunciation, translation, and corrections to help you communicate better.
- Chat with natives via text, voice messages, video or voice calls, live streams, or voicerooms.
- Prepares you for interaction with natives when you travel.
Costs
HelloTalk has a limited freemium version where you can initiate 10 chats and use the translation tool a few times a day.
The VIP plan costs US$12.99 per month or US$79.99 per year.
There’s also a Lifetime membership at US$149.99.
User Ratings: 4.1–4.6 out of 5 stars
While the app is glitchy, users love the accessibility to native speakers and that they can learn in such a social way.
Want to learn more? Here are my articles about language learning:
12. Wlingua - The Best for High-Quality Content
When you learn English on Wlingua, you’ll mostly develop and improve your speaking and listening skills via the audio lessons, language games, and vocab and grammar exercises. The app is like your personal tutor to help you enjoy, learn, and discover English.
English is one of the 9 languages you can learn on Wlingua.
What English Does Wlingua Teach?
American English
British English
What I Like about Wlingua
- Structured English course.
- Learn online or offline.
Costs
You can complete the first couple of lessons at no cost, but afterwards, you’ll have to subscribe.
Here’s how much a Premium subscription costs:
- ±US$10 per month
- ±US$20 for 3 months
- ±US$55 per year
There’s also a Lifetime membership at US$149.99.
User Ratings: 4.7–4.8 out of 5 stars
Wlingua users like how user-friendly the app is and how effectively it teaches English; however, Wlingua doesn’t offer many source languages, which is a complaint many students have.
Learn languages quickly with Mondly Premium. Learn the language you’ve always wanted to learn. It’s fun, fast, and easy!
My Final Thoughts About the Best Apps to Learn English
Whether you want to learn English from scratch or beef up your English skills, using a language learning app is a great way to help you do it in bite-size lessons that definitely beat a boring textbook.
I recommend not placing all your language eggs in one basket by signing up to just one app. Instead, choose several language apps that have a unique feature to help you better your English mastery.
Best of all, a great language learning app like Duolingo, with its gamified approach and age-appropriate content, is ideal for your little-you and teenage learners.
The whole family can use various apps to help you improve your English, and it’s a great activity to do together, whether you use Duolingo, Babbel, Mondly, or any of the others on my list.
If you enjoyed my article, please feel free to share it. Have any questions? Don't hesitate to email me!
Disclaimer: I select and review independently. If you buy through affiliate links, I may earn commissions that help support my testing at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.
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