The best language-learning apps
The top 3 according to 22 votes from people: Duolingo · Babbel · HelloTalk. (Updated Sep 24, 2026.)
The apps most recommended by Spanish-language comparisons in 2025 and 2026, for learning on your own or with teachers and native speakers. For each one, what sets it apart.
Automatically translated (original in Español). See the original
Top 15
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1
Duolingo
The most used in the world: short lessons with streaks, leagues and the owl; over 40 languages and free with ads.
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2
Babbel
Structured courses designed by linguists, with more grammar and useful dialogues; paid, born in Berlin in 2007.
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3
HelloTalk
Language exchange: chat with natives who want to learn your language, with corrections inside messages.
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4
Rosetta Stone
The veteran of total immersion: pictures and audio without translations, with speech recognition.
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5
LingQ
Learn by reading and listening to real texts (podcasts, articles) and saving new words as you go.
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6
italki
One-to-one video lessons with teachers of over 150 languages, paying per lesson.
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7
Busuu
Lessons where native speakers from its community correct your exercises.
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8
Tandem
Another language-exchange app with natives by text, audio and video, with optional paid tutors.
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9
Pimsleur
Paul Pimsleur's audio method: listen and answer out loud, ideal in the car.
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10
Drops
Visual vocabulary in five-minute sessions, with illustrations.
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11
Cambly
English conversation by video with native speakers available at any time.
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12
Preply
A marketplace of online private tutors, with trial lessons and filters by price and schedule.
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13
Memrise
Vocabulary with videos of real native speakers in the street and AI conversation practice.
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14
Anki
Flashcards with spaced repetition; free on desktop and Android, widely used for vocabulary.
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15
Mondly
Short daily lessons in over 40 languages, with a chatbot and augmented reality.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 15… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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16
Speak
Speaking practice out loud with an AI tutor, especially strong for English.
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17
MosaLingua
A French app for vocabulary and useful phrases with spaced repetition.
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18
Clozemaster
App to gain vocabulary with real phrases in which you have to complete the missing word.
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19
LingoDeer
Language app specialized in Asian languages (Japanese, Korean, Chinese) with well-structured grammar lessons.
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20
Lingvist
Estonian learning app with adaptive flashcards focused on the most frequent words.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (4)
Tandem me ha servido para conocer gente nativa, aunque al principio da cosilla escribir.
Echo de menos LingoDeer, para coreano y japonés es mucho mejor que Duolingo.
Duolingo está bien para mantener la racha, pero si quieres hablar de verdad, italki. Sin duda.
Anki es feo pero es lo que más me ha funcionado para el vocabulario de japonés.