Most language learning apps are better at building a daily habit than at building a language. That is not a small thing, consistency matters more than method for most learners. But knowing what each app is actually good for helps you combine them sensibly rather than expecting one to do everything.
Duolingo, best for starting and staying consistent
Duolingo is the most downloaded language app in the world. Its gamified structure, streaks, points, leagues, keeps many learners coming back daily when other methods fail. The vocabulary and phrase coverage at beginner level is solid. The grammar explanations are thin.
A 2020 internal Duolingo study found their course brings most learners to approximately A2 to B1 in reading and listening. That is a useful starting point. It is not a route to B2 or above on its own. Use Duolingo to build the habit and basic vocabulary, then transition to more demanding materials at B1.
Anki, best for vocabulary at any level
Anki is a spaced repetition flashcard app. It schedules cards for review at mathematically optimal intervals, just before you would naturally forget them. This makes vocabulary retention significantly more efficient than random review. Anki is free on desktop and Android, paid on iOS.
Community decks for major languages are available at ankiweb.net. The most useful decks are frequency-ordered, they teach you the most common words first. A deck of the 2,000 most common words in a language covers approximately 90% of everyday text.
BBC Learning English, best for B1 to B2 English
BBC Learning English at bbc.co.uk/learningenglish is free and offers structured courses, grammar exercises, vocabulary lessons, and audio content at multiple levels. The 6 Minute English podcast is particularly useful for B1 to B2 learners, real speech at a slightly slower pace with transcripts. The content is current and the British English is clear and natural.
Deutsche Welle Learn German, best free German resource
DW Learn German at dw.com/en/learn-german offers free structured German courses from A1 to C1 with audio, exercises, and grammar explanations. It is more rigorous than Duolingo for German and designed specifically for adult learners. The Nicos Weg video course at A1 and A2 is well-produced and uses natural dialogue.
Tandem and HelloTalk, best for speaking practice
Both apps connect you with native speakers who are learning your language. You practice conversation in exchange for helping them with yours. Free tiers are available on both. The quality of exchange partners varies, but both apps have large user bases for major languages. Tandem also has a paid tutor option if you want structured sessions.
What apps cannot replace
Extensive reading of real texts. Listening to authentic speech at full speed. Writing with feedback from a proficient speaker. Speaking in situations where you have to communicate without a script. Apps handle the structured learning layer well. The unstructured input, reading a novel, following a podcast, having a real conversation, is what actually builds fluency, and no app substitutes for it.
Check what level your app study has brought you to
Free 25-minute CEFR test. Instant result. See if you are ready to move up.
Take a Free Language TestFAQ
You might also like
