Best App to Learn Italian (2026): 8 Compared
Last verified: September 20, 2026. Prices and features come from each app’s official pages and the US App Store listings. They change often, so confirm the price for your country at checkout.
The best app to learn Italian depends on your budget and goal. Duolingo is the best free start, and its Italian course now runs through CEFR level B2. Babbel is the best structured paid course, with lessons of five to ten minutes and courses up to B2. Pimsleur is best for learning by ear, Lingopie for learning from TV, and a tutor on Preply or italki is the best way to practice speaking. By US government estimates, Italian is one of the quicker languages for English speakers to learn.
Quick picks by goal
| Your goal | Best pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Start for free | Duolingo | A free tier; Italian is one of nine courses that now run through B2 |
| A structured paid course | Babbel | Lessons of about five to ten minutes; courses up to B2 |
| Learn by ear | Pimsleur | Five levels of audio lessons, with about 100 reading lessons |
| Learn from TV and film | Lingopie | Dual subtitles for Italian shows |
| A free audio start | Language Transfer | Free “Intro to Italian” audio course, funded by donations |
| Immersion-style lessons | Rosetta Stone | Italian is one of its 25 languages |
| A community and full course | Busuu | Italian is one of its 14 languages, with community feedback |
| Short daily lessons | Mondly | A free daily lesson and 41 languages |
The 8 apps at a glance
| App | Best for | US price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duolingo | A free start | Free; Super about $96 to $120/year | B2 course; AI Video Call in Italian with Max |
| Babbel | A structured course | About $107/year, all languages | First lesson free; courses up to B2 |
| Pimsleur | Audio learning | About $20/month | 5 levels; 7-day trial |
| Busuu | Community feedback | Free tier; App Store paid plans | A1 to B2 courses, per Busuu |
| Rosetta Stone | Immersion | $19.99/month or $159/year | 25 languages in one plan |
| Lingopie | Learning from TV | About $84/year | 5,000+ shows, podcasts and books |
| Language Transfer | A free audio start | Free; donations | Intro course only |
| Mondly | Short daily lessons | Free daily lesson; App Store $15.90/month | 41 languages |
Duolingo: best free start
- US price: free with ads and an Energy limit; Super about $13 to $17/month or $96 to $120/year
- Level: Italian is one of nine courses that Duolingo says now teach through B2 (April 2026)
- Speaking practice: speaking exercises and a free Practice Hub; AI Video Call in Italian with Max
Duolingo is the easiest place to start Italian for free. See Does Duolingo Work? for the evidence on how far it goes, and Babbel vs Duolingo if you are deciding between the two.
Babbel: best structured paid course
- US price: about $107 for 12 months with all languages, about $46 for three months, about $18 for one month
- Level: Babbel’s help center lists Italian courses up to B2
- Free: the first lesson of each course
Babbel’s Italian page describes lessons of about five to ten minutes and CEFR-aligned guidance from A1 to B2. It is a good fit if you want a clear path and grammar explained alongside dialogues. Note that Babbel Live classes have been discontinued for individual learners. See our Babbel review.
Pimsleur: best for learning by ear
- US price: about $20 a month; the US App Store lists Italian Premium at $19.99
- Structure: five learning levels of 30 conversational lessons, with about 100 reading lessons
- Free: a 7-day trial for new customers
Pimsleur’s Italian course is a good fit for building listening and speaking on a commute. See our Pimsleur review for the refund terms.
Busuu: best for community feedback
- US price: a free tier, with App Store paid plans from about $70 to $140 a year
- Level: Busuu says its courses cover the first four CEFR stages, A1 to B2
- Premium: adds grammar and vocabulary review, no ads, certificates and offline mode; Premium Plus adds AI conversations and pronunciation practice
Busuu lists Italian among its 14 languages and lets native speakers correct your exercises.
Rosetta Stone: best immersion-style option
- US price: $19.99 a month or $159 a year
- Free: a one-time 7-day trial
Rosetta Stone teaches through immersion, without translations, and includes pronunciation feedback. See our Rosetta Stone review.
Lingopie: best for learning from TV
- US price: about $84 a year on its website
- Content: 5,000+ shows, podcasts and books; Italian is one of its languages
- Free: a 7-day trial with a payment method
Lingopie suits learners who already have some basics and want to build listening from real shows. See our Lingopie review.
Language Transfer: best free audio start
- US price: free; funded by donations
- Course: the Italian course is titled “Intro to Italian,” so it is an introduction, not a full course
- US App Store rating: 4.9 from about 1,600 ratings
Language Transfer says it has no price tags, no adverts and no sign-ups. It is a good free first step, and you will want a fuller course afterwards.
Mondly: best for short daily lessons
- US price: the US App Store lists $15.90 a month and $74.90 a year; Mondly’s own offer page has shown lower promotional prices
- Free: a daily lesson, the Hello category and one chatbot lesson; a 7-day trial unlocks Premium
- US App Store rating: 4.7 from about 33,000 ratings
Mondly is a light, casual option that covers 41 languages.
More options: live classes and tutors
- Lingoda: offers Italian at levels A1 and A2 only. See our Lingoda review.
- Preply: lists more than 3,700 Italian tutors, from $4 with an average of about $23, and offers a 25- or 50-minute trial lesson. See our Preply review.
- italki: lists hundreds of Italian tutors, with trial lessons from about $5.
How to combine apps for Italian
- Free stack: Duolingo for daily lessons, Language Transfer for an audio introduction and free Lingopie or Mondly trials for variety.
- Paid stack: Babbel for structure, Lingopie for listening and a weekly tutor for speaking.
- By ear: Pimsleur for listening and speaking, plus reading practice from a course app.
How long does Italian take?
Italian is one of the faster languages for English speakers. The US Foreign Service Institute puts Italian in its easiest category, with an estimated 24 weeks for its students to reach level 3 on the government’s ILR proficiency scale, at about 23 class hours a week plus 17 hours of self-study. Spanish and French are estimated at up to 30 weeks, German at about 36 weeks, and Japanese, Korean and Mandarin at about 88 weeks. Casual app study takes longer, but Italian rewards consistent daily practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best app to learn Italian?
Duolingo is the best free start, Babbel the best structured paid course, Pimsleur the best for learning by ear and Lingopie the best for learning from TV. Add a tutor on Preply or italki for speaking. Most learners combine a course app with speaking practice.
What is the best free app to learn Italian?
Duolingo is the best free start, and its Italian course now runs through B2. Language Transfer offers a free “Intro to Italian” audio course, Busuu and Mondly have free tiers, and Babbel lets you try the first lesson of each course free.
What is the best app to learn Italian for beginners?
Duolingo suits beginners on a budget, and Babbel suits beginners who want a structured paid course with grammar explanations and lessons of five to ten minutes. Language Transfer’s free intro is a good audio start.
Can you learn Italian with Duolingo?
You can get a long way. Duolingo says Italian is one of nine courses that now teach through B2. Most learners add speaking practice with a tutor or an AI speaking app, and real listening such as shows and podcasts.
Is Babbel good for learning Italian?
Babbel is a solid option: its help center lists Italian courses up to B2, and its Italian page describes lessons of about five to ten minutes. It costs about $107 a year with all languages, and Babbel Live classes are no longer available to individual learners.
Is Language Transfer enough to learn Italian?
No. Language Transfer’s Italian course is titled “Intro to Italian,” so it is an introduction rather than a full course. It is free and funded by donations, and it works well as a first step before a fuller course.
How long does it take to learn Italian?
The US Foreign Service Institute estimates about 24 weeks for its students to reach level 3 on the ILR scale, making Italian one of the quicker languages for English speakers. Self-study with apps usually takes longer and depends on daily practice.
Do I need a tutor to learn Italian?
Apps cover vocabulary and grammar well, but speaking needs practice with a person or a speaking-focused AI app. A tutor on Preply or italki helps with pronunciation and producing sentences aloud, even for a few lessons.
Sources and how this was researched
This guide compares information published by each app and by app stores as of September 20, 2026. It does not claim first-hand testing of every app. Main sources:
- Duolingo: courses now teach advanced content
- Babbel: prices and the help center’s Available languages; Pimsleur: learn Italian; Busuu: Premium
- Rosetta Stone: buy page; Lingopie: pricing; Language Transfer: languagetransfer.org; Mondly: free vs Premium
- Tutors: Preply’s Italian page and italki’s Italian page; Lingoda: FAQ
- US App Store listings for each app, and the US Foreign Service Institute