Best Free Language Learning Apps (2026)
Last verified: September 20, 2026. Limits and prices come from each app’s own pages, help centers and blogs, plus US App Store listings. Free tiers change often, so check the app before you rely on one.
The best free language learning app for most people is Duolingo, but “free” means three different things in this category: apps that cost nothing, apps with a genuinely useful free tier and a paid upgrade, and apps that are only free for a short trial. This guide sorts 18 apps into those three groups and says exactly what is free and what is paywalled in each, so you can build a study routine without surprise charges.
What does “free” actually mean for a language app?
| Type | What you get | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Truly free | The whole product costs nothing, or is donation-funded | Language Transfer; Anki on desktop, web and Android |
| Freemium | A useful free tier with limits, plus a paid upgrade | Duolingo, HelloTalk, Tandem, LingQ, Drops, Busuu, Memrise, Mondly, Language Reactor, Jumpspeak; Mango through a library |
| Free trial only | Full access for a short time, then a subscription | Babbel, Pimsleur, Speak, Lingopie, Rosetta Stone |
Best free options by goal
| Your goal | Best free option | What limits it |
|---|---|---|
| Daily practice across many languages | Duolingo | Ads and an Energy limit on lessons |
| Remembering vocabulary | Anki | You build or download the decks yourself |
| A beginner audio course | Language Transfer | Limited set of languages |
| Chatting with native speakers | HelloTalk or Tandem | Daily caps on translation and new chats |
| Reading and listening to real content | LingQ | 20 saved words and 5 imported lessons |
| Learning from Netflix and YouTube | Language Reactor | Desktop Chrome only |
| Quick vocabulary sessions | Drops | 5 minutes every 10 hours |
| A full course at no cost | Mango Languages | Only if your library offers it |
Truly free apps
Language Transfer
Language Transfer is a nonprofit that publishes audio courses, and its site says it has “no price tags”, no adverts and no sign-ups. It is funded by donations. Courses cover Spanish, Italian, French, German (still being completed), Greek, Turkish, Arabic and Swahili, and Japanese is in development. It is an audio-lesson format rather than a gamified app, which suits learners who like to listen and work things out as they go. The US App Store rates the app 4.9 from about 1,500 ratings.
Anki
Anki is an open-source flashcard program that schedules reviews with spaced repetition. The desktop version (Windows, Mac and Linux), the AnkiWeb sync service and the Android app, AnkiDroid, are free. The only paid version is AnkiMobile on iOS, a one-time $24.99 with no subscription; its listing says sales support development of both the desktop and mobile versions. Anki will not teach you a language, but it is a widely used free way to keep vocabulary from fading.
Free with paid upgrades
Duolingo
- What is free: lessons in 40+ languages, with ads. Free learners use Energy, which replaced hearts: you start with full energy, each lesson uses a little, you earn it back by answering several questions in a row correctly, and watching ads or spending gems tops it up. The Practice Hub (Mistakes, Words, Speak, Listen, and Stories, Radio and Adventures where available) has been free since February 18, 2026, and Explain My Answer has been free since January 1, 2026.
- What is paywalled: Super (about $13 to $17/month or $96 to $120/year) removes ads and the Energy limit and adds monthly Streak Repair. Max (about $168/year, if it is still offered) adds AI Video Call and Roleplay. See what Duolingo costs.
Nine Duolingo courses now run through CEFR B2, which makes the free tier more useful than it was a year ago. See Babbel vs Duolingo and the Duolingo Max review.
HelloTalk
- What is free: unlimited text and voice exchange with other learners, plus Moments, Voicerooms and partner matching, with ads. There are daily caps on translation, AI correction and voice-to-text.
- What is paywalled: VIP removes ads, lifts the translation and transcription limits, allows 25 new partners a day, supports multiple learning languages and adds live captions. HelloTalk’s official pages show no price; the US App Store lists VIP at $12.99 a month or $79.99 a year.
HelloTalk says it supports 260+ languages. It is the closest thing to free conversation practice, with the caveat that quality depends on who you match with.
Tandem
- What is free: chatting, 3 translations a day, 10 new conversations a day and one learning language.
- What is paywalled: Tandem Pro gives unlimited translations, 30 new chats a day, up to 10 languages, no ads and an AI toolkit. Pro is sold in 1-, 3- and 12-month plans, and the US App Store lists in-app prices from $14.99 to $80.
LingQ
- What is free: 20 saved words, 5 imported lessons and 1 audio playlist, per LingQ’s August 2026 blog post.
- What is paywalled: Premium adds unlimited saved words and imports, sentence translations, automatic audio, flashcards, statistics and offline use. LingQ lists Premium at $14.99 a month, or about $10 a month on a 12-month plan.
LingQ covers 50+ languages and works best for intermediate learners who want to read and listen to real material with built-in vocabulary tracking.
Mango Languages (free through many libraries)
- What is free: many public libraries and schools give patrons full access to Mango with a library card. You link it in the app (Subscribe, then “Search for Free Mango”) and can share access with up to five family members. Not every library offers it.
- What is paywalled: otherwise an individual plan is $13.99 a month or about $10 a month billed annually, and a family plan (five profiles) is $19.99 a month or $12.50 a month billed annually. The first lesson and a free trial are also available.
Mango covers 70+ languages, so a library card can unlock a full course library at no cost.
Drops
- What is free: 5 minutes of play every 10 hours, with topics unlocking one at a time, plus audio mode, review tools, challenges and multiplayer.
- What is paywalled: Premium gives unlimited time, any topic, no ads and offline use. Drops’ Premium page lists $11 a month, $69.99 a year with a 7-day trial and a $150 one-time option, though its banners suggest sale prices.
Drops covers 55+ languages and focuses purely on vocabulary.
Language Reactor
Language Reactor is a desktop Chrome extension that shows dual subtitles on Netflix and YouTube and lets you click words for translations. It has around 2 million users and a 4.2 rating on the Chrome Web Store. The free version covers the core subtitle tools. Pro adds machine translation (with a daily quota of about five hours) and saving words and phrases, and a Pro trial reverts to the free plan automatically. Check the site for the current Pro price.
Also free to start: Busuu, Memrise, Mondly and Jumpspeak
- Busuu (14 languages): many features are free, but a subscription unlocks all of them. Its AI conversations and pronunciation feedback are Premium Plus features.
- Memrise: the free plan has limited vocabulary lessons, limited videos and conversations, and ads. Pro unlocks all vocabulary lessons and unlimited speaking practice and removes ads.
- Mondly (41 languages): the free version includes Daily Lessons, the Hello category and one chatbot lesson. A 7-day trial unlocks Premium, which the App Store lists at $15.90 a month or $74.90 a year.
- Jumpspeak: the free version has sample lessons at each level and a limited number of AI tutor conversations. Read the Jumpspeak review before you subscribe, since renewals and cancellations are the most common complaint.
Free trial only: try before you pay
These apps have no lasting free plan, but you can test them:
| App | What is free | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Babbel | The first lesson of each course | No permanent free tier; Babbel advertises a 14-day money-back guarantee on paid plans |
| Pimsleur | A 7-day trial for new customers, plus a free first lesson | Renews as a subscription of about $20 a month |
| Speak | A 7-day free trial | Premium $17.99 a month or $83.99 a year |
| Lingopie | A 7-day trial with a payment method | Renews automatically unless you cancel |
| Rosetta Stone | A one-time 7-day trial | Converts to a monthly plan at $19.99 |
Read the best language learning apps guide to compare these paid options, and the Babbel vs Duolingo comparison if you are choosing between the two best-known ones.
A free study routine that works
Free tools are strongest when each does a different job. One workable weekly split:
- Every day, 10 to 15 minutes: a Duolingo lesson for structure and habit, then your Anki reviews for vocabulary.
- Two or three times a week: a Language Transfer lesson if your language is available, or a LingQ reading session if you are past the basics.
- Once or twice a week: a text or voice chat on HelloTalk or Tandem, so you practice producing the language, not just recognizing it.
- At the weekend: an episode with Language Reactor for listening practice on real speech.
If you are learning Spanish or French, add our free Spanish verb conjugation charts and French verb conjugation charts for the grammar reference free apps rarely give you.
Free-tier catches to watch for
- Daily limits are the business model. Drops gives 5 minutes every 10 hours, Duolingo uses Energy, and HelloTalk and Tandem cap translations and new chats. Plan around the limits instead of fighting them.
- Trials convert automatically. Lingopie, Rosetta Stone and Jumpspeak all say their trials become paid subscriptions unless you cancel first, and other apps work the same way. Set a reminder for the day before.
- App Store and web prices differ. The same app can cost noticeably different amounts on its website and inside an app store, and refunds follow the rules of wherever you bought it.
- “Free” can depend on where you live. Mango’s free access depends on your library, and prices in every app vary by country.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free language learning app?
Duolingo is the best free language learning app for most people: a real free tier, 40+ languages and courses that now reach B2 in nine languages. Pair it with Anki for vocabulary and Language Transfer for audio lessons if your language is covered.
Is Duolingo really free?
Yes. Duolingo’s lessons are free with ads and an Energy limit that refills over time. Since early 2026, Explain My Answer and the Practice Hub are free for everyone. Super removes ads and the Energy limit, and Max adds AI Video Call and Roleplay.
Can you learn a language for free with apps?
You can get a long way. Free apps can cover lessons, vocabulary review, listening and even conversation practice with language exchange partners. Reaching a high level usually also needs real speaking practice and a lot of real listening and reading, which free apps support but do not replace.
What is the best free app for speaking practice?
HelloTalk and Tandem give free conversation with real learners and native speakers, with daily limits on translation and new chats. Duolingo’s free Practice Hub includes speaking practice, and Jumpspeak’s free tier offers a limited number of AI conversations.
Are there free language apps with no ads?
Language Transfer says it has no adverts, no sign-ups and no price tags, and is funded by donations. Most other free tiers, including Duolingo, HelloTalk and Memrise, show ads, and their paid plans remove them.
Can I get Mango Languages for free?
Often, yes. Many public libraries and schools give patrons free access to Mango with a library card. Link it in the app by choosing Subscribe and then “Search for Free Mango”, and you can share access with up to five family members. Not every library offers it.
Is Anki free?
Anki is free on desktop, on the web through AnkiWeb and on Android through AnkiDroid. The iOS app, AnkiMobile, costs a one-time $24.99, and there is no subscription. The developer says iOS sales fund development of both the desktop and mobile versions.
Which language apps have a free trial?
Pimsleur, Speak, Lingopie, Rosetta Stone and Mondly each list a 7-day free trial, and Jumpspeak offers one to eligible users. Babbel lets you try the first lesson of each course free. Cancel before a trial ends if you do not want the paid plan to start.
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: Practice Hub, Explain My Answer is free, Energy and its App Store listing
- Anki: apps.ankiweb.net and AnkiMobile on the App Store
- Language Transfer: languagetransfer.org
- HelloTalk: VIP and subscriptions FAQ; Tandem: app overview
- LingQ: free vs Premium; Mango: pricing and its library access help article
- Drops: Premium page; Language Reactor: FAQ
- Mondly: free vs Premium; Babbel, Pimsleur, Speak, Lingopie and Rosetta Stone: the sources listed in our best language learning apps guide
Related reading
- Best Language Learning Apps (2026): 12 Compared
- Babbel vs Duolingo (2026): Which Is Better for You?
- Duolingo Alternatives in 2026
- Jumpspeak Review (2026): Is It Worth It?
- How Much Does Babbel Cost? Is It Free? (2026)
- Best Language Exchange Apps (2026): 8 Compared
- Best App to Learn English (2026): 12 Compared