11 Best Apps to Learn English: Become Fluent from Anywhere

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English is the most popular second language to learn in the world. The good news is that there are tons of resources to learn, but it can be overwhelming to find the right one for you. There are a lot of ways to study English at home, and one of the most popular ways is to use language learning apps. This article shows you the 11 best apps to learn English and how each one can help you.

Best Overall App

Rocket Languages logoRocket Languages logo

Try Rocket English

Best for Beginners

babbel logobabbel logo

Try Babbel

Best for Speaking

pimsleur logopimsleur logo

Try Pimsleur

What Are The Best Apps To Learn English?​

There are a lot of different language learning apps available. Some have long courses that include every language skill, like grammar, vocabulary, and speaking practice. Some apps only focus on one of two skills. Using a combination of these apps will make the most of your study time and help you learn to speak English like a pro. So without further ado, here’s the list of the best apps to learn English.

Best Overall App to Learn EnglishRocket Languages

Best App for BeginnersBabbel

Best App for English SpeakingPimsleur

Best App for English Language and CultureMosaLingua

Best App to Learn English VocabularyDrops

Most Comprehensive English AppRosetta Stone

Best English Immersion AppFluentU

Best Live Classes in EnglishLingoda

Best English Podcast AppEnglishClass101

Best App to Improve English PronunciationELSA

Best Free English AppDuolingo

Rocket Languages

Best Overall App to Learn English

Rocket English Overview

Rocket Languages has a high-quality English course with audio lessons that focus on speaking and pronunciation. It also has useful cultural notes to help you speak in the correct context.

Rocket Languages logoRocket Languages logo

Best for

Overall Learning

Price

$149.95

Free Trial

7 days

Try Rocket English

The Rocket Languages English course is the best overall app to learn English because of the quality of its lessons. It will help you go from complete beginner to having decent conversations in English.

The activities are interactive and focus on communication instead of memorizing and repeating words and phrases. The course covers everything from basic introductions and grammar rules to pronunciation and more. You can learn more in this Rocket Languages review.

Key Features

  • Start communicating in English from the first lesson
  • Flexible structure lets you choose your lessons
  • Audio lessons you can listen to on the go
  • Engagin activities and useful topics

Pricing

To access the Rocket English course, you pay a one-time payment and have access for life. The course costs $99.95, but Rocket constantly runs deals so chances are you’ll pay much less. Rocket Languages also offers a free trial so you can test it out before buying.

Babbel

Best App for Beginners

Babbel Overview

Babbel helps you practice all necessary skills to start speaking English quickly. It’s perfect for beginners because the lessons are short and don’t overwhelm you.

babbel logobabbel logo

Best for

Beginners

Price

$14.95 / month

Free Trial

1 Lesson

Try Babbel

Babbel is the most comprehensive app to learn English because it includes reading, writing, speaking, and listening practice. The Babbel English course takes you from beginner to conversational quickly.

What makes Babbel stand out from other English learning apps is the grammar tips. English grammar can be very difficult, and Babbel breaks it down into small chunks that are easy to understand. Try Babbel for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Babbel review.

Key Features

  • Practice all communication skills in one course
  • Learn how natives actually speak to sound more natural
  • Lessons are interactive and teach useful topics
  • Professional linguists designed the course

Pricing

A one-month subscription to Babbel costs $14.95, but it costs less per month if you purchase a longer subscription. If you try Babbel and don’t like it, you can also take advantage of the company’s 20-day money-back guarantee.

Pimsleur

Best App for English Speaking

Pimsleur Overview

Pimsleur focuses on pronunciation and conversation. You start speaking in your first lesson. Listen to native speakers to hear how people really speak English.

pimsleur logopimsleur logo

Best for

Speaking

Price

$14.95/month

Free Trial

7 days

Try Pimsleur

If you want to become conversational quickly, Pimsleur can help. The Pimsleur English course is all audio and you start speaking in your very first lesson. The course focuses on useful phrases and vocabulary you’ll need in everyday situations.

While it’s the best speaking course, Pimsleur doesn’t focus on other skills like grammar, reading, or writing. If you want to practice these, you’re better off using an app like Babbel. Try Pimsleur for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Pimsleur review.

Key Features

  • Audio course you can listen to anywhere
  • Lessons follow a logical order and build on what you already know
  • Learn useful vocabulary to become conversational quickly
  • Listen to native speakers to improve pronunciation

Pricing

The Pimsleur app costs $14.99 per month for a subscription to the English audio course. If you want additional features like interactive practice activities and writing exercises, you can get a premium subscription for $20.99 per month. No matter which subscription you choose, Pimsleur offers a free 7-day trial.

MosaLingua

Best App for English Language and Culture

MosaLingua Overview

MosaLingua teaches important English grammar and vocabulary, and also includes interesting and useful cultural notes. You can absorb culture with songs, videos, and even complete ebooks.

mosalingua logomosalingua logo

Best for

Cultural Elements

Price

$4.99/month

Free Trial

15 days

Try MosaLingua

A lot of apps can teach you the English language, but they forget to teach about the culture, but not MosaLingua. MosaLingua is a flashcard app that teaches you a huge list of useful English words and phrases. It also has a large library of books, songs, and videos to help you learn more about culture, as well.

The only downside to MosaLingua is that there isn’t much speaking practice. Apps like Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone can help with that. Try MosaLingua for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this MosaLingua review.

Key Features

  • Huge list of useful words and phrases in English
  • Choose what you want to learn
  • Saves you time from searching online for books, videos, and more
  • Lower monthly price than most other language apps

Pricing

You can subscribe to MosaLingua web for $4.99 per month or the app for $9.49 per month, which is quite a bit cheaper than most other English apps. A yearly subscription to MosaLingua costs $59.90. You can try MosaLingua free for 15 days.

Drops

Best App to Learn English Vocabulary

Drops Overview

Drops is an interactive and fun way to learn tons of English vocabulary quickly. It has fun games that help you remember new words and phrases.

Drops language app logoDrops language app logo

Best for

Vocabulary

Price

$13.00/month

Free Trial

5 mins/day

Try Drops

Drops is one of the only language apps that makes learning vocabulary fun. It uses a bunch of different games and activities to help you remember new words. You don’t even need to use it for long – only a few minutes each day.

The Drops vocabulary lists are some of the most helpful I’ve seen. It teaches you everything from household appliances and breakfast foods to animal sounds and illnesses. The design is also unique and user-friendly. Try Drops for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Drops review.

Key Features

  • Thousands of English vocabulary words and phrases
  • Not a big time commitment – only 5 to 15 minutes per day
  • Interactive games help you remember new words
  • Sleek app design

Pricing

You can use the Drops app for free for 5 minutes per day. That’s plenty of time to pick up a few new words every day. If you want to grow your English vocabulary quickly, a monthly subscription to Drops costs $13.00. You can get it for less if you choose a longer subscription.

Rosetta Stone

Most Comprehensive English App

Rosetta Stone Overview

Rosetta Stone’s course teaches every skill needed to communicate in English. It immerses you in English from the very beginning and teaches you to think in English instead of translate.

rosetta stone logorosetta stone logo

Best for

Comprehension

Price

$11.99/month

Free Trial

3 days

Try Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is one of the biggest names in language learning and has been around for a long time. It’s different from other apps because it completely immerses you in English starting in your first lesson. This approach isn’t the best for everyone (it can be a little intimidating), but there’s a lot of research out there to support it.

The lessons are full of interactive activities that help you improve your speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. Sometimes the pace of the course can be a little slow, but it helps with retention of the material. Try Rosetta Stone for free by clicking the button below or learn more about it in this Rosetta Stone review.

Key Features

  • Immersive lessons help you learn quickly
  • Helps you go from beginner to advanced
  • Accurate speech recognition technology improves pronunciation
  • Lessons are short and easy to follow

Pricing

You can subscribe to the Rosetta Stone English course for $36.00 for 3 months. There are also longer subscriptions available. The longer your subscription, the bigger the discount. You can take advantage of a free 3-day trial to see if it’s a good course for you.

FluentU

Best English Immersion App

FluentU Overview

FluentU is has shows, movies, and more in English to give you an immersive learning experience. You can listen to the video, read the transcripts, and instantly see translations of words you don’t know.

fluentu logofluentu logo

Best for

English Immersion

Price

$29.99/month

Free Trial

14 days

Try FluentU

FluentU has tons of authentic English content that provides an immersive experience. There are movie trailers, music videos, advertisements, and more. Using authentic content is one of the best ways to learn how native speakers actually talk.

Each video has subtitles and a translation to help you follow along. If you don’t understand a word, you can click on it and FluentU will show you the definition and other videos that use that word. You can try FluentU for free by clicking the button below or learn more about it in this FluentU review.

Key Features

  • Large library of videos in English
  • Subtitles and translations help you follow along
  • Create flashcards to practice new vocabulary
  • Constantly updated with new content

Pricing

FluentU is quite a bit more expensive than most other language apps. It costs $29.99 per month. You can also choose a yearly subscription for $239.99, which breaks down to $20.00 per month. To see if FluentU is a good fit for you, take advantage of the free 14-day trial by clicking the button below.

Lingoda

Best Live Classes in English

Lingoda Overview

Take online classes with certified native English teachers. You can choose private or group classes and follow a structured curriculum to learn efficiently.

lingoda logolingoda logo

Best for

Live Classes

Price

$15/class

Free Trial

7 days

Try Lingoda

Lingoda isn’t technically a language app, but you can still access everything from your phone. It’s an online language school that has a complete curriculum for English learners. It’s also accredited by the German government. A certified native English teacher leads each class with anywhere between 3-5 students. You can also take private lessons if you prefer.

The Lingoda English courses can take you from an A1 level all the way up to C1. You can choose which order you want to complete lessons in, as well as which level you want to study. Try Lingoda for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Lingoda review.

Key Features

  • Certified teachers who are native speakers
  • Complete curriculum similar to traditional language schools
  • Hundreds of lessons covering different topics
  • Excellent quality for the price you pay

Pricing

Lingoda starts at $59.00 for 4 classes per month and goes up to $399.00 for 40 classes per month. The Lingoda Sprints and Marathons have their own pricing, which you can find on Lingoda’s website. Try Lingoda free for 7 days to study with a certified English teacher.

EnglishClass101

Best English Podcast App

EnglishClass101 Overview

EnglishClass101 has tons of audio and video lessons to help you learn English effectively. There are also a lot of additional study resources available too.

EnglishClass101 logoEnglishClass101 logo

Best for

English Podcasts

Price

$8/month

Free Trial

7 days

Try EnglishClass101

EnglishClass101 offers a huge variety of audio and video lessons to improve your English skills. There are thousands of lessons available and the company adds new lessons every week. With the interactive quizzes, flashcards, and grammar lessons, EnglishClass101 is a fantastic option for studying alone at home.

You also have the option to access feedback from an English tutor, a personalized study plan, and more. Overall, EnglishClass101 has a lot of in-depth content that helps you understand beginner, intermediate, and advanced topics. It may not be the best option if you want a more structured course. Try EnglishClass101 for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this EnglishClass101 review.

Key Features

  • New lessons every week
  • Interactive quizzes and flashcards
  • 1-on-1 access to a teacher
  • Grammar bank and audio dictionary

Pricing

An EnglishClass101 subscription costs anywhere from $4.00 to $47.00 per month depending on the length of your subscription and which features you want. You can subscribe for one month to 24 months. There’s also a free subscription that gives you access to basic features.

Click on the button below to sign up for a free EnglishClass101 account and receive new English lessons every week.

ELSA

Best App to Improve English Pronunciation

ELSA Speak Overview

ELSA is an app that focuses on correct American English pronunciation training.

ELSA Speak logoELSA Speak logo

Best for

Pronunciation

Price

$11.99/month

Free Trial

7 days

Try ELSA Speak

ELSA is a virtual English-speaking coach that uses artificial intelligence to improve your American English pronunciation. It focuses on helping you master individual sounds in English. After you learn the individual sounds, your overall pronunciation will improve quite a bit.

The lessons are short and simple. After you finish them, you get feedback from ELSA immediately. This feedback helps you understand what you need to practice. ELSA isn’t a replacement for an online English tutor, but it’s certainly a helpful (and less expensive) tool for improving your pronunciation. Try Elsa for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Elsa review.

Key Features

  • Easily determine your speaking level
  • Immediate and detailed feedback
  • Short lessons focus on specific sounds
  • Improve your confidence when speaking English

Pricing

A subscription to ELSA costs $44.99 per year or $98.99 for a lifetime subscription. This includes over 3,000 lessons and access to the ELSA Dictionary. You can also try ELSA for free for 7 days before purchasing a subscription.

Duolingo

Best Free English App

Duolingo Overview

Duolingo has an extensive English course that lets you learn for free. Activities focus on translations and vocabulary and take between 5 and 10 minutes to complete.

Duolingo logoDuolingo logo

Best for

Free Lessons

Price

Free

Free Trial

N/A

Try Duolingo

Duolingo offers a complete English course and it’s completely free. It has interactive lessons and quizzes to help you learn new words and phrases. There are quite a few lessons that cover everyday situations, but they aren’t very detailed.

If you’re trying to build a strong foundation in English, Duolingo is a nice option. But if you want to become conversational, you’re better off using an app like Babbel or Pimsleur. Try Duolingo for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Duolingo review.

Key Features

  • Full English course with hundreds of lessons
  • Interactive learning activities
  • Free to use

Pricing

Duolingo offers all of its courses for free. However, there are a lot of ads that interrupt your learning. If you want to get rid of ads and access additional features, you can subscribe to Super Duolingo for $12.99 per month or $83.99 per year.

Why You Should Use Apps To Learn English

There are a lot of different ways to study English, such as textbooks, online English courses, and apps. While every method can help you improve your English, language learning apps can be more effective for some learners.

With English learning apps, you can access a complete course whenever you want and learn what you want to learn. They’re usually cheaper than classes at an English school and are more fun than textbooks, too.

Another reason English language apps can be more effective than traditional methods is their format. They include a lot of different types of activities that help all types of learners. Popular activities include flashcards, quizzes, games and interactive activities, and even learning with virtual reality.

Best Apps To Learn English: Final Thoughts

Use this list to help guide you to an app that’s useful for you to learn English. Each English learning app offers something unique and can help you focus on specific skills. These are the best apps to learn English because of the quality, prices, and features they offer.

Most of them offer free trials, so try a few different apps to see which ones you like best. You can also use a few of them at the same time to learn English even more quickly! As one of the most spoken languages in Europe, you’ll be happy you did.

Best Apps To Learn English: FAQ

What is the best app to learn English?

The best app to learn English is Babbel because it offers a complete course for beginners and intermediate speakers. Babbel also helps you improve all of your communication skills – reading, writing, speaking, and listening – which a lot of other language apps don’t do.

What is the best app to learn English for free?

The best free English learning app is Duolingo. You can access the entire course for free and learn the basics of English. There are a lot of free language apps available, but Duolingo is the highest quality and helps you practice all forms of communication.

Can I learn English by myself?

It’s possible to learn English by yourself by using language apps like Babbel and Pimsleur. These can help you achieve a conversational level. However, if you really want to become fluent, it’s best to practice with native speakers. This is easy to do with an app like italki.

Can I learn English in 3 months?

It’s possible to reach a conversational level of English in 3 months if you already have a basic understanding of the language and have a lot of motivation. To learn English in 3 months, you need to study every day and practice all of your communication skills – reading, writing, speaking, and listening.