For this post, we focus on some of the most widely available apps and big names. If you want to discover even more apps, this video from the FluentU YouTube channel gives some options that are lesser—known.
Summary: Duolingo is a popular gamified language learning app that will help you learn vocabulary and pronunciation in a fun and simple way.
Duolingo is a game-like app that progresses through different themes and teaches you basic vocabulary.
Exercises include translation, matching, multiple-choice questions, pronunciation checked by speech recognition, rearranging words into a sentence and more.
Summary: FluentU teaches Spanish with authentic videos like movie clips, music videos, inspirational talks and other content made by and for native speakers.
Every video on FluentU is equipped with interactive subtitles to aid your understanding of what you see and hear, as well as other tools like personalized flashcards and quizzes to help reinforce your learning.
By watching native speakers, you can pick up on how Spanish is actually used.
Pros
Cons
Content covers different regional Spanish accents
Only some features are accessible offline
Contextual dictionary with video and audio support
No direct access to native speakers
3. Best for Natural Language Acquisition: Rosetta Stone
Summary: Rosetta Stone is designed to teach you Spanish from scratch just like how a native would learn.
There is also an option to chat with a live tutor, which is great for conversation practice.
Speech recognition within the platform has also been praised due to it being specifically designed to recognize the pronunciation of non-native speakers.
Overall, this is a pretty intensive method, but if you’re a language enthusiast then this might just be what you’re looking for.
Summary: Memrise’s sole purpose is to help you memorize Spanish words.
There are different scenarios in the app and many lessons in each.
One lesson in each course typically helps you learn anywhere from 10-50 words, and each word includes audio, its English translation and often a video of a native person saying the word or phrase.
You learn the words by repeating and using them in different kinds of exercises like translation, choosing the right answer or flashcards.
Summary: Pimsleur is a very well-known learning method that focuses mostly on audio.
With a focus on conversational language skills, Pimsleur has traditionally been the audio course people listen to on the go.
Each lesson starts with a short audio dialogue that the whole lesson will revolve around. Each sentence gets dissected to the point of teaching you how to pronounce syllables.
You’re prompted to listen, repeat, listen and repeat again during the whole lesson.
Apart from the audio of the lessons, you also get exercises in the form of reading (to improve your pronunciation), flashcards (for review) and quizzes.
Summary: Drops’ goal is for their users to learn Spanish five minutes every day to reach fluency.
Drops is completely based on visual learning as it will give you new words and have you learn them through image matching and other gamified exercises.
There are dozens of topics you can learn about and you will have access to five free minutes a day unless you pay for the unlimited version.
Summary: LingQ aims to immerse you through entertaining authentic content and easy-to-comprehend learning materials.
This program exposes you to a wide range of Spanish learning materials including articles, interviews, podcasts, audiobooks and real-life conversations.
These materials come with transcripts, flashcards and vocabulary tools to go deeper into your studies.
You can interact with transcripts to look up words and save them as flashcards for later.
The app keeps track of how well you’ve learned each word, which words you’ve already mastered and how much vocabulary you’re learning each day.
Summary: This app is mostly based on reading comprehension and game-based learning.
This app is based on cloze tests, which remove words from a passage and ask that the test-taker fills them in to test reading comprehension.
In terms of Spanish learning, this app is great for vocabulary building since you have to read closely and pay attention to context.
ClozeMaster uses a spaced repetition system that encourages language retention as your progress is ranked by the frequency of the words as they appear and your correct or incorrect responses.
Pros
Cons
Thousands of sentences for Spanish practice, grouped by level
It can get a bit repetitive
Clozemaster Radio feature allows you to use the app hands-free
Price: Free (there are different subscription tiers $-$$)
Summary: This app is reading-based and allows you to read texts in your native language and Spanish at the same time.
You can also listen to recordings of the text by native Spanish speakers and highlight the text for playback. This is known as the “karaoke reading” function.
This option makes the reading a really immersive and engaging process. It’s also super helpful when it comes to learning pronunciation.
Pros
Cons
Allows for real immersion
Mainly focuses on reading and listening
Side-by-side reading is a very effective way to see how a language works internally
Summary: HiNative is a super fun app that functions in a similar way to an online chat app, but users ask native speakers questions related to language and grammar usage.
HiNative has a large user base, meaning your Spanish questions will almost definitely be answered.
I find this to be a great resource to ask questions related to the feel or sound of my sentences.
While I wouldn’t recommend this app as a central learning resource, it can be very useful to have in your back pocket when those inevitable Spanish learning questions pop up!
Summary: Mondly has great features for visual learning and allows you to learn Spanish in your native tongue.
While most language learning apps will only focus on English to Spanish translations, Mondly is a great option for other language speakers who want to learn Spanish.
Mondly offers plenty of pictures, audio and even a chatbot and virtual reality to help keep your learning engaging.
The lessons are very well structured and presented in a way that allows students to grasp new concepts as they go.
Summary: This app has a definite process that focuses on developing your speaking skills.
Speechling works in five steps: Listen → Speak → Get feedback → Repeat → Achieve conversational fluency.
Speechling combines flashcards with speaking practice and enlists the help of native coaches to help you achieve conversational perfection one sentence at a time.
There are several topics available for all levels and you even have access to 35 coaching sessions per month and unlimited access to the whole Spanish curriculum for free.
Pros
Cons
Audio from native Latin American and Castilian Spanish speakers
So many options that the app can be a bit overwhelming
You can hover your mouse over any word for grammar info
Price: Free ($-$$ for different premium subscription tiers)
Summary: This app offers bite-sized sessions that really focus on pronunciation.
LingoDeer has several different topics available for several levels.
This app offers a superb pronunciation introduction, stories and a massive grammar guide.
A free account only includes a few units, but they’re offered in their entirety (including exercises, quizzes, one review mode, grammar tips and Stories).
Summary: Brainscape is another great flashcard app that will let you learn over 14,000 Spanish words and expressions.
Created in an innovative way in which words are introduced according to usage, Brainscape uses spaced repetition to make sure you don’t forget what you’ve learned.
With a wide range of topics and recordings from native speakers, Brainscape is a great resource.
Pros
Cons
Thousand of words and phrases ready to be learned
Only flashcards and multiple-choice practice in this app
Impressive decks for verbs, Medical Spanish, AP Spanish and GCSE Spanish
Premium access is needed for the official Spanish set of decks
20. Best for General Translating: SpanishDict Translator
Summary: This is one of the best apps for high-quality, direct translations.
SpanishDict lets you translate words, phrases and full sentences through three different translation tools at once, so you can be better assured of a translation’s accuracy.
In addition to high-quality translations, this app features a Spanish-English dictionary that contains details about usage, as well as sentence examples and a list of phrases that use the word.
SpanishDict Translator also includes a verb conjugator and a Word of the Day feature to help you learn new vocabulary.
The app even has lessons, exercises and quizzes to sharpen your Spanish skills.
Pros
Cons
High-quality translations
There are ads in the free version
Additional learning features beyond translation
Grammar in longer translations can be off
FAQs About The Best Apps to Learn Spanish
What is the best app for learning to speak Spanish?
If your main goal is to get better at speaking in Spanish, the best app for you would be one like Cudu, Busuu, Speechling or Pimsleur where the focus is on speaking and pronunciation.
What is the best app for learning Spanish for free?
Duolingo is likely the best app to learn Spanish if you want something completely free. There’s an option to upgrade, but most people find that the free version is enough. You can also complete the entire Duolingo course for free.
What is the best app for learning Spanish for beginners?
I recommend using a resource with a structured path for beginners, such as Duolingo, Busuu or LingoDeer, or resources that expose you to native content and speech early on, like FluentU and Pimsleur.
But ultimately, the best Spanish app for beginners is the one you will consistently use.
Now you have seen several different apps with different strengths and weaknesses. Choose which one works best for you!
