Best app to learn French: every app that teaches it, compared
Bonjourbohn-ZHOOR“hello” in French
Start with Babbel ($107.40 a year) for dialogues and grammar, Pimsleur to rehearse aloud before a trip or on a commute, or Duolingo's free course; add LingQ for French film, TV and reading.
Prices checked 6 Sept to 20 Oct 2026 · How we check
Our picks
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Best course with CEFR levels
Babbel
Course app
$107.40 a year$8.95 a month, billed yearly
Why it's here. Short dialogues and grammar notes help you understand why a sentence works. Speaking exercises let you practise saying it aloud before you need it in conversation.
Free: The first lesson of every course is free, and up to 80 free lessons depending on the language.
Skip it if you want to stay free for good (only the first lessons are free), or your language is not one of its 14.
French courses and extra topics up to B2.
Photo: AmazonAmazon offers a free 30-day Prime trial, with free delivery on eligible items. Try Prime free; a paid link, like the Amazon buttons.
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Best for a commute
Pimsleur
Audio course
$131.96 a year$11 a month, billed yearly · All Access
Why it's here. Half-hour audio lessons get you answering aloud, which suits a commute or a walk. Download lessons before you leave and you can practise without a connection.
Free: No free tier; 7-day free trial on subscriptions.
Skip it if you want to read and write, or want something free: it is audio first, with a 7-day trial.
Five levels of half-hour lessons, with about 100 reading lessons.
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Best for French film, TV and reading
LingQ
Immersion (video, audio, reading)
$119.99 a year$10 a month, billed yearly
Why it's here. Read and listen to material that interests you, then save unfamiliar words to practise later. It suits learners who want more real content alongside a structured course.
Free: Free account capped at 20 saved words and phrases, 5 lessons created from imported content, and 1 audio playlist.
Skip it if you want grammar taught step by step: LingQ is reading and listening with your own word lists.
A French library from Beginner 1 to Advanced 2: thousands of hours of audio with transcripts.
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Best free app
Duolingo
Course app
FreeEvery course, with ads and daily limits.
Why it's here. Short, game-like lessons make it easy to practise a little every day. You can follow the whole course free, with ads and limits.
Paid upgrade: Super removes the ads and limits: $9.99 to $119.99 in Apple's US App Store, depending on the plan, after a 1-week free trial.
Skip it if you want a person to talk to: Duolingo has no tutors, and Max's Video Call is an AI character.
One French course, free with ads; Duolingo says it now goes up to B2.
58 of the 99 apps we cover list French; 25 of them are free to keep using and 26 more free to try.
French pronunciation makes listening and speaking practice especially useful alongside grammar. A pronunciation exercise cannot replace the give and take of a real conversation.
What a year of French costs
Every app that teaches French and sells a yearly plan, cheapest first, from the plans on each app's own pages. Not on it: Language Transfer and LingoHut, which are free; Coffee Break French, Dreaming Spanish, italki, Lingoda, News in Slow, Pingo AI, Praktika and Preply, which publish no yearly price in dollars, and Assimil, Gus on the Go, Michel Thomas Method, Ouino, Rocket Languages and StoryLearning, bought once rather than by the year.
The yearly planPaying month to month for 12 monthsA price range; the app doesn't say which plan costs what
- Duolingoevery course free; Super's plan lengths not given $0 · Super $9.99 to $119.99 in the App Store
- uTalkone language; $29.99 on some visits $24.99 · $47.88 if you pay monthly
- Language Reactorall its languages · free tier $39.95 · $71.40 if you pay monthly
- Tandemall its languages · free tier $39.99
- Mondlyone language · free tier $47.99 · $119.88 if you pay monthly
- Speaklyall its languages $47.99 · $191.88 if you pay monthly
- Readlangall its languages · free tier $48 · $72 if you pay monthly
- Beelinguappall its languages · free tier $49.90 · $95.88 if you pay monthly
- Studycatone language $59.99 · $179.88 if you pay monthly
- Memriseall its languages · free tier $61.99 · $299.88 if you pay monthly
- Dropsall its languages · free tier $69.99 · $132 if you pay monthly
- Readleall its languages · free tier $69.99 · $179.88 if you pay monthly
- MosaLinguaall its languages $71.88 · $119.88 if you pay monthly
- Busuuall its languages · free tier $72.99
- Jumpspeakall its languages $79
- Clozemasterall its languages · free tier $79.99 · $155.88 if you pay monthly
- HelloTalkall its languages · free tier $79.99 · $155.88 if you pay monthly
- Langotalkall its languages $79.99 · $239.88 if you pay monthly
- Lingvistall its languages $79.99 · $119.88 if you pay monthly
- Lingopieall its languages $83.88
- Promovaall its languages · free tier $83.99 · $239.88 if you pay monthly
- Speakall its languages $83.99 · $215.88 if you pay monthly
- Lingall its languages · free tier $89.99 · $203.88 if you pay monthly
- Fluent Foreverall its languages · free tier $95.88 · $143.88 if you pay monthly
- LingoDeerall its languages · free tier $95.99 · $179.88 if you pay monthly
- Migakuall 11 languages and every feature $96 · $120 if you pay monthly
- Teacher AIall its languages $97 · $180 if you pay monthly
- Yablaone language $99.95 · $155.40 if you pay monthly
- Babbelall its languages $107.40 · $215.88 if you pay monthly
- LingQall its languages · free tier $119.99 · $179.88 if you pay monthly
- Talkpalall its languages · free tier $119.99 · $239.88 if you pay monthly
- Univerbalall its languages $119.99 · $239.88 if you pay monthly
- Mango Languagesall its languages about $120 · $167.88 if you pay monthly
- Pimsleurall its languages $131.96 · $251.40 if you pay monthly
- FluentUall its languages $143.99 · $359.88 if you pay monthly
- Transparent Language Onlineone language $149.95 · $299.40 if you pay monthly
- Languaall its languages · free tier $149.99 · $239.88 if you pay monthly
- Rosetta Stoneall its languages $159 · $239.88 if you pay monthly
- Dinolingoall 50 languages, up to 6 children $199 · $228 if you pay monthly
- Glossikaone language about $199 · $239.88 if you pay monthly
- Kwiziqone language · free tier $200.99 · $377.88 if you pay monthly
- Gymglishone language $288
How far each French course goes
Each app's French course as its maker describes it: the level it says the course reaches, and how big it is. 17 of the 38 courses state a CEFR level; the rest use their own levels or state none. A course's level is what its lessons cover, not proof that you will reach it. Sizes are each maker's own measure (words, hours, lessons or units), so they cannot be compared directly. Read from each maker's pages on 11 Oct 2026, 12 Oct 2026, 13 Oct 2026, 14 Oct 2026, 15 Oct 2026 and 16 Oct 2026. What the CEFR levels mean.
| App and course | How far it goes | How big it is |
|---|---|---|
| GymglishFrantastique, with Le Belamour for beginners · Gymglish: partnership | A1 to C2A beginner course, then one from elementary to advanced (A2 to C2)Gymglish shop: French courses | Not stated |
| GlossikaFrench · Glossika: French course | A1 to C1 | 5,000+ words and 6,700+ sentences |
| KwiziqKwizIQ French · Kwiziq: FAQ | A1 to C1Grammar lessons from absolute beginner (A0) to advanced (C1), for learners past the basics | Not stated |
| PromovaFrench · Promova help: languages and levels | A1 to C1A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 | Not stated |
| StoryLearningFrench Uncovered · StoryLearning: French Uncovered Advanced | A1 to C13 levels (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)StoryLearning: choosing an Uncovered course and level | Beginner course: 10 chapters, 60+ video lessonsStoryLearning: French Uncovered |
| YablaFrench · Yabla French: home page | A1 to C1Lessons from beginner (A1) to advanced (C1); daily Fluency Club at Beg–Int and Int–Adv levels | 2,400+ videos |
| AssimilFrench With Ease · Assimil: French e-course | A1 to B2 | Not stated |
| BabbelFrench · Babbel help: languages and levels (UK) | Up to B2 | Not stated |
| BusuuComplete French · Busuu: French course | A1 to B2 | 330+ lessons |
| DuolingoFrench · Duolingo blog: courses now teach to B2 | Up to B2 | Not stated |
| MondlyFrench · Mondly FAQ: learning levels | A1 to B2Beginner to upper intermediate | Not stated |
| Rocket LanguagesRocket French · Rocket Languages help | A1 to B2Levels 1 to 3Rocket Languages: French prices | 385 hours of lessons in Levels 1 to 3Rocket Languages: French prices |
| LingoDeerFrench (Accelerated) · LingoDeer help: French Accelerated and French Normal | A1 to B1 | Not stated |
| LingoDeerFrench (Normal) · LingoDeer help: French Accelerated and French Normal | A1 to B1 | Not stated |
| Mango LanguagesFrench · Mango Languages: proficiency levels | A1 to B15 units, Beginner 1 to Skilled 3 | 5 units, 41 chapters, 567 lessonsMango Languages: languages and course sizes |
| uTalkFrench · uTalk: French | A1 to A2 | 2,500+ words and phrases in 60+ topicsuTalk: French |
| uTalkFrench (Canadian) · uTalk: Canadian French | A1 to A2 | 2,500+ words and phrases in 60+ topicsuTalk: Canadian French |
The other 21 French courses: their own levels, or none stated
| App and course | How far it goes | How big it is |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee Break FrenchFrench · Coffee Break French: course page | Four seasons: Absolute beginners, Lower Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced Learners | 160 lessons, 40 in each season, of about 15 to 20 minutes |
| Dreaming SpanishDreaming French · Dreaming Spanish: the method | Superbeginner to Advanced | Not stated |
| DropsFrench · Drops: French | Beginner to advanced | Not stated |
| FluentUFrench · FluentU: French | Beginner to advanced videos | Not stated |
| LingopieFrench · Lingopie: home page | Beginner to Advanced | Not stated |
| LingQFrench library · LingQ forum: how to set and change your level | Beginner 1 to Advanced 2 | Thousands of hours of audio lessons with transcriptsLingQ: learn French |
| MemriseFrench · Memrise: French course | All levels | 8,000+ words |
| Michel Thomas MethodFrench · Michel Thomas: French courses | Start, Foundation, Language Builder, Intermediate, Vocabulary, Insider's | 8-hour Foundation course; 5-hour Vocabulary course (over 1,000 words) |
| MosaLinguaMosaLingua Learn French App · Apple App Store: MosaLingua listing | Vocabulary sorted by topic and skill level, from the basics up to advanced technical terms (MosaLingua says this of all its apps) | 3,000+ flashcards; 37 dialoguesGoogle Play: MosaLingua French listing |
| News in SlowNews in Slow French · News in Slow French: subscription rates | Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced weekly news, with a Get Up To Speed course for beginners | Not stated |
| PimsleurFrench · Pimsleur: French | Levels 1 to 5 | 5 levels of half-hour lessons; about 100 reading lessons |
| TalkpalFrench · Talkpal: courses | Absolute beginner to upper intermediate | 4 levels of 60 themed units each |
| ClozemasterFrench from English · nothing stated on Clozemaster: languages | Not stated | Not stated |
| Fluent ForeverFrench | Not stated | Not stated |
| Language TransferIntroduction to French · Language Transfer: FAQ | Not stated | The first 30 to 40% of a complete course |
| LingFrench · Ling: FAQ | Not stated | More than 200 lessons |
| LingvistFrench · Lingvist help: how large is the course | Not stated | 5,091 words (general course) |
| Mango LanguagesFrench (Canadian) · Mango Languages: languages and course sizes | Not stated | 3 units, 15 chapters, 75 lessons |
| OuinoOuino French · Ouino: French course | Not stated | 450+ lessons and 1,300+ exercises in five modules |
| Rosetta StoneFrench · Rosetta Stone help: course contents | Not stated | 20 units in 5 levels |
| SpeakFrench · nothing stated on Speak: home page | Not stated | Not stated |
Every app that teaches French
Recommended first within each type of app. Sort any column or filter by what matters to you.
58 apps
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| Best for | Free tier | Speech | Tutor | Offline | CEFR | Refund or trial | Where to buy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course apps | |||||||||||
| DuolingoCourse appSuper in the US App Store: $9.99 to $119.99, depending on the plan. | A free daily habit | Freepaid tier priced in-app | — | — | Free to keep using Full free tier with ads and limits; Super removes the ads and limits, and Max adds AI practice (Video Call and Roleplay). | Yes | No | Yes · Limited lessons available offline; progress syncs when connected | Up to B2 | 1 week free trial on Super | |
| BusuuCourse app | Corrections from native speakers | $72.99 a year$6.08 a month, billed yearly | — | — | Free to keep using Free account with the complete course in each language, community feedback and basic progress tracking; Premium adds review tools, offline mode and no ads. | Yes | No · Live Lessons are exclusive to Busuu for Business, outside the consumer subscription | Yes | A1 to B2 | 14-day money-back guarantee on the initial Premium payment; no renewal refunds. Apple and mobile-operator purchases require a refund from that provider. | |
| PromovaCourse app | Short lessons with AI speaking practice | $83.99 a year$7 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free to keep using Courses are free if you watch an ad before each lesson; AI role-play is limited. | Yes | No | — | A1 to C1 | A free trial for new subscribers. Refunds for website and Google Play purchases are asked for by email; App Store purchases go through Apple. | |
| StoryLearningCourse app | One long story per course, with video lessons on it | $297Uncovered Beginner course | — | $997 | Free trial No | — | StoryLearning VIP: a 10-week programme with two coaching sessions a week, sold apart from the courses. | Yes | A1 to C1 | A 7-day free trial of each Uncovered course, then one payment with a 365-day money-back guarantee; bundles have 30 days. The StoryLearning App's page gives no trial or refund terms. | |
| LingCourse app | Asian and less-taught languages | $89.99 a year$7.50 a month, billed yearly | $16.99 | — | Free to keep using Free tier with limited lessons and limited dialogue practice, with ads | Yes | Live online tutors, booked separately through Ling Live. | — | — | 7-day free trial on the 12-month plan; 30-day money-back refund for yearly and lifetime subscriptions bought via Ling web (app-store purchases follow Apple's or Google's refund policy) | |
| Mango LanguagesCourse app | Free through many public libraries | About $120 a year$10 a month, billed yearly | $13.99 | — | Free sample Free trial on both personal plans; the first lesson of any language is free; 10 endangered and indigenous language courses are free; free full access through participating public libraries | No · You record yourself and compare with a native speaker by ear (Voice Comparison); nothing scores it. | No | Yes | A1 to B1French | Free trial on Individual and Family plans; cancel before it ends and you are not charged | |
| Rocket LanguagesCourse app | Paying once per level, not a subscription | $149.95Rocket French Level 1 | — | $449.85 | Free trial A free trial; the page does not say what it includes or for how long. | Yes | No | Yes · audio lessons download in the app; voice recognition needs a connection | A1 to B2 | A free trial; 60-day money-back guarantee on purchases. | |
| MondlyCourse app | A cheap yearly plan across many languages | $47.99 a year$4 a month, billed yearly | $9.99one language | — | Free to keep using Free version with Daily Lessons, the Hello category and a chatbot lesson. | Yes · Mondly's App Store description names voice recognition and speaking practice; it does not say how it marks what you say. | — | — | A1 to B2 | 7-day free trial | |
| LingoDeerCourse app | Grammar-led lessons, with alphabet units for Japanese and Korean | $95.99 a year$8 a month, billed yearly | $14.99 | — | Free to keep using A free version with limited lessons; a membership unlocks every course and feature. | — | — | Yes | A1 to B1French (Accelerated) | A 7-day money-back guarantee on yearly and longer plans bought on LingoDeer's website, one request per person; no refund for part of a period or a renewal you forgot. | |
| BabbelCourse app | A structured course with grammar explained | $107.40 a year$8.95 a month, billed yearly | $17.99 | $299.99 | Free sample Free account; the first lesson of every course is free, and up to 80 free lessons depending on the language. | Yes | No · Babbel Live is no longer available to individual consumers | Yes · Downloaded lessons, vocabulary review and podcasts in the mobile app | Up to B2 | Bought from Babbel in the US: no refund promised if you cancel early. Outside the US: 14 days to change your mind, less what you have used. App store purchases: the store's rules. | |
| Rosetta StoneCourse app | Immersion without translation | $159 a year$13.25 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free sample Free sample lessons on its site and a one-time 7-day free trial in the app; no lasting free plan. | Yes | Coaching sessions with a Rosetta Stone certified tutor. | Yes | — | A one-time 7-day free trial in the app. Bought from Rosetta Stone: a 14-day money-back guarantee, refunded by its Memberships team by email or phone. App Store purchases go through Apple; a retailer's follow that retailer's policy. | |
| GymglishCourse app | Ten minutes a day of a comic story in the language, corrected for you | $288 a year$24 a month for a 12-month term | iPhone app onlynot in its shop; priced by course | — | Free trial No | — | No · No live lessons with a person are described; Aimigo, the AI, corrects you when you ask it to. | — | A1 to C2 | A 7-day free trial with no commitment to buy. After you pay, its terms give 14 days from the order to withdraw for a refund, only if you have not used the lessons; its shop says "15 days to change your mind". Otherwise a subscription is a commitment for its whole length, and nothing is refunded for lessons you don't take. · Terms of sale v5.2, 27 Sept 2024. Purchases in the App Store or Google Play follow those stores' rules. | |
| OuinoCourse app | A full course with grammar explained in English and verb drills, owned for good on your computer, phone and tablet | $83.88 for 12 months$6.99 a month, paid once, doesn't renew | — | $95.76French only; all 5 languages, $191.52 | Free sample A free demo in the browser: one sample lesson from each part of the course, such as definite articles, colours, a key verb and a conversation. | No · You record yourself and compare with a native speaker. | No · No lessons with a teacher; lifetime buyers can ask Ouino's team for advice when they feel stuck. | Yes | — | Try the free demo first. Lifetime access comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee and the 3-, 6- and 12-month passes with 30 days: if you're not satisfied, Ouino refunds your purchase. | |
| Transparent Language OnlineCourse app | Words and everyday phrases in about 100 languages, free if your library subscribes | $149.95 a year$12.50 a month, billed yearly | $24.95one language | — | Free trial Free with a card at participating public libraries, which give the whole course in every language; otherwise a 14-day free trial. | Yes · EveryVoice compares what you say with the native speaker's recording. | Transparent Connect: six 30-minute one-to-one sessions with a tutor over two months, sold apart from the subscription, in 11 languages. | Yes · Lessons downloaded in the mobile app work offline, and Hands-Free Autoplay plays them for listening and speaking practice. | — | A 14-day free trial. Cancel any time: Transparent Language gives a full refund for the current subscription period if you ask before the next billing date; earlier periods are not refunded. | |
| KwiziqCourse app | French or Spanish grammar past the basics, found and fixed gap by gap | $200.99 a year$16.75 a month, billed yearly | $31.49 | — | Free to keep using 10 kwizzes a month for good, with the level test, a study plan, a basic Brainmap, one notebook and some challenges. Premium makes kwizzes unlimited and adds the full Brainmap, more notebooks and the weekly writing and dictation challenges. | — | No | — | A1 to C1 | A 7-day money-back guarantee for new paying subscribers. A renewal you forgot to cancel is refunded if you ask within 7 days and have not used the account since it renewed. | |
| AssimilCourse app | A dialogue a day with native audio and notes, the method of the Assimil books, paid once | $41.99French course | — | $41.99 | Free sample The first 7 lessons of each course, free in the app; the rest of the course is bought once. | — | No · A self-study course: no lessons with a person are described. | Yes | A1 to B2 | The first 7 lessons of each course are free to try. A course bought in the app is paid through the App Store or Google Play, so a refund is asked of the store; Assimil's terms of use for the app give no refund terms of their own. | |
| StudycatCourse app | Children from 3 who cannot read yet | $59.99 a year$5 a month, billed yearly | $14.99 | — | Free trial No | — | — | Yes | — | A 7-day free trial with no payment required to start; App Store purchases follow Apple's rules. | |
| DinolingoCourse app | Children from 2 to 14, in 50 languages | $199 a year$16.58 a month, billed yearly | $19 | — | Free trial No | — | — | — | — | A 7-day free trial; cancel before it ends and nothing is charged. | |
| Gus on the GoCourse app | A toddler's first words, bought once | — | — | — | No | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Audio courses | |||||||||||
| PimsleurAudio course | Audio lessons for a commute | $131.96 a year$11 a month, billed yearly | $19.95one language | $478.80 | No | Yes | — | Yes | — | A 7-day free trial on subscriptions. Pimsleur's 30-day money-back guarantee covers only a subscription bought on pimsleur.com or by phone without a free trial of 7 days or more, once per customer; App Store and Google Play purchases are not covered. | |
| GlossikaAudio course | Sentence drills by ear | About $199 a year$16.58 a month, billed yearly | $19.99one language | — | Free trial 7-day full access with no credit card, plus a permanent Freemium tier covering nine minoritized languages | No · You say each sentence aloud and are prompted to record yourself after it; nothing scores it. | No | Yes | A1 to C1 | 7-day free trial with no credit card; monthly payments are non-refundable, annual plans refundable pro rata within 60 days of purchase | |
| Language TransferAudio course | A free audio course that explains as it goes | Free | — | — | Free to keep using Every course free, with no adverts and no sign-up; it runs on donations. | No · You answer aloud before the student on the recording does; nothing listens to you or scores you. | No | Yes | — | Free; nothing to buy. | |
| Coffee Break FrenchAudio course | French by ear in 15 to 20-minute lessons, free as a podcast, from absolute beginner to advanced | FreeOne season's online course: $269 once | — | $269 | Free to keep using The podcast, free for good: the audio lessons of all four seasons, about 15 to 20 minutes each. A season's paid course adds a bonus audio lesson and notes for each lesson, and video lessons in Seasons 1 to 3. | — | No | Yes | — | The podcast is free to try any season. No refund once a course has been downloaded: its policy says all sales are then final; within 7 days it will consider swapping a course for another level if it is too easy or too hard. | |
| Michel Thomas MethodAudio course | Speaking from the first hour, with no writing or homework | $11.99Start course | — | $273 | Free sample A free lesson and a free booklet for every course (sign-up needed, no card); the app that plays the courses is free. | — | No | Yes | — | A refund or exchange within 14 days of buying, if you have not finished the course; the Start course is not refunded if you then buy Foundation. | |
| Vocabulary and flashcard apps | |||||||||||
| ClozemasterVocabulary and flashcards | Free vocabulary practice in context | $79.99 a year$6.67 a month, billed yearly | $12.99 | — | Free to keep using Free account with up to 30 sentences a day; Pro adds unlimited play and advanced features | — | — | Yes · on Pro, in the mobile app | — | 30-day money back guarantee on the Yearly plan; no refunds on Monthly plans | |
| uTalkVocabulary and flashcards | Phrases in 160 languages | $24.99 or $29.99 a yearfor French alone, or $3.99 or $4.99 month to month; uTalk's page shows the lower or the higher price from visit to visit | $3.99 or $4.99for French | — | Free sample Starter Words, a free 26-word pack in every language, plus an online demo at demo.utalk.com | No | No | Yes | A1 to A2French | 28-day money-back guarantee | |
| SpeaklyVocabulary and flashcards | The most-used words first, practised in sentences you say | $47.99 a year$4 a month, billed yearly | $15.99 | — | Free trial Speakly says some features are free without saying which; a 7-day free trial opens the paid plans. | Yes | LIVE© course: eight 45-minute sessions a month with your own tutor, the app included, sold apart from the app plans. | No | — | A 7-day free trial. Bought on Speakly's website: 14 days to withdraw if you live in the EU, the EEA or the UK, and the Lifetime page promises a full refund if you email within 14 days. App Store and Google Play purchases go through Apple or Google. | |
| Fluent ForeverVocabulary and flashcards | Pronunciation first, then flashcards you build yourself | $95.88 a year$7.99 a month, billed yearly | $11.99 | — | Free to keep using Free with no time limit and no card: the language-learning videos and basic learning content, with no ads. Unlimited flashcards and reviews, all the pronunciation lessons, sentences, every language and the AI pronunciation feedback need Premium. | Yes · A Premium feature. | Online Coaching: one-to-one sessions with a coach on Google Meet, 20 minutes once or twice a week or 10 minutes every weekday, sold apart from the app. | No | — | The free version has no time limit. A subscription bought on Fluent Forever's website can be cancelled at any time and stays open to the end of the term, with no refund promised; App Store and Google Play purchases follow Apple's or Google's rules. Online Coaching is refundable for 24 hours after the first purchase, and renewals are not. | |
| MemriseVocabulary and flashcards | Native-speaker clips and review | $61.99 a year$5.17 a month, billed yearly | $24.99 | $329.99 | Free to keep using Limited free version of the app; the paid plan unlocks the rest. | Yes | — | No · The current experience needs cloud-based tools | — | 30-day money-back guarantee; monthly plans have a 14-day refund window. Apple purchases require a refund from Apple. | |
| LingvistVocabulary and flashcards | Fast vocabulary with a placement test | $79.99 a year$6.67 a month, billed yearly | $9.99 | — | Free trial Free level placement before subscribing, and a 14-day free trial on the annual plan; the monthly plan has no trial | Yes | No | — | — | 14-day free trial on the annual plan; cancel before it ends and you are not charged | |
| DropsVocabulary and flashcards | Five-minute vocabulary sessions | $69.99 a year$5.83 a month, billed yearly | $11 | $150 | Free to keep using Free access capped at 5 minutes of play every 10 hours, with topics unlocked one at a time through gameplay | — | — | Yes | — | 7-day free trial on the Yearly plan; affiliate terms reference a 14-day refund period | |
| MosaLinguaVocabulary and flashcards | The most useful words first, on a review schedule | $71.88 a year$5.99 a month, billed yearly | $9.99 | — | Free trial Free download and a free trial; the full set of features needs a Premium subscription. | — | — | Yes | — | A free trial first, then a 30-day money-back guarantee on website and Android purchases; not on App Store purchases. | |
| LingoHutVocabulary and flashcards | Everyday words and phrases with audio in 50 languages, free and with no sign-up | Free | — | — | Free to keep using Every lesson free, with ads and no sign-up: about 125 lessons of phrases with audio in each language, with flashcards and games. | No · Its FAQ describes a recording feature that uses your microphone; no page says anything scores or answers what you say. | No | — | — | Free; nothing to buy. | |
| Learning from real video, text and audio | |||||||||||
| Language ReactorImmersion (video, audio, reading) | Learning from Netflix and YouTube with two sets of subtitles | $39.95 a year$3.33 a month, billed yearly | $5.95 | — | Free to keep using The extension and website are free: dual subtitles (Netflix's own), pop-up dictionary, playback controls, YouTube and podcast catalogue, basic AI helper and chat with Aria; saving words is limited to PhrasePump. Pro adds machine translation, speech recognition on Netflix and saving everywhere. | Yes · You can speak to the Aria chat; Pro's 'speech recognition' also makes subtitles from Netflix audio. No pronunciation scoring is described. | — | — | — | A Pro free trial ends by returning you to free mode, with no charge; Pro is an auto-renewing subscription you can cancel after paying. No refund policy is published. | |
| BeelinguappImmersion (video, audio, reading) | Reading and listening side by side with a translation | $49.90 a year$4.16 a month, billed yearly | $7.99 | — | Free to keep using Unlocked stories, news and songs with the glossary and flashcards, with ads; changing language needs Premium after the first 30 minutes. | Yes | No | Yes | — | Refunds on request by email within 14 days of a first purchase of a paid plan bought from Beelinguapp (not renewals); App Store and Google Play purchases are refunded by Apple or Google. | |
| LingopieImmersion (video, audio, reading) | TV and film with interactive subtitles | $83.88 a year$6.99 a month, billed yearly | — | $229 | No | Yes · Say It pronunciation practice | Live group lessons on their own monthly or quarterly plan, for subscribers who pay by card; the first lesson is free. | Yes · iOS only; up to 10 downloadable videos | — | 7-day free trial; yearly subscription is charged after the trial and cannot be refunded | |
| LingQImmersion (video, audio, reading) | Reading and listening to real content | $119.99 a year$10 a month, billed yearly | $14.99 | — | Free to keep using Free account capped at 20 saved words and phrases, 5 lessons created from imported content, and 1 audio playlist | — | — | Yes | — | Full refund during the first 30 days of an initial Premium subscription; no partial-month or unused-month refunds afterward. | |
| FluentUImmersion (video, audio, reading) | Learning from real videos | $143.99 a year$12 a month, billed yearly | $29.99 | — | No | Yes | Group classes in some languages, offered free with the subscription for a limited time; no one-to-one lessons. | Yes · audio, quizzes and transcripts download; the videos stream only | — | 14-day free trial with no payment up front, plus a 20-day money-back guarantee | |
| ReadlangImmersion (video, audio, reading) | Reading articles, books and web pages you choose, with a translation one click away | $48 a year$4 a month, billed yearly | $6 | — | Free to keep using A free account with unlimited single-word translations, 10 phrase translations and 10 AI explanations a day, and flashcards; Premium removes the daily limits. | — | — | — | — | No free trial of Premium is described; the free plan stays free. Premium renews each month or year until you cancel in your account settings; you keep it to the end of the period you paid for, and partial periods are not generally refunded. In the EU and EEA you have 14 days to withdraw, but if you start using Premium in that time, the right can end once the service has been provided. | |
| ReadleImmersion (video, audio, reading) | Graded news stories with native audio | $69.99 a year$5.83 a month, billed yearly | $14.99 | $249.99 | Free to keep using A rotating selection of free stories; reading all the stories needs a paid plan. A 7-day free trial opens the whole app. | — | — | — | — | A 7-day free trial. Bought on Readle's website: a refund if you ask within 14 days of your first subscription payment, and 30 days' money back on Lifetime. App Store and Google Play purchases go through Apple or Google. | |
| YablaImmersion (video, audio, reading) | Listening practice with real videos and subtitles you can slow down | $99.95 a year$8.33 a month, billed yearly | $12.95 | — | Free sample No free plan, but some videos (with their games) and the written lessons are free without an account; a 7-day free trial for new users. | Yes · The Speak game rates each word you repeat (good / passable). The Chinese site lists a Pinyin Chart and Tone Pair exercises instead of Speak. | Yabla Live (Spanish only): unlimited small-group classes in Silver, plus 2 (Gold) or 4 (Platinum) private one-on-one classes a month | — | A1 to C1 | A 7-day free trial. Yabla's terms refund a subscription cancelled in its first 7 days, once a year; its FAQ says 14 days if you did not start with a trial. | |
| MigakuImmersion (video, audio, reading) | Learning from YouTube, Netflix and web pages, with every word you look up saved as a flashcard | $96 a year$8 a month, billed yearly | $10 | $240 | Free trial No | — | — | Yes | — | A 10-day free trial with no card. A full refund if you tell Migaku within 14 days of buying, by email to its support address. | |
| News in SlowImmersion (video, audio, reading) | Following real news read slowly, with the transcript beside it | $22.90 a monthfor French alone, month to month; Audio Only $6.90 a month | $22.90for French | — | Free sample The first part of every episode's audio and transcript, on the website, and two complete news stories a week per language in the free Linguistica app. | — | No · Spanish and French subscribers get Rooms, live conversation practice and workshops in the subscription; its pages don't say who leads them. The Italian and German pages don't list Rooms. | — | — | A 7-day free trial of Full Access for first-time subscribers, with an email two days before it ends. Its refund policy offers no refund on an individual subscription: you cancel the renewal and keep access to the end of the month paid for. · Trial terms from the subscription page: "7 day free trial … Cancel anytime during the free trial and you won’t be charged. We'll remind you by email 2 days before your trial ends … Only first-time subscribers are eligible for the free trial." | |
| Dreaming SpanishImmersion (video, audio, reading) | Learning by watching, from day one | FreePremium is priced by region | — | — | Free to keep using Library access Free videos at every level, with search, difficulty sorting and progress tracking; Premium adds the larger library. | No | No | Yes | — | Free plan with no time limit; Premium is monthly, with no yearly or family plan. | |
| AI conversation practice | |||||||||||
| JumpspeakAI conversation practice | Speaking aloud with AI from the first lesson | $79 a year$6.58 a month, billed yearly | — | $269 | Free sample Free users can sample some lessons at each level, switch languages and have a limited number of AI Tutor conversations. | Yes | Live Tutoring through Rype (one-on-one sessions with human tutors), sold separately from Premium | No | — | Premium bought on Jumpspeak's website: a 100-day money-back guarantee (30 days for Premium AI and family plans). App Store and Google Play purchases go through Apple or Google. | |
| LanguaAI conversation practice | Natural-sounding AI conversation practice | $149.99 a year$12.50 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free to keep using A free version with low limits: 3 minutes of calls a day and about 20 chat messages a week. | Yes | Human tutors on LanguaTalk, booked separately from Langua; each tutor sets a price per lesson. | — | — | A Pro trial (5 days on a monthly plan, 7 on a yearly one; card needed), and a 30-day money-back guarantee on web and Google Play subscriptions; App Store ones follow Apple's rules. | |
| LangotalkAI conversation practice | An AI tutor that remembers your mistakes and builds lessons on them | $79.99 a year$6.67 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | $149.99 | Free trial A free account to start your first conversation; Langotalk doesn't say what stays free after that. The yearly plan comes with a 7-day free trial. | Yes | No | — | — | A 7-day free trial with the yearly plan only. Bought on Langotalk's website: a full refund within 14 days of purchase, on any plan, by email (its home page's answers say 3 months; the refund policy says 14 days). App Store and Google Play purchases are refunded by Apple or Google. | |
| SpeakAI conversation practice | Speaking practice with AI | $83.99 a year$7 a month, billed yearly | $17.99 | — | Free trial 7-day free trial; no permanently free tier is published | Yes | No | — | — | 7-day free trial; refunds for App Store and Google Play purchases go through Apple or Google, and website purchases through Speak support | |
| TalkpalAI conversation practice | AI conversation practice in many languages | $119.99 a year$10 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free to keep using The Basic plan: 10 minutes of chat a day, with progress tracking and pronunciation checks. | Yes | No | No | — | A 14-day free trial for new users. Bought from Talkpal directly: a full refund if you ask within 30 days of a charge; not for app store purchases. | |
| Teacher AIAI conversation practice | Speaking practice with AI versions of YouTube teachers, once you know the basics | $97 a year$8.08 a month, billed yearly | $15 | — | Free trial No | Yes | No | — | — | A 3-day free trial with the monthly plan, 7 days with the longer plans. Bought on Teacher AI's website: a full refund if you ask within 7 days of buying, by email to [email protected]. App Store and Google Play purchases are refunded by Apple or Google. | |
| PraktikaAI conversation practice | Talking with an AI avatar tutor | $9.99 a monthPraktika Premium, 1 month | $9.99 | — | Free to keep using Free to download and use: 3 AI avatars, limited speaking practice, basic feedback. | Yes | No | — | — | A refund if you ask within 48 hours of a charge, Praktika's help centre says; its terms otherwise make fees non-refundable. | |
| UniverbalAI conversation practice | Conversations about your own situations, each message corrected | $119.99 a year$10 a month, billed yearly | $19.99 | — | Free trial Signing up is free and every new account gets 3 days to try Univerbal; after that Univerbal doesn't say what stays free. Unlimited conversations need a Univerbal Pass. | Yes | No | — | — | A 7-day free trial on every pass, after 3 free days on a new account. Refunds follow Apple's or Google's rules; Univerbal says it will usually send a refund request to the store. | |
| Pingo AIAI conversation practice | Speaking practice with an AI that remembers your mistakes and builds each conversation on the last | — | — | — | Free trial No | Yes | No | — | — | A free trial before you subscribe. Pingo publishes no refund terms of its own: its terms send refund requests to the store or payment provider you paid through, under that provider's rules. | |
| Tutors and live classes | |||||||||||
| italkiTutor marketplace | Tutors priced per lesson | $4 to $10 a lessontypical for 30 minutes in French; each teacher sets a rate | — | — | No | — | Every lesson is live and one to one; italki also sells group classes. | — | — | Discounted trial lesson with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: up to two credit refunds on trial lessons if the teacher did not show up or did not meet expectations, requested within 48 hours | |
| LingodaOnline language school | Live classes by CEFR level | €54.99Group classes, 4 classes · priced in euros | — | — | — | — | Every class is live: in a group of 3 to 5 students, or private. | — | A1 to C1by course | Free 7-day trial | |
| PreplyTutor marketplace | Weekly lessons with one tutor | $21 a lesson on averageFrench, 50 minutes, from $3; each tutor sets a rate | — | — | No | — | Every lesson is live and one to one. | — | — | Paid trial lesson; up to 2 free trial replacements per account (a new trial with a different tutor at no charge) if the trial did not meet expectations; a tutor who did not join is handled separately, with no limit | |
| Language exchange | |||||||||||
| TandemLanguage exchange | Language exchange with native speakers | $39.99 a year$3.33 a month, billed yearly | — | — | Free to keep using Free account with many features; Tandem Pro unlocks the rest | No | No | — | — | Google Play purchases refundable within 14 days of a 1-month subscription or 30 days of a 3-month or 12-month subscription; iOS refunds requested from iTunes within 14 days | |
| HelloTalkLanguage exchange | Chatting with native speakers | $79.99 a year$6.67 a month, billed yearly | $12.99 | — | Free to keep using Free account with ads and daily limits (for example ten translations a day); occasional randomly offered 3-day VIP trials | — | No | Yes | — | Occasional randomly offered 3-day free VIP trial; refunds handled by Apple or Google for in-app purchases | |
Which to choose
Pronunciation is the thing you dread
An app with speech recognition, then a person
The speech column shows which apps have speech recognition: Babbel, Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur, Memrise and Lingvist among them. Speech recognition scores a word; it does not correct a habit. For that, Lingoda's French classes are structured by CEFR level and sold as packages, and Preply lists French tutors priced per lesson.
You want a course that names its CEFR levels
Busuu or Lingoda, then the official DELF papers
Busuu states its French course runs from A1 to B2; Premium for 12 months was $72.99 when checked, or $6.08 a month, and it covers all 14 of Busuu's languages. Lingoda organises its live French classes by CEFR level and states a 7-day free trial. A course that reaches B2 teaches B2 French; it does not train you for an exam's tasks or timing. For DELF or DALF, practise with the official sample papers from France Éducation international, the body that sets the exams.
You want French on a commute
Pimsleur
Pimsleur's audio lessons are made for exactly this and it states offline mode; the Premium plan for one language is $149.95 a year or $19.95 a month, with a 7-day trial; its 30-day money-back guarantee covers only pimsleur.com plans sold without such a trial. Its All Access annual plan, $131.96 for the first year in a sale when checked in September and $164.95 a year after, covers every Pimsleur language, which only matters if French is not your last one.
You want to read French novels and follow French film
LingQ or Lingopie
LingQ lets you import French text and audio and review the words you save, at $10 a month on its 12-month plan. Lingopie streams French-language TV with interactive subtitles at $6.99 a month on its yearly plan ($83.88 a year, every language included). Both assume you already have some French; neither is where a beginner should start.
You will not pay
Duolingo, or Mango through a library
Duolingo's free tier is the full French course with ads. Mango Languages states library access free with a card and a free first lesson otherwise.
Questions people ask
What is the best app to learn French?
It depends on the learner; the table shows every app that lists French with its published price and stated features. For pronunciation, an app that states speech recognition; for a course with named CEFR levels, Busuu or Lingoda, with the official DELF papers beside them; for a commute, Pimsleur; for reading and film, LingQ or Lingopie; for free, Duolingo.
How much do French apps cost?
Sort the table by price per month. When checked, the published annual per-month figures for apps listing French ran from a few dollars (uTalk, Mondly, Tandem's introductory plan) to the mid-teens (Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur All Access), with tutor marketplaces priced per lesson on top.