Our Picks Best for learning multiple languages Duolingo View details See at Duolingo View details Best for an online school-type experience Babbel View details See at Babbel View details Best for visual learners Drops View details See at Drops View details Best for helping you remember specific phrases Mondly View details See at Mondly View details Best for learning to speak casually in a new language Memrise View details See at Memrise View details Best for goal-oriented users Busuu View details See at Busuu View details Best for learning language musically Lirica View details See at Lirica View details Best for breaking down how a language works Language Reactor View details See at Netflix View details Best for learning on the go Pimsleur View details See at Pimsleur View details Best for auditory learners Rosetta Stone View details See at Rosetta Stone View details Table of Contents If youre looking to learn a new language this year, there are several options to help you achieve this goal. There are a lot of reasons why you might be interested in learning a new language, whether it's in preparation for an international vacation, to bolster your education or just for fun. But once you decide to start, it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out where to begin. That's where a language-learning app can come in handy.Language apps or other online services can help you build a solid foundation of vocabulary and grammar to help you learn to speak and read in another language. CNET has tested many different apps, comparing their lesson structures, features, the number of languages offered, pricing tiers and the different learning methods they use. There are a lot of different options, but no matter what language you want to pick up or how you want to be taught, there's an app that is right for you.Here are the best language learning apps for any and all avid linguists. Photo Gallery 1/1 See at Duolingo Pros Many free features 40+ languages available Streaks feature encourages consistency Cons Unhelpful FAQ pages See at Duolingo As a regular Duolingo user, I enjoy the app's colorful interface and short, game-like exercises. The app doesn't restrict how many languages you can try to learn at the same time (personally, I think two is a good maximum if you want to retain anything). I use Duolingo to practice Spanish and German, but it offers lessons in over 40 languages. Most new learners use Duolingo to support their education, according to its 2024 report.To make sure you don't get rusty on the basics, even if you've "mastered" a skill by reaching a higher level, the skill can still "crack" if you don't review it consistently. Practice the skill again, and it'll repair itself.This is great for building a solid foundation.I like Duolingo's user-friendly layout, and the "streak" feature, which motivates you to keep going by tracking the number of days you've reached your point goal. In the app, you can access resources such as Duolingo Stories, which are short audio stories that allow you to check your comprehension skills as you go.While the functionality of Duolingo is great, the service could be more transparent with prices and improve its FAQ help pages to more accurately reflect all the services costs and features. Super Duolingo, the ad-free premium version of the app, costs $13 a month (or $60 annually) and includes progress quizzes, monthly streak repairs and more. If your love of languages is a family trait, you can link up to six accounts under a Family Super Duolingo account for $120 a year. Select users might have access to Duolingos newest tier Duolingo Max, but thats only for people in specific countries, learning Spanish or French on iOS devices -- and it's $30 per month. The Max rollout includes everything in Super Duolingo and adds two AI-powered features, Explain My Answer and Roleplay. See at Babbel I found Babbel to be the most like a foreign language course you'd see in an online school curriculum. The minimalist layout of the Babbel app helps prevent a new language (French for me) from seeming overwhelming, without making it boring. Each lesson takes you through translations, including variations of the word or phrase, pictures and whether it's formal or informal, something thats important in many languages. If it asks you to spell a phrase, it provides you with the letters used.You also get to see the new words you're learning used in common conversations, listen to them (if you choose to have audio on), repeat the phrases and learn more about verb groups. The 15-minute language lessons are easy to work into your day -- whether it's on your commute, before bed or on your lunch break. The My Activity module lets you track all your progress.Babbel currently offers 14 languages and is free to sign up for, and the first lesson of every course is free. A monthly subscription costs $10. You can also choose to renew every three mon