Best App to Learn French — Tested Over 40

Pimsleur French

Pimsleur is one of the most popular and longest-standing resources out there for learning a foreign language. Pimsleur French courses place a strong emphasis on aural and verbal communication skills, paying less attention to grammar explanations and reading or writing skills. The bunk of the material is taught with audio lessons, making it an ideal app for people on the go.

See our Super-Detailed Pimsleur French Review

FrenchPod101

Podcasts are an increasingly popular method for learning a language. They’re accessible and have serious potential for providing ample listening and reading practice with the use of transcripts.

FrenchPod101 uses podcast-style lessons to deliver comprehensive lessons in French through material that’s engaging and relevant. A strength of this resource is that it also teaches a good deal of cultural information, useful for any learner of French.

The resource is updated continually, which means there is always fresh material available. The mobile app might not be quite as good as the desktop version, but you can still use this one on the go.

Save 25% on a subscription to FrenchPod101 by using the coupon ‘ALLLANGUAGERESOURCES’.

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See our Super-Detailed FrenchPod101 Review

Ouino

Ouino is a software program and mobile app with more than 500 lessons and 1,000 exercises in Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese. It’s curriculum-based with an academic approach (as opposed to relying on gameplay like some other language apps). It covers the basics such as vocab and pronunciation, but can also help you improve your conversation skills and master verb tenses.

Ouino would be great for you if you want to pick a language back up after not using it for a while, if you love structure, or if you want lots of practice. It could also be a good resource for language students who want to keep their skills sharp in between semesters.

See our Super-Detailed Ouino Review

Babbel French

Babbel French app aims to get learners to a conversational level as quickly as possible through the use of a variety of exercises and spaced repetition for review. The courses are well put together and relatively inexpensive.

Cyber Monday sale! Enjoy 60% off Babbel’s lifetime subscription! See details on the website. Offer ends on 12/1/2023.

See our Super-Detailed Babbel French Review

Yabla

Yabla is a language-learning platform that uses videos with interactive subtitles and language games to help users learn a language. It’s currently available on the web and for iOS, with an Android app in development. Its videos are of varying difficulty levels and types, and are either sourced from the internet or originally produced, but all videos use native speakers.

See our Super-Detailed Yabla Review

Newsdle French

Newsdle French aims to teach language through news events narrated at carefully graded difficulty levels to suit your needs. 

This resource is quite a bit more than a simplified news source, though. It’s a comprehensive study program that is fun to use and will give you lots of practice opportunities.

What makes this app great is that the content is actually interesting — nothing kills the motivation to study a language like dry and boring material. Newsdle uploads brand new news-based lessons every day so you will never run out of new content! There are courses for beginner learners through Advanced Higher learners, and the app is synchronized across app and website. 

French Today

Is there a more complete way to get reading and listening practice than from an audiobook? Maybe not. French Today is a resource that actually offers much more than audiobooks (Skype lessons and an immersion experience), but the audiobooks are worth mentioning.

The amount of material in these books is immense, and the recordings are entirely in French. There’s a slow version of the audio, a “street” version, and a helpful study guide. Although material that’s entirely in French might be intimidating for some, the translations in the study guide are a big help.

There are also comprehension questions at the end of each lesson to round out the learning experience. 

See our Super-Detailed French Today Review

Français Authentique

The fact that this is the only resource on this list with a French name isn’t a coincidence; this one’s all about immersion and authenticity, which means keeping things in the target language. Given that there is no English in this material, it isn’t suitable for beginners. Instead, this is a good option for learners that are interested in upping their French fluency through a high level of exposure.

Sounding natural in a foreign language is a serious feat — one that eludes many. The theory behind using Francais authentique is that you’ll pick up a natural cadence and vocabulary through repeated exposure to native speakers. The practice method is very repetitive, which could turn off some French learners, but it’s all in the name of learning to speak authentically.

LingQ

Finding learning material that interests you is often half the battle when it comes to learning a new language. This is one of the reasons that learning through reading can be so great — you’ll likely be able to find content that interests you.

LingQ is an app that facilitates reading in another language by making it super easy to look up words you don’t know. It also keeps track of all of the words you “know,” making it easier to pinpoint words you need to learn.

You can upload your own material to LingQ, and most of the content on the platform has been uploaded from various external sources. The vocabulary review opportunities are a bit chaotic, but there’s still a lot of good going on here.

See our Super-Detailed LingQ Review

Pimsleur French

Pimsleur is one of the most popular and longest-standing resources out there for learning a foreign language. Pimsleur French courses place a strong emphasis on aural and verbal communication skills, paying less attention to grammar explanations and reading or writing skills. The bunk of the material is taught with audio lessons, making it an ideal app for people on the go.

See our Super-Detailed Pimsleur French Review

Speechling

Pronunciation is arguably one of the most important elements of language proficiency; knowing what words to say isn’t worth much if no one can understand you. A lot of resources try to offer pronunciation practice through the use of speech-recognition technology, but this method just isn’t very reliable.

Speechling’s solution to this problem is to get humans involved, and it works really well. The idea is that language learners can submit recordings of themselves speaking the language they’re learning and a native speaker of that language will listen and provide constructive feedback.

A lot of its features are even free to use, including the submission of a limited number of recordings. Paying for a subscription allows you to submit an unlimited number of recordings each month. 

Use the coupon code ‘ALR123’ to save 10% on a subscription to Speechling. 

See our Super-Detailed Speechling Review

italki

While italki is primarily a place to go for one-on-one lessons with teachers, it’s also got some really cool community features that are available for free in the app. In the Exercise section of the app, users can submit pieces of writing on any subject they want or respond to prompts. The writing will be visible to other users on the platform that can offer corrections and feedback. The people offering feedback are usually native speakers in the language you’re learning or at least highly proficient.

This is one of the best ways to get writing feedback because it involves humans. It’s free to use, and you can repay the favor by correcting someone else’s writing. Right now get a $10 credit with your first purchase.

See our Super-Detailed italki Review

HiNative

It’s inevitable, you’ll have plenty of questions while studying a new language, and sometimes the answers won’t be readily available in a dictionary or Google search.

HiNative is an online platform that finds answers to your questions by taking advantage of one of the most authoritative resources out there: native speakers. Posting a question on the website exposes it to a massive audience of native speakers that are ready to help you understand how the language is really used.

Questions are usually answered very quickly and accurately, but you’ll have to remain wary of the odd piece of bad advice. 

See our Super-Detailed HiNative Review

Clozemaster

Clozemaster takes a similar approach to Lingvist in teaching vocabulary. Users are presented with fill-in-the-gap exercises designed to teach how language functions in context. The main differences between Clozemaster and Lingvist are price and aesthetics.

Clozemaster is mostly free to use and employs an entirely different interface style. Where Lingvist is professional and sleek, Clozemaster has an old-school arcade vibe. There are points, levels, and leaderboards to climb. The cost tradeoff is that Clozemaster isn’t nearly as comprehensive as Lingvist.

See our Super-Detailed Clozemaster Review

Memrise

Using flashcards is one of the oldest ways to study a language. They are as effective as they are simple, and the technique doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.

Memrise is an online resource that brings the flashcard experience into the digital realm, making it more engaging and powerful. It uses spaced repetition to make study time more efficient and includes pictures, audio, and some video content. There’s also a bunch of user-created content that’s available for free, making the amount of available material pretty much limitless.

Quality will vary by course, though, and this isn’t the best option for learners at advanced levels.

See our Super-Detailed Memrise Review

Lingvist

Picking up new vocabulary is one of the most basic building blocks of language acquisition. One way to go about this is memorizing direct word-to-word translations. Anyone who’s spent time studying other languages, though, can tell you this isn’t really how languages work.

Lingvist teaches vocabulary by presenting a context and requiring the user to complete the translation. It isn’t flashy in any sense of the word, but each flashcard provides some useful extra information about the language. It also uses spaced repetition to help you focus on the translations you find most difficult.

See our Super-Detailed Lingvist Review

WordReference

Looking up words in a dictionary is simply a part of learning a new language, and most people aren’t relying on paper dictionaries anymore. There are several good digital options available; WordReference is one of them.

WordReference is free to use and makes looking up word meanings or verb conjugations very easy. It’s also got an active community of language aficionados that help to answer user questions.

Linguee

Sometimes looking up words individually won’t get you the meaning you’re looking for, though; phrases can take on different meanings from the individual words they’re made up of. In these situations, Linguee is worth turning to. It sources phrases from a huge library of online bilingual texts to supply you with translations of entire phrases.

italki

There are several options for learners interested in finding an online tutor for one-on-one classes, but it’s hard to beat italki.

The platform grants users access to an incredible number of tutors, which means finding lessons that fit your schedule and budget isn’t a problem. There is a range of experience levels and prices on italki, but plenty of filters make it easy to search for a tutor that works for you.

In addition to functioning as a tutor directory, italki offers some super useful community features that are totally free to use. It’s fairly easy to find, follow, and message other language learners that are interested in language exchange. Right now get a $10 credit with your first purchase.

See our Super-Detailed italki Review

Preply

Preply is an online educational platform that matches tutors with students. There are tutors on Preply offering instruction in a wide range of languages and other subjects. As a learner, you can find a tutor that works best for you by browsing their demo videos and filtering by price and rating. Each tutor’s teaching style is their own.

See our Super-Detailed Preply Review

Tandem

Language exchange is a great method for getting authentic experience communicating in another language. It’s also usually free.

For French learners that don’t live in a French-speaking country or simply don’t have anyone to speak French with, it’s worth checking out digital solutions like Tandem. The app is designed to help language learners from all over the world connect in the name of language exchange.

There are some built-in language tools to make communicating and learning easier, but the app will be less useful to those that are complete beginners in the language. 

See our Super-Detailed Tandem Review

Rocket French

Rocket Languages offers courses in a number of languages, some of which aren’t great, while others are pretty solid. Rocket French is neither amazing nor terrible, it’s pretty good. The content is structured well and gives you lots of opportunities to practice what you’ve learned. But, their lessons can be rather bland, with a large emphasis on rote memorization drills.

Use code: BLACKFRIDAY and get 60% off all courses!

See our Super-Detailed Rocket French Review

Busuu

Busuu is a digital language-learning app with over 90 million registered users. The resource offers vocabulary and grammar practice through short, self-paced study exercises. It also has a social aspect that allows users to get writing and pronunciation feedback from native speakers. It is available on the web, iOS, and Android.

Enjoy 10% off sitewide on Premium subscription. Offer valid for new and existing users! See details on the website. Offer ends on 1/31/2024.

See our Super-Detailed Busuu Review

Fluenz

Fluenz is a language learning software that is available on most devices and offers offline functionality. Its primary objective is to simulate the one-on-one tutor experience with the use of video tutorials that break down the language you’re learning. There are ample explanations of language concepts in English, and the instruction is very thorough. It’s designed for the user with a bigger budget that’s looking for an in-depth and serious learning experience.

See our Super-Detailed Fluenz Review

Frantastique

One of the most simply designed resources on the web, Frantastique is more than meets the eye. It follows an ideology which believes in immersing the students in the language and culture while making use of AI. I would recommend it to people who know at least bits and pieces of the language and don’t care about spending the insane prices they’re asking for.

See our Super-Detailed Frantastique Review

Chatterbug

Chatterbug is a language learning platform designed with the aim of bringing together the convenience of digital learning apps and the value of one-on-one speaking practice. It was founded in 2016 and currently offers courses in German, Spanish, and French. Some of its features are available on iOS and Android; the full version is available for desktop.

See our Super-Detailed Chatterbug Review

Mango Languages

Mango Languages is a pretty good resource with numerous languages available along with their regional variations.  It’ll work the best for beginners or for those interested in studying a few languages at the same time. Anybody past the intermediate level won’t find Mango Languages very useful.

See our Super-Detailed Mango Languages Review

Mondly

Mondly is a language-learning app that teaches basic vocabulary and grammar structures. It seems most appropriate for learners with little to no exposure to their target language.

The activities mostly rely on passive recognition of vocabulary and phrases, and therefore are not very challenging. However, they are varied enough that you probably wouldn’t get bored with short, daily practice sessions.

Although I wouldn’t recommend Mondly to anyone looking to seriously learn a language, it may be appropriate for individuals studying languages with less available resources, or for individuals who are preparing to travel abroad.

Get Lifetime Access to Mondly Premium at 96% off plus bonus access to Mondly AR & Mondly Kids! See details on the website. Offer ends on 11/30/2023.

See our Super-Detailed Mondly Review

Word Dive

Word Dive uses artificial intelligence and short exercises to help language learners commit study items to long-term memory. The app provides instruction in ten languages and is available for desktop, iOS, and Android.

See our Super-Detailed Word Dive Review

Anki

This is another resource that uses flashcards and spaced repetition but takes a more customizable approach. You’ll have to pay to use Anki on iOS, but it’s free to use everywhere else and gives users complete control to create their own study materials. You can create your own decks of study cards or you can download one from the large database of shared material created by other users.

The flexibility to study exactly what you want, how you want, combined with the reliability of spaced repetition has made this resource popular not just among language learners but with anyone that has material they need to memorize.

Radio France

Developing a personal relationship with the language you’re learning is the name of the game when it comes to motivation and a deeper understanding of the language. A popular method for accomplishing this is through music. Radio stations in the language you’re interested in have the added bonus of offering more than just music. Talk shows, news, and sports shows are just a few of the examples.

Radio France is a radio app for your phone that gives you access to over 1000 French radio stations, for free! While this app won’t provide you with explicit language instruction, it will give you the chance to get a ton of exposure to the language in a context you find interesting.

Coursera

Coursera is an online learning platform that offers many free courses French learners.

edX

edX is an online learning platform that offers many free courses with a paywal structure. A certificate is usually available upon completion for a fee. Course topics vary widely; take one of the various French language courses or one on another topic that’s taught in French.

Lingvist

Picking up new vocabulary is one of the most basic building blocks of language acquisition. One way to go about this is memorizing direct word-to-word translations. Anyone who’s spent time studying other languages, though, can tell you this isn’t really how languages work.

Lingvist teaches vocabulary by presenting a context and requiring the user to complete the translation. It isn’t flashy in any sense of the word, but each flashcard provides some useful extra information about the language. It also uses spaced repetition to help you focus on the translations you find most difficult.

See our Super-Detailed Lingvist Review