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An Honest Review of ArabicPod101 With Image of Arab Architecture

ArabicPod101 Review – Better Than More Expensive Courses

ArabicPod101

Rating 4.2
★★★★
★
★

Summary

ArabicPod101 has loads of audio and video lessons that cater to students learning their first few words in Arabic right up to advanced learners. Covering a wide range of subjects, the lessons explore anything from Arab culture and particular grammar points to specific scenarios and essential vocabulary. The lessons progress in difficulty and are perfect for beginner and intermediate learners although not much focus is placed on learning how to speak and write. While the lessons are generally very good, learners need to pay attention as some of them are in Modern Standard Arabic while others are in the Egyptian and Moroccan dialects.

Quality 4.5
★★★★
★
★

The presenters very clearly explain the grammar, vocabulary and cultural context while still making the lessons entertaining.

Thoroughness 4.0
★★★★★

The content covers a wide range of topics at varying degrees of difficulty.

Value 4.0
★★★★★

The Basic plan is great value but the other plans might not offer enough to justify the higher prices.

I Like
  • The lessons clearly progress in terms of difficulty and less English is used as you move up levels.
  • Good chemistry between the hosts makes the lessons more enjoyable.
  • There are a lot of lessons and they’re well thought out.
  • The Basic plan is very affordable.
I Don’t Like
  • While the lessons mostly focus on Modern Standard Arabic, it is strange and confusing to find the Egyptian and Moroccan dialects sometimes thrown in.
  • There is not much focus placed on speaking and writing.
  • I found it quite confusing to navigate the dashboard.
Price

Basic Plan – $4/mo Premium Plan – $10/mo Premium Plus Plan – $23/mo

“ALLLANGUAGERESOURCES” to save 25% on a subscription to ArabicPod101.

Visit ArabicPod101

Having previously tried and been disappointed with Rocket Arabic and Talk in Arabic, I was hopeful ArabicPod101 would be better but began to think that maybe the resources for studying Arabic just aren’t that good.

…

ArabicPod101 Review – Better Than More Expensive CoursesRead More »

ArabicPod101 Review – Better Than More Expensive Courses Read More »

An Honest Review of SpanishPod101 With Image of Spanish Architecture

SpanishPod101 Review – Good Content with Some Pointless Extras

SpanishPod101

Rating 3.8
★★★
★
★★

Summary

SpanishPod101 primarily offers audio lessons for beginner level Spanish students. Unfortunately, the number of lessons available at the intermediate and higher levels drops off quite a bit. There are a lot of extra features, some of which are pretty cool, but many of which aren’t that useful. Overall, I think SpanishPod101 is pretty good but not sufficient by itself.

Quality 4.0
★★★★★

Everything works well and the lessons are high-quality

Thoroughness 3.5
★★★
★
★★

Great for beginners but intermediate and higher levels won’t get much out of it.

Value 4.0
★★★★★

They’re sneaky about hiding the real prices but it’s still a low cost and extensive option.

I Like
  • An absurd amount of content for lower level students.
  • Uses Spanish from lots of different countries and includes interesting cultural insights.
  • As you move up levels, English is used less and less.
  • Grammar is taught very well.
I Don’t Like
  • The lack of content for those past the beginner level.
  • Lower level lessons include lots of English banter between the hosts.
  • Some of the extra features are pointless, while others like the quizzes, aren’t very well done.
  • Constant hard selling and email spamming.
Price

There are three subscription plans with lengths between 1 month and 2 years. If you subscribe longer, the monthly cost lowers.

Basic Plan – $4/mo Premium Plan – $10/mo Premium Plus Plan – $23/mo

Use the coupon code “ALLLANGUAGERESOURCES” to save 25% on a subscription.

Visit SpanishPod101

For this review, I spent about five days trying out SpanishPod101’s Premium Plan.

…

SpanishPod101 Review – Good Content with Some Pointless ExtrasRead More »

SpanishPod101 Review – Good Content with Some Pointless Extras Read More »

LanguagePod101 — All Languages, Pod101 and Class101

Updated November 20, 2023

If you want a language learning podcast that consistently adds new content to keep you motivated, you will find the “Pod101” and “Class101” series quite useful.

One great thing about LanguagePod101 programs is that they do publish new content ALL THE TIME. And their pricing structure allows language learners of any mastery and commitment levels to find contents that are useful. The pricing starts at a mere few dollars per month, and the top subscription called Premium PLUS gives learners personal feedback and a personalized program to follow.

Visit Language Learning Programs in the LanguagePod101 Series

Click the icon to visit the site for the language you want. Purchase or just check it out. Happy Learning!

You can also read ALR independent reviews for each language’s program in the following section.

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LanguagePod101 — All Languages, Pod101 and Class101Read More »

LanguagePod101 — All Languages, Pod101 and Class101 Read More »

Babbel Review Portuguese

Babbel Portuguese Review: Budget Friendly and Solid Program for Brazilian Portuguese

Babbel Portuguese

Rating 4.2
★★★★
★
★

Summary

Babbel is an online language-learning platform with over 1 million active users. The Babbel Portuguese 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.

Quality 4.5
★★★★
★
★

It’s well-designed and the content is immediately useful.

Thoroughness 4.0
★★★★★

The material provided is effective and covers a lot, but isn’t ideal for advanced levels.

Value 4.0
★★★★★

The price is relatively low for what’s offered, but you’ll have to purchase each language separately.

I Like
  • The content is practical for real-life use
  • It’s easy to use
  • The lessons are fairly short
I Don’t Like
  • The exercises can get repetitive
  • The review exercises don’t include grammar concepts
  • Speech recognition isn’t the best way to learn pronunciation
Price

Babbel uses a recurring subscription model and offers a 20-day money-back guarantee. Price per month depends on the length of the subscription and only includes access to one language.

Monthly – $14.95/mo Every 3 Months – $12.65/mo Every 6 Months – $11.15/mo Every year – $7.45/mo

The prices listed here are for customers in the United States; they otherwise vary by region.

Countdown to Summer Sale! Get 60% off Babbel Lifetime Subscriptions. See details on the website. Offer ends on 5/5/2024.

Start Babbel POrtuguese Risk Free

Babbel Portuguese Overview

Babbel is an online language learning platform that offers courses in various languages, including Portuguese. With over 10 million users worldwide, Babbel is known for its interactive and practical approach to language learning.

It is important to note that Babbel specifically teaches Brazilian Portuguese, which is the most widely spoken variant of the language. The course focuses on both spoken and written Portuguese, covering vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and conversation skills.

…

Babbel Portuguese Review: Budget Friendly and Solid Program for Brazilian PortugueseRead More »

Babbel Portuguese Review: Budget Friendly and Solid Program for Brazilian Portuguese Read More »

Babbel Review Russian

Babbel Russian Review: We Actually Really Like It

Babbel Russian

Rating 4.2
★★★★
★
★

Summary

Babbel is an online language-learning platform with over 1 million active users. Babbel Russian 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.

Quality 4.5
★★★★
★
★

It’s well-designed and the content is immediately useful.

Thoroughness 4.0
★★★★★

The material provided is effective and covers a lot, but isn’t ideal for advanced levels.

Value 4.0
★★★★★

The price is relatively low for what’s offered, but you’ll have to purchase each language separately.

I Like
  • The content is practical for real-life use
  • It’s easy to use
  • The lessons are fairly short
I Don’t Like
  • The exercises can get repetitive
  • The review exercises don’t include grammar concepts
  • Speech recognition isn’t the best way to learn pronunciation
Price

Babbel uses a recurring subscription model and offers a 20-day money-back guarantee. Price per month depends on the length of the subscription and only includes access to one language.

Monthly – $14.95/mo Every 3 Months – $12.65/mo Every 6 Months – $11.15/mo Every year – $7.45/mo

The prices listed here are for customers in the United States; they otherwise vary by region.

Countdown to Summer Sale! Get 60% off Babbel Lifetime Subscriptions. See details on the website. Offer ends on 5/5/2024.

Start Babbel Russian Risk Free

The Russian course offered by Babbel is designed to help users develop their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in the Russian language.

…

Babbel Russian Review: We Actually Really Like ItRead More »

Babbel Russian Review: We Actually Really Like It Read More »

Pimsleur Review Arabic

Pimsleur Arabic Review: Conversational Fluency Quickly

Pimsleur Arabic

Summary

Pimsleur Arabic is one of the most popular and longest-standing resources out there for learning the Arabic language. Its courses place a strong emphasis on aural and verbal communication skills, paying less attention to grammar explanations and reading or writing skills. 

Quality 4.5
★★★★
★
★

The platform is extremely well designed and easy to use. The content seems to be of high quality at all levels.

Thoroughness 4.0
★★★★★

Timely repetition and active practice work well, and lessons build on each other nicely, but the “intermediate fluency in 30 days” claim may be a stretch.

Value 3.5
★★★
★
★★

The subscription option provides good value for some, but there may be more efficient ways to learn some languages.

I Like
  • Egyptian, Levantine, and Modern Standard Arabic are available
  • The lessons are structured well and are an appropriate length
  • There are both male and female native speakers
  • Lessons build on each other nicely
  • The platform is easy to navigate and visually appealing
I Don’t Like
  • There’s very little visual content.
  • Lesson speed isn’t customizable.
Price

Subscriptions of either $14.95/month or $19.95/month are available for courses with at least 60 lessons. Outright purchase prices otherwise range from around $20 to over $500. All purchases come with a 7-day free trial

GET 1 WEEK FULL ACCESS TO PIMSLEUR FREE

Arabic is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with over 300 million native speakers across the Middle East and North Africa. It is also an official language of the United Nations, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, giving it significant global importance.

…

Pimsleur Arabic Review: Conversational Fluency QuicklyRead More »

Pimsleur Arabic Review: Conversational Fluency Quickly Read More »

Pimsleur Review Russian

Pimsleur Russian Review: Great for Speaking Russian From Day 1

Pimsleur Russian

Rating 4.0
★★★★★

Summary

Pimsleur Russian is one of the most popular and longest-standing resources out there for learning the Russian language. Its courses place a strong emphasis on aural and verbal communication skills, paying less attention to grammar explanations and reading or writing skills.

Quality 4.5
★★★★
★
★

The platform is extremely well designed and easy to use. The content seems to be of high quality at all levels.

Thoroughness 4.0
★★★★★

Timely repetition and active practice work well, and lessons build on each other nicely, but the “intermediate fluency in 30 days” claim may be a stretch.

Value 3.5
★★★
★
★★

The subscription option provides good value for some, but there may be more efficient ways to learn some languages.

I Like
  • Very useful core vocabulary
  • Lots of active listening and speaking practice
  • Focus on pronunciation
I Don’t Like
  • No focus on writing Russian
  • Formal practice dialogue
Price

Subscriptions of either $14.95/month or $19.95/month are available for courses with at least 60 lessons. Prices otherwise range from around $20 to over $500. All purchases come with a 7-day free trial.

GET 1 WEEK FULL ACCESS TO PIMSLEUR FREE

The Pimsleur Russian app promises to use a special memory system to help you master the complexities of Russian. The Pimsleur method has remained popular with language learners for over 50 years because of its successful spaced repetition theory structure.

…

Pimsleur Russian Review: Great for Speaking Russian From Day 1Read More »

Pimsleur Russian Review: Great for Speaking Russian From Day 1 Read More »

Pimsleur Review German

Pimsleur German Review: To Speak German, Emphatic YES

Pimsleur German

Rating 4.0
★★★★★

Summary

Pimsleur is one of the most popular and longest-standing resources out there for learning a foreign language. Its courses place a strong emphasis on aural and verbal communication skills, paying less attention to grammar explanations and reading or writing skills. There are over 50 language courses available with Pimsleur, and the bulk of the material is taught with audio lessons.

Quality 4.5
★★★★
★
★

The platform is extremely well designed and easy to use. The content seems to be of high quality at all levels.

Thoroughness 4.0
★★★★★

Timely repetition and active practice work well, and lessons build on each other nicely, but the “intermediate fluency in 30 days” claim may be a stretch.

Value 3.5
★★★
★
★★

The subscription option provides good value for some, but there may be more efficient ways to learn some languages.

I Like
  • The lessons are structured well and are an appropriate length.
  • There are both male and female native speakers.
  • Lessons build on each other nicely.
  • The platform is easy to navigate and visually appealing.
I Don’t Like
  • There’s very little visual content.
  • Lesson speed isn’t customizable.
Price

Subscriptions of either $14.95/month or $19.95/month are available for courses with at least 60 lessons. Prices otherwise range from around $20 to over $500. All purchases come with a 7-day free trial.

GET 1 WEEK FULL ACCESS TO PIMSLEUR FREE

Pimsleur German Course Overview

Pimsleur German is a language learning program that uses an audio-based approach to teach the German language. The program is designed to help learners develop their speaking and listening skills in German, with an emphasis on practical, everyday conversations.

…

Pimsleur German Review: To Speak German, Emphatic YESRead More »

Pimsleur German Review: To Speak German, Emphatic YES Read More »

Rosetta Stone Review Arabic

Rosetta Stone Arabic Review – It May Not Be Very Useful for Most

Rosetta Stone Arabic

Rating 3.2
★★★
★
★★

Summary

Rosetta Stone is one of the most well-known resources for learning languages. High levels of repetition and an absence of translations or explanations are hallmarks of the course. Rosetta Stone Arabic course could be most suitable for learners that don’t mind repetitive exercises and prefer to learn from pictures and context rather than translations and explanations. It’s probably not a good option for anyone wanting to learn non-Modern Standard Arabic, significantly improve their speaking or writing skills, or those looking for an engaging course.

Quality 3.0
★★★★★

The platform is a bit clunky on desktop, but the material is accurate and presented clearly; lesson mechanics are fairly intuitive.

Thoroughness 3.0
★★★★★

Without much opportunity to build your own sentences, I don’t think you’ll reach a conversational level with any notable speed.

Value 3.5
★★★
★
★★

Rosetta Stone’s Lifetime Subscription ($199 on sale) is quite attractive if you like the Rosetta Stone Method. Shorter subscriptions are quite reasonable, too.

I Like
  • Lessons progress naturally and logically
  • Both audio and visual learning components
  • The audio quality is very good
I Don’t Like
  • Only offers Modern Standard Arabic
  • No grammar explanations
  • No writing practice
Price

A three-month subscription to one language is $35.97, which works out to be $11.99/month.
A year-long subscription to one course is $95.88, which is $7.99/month. Both of these subscriptions are automatically recurring.
Lifetime access to all Rosetta Stone language courses is available for $199.

ALR Readers Exclusive Holiday Deal!! Get the Lifetime Subscription for 25 languages for $179 (everywhere else it’s $199 right now!). See details on the website.

Visit Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone uses a dynamic immersion method to help you learn Arabic in a natural way. 

The Rosetta Stone Arabic course contains 12 units focused on everyday situations like family life, shopping, or travel. Each unit consists of multiple-choice lessons that allow you to match images or say words to learn new vocabulary.

…

Rosetta Stone Arabic Review – It May Not Be Very Useful for MostRead More »

Rosetta Stone Arabic Review – It May Not Be Very Useful for Most Read More »

Rosetta Stone Review Russian

Rosetta Stone Russian Review: Grammar? Cyrillic Alphabet? Not Found Here

Rosetta Stone Russian

Rating 3.2
★★★
★
★★

Summary

Rosetta Stone Russian is one of the most well-known resources for learning Russian languages. It takes an immersive approach to teaching and is widely used by corporations and individuals alike. High levels of repetition and an absence of translations or explanations are hallmarks of the course. Rosetta Stone course could be most suitable for learners that don’t mind repetitive exercises and prefer to learn from pictures and context rather than translations and explanations. It’s probably not a good option for anyone wanting to significantly improve their speaking or writing skills, or those looking for an engaging course.

Quality 3.0
★★★★★

The platform is a bit clunky on desktop, but the material is accurate and presented clearly; lesson mechanics are fairly intuitive.

Thoroughness 3.0
★★★★★

Without much opportunity to build your own sentences, I don’t think you’ll reach a conversational level with any notable speed.

Value 3.5
★★★
★
★★

Rosetta Stone’s Lifetime Subscription ($179) is quite attractive if you like the Rosetta Stone Method. Shorter subscriptions are quite reasonable, too.

I Like
  • Lessons progress naturally and logically.
  • Good vocabulary supplement.
  • The audio quality is very good.
I Don’t Like
  • It does not teach Russian grammar
  • It does not teach the Cyrillic alphabet
  • It’s practice can be repetitive and boring
Price

A three-month subscription to one language is $35.97, which works out to be $11.99/month.
A year-long subscription to one course is $95.88, which is $7.99/month. Both of these subscriptions are automatically recurring.
Lifetime access to all Rosetta Stone language courses is available for $199.

ALR Readers Exclusive Holiday Deal!! Get the Lifetime Subscription for 25 languages for $179 (everywhere else it’s $199 right now!). See details on the website.

Visit Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone remains a fixture in the language-learning world because of its promise to teach new languages the way a child learns to speak. The Rosetta Stone Russian course uses a fully immersive, no-English matching system to present 50 hours of lessons. The program also features its famous TruAccent software for pronunciation practice.

…

Rosetta Stone Russian Review: Grammar? Cyrillic Alphabet? Not Found HereRead More »

Rosetta Stone Russian Review: Grammar? Cyrillic Alphabet? Not Found Here Read More »