Here’s the final list to help everyone: S (best) - LingQ, Memrise, Pimsleur, Language Transfer, italki (different icon now), Babbel A - Lingvist, Quizlet, Tandem, Busuu, LingoDeer B - Anki, HiNative, Clozemaster, Duolingo C - Beelinguapp, Innovative Language Learning, HelloTalk D (worst) - Drops, Rosetta Stone
I would argue that everyone should use Anki or an equivalent alongside other tools. I used Duolingo for eight months (French revision), as well as Busuu (beginner German, French revision) and Babbel (beginner German) for a few months. I completely agree with your ordering of these three, Duolingo is by far the poorest, with grammatically incorrect English, poor translations, use of American English (no British option), stupid sentences about ducks and unicorns, no grammar help and no cultural context. Babbel feels the most polished, with lots of nice grammar guides and cultural notes. An app on its own is insufficient, but Babbel is a nice learning aid. I like Busuu, but I found the German course presented too much grammar and I struggled. Babbel got a nice balance. I stress that this was for German, and it is my opinion based purely on my learning style.
You forgot to add youtube. I gave up using those apps to learn English and just decided to binge-watch English videos on youtube. So far, it really helps me. Initially I couldn't even understand when people speak English, but now, after around 3 years struggling to learn English, I watch this video in 2× and understand it well
I will say that, while I think Drops could definitely reorder the categories so that you get to learn more essential vocabulary before things like kitchen appliances, I love that you can use it completely free and I used it in Thailand for learning some Thai and it really did make vocabulary stick in my brain. I was able to give the driver directions and ask for certain vegetables and fruits in the market thanks to Drops. But definitely could use some improvement.
Agree, I can see how it can be helpful it just hasn't been helpful to me. The fact that is free makes it so accessible for everyone and that's a positive thing for sure
Yes, I have Drops for vocabulary practice instead of flashcards for all of my languages (except ASL and Irish Gaelic). It may seem odd at first, but I use it for 5 minutes of learning new words. When you get further into it, then it is just time to do the practice sessions. It just takes time to get a lot of vocabulary built up.
Do lingo is pretty good if you use it both on phone and the computer. On the computer you get access to really helpful lesson tips that explain parts of the language in depth. The stories are also good as you mentioned. Combining it with lots of input content in your language and a spaced repetition app for vocab (duo lingo has anki sets with audio too!) seems to be the best way for me to approach stuff personally.
Heh, I actually love the very specific vocabulary of Drops. Not as a beginner tool necessarily because yeah, it’s a little too limited for that. But for anyone who has decent grammar but significant vocabulary gaps (like heritage speakers or old immersion school students), I think it’s perfect.
Thank you, Mari! This video was helpful for me. I will try out lingq and see how it fits into my studies/my routine. I use Rosetta stone for Russian and really like it. Rosetta is made for learning a language like children do. So, no big explainations, just images and you need to choose the right one. Trial and error. 😄 I like it, bc it's uncomplicated for in-between. I don't like to have heavy grammar explanations but I still want to learn how to build sentences right. That's all from my side. Have a great study journey @all!
It is always surprising to me that people choosing other space repetition apps over anki :) It has a basic layout, it's true, but with cards you can do whatever you want. And what is the most important for me, you can save your templates for later, and one template can make as many card as you wish. So after a little of practice making cards is so easy. But of course, everyone has own perspective ;)
Yeah I know how good of a resource it is and it is in my opinion the most powerful space repetition. I am glad it works for you! I just get easily distracted and I struggle with flashcards haha
Definitely Anki is one of the best. I learnt almost the whole Russian alphabet, and how to pronounce most of their words, in less than a week with it. Also, I learnt many long phrases in my target language months ago that after having taken a few months break, I can still remember.
It would be one of the best if it wasn't so terribly unintuitive. I don't know how to code. I'm not interested in coding. But to make more than simple cards on Anki, you need to code. I never figured out how to add audio to the cards or do things that should be easy to do. I always end up using Readlang, Clozemaster and Memrise more than Anki.
Half the time, I didn't know which app she was talking about. The little buttons don't identify the apps (unless you have used them all), and she only mentions each app name once, for a fraction of a second. If she mumbles or I miss a syllable, I am clueless. She either needs sub-titles for the apps, or review them in the order in the written notes, or something. After a bunch of clickbacks, trying to find the moment she said WHICH app this icon meant....I gave up. I stopped listening.
Language Transfer is the best app for me! ❤️❤️ I only study French in 1month and I can understand and speak some of the words sadly it's only lesson 40
Duolingo has definitely helped me learn German so I would highly recommend Duolingo and you can use it on your phone or computer or both. I love it because it’s free and I’m learning a lot.
What app is best for someone beginning to learn Spanish? I'm trying Duolingo and memrise right now but I want to learn how to talk and understand the sentence structure more
Are there any apps that do more teaching on the background of the language like teaching you about the adjective order, whether the language is subject verb object or not etc or maybe I should be using UA-cam for that? I just feel like a lot of apps jump straight in without introducing the language and I feel like I’m just repeating what they say 😬
I don't know about apps, I know babble explain these things as they go, they take it step by step... Lingodeer has a similar thing where before each lesson they have a grammar and cultural explanation... But I think UA-cam is better for that tbh
I have only listened to the Spanish course but Language Transfer is great for this. The number of languages is limited because it’s all made by one guy. But he is so fascinating at relating the vocab back to its roots and taught me things about English too, definitely check it out if you’re target language is included.
I would like to confirm that part of what makes Language Transfer so engaging is that it is full of insights into the language you are learning, and he does it in a way that really reinforces your learning of the language
I’ve used Scripts (by Drops) to learn some Japanese. It teaches you how to write Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. I don’t have experience with many apps, but Duolingo is my main app. I love Duo’s stories and podcasts (with free transcripts!...although I choose to subscribe). I also really appreciate the grammar tips they provide for each level. I have just discovered LingQ and so far like it very much. My other go-tos are news, stories, and interviews I find on podcasts and UA-cam.
@@MariPolyglot Since I posted my comment above, I've branched out and tried some new apps such as Language Transfer (love it!) and have been watching some Spanish-language videos on UA-cam. Thank you for making this video. It was great, and it opened my eyes to language resources that I didn't know about. ❤ Thanks for your reply, Mari. Keep up the good work! 😃
Yes I know that at least Duolingo's German, Spanish, and English courses have speaking practice at the moment, but i'm not a fan of it. You can say something completely different and it'll still accept it as if you had spoken it correctly. I think that can actually harm your spoken language learning progress so I always disable the speaking parts in Duolingo. I think a much better approach would be if it recorded your spoken sentence and have the community rate it and comment on it, I know Busuu does this.
Language Transfer is an amazing innovative method and requires no reading! That’s one of the things I love about it, it’s a truly unique approach. The Spanish course us exceptional. I can’t believe it’s free!
@@felixsafire Thanks for mentioning that Language Transfer is free. I had no idea! I just downloaded it and can’t wait to start using it for Spanish. Thanks again for your comment. :)
I am currently at 9:33 and you said you didn’t like drops, for me it’s the same I don’t like it, but not for that reason you told. I actually hate it bc there are only 5min free each day and I really don’t get it why they did tht
I love Drops I've learned a lot of Korean vocabulary without a whole lot of effort or consistency. I have the paid version and it allows you to pick very specific groups of words and you can accept or skip individual words. Linq is so confusing for me as a beginner I hate it. I keep it because I think it could be useful once I get to advanced beginner or intermediate level.
I can speak Spanish, English, Italian and Portugués to a good level. Dutch is a bit more in the intermediate side and for French and German is around the beginner levels
Two apps not reviewed that I use daily and like are Mondly and Speakly. I don’t see other one as a main learning tool. I see both as EXCELLENT supplemental learning tools. In my opinion, a main learning tool is something like Pimsleur (which I use daily) or maybe Rocket, Babbel, Busuu, etc. Mondly compliments Pimsleur VERY well because it is so different. It wouldn’t compliment Babbel or Busuu as well because it is too similar. Speakly is kind of it’s own thing. Not very beautiful to use, but extremely effective.
Pimsleur is not that good if your learning some Asian languages.I was using for it Mandarin and had a hard time hearing on how they said the word. They should add a transcript with it so we can see what they are saying in writing form.
If you’re using the app they have all the written words, phrases and even flash cards. I just checked for Mandarin and it’s there. I use it all the time for German words I can’t understand when they speak.
14:39 Your english "streak" sounded like 'strayk' but your second attempt was perfect 'streek', and then you went back to the incorrect 'strayk' pronounciation. 'Streak' should sound like 'street' but with the 'k' sound from a word like 'eek'. Not trying to make fun of your english which is excellent, just a tip.
Duolingo is good for grammar and listening in my opinion. However, Rosetta Stone is better for speaking practice. And Babel is a bit of a mix. I know it’s a bit textbook but I like how it describes things like, “this is how to pronounce this.” Or “this is why these two letters make this sound or doesn’t.”
Yes, I stopped Duolingo because I hated the jewels/points aspect of it, and the idea that you could be bumped down if you had a busy week and couldn't play much, or worse, if you happened to get stuck in a highly competitive group. However, if you don't play at all you stay put. Why am I being encouraged not to play than to do what I can when I can?
Have been using drops- like they have a number of more obscure languages - Maori, Samoan , Hawaiian, Icelandic. But the audio is very uneven / inconsistent in volume and the voices used. The drawings are often archaic and subject matter/ perspectives are conservative if not regressive ( men more represented than women). But I like that I can familiarize myself with the sounds of a language. Some languages seem like unfinished projects with blanks ( Yoruba ). But I got a years subscription so it gives me a lot of opportunity to explore many different languages. They have a related apps teaching ( or trying to teach you ) « scripts » , that is different writing systems Chinese, Russian, etc. I didn’t like it as it features annoying animation after you write each character. Another way my experience with drops improved was when I found I could turn off the music component that plays with every word. Thanks for your reviews, I’ll check out these better apps.
Here’s the final list to help everyone:
S (best) - LingQ, Memrise, Pimsleur, Language Transfer, italki (different icon now), Babbel
A - Lingvist, Quizlet, Tandem, Busuu, LingoDeer
B - Anki, HiNative, Clozemaster, Duolingo
C - Beelinguapp, Innovative Language Learning, HelloTalk
D (worst) - Drops, Rosetta Stone
What about mango?
Thanks for the list!! All the links and names are also in teh description in case anyone needs it!
Is MosaLingua any good for French?
I would argue that everyone should use Anki or an equivalent alongside other tools. I used Duolingo for eight months (French revision), as well as Busuu (beginner German, French revision) and Babbel (beginner German) for a few months. I completely agree with your ordering of these three, Duolingo is by far the poorest, with grammatically incorrect English, poor translations, use of American English (no British option), stupid sentences about ducks and unicorns, no grammar help and no cultural context. Babbel feels the most polished, with lots of nice grammar guides and cultural notes. An app on its own is insufficient, but Babbel is a nice learning aid. I like Busuu, but I found the German course presented too much grammar and I struggled. Babbel got a nice balance. I stress that this was for German, and it is my opinion based purely on my learning style.
@@MariPolyglot Thoughts on Mango Languages?
Ps: What program are you using to rank the apps? Its very clean.
You forgot to add youtube. I gave up using those apps to learn English and just decided to binge-watch English videos on youtube. So far, it really helps me. Initially I couldn't even understand when people speak English, but now, after around 3 years struggling to learn English, I watch this video in 2× and understand it well
Your grammar is fantastic compared to many native English speakers.
@@zek62482 Grammar can only be so good, there isn't really a fantastic level to grammar.
I watch the Spanish channel for one of my favorite bands to brush up on my Spanish. I have to slow the video down, but it helps.
What kinds of videos would u watch? Looking to learn Spanish
I will say that, while I think Drops could definitely reorder the categories so that you get to learn more essential vocabulary before things like kitchen appliances, I love that you can use it completely free and I used it in Thailand for learning some Thai and it really did make vocabulary stick in my brain. I was able to give the driver directions and ask for certain vegetables and fruits in the market thanks to Drops. But definitely could use some improvement.
Agree, I can see how it can be helpful it just hasn't been helpful to me. The fact that is free makes it so accessible for everyone and that's a positive thing for sure
Yes, I have Drops for vocabulary practice instead of flashcards for all of my languages (except ASL and Irish Gaelic). It may seem odd at first, but I use it for 5 minutes of learning new words. When you get further into it, then it is just time to do the practice sessions. It just takes time to get a lot of vocabulary built up.
The 5min thing of drops is driving me crazy… it’s a good app but the 5min thing makes it worse for me
This is so helpful to me as a new language learner. I appreciate you taking your time to analyze these.
Do lingo is pretty good if you use it both on phone and the computer. On the computer you get access to really helpful lesson tips that explain parts of the language in depth. The stories are also good as you mentioned. Combining it with lots of input content in your language and a spaced repetition app for vocab (duo lingo has anki sets with audio too!) seems to be the best way for me to approach stuff personally.
Heh, I actually love the very specific vocabulary of Drops. Not as a beginner tool necessarily because yeah, it’s a little too limited for that. But for anyone who has decent grammar but significant vocabulary gaps (like heritage speakers or old immersion school students), I think it’s perfect.
Haha! Fun tier list. I hope you will update it again next year!
Thank you for this! One of the BEST videos on this subject!
Loved the video, Mari! 🤗 Thank you!
You are so welcome!
Your video actually does help a lot.
Thanks 🙌
Glad it helped! However this is just my opinion I encourage you to try all of these and come to your own conclusions!
I have tried a lot of the apps that you mentioned and for those I mostly agree with your ranking. Will check out the ones I haven't tried yet
Thank you, Mari! This video was helpful for me. I will try out lingq and see how it fits into my studies/my routine. I use Rosetta stone for Russian and really like it. Rosetta is made for learning a language like children do. So, no big explainations, just images and you need to choose the right one. Trial and error. 😄 I like it, bc it's uncomplicated for in-between. I don't like to have heavy grammar explanations but I still want to learn how to build sentences right.
That's all from my side. Have a great study journey @all!
Yess I thought of you when I talked about rosetta because I know it worked for you
@@MariPolyglot That's so sweet that you haven't forgotten 😘
It is always surprising to me that people choosing other space repetition apps over anki :) It has a basic layout, it's true, but with cards you can do whatever you want. And what is the most important for me, you can save your templates for later, and one template can make as many card as you wish. So after a little of practice making cards is so easy. But of course, everyone has own perspective ;)
Yeah I know how good of a resource it is and it is in my opinion the most powerful space repetition. I am glad it works for you! I just get easily distracted and I struggle with flashcards haha
@@MariPolyglot I chose to switch to an app called smartcards- it’s like anki but much more streamlined, simplified and cleaner. Just in case it helps!
Definitely Anki is one of the best. I learnt almost the whole Russian alphabet, and how to pronounce most of their words, in less than a week with it. Also, I learnt many long phrases in my target language months ago that after having taken a few months break, I can still remember.
It would be one of the best if it wasn't so terribly unintuitive. I don't know how to code. I'm not interested in coding. But to make more than simple cards on Anki, you need to code. I never figured out how to add audio to the cards or do things that should be easy to do. I always end up using Readlang, Clozemaster and Memrise more than Anki.
Thanks for the review! I agree with your evaluation on Drops. Too simple.
Half the time, I didn't know which app she was talking about. The little buttons don't identify the apps (unless you have used them all), and she only mentions each app name once, for a fraction of a second. If she mumbles or I miss a syllable, I am clueless. She either needs sub-titles for the apps, or review them in the order in the written notes, or something. After a bunch of clickbacks, trying to find the moment she said WHICH app this icon meant....I gave up. I stopped listening.
which one can you suggest with the feature for talking to random people online?
awesome video! I enjoyed this!!
Thank you so much Alex 🤎
Language Transfer is the best app for me! ❤️❤️ I only study French in 1month and I can understand and speak some of the words sadly it's only lesson 40
Duolingo has definitely helped me learn German so I would highly recommend Duolingo and you can use it on your phone or computer or both. I love it because it’s free and I’m learning a lot.
I LOVE Duolingo. I’ve learned most of what I know about other languages through Duolingo.
What app is best for someone beginning to learn Spanish? I'm trying Duolingo and memrise right now but I want to learn how to talk and understand the sentence structure more
You can combine the apps you've already mentioned, and watch classes on UA-cam.
Language transfer
What program is she using to rank the apps? It looks very nice and clean 👍
What would be the top of the best ones?
I have been learning German with Speekoo, do you have any experience it and if so, what are your thoughts?
I have no experience with it I might try it later
Are there any apps that do more teaching on the background of the language like teaching you about the adjective order, whether the language is subject verb object or not etc or maybe I should be using UA-cam for that? I just feel like a lot of apps jump straight in without introducing the language and I feel like I’m just repeating what they say 😬
I also would like to know more about different languages
I don't know about apps, I know babble explain these things as they go, they take it step by step... Lingodeer has a similar thing where before each lesson they have a grammar and cultural explanation... But I think UA-cam is better for that tbh
I have only listened to the Spanish course but Language Transfer is great for this. The number of languages is limited because it’s all made by one guy. But he is so fascinating at relating the vocab back to its roots and taught me things about English too, definitely check it out if you’re target language is included.
I would like to confirm that part of what makes Language Transfer so engaging is that it is full of insights into the language you are learning, and he does it in a way that really reinforces your learning of the language
I’ve used Scripts (by Drops) to learn some Japanese. It teaches you how to write Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji.
I don’t have experience with many apps, but Duolingo is my main app. I love Duo’s stories and podcasts (with free transcripts!...although I choose to subscribe). I also really appreciate the grammar tips they provide for each level.
I have just discovered LingQ and so far like it very much. My other go-tos are news, stories, and interviews I find on podcasts and UA-cam.
I am also very fond of Duolingo and LingQ… I also prefer very immersive experiences when I’m learning just for fun
@@MariPolyglot Since I posted my comment above, I've branched out and tried some new apps such as Language Transfer (love it!) and have been watching some Spanish-language videos on UA-cam. Thank you for making this video. It was great, and it opened my eyes to language resources that I didn't know about. ❤
Thanks for your reply, Mari. Keep up the good work! 😃
No place for Glossika or speechking? :-)
I personal tried Rosetta Stone and I couldn’t. Something about it was not for me.
Duolingo has speaking practice. Maybe not for Japanese but the other courses do have speaking practice, at least now.
Yes I know that at least Duolingo's German, Spanish, and English courses have speaking practice at the moment, but i'm not a fan of it. You can say something completely different and it'll still accept it as if you had spoken it correctly. I think that can actually harm your spoken language learning progress so I always disable the speaking parts in Duolingo. I think a much better approach would be if it recorded your spoken sentence and have the community rate it and comment on it, I know Busuu does this.
This was really helpful. I am looking for the best apps to learn Dutch (or Flemish) from different countries all over the world.
That video is likely coming very soon! I've been getting back to Dutch these days and I am testing a few apps and resources
Which app do you think is best for learning Thai ?
hey i'm dyslexic which app do you recommend to learn spanish?
Language Transfer is an amazing innovative method and requires no reading! That’s one of the things I love about it, it’s a truly unique approach. The Spanish course us exceptional. I can’t believe it’s free!
@@felixsafire Thanks for mentioning that Language Transfer is free. I had no idea! I just downloaded it and can’t wait to start using it for Spanish. Thanks again for your comment. :)
@@shangobunni5 awesome! I hope it is useful for you
@@felixsafire 👍🙂
I am currently at 9:33 and you said you didn’t like drops, for me it’s the same I don’t like it, but not for that reason you told. I actually hate it bc there are only 5min free each day and I really don’t get it why they did tht
Oh yeah I had forgotten about that it is really annoying!
"You're gonna get upset with me but I hate Drops"
Desde ese día algo cambió dentro de Lotso.jpg
I love Drops I've learned a lot of Korean vocabulary without a whole lot of effort or consistency. I have the paid version and it allows you to pick very specific groups of words and you can accept or skip individual words.
Linq is so confusing for me as a beginner I hate it. I keep it because I think it could be useful once I get to advanced beginner or intermediate level.
Any recommended app for Swedish?
Hi, which languages can you speak? Im a huge fan of your channel.
I can speak Spanish, English, Italian and Portugués to a good level. Dutch is a bit more in the intermediate side and for French and German is around the beginner levels
@@MariPolyglot thank you for answering!
Two apps not reviewed that I use daily and like are Mondly and Speakly.
I don’t see other one as a main learning tool. I see both as EXCELLENT supplemental learning tools.
In my opinion, a main learning tool is something like Pimsleur (which I use daily) or maybe Rocket, Babbel, Busuu, etc.
Mondly compliments Pimsleur VERY well because it is so different. It wouldn’t compliment Babbel or Busuu as well because it is too similar.
Speakly is kind of it’s own thing. Not very beautiful to use, but extremely effective.
What is best app for grammar?
Language Transfer does a great job of incorporating grammar in a way that helps you learn
What about learning Greek? Resources are limited!
*So the final chart it's that red is the less effective and the green the more effective? Or it is how it was supposed to look at the end?*
No it's the opposite. Green is for the worst and red is for the best ones
What is the best on for learning Hindi?
This is great. Thank you! Just curious, if you had to pick only one, which would it be?
Mmm pimsleur maybe
No, lingq! I think is more versatile
So hard to pick one lol
i keep thinking youre saying Curses instead of courses
What app would you recommend for learning Spanish from scratch?
Duolingo, busuu, pimsleur
language transfer, hands down.
I agree that if you are learning a language from scratch, Language Transfer is exactly what you need!
pimsleur definitely. A language transfer.
About to start learning Russian, which one will be better
What rank is speakly?
Pimsleur is not that good if your learning some Asian languages.I was using for it Mandarin and had a hard time hearing on how they said the word. They should add a transcript with it so we can see what they are saying in writing form.
If you’re using the app they have all the written words, phrases and even flash cards. I just checked for Mandarin and it’s there. I use it all the time for German words I can’t understand when they speak.
@@brannon1030 really I used it a few years ago.
14:39 Your english "streak" sounded like 'strayk' but your second attempt was perfect 'streek', and then you went back to the incorrect 'strayk' pronounciation. 'Streak' should sound like 'street' but with the 'k' sound from a word like 'eek'. Not trying to make fun of your english which is excellent, just a tip.
Thanks for the video! Half of these apps I've never even heard of. Useful information for me.
I thought only Filthy Frank made fun of Rosetta Stone 🤣
Anki, Clozemaster, Memrise, LingQ and Pimsleur my favorite ones.
D stands for Drops
Duolingo is good for grammar and listening in my opinion. However, Rosetta Stone is better for speaking practice. And Babel is a bit of a mix. I know it’s a bit textbook but I like how it describes things like, “this is how to pronounce this.” Or “this is why these two letters make this sound or doesn’t.”
I actually thought that you'd pick Duolingo in the middle. That's where it is for me too.
Its just an opinion
If you were to pick only one, what would it be? And why? Sorry I had to ask this LOL
Mondly and BlueBIRD ARE THE BEST SO FAR
I think I remember the cashew nuts thing from drops - that is indeed irritating
Memrise is amazing!!!
omg YES ANKI IS SO UGLY I've never used it because of that, i use quizlet instead
Oh, I hate the Duolingo streak thing. Other than that it is ok, but it is a dealbreaker for me
Yes, I stopped Duolingo because I hated the jewels/points aspect of it, and the idea that you could be bumped down if you had a busy week and couldn't play much, or worse, if you happened to get stuck in a highly competitive group. However, if you don't play at all you stay put. Why am I being encouraged not to play than to do what I can when I can?
I'm love this is app
wow🎻💗🌄💡
Thx
You are VERY HARD to Understand. Could you spell out the names of the apps?
Have been using drops- like they have a number of more obscure languages - Maori, Samoan , Hawaiian, Icelandic.
But the audio is very uneven / inconsistent in volume and the voices used. The drawings are often archaic and subject matter/ perspectives are conservative if not regressive ( men more represented than women). But I like that I can familiarize myself with the sounds of a language. Some languages seem like unfinished projects with blanks ( Yoruba ). But I got a years subscription so it gives me a lot of opportunity to explore many different languages. They have a related apps teaching ( or trying to teach you ) « scripts » , that is different writing systems Chinese, Russian, etc. I didn’t like it as it features annoying animation after you write each character. Another way my experience with drops improved was when I found I could turn off the music component that plays with every word.
Thanks for your reviews, I’ll check out these better apps.