The best language learning apps evolve year after year. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up! Old favourites fall by the wayside and newcomers struggle to gain traction, even if their app is really useful. We’ve explored some of the top options out there, searching for the best French learning app today. There are a few great options to choose from! Discover which apps you should try out for your French learning journey.
Why Learn French With Apps?
Apps are not the be-all-end-all solution for learning a language. But, they can certainly help! While not every language app is useful, there are plenty that will help you improve over time, if you practice regularly and mindfully.
They can be a great additional resource for those who are in the midst of actively improving their fluency. Apps are also a great way to keep your skills sharp if you already know French and don’t want to lose what you have. Even passive users can pick up helpful vocabulary, if nothing else.
If you use apps wisely, they can help you with all aspects of language learning: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. They can teach you a lot of vocabulary and grammar, too.
We’ll dive into effective learning strategies to use with apps at the end of the article. For now, let’s dive in to the top French apps to try in 2025!
Top 6 Apps for Learning French
The landscape of language apps is changing. Learners are ready to move beyond fun-but-useless games and streaks to more meaningful exercises. Here are some of the best apps available today that help with different aspects of language learning.
Looking for a different way to learn? Check out these websites for learning French.
1. LingoDeer
LingoDeer was founded in 2017, but it started out specialising in Asian languages like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. It has expanded its offerings to include many European languages, including French. And just in time! There’s a new gap in the market since the quality at DuoLingo sharply decreased, with many users abandoning the platform altogether due to its many mistakes and nonsensical lessons.
LingoDeer offers lessons crafted by experts, aiming to get users to B1 fluency. Using spaced repetition, activities, and quizzes, users learn vocabulary and grammar.
You can access part of the beginner’s section for free to try out the app and see if you like it, but the more advanced sections are for paid users only.
Pros
- Uses games and activities to make learning fun
- Teaches useful information
- Some content is free, so you can try before you buy
Cons
- Only reach B1 fluency
- No speaking involved
- No open-ended responses
Free, then $15 USD per month (discounts available for quarterly, yearly, and lifetime plans)
iOS, Android, desktop
Beginners
Games, quizzes, spaced repetition, grammar, vocabulary
Knowledge of languages is the doorway to wisdom.
Roger Bacon
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2. Busuu
Unlike many apps, Busuu is helpful because of its focus on audio lessons and listening comprehension. And, unlike other apps, they even let French learners record an audio clip and post it for French native speakers to comment on and offer corrections!
Lessons include vocabulary and grammar, along with the listening practice, and proceed in a logical progression. The audio portions feature video clips of native French speakers, so you can hear multiple people saying the same words and read their lips, which helps a lot in understanding pronunciation.
Users can review grammar concepts and vocab outside of lessons, so you can go back and check important concepts simply. The app is designed to take French learners to B2 level.
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Pros
- More listening and speaking practice than many other apps
- Straightforward progression
- Good grammar and vocabulary lessons and resources
Cons
- Limitations in what the app accepts as a correct answer (even if it’s right)
- Additional features cost more money beyond the subscription price
- Chapter-end tests are not very comprehensive
A1 course is free, then $12.99 USD per month with discounts available for 6-month and yearly plans
iOS, Android, desktop
Beginner, intermediate
Listening, speaking, writing, grammar, vocabulary, activities
3. Memrise
Memrise aims to increase your vocabulary in writing and in spoken form. It uses spaced repetition and exercises like matching audio clips to words. One of its stand-out features is its video clips, which show native French speakers naturally demonstrating vocabulary words. The other unique feature is the Membot, the chatbot you can practise writing in French with. It’s not a substitute for a private tutor, but it’s a pretty useful feature for beginners.
The paid version is quite expensive, so many people stick with the free version, which is already pretty robust. This makes it one of the best free French learning apps you can use!
Discover other web-based resources for learning French.
Pros
- Membot chatbot helps beginners gain confidence in writing
- Video clips demonstrate spoken French well
- Spaced repetition helps information stay in long-term memory
Cons
- User interface can be difficult to figure out
- Few grammar exercises
- Can’t review content as resources after seeing it in a lesson
Many features are free, but certain helpful features require upgrade at ~$39 AUD per month
iOS, Android, desktop
Beginner
Spaced repetition (flashcards), activities, video clips, chat feature
Make sure to find an app you really like so you'll use it consistently! Small lessons every day or multiple times per week are better than spending a whole day learning once per month.
4. Babbel
A classic in the language app world, Babbel is a consistent name for a reason. It’s especially good for speech practice, since it’s one of the few apps that have a speech-recognition feature. Users can learn and review vocabulary and grammar lessons. Through a variety of activities, learners will improve their listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Pros
- Has functional speech exercises
- Engaging and effective activities
- Can choose which format you want to review with
Cons
- Speech exercises are a little basic
- Dialogues don’t have much
- The original huge selling point for the app (Babbel Live, where you learn with a real teacher) is no longer offered
$17.95 USD per month with discounts for longer plans
iOS, Android, desktop
Beginners to intermediate
Lots of activities, speech practice, spaced repetition
5. Rocket French
One of the denser apps available, Rocket French is mostly a podcast-based app. Lessons are generally presented as a podcast with a transcript, with activities to help reinforce some of the information. Lessons are long, about 20-30 minutes. This is great for dedicated learners, but not good for people who want bite-sized lessons.
The app also has a valuable speech evaluation feature.
Pros
- Thorough lessons feel like a real course
- Good listening and speaking practice
- Helpful hints, tips, and context
Cons
- Has some activities, but not many
- Some people report that their microphone will not work with the app
- No quizzes or checkpoints to see if you’re on track
$99 USD per course (3 courses to choose from), with discounts for bundles
iOS, Android, desktop
Beginners, intermediate
Auditory and reading learners, long lessons, few activities
You live a new life for every language you speak. If you know only one language, you live only once.
Czech proverb
6. Lingua Verbum
This super-new app was built on LingQ’s shoulders. Users can import things like articles, podcasts, and YouTube videos to the site and use their translated transcripts to learn vocabulary and pronunciation. Plus, the library that comes with the app is already really useful.
They have an AI chat assistant that can help you break down and understand grammatical concepts. Users also benefit from a natural-sounding AI speech program that helps them learn the proper pronunciation of any word.
Pros
- Easily import a variety of media, so you choose what to learn with
- Highly functional AI chat bot and speech program
- Very accurate transcription generator for YouTube videos and other imports
Cons
- Can’t save words to learn later, like a flashcard
- Need to use credits for certain actions, and may need to buy more in a month
- No activities, quizzes, etc; self-directed learning
Pretty comprehensive free tier, else $7 USD per month (with option to buy more credits for certain features)
iOS, desktop/browser integration
All levels
Self-directed learners who want to use things like YouTube videos of TV shows and movies, podcasts, and articles to learn
How to Best Learn French With Apps
Apps alone won’t make anyone fluent in a language, but they can be very helpful tools. Just like any other resources, like websites, podcasts, or translators, when used with intention, learners can derive a lot of value.
The first thing to do is make studying French part of your daily or weekly routine. Set aside at least 10-15 minutes per day if possible; repeated exposure in small amounts is more effective than occasional long study sessions.
Pay full attention to your app while you’re using it.
Remember, you’re taking this time and effort because you want to learn, right?
Utilise all the available features of whichever app(s) you’re using to get the full effect (and your money’s worth!).
If the app has a native feature to store words you’re still learning, be sure to regularly visit those terms.
If it doesn’t, create your own flashcards, either with paper or on a different app (like Anki).
Try to really comprehend all the inputs you get in a lesson. Write down what you learned, what words you’re still learning, and any questions or ideas you thought of from the lesson. Thinking more deeply about the material will help you retain it more, even if you never do anything with your notes.
To support your learning even more, use other resources to supplement your app learning, like online French courses with a private tutor, for example
Learning French is a fun project, and many apps out there aim to help learners achieve their goals. Experiment with the top language apps to find out which ones suit your learning style, preferences, and needs, so you can boost your language skills!
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