10 Best French Language Apps in 2024 (Tested & Reviewed)
- Jul 19, 2024 |
- 6 min
Do you feel like enriching your life? Is it time to develop a new skill? Maybe you feel like learning French. Perhaps you’re visiting Paris soon and you want to chat with the locals, or maybe you want to learn more about French culture.
Technology has transformed the way we learn in recent years. Apps, in particular, have emerged as convenient and accessible ways to access a variety of knowledge at your fingertips. With their flexible nature and well-thought-out process, learning French through an app is a very effective route to take.
I have tried and tested each app. Trust me, it’s taken time! My journey of learning French began with reading old books from school and trying to remember what my teacher taught me. It’s safe to say that wasn’t the most effective method!
After a while, I lost my motivation due to the lack of progress tracking and, in all honesty, lack of interest! One of my friends, who was a little ahead of me in their language-learning journey, suggested trying out an app instead. When I say I tried them all, I really did. I gave all of them a go, as I was on a mission to find the most effective.
I’m eager to share my experience with you and introduce you to the world of language learning apps. So, if you want to learn French, I’ve got some great suggestions.
Here is a table of 5 of the best French language learning apps and some key features:
Language Learning App | Pros | Cons | Best For | Cost |
MakesYouFluent | AI tutor, interactive learning experience, tailored to your level | Lack of human interaction | All levels | Subscription required |
Pimsleur | Research-based learning methods, focuses on speaking and listening skills, on-the-go learning | Not much focus on reading or writing skills, not really suitable for younger learners | Audio learners on the go | 7-day free trial |
Babbel | Teaches conversational language, progressive lessons | Not much variety in lessons, | Structured learning for all levels | Free-trial available |
Duolingo | Gamified approach, leaderboard, bite-sized lessons | Limited content for advanced learners, can become repetitive | Beginners | Free with ads, subscription option available |
Rosetta Stone | Focus on grammar, immersive learning | Lack of real-world content, repetitive exercise | All levels | Payment required after first lesson |
1. MakesYouFluent- The Best App Overall
MakesYouFluent is a very popular app among people who want to learn French. People of all levels can use it and it’s very engaging. It offers all kinds of learning, from basic vocabulary to conversational language, making it a great choice for people who want to develop their skills in all areas.
MakesYouFluent has an AI tutor who’s available 24/7. You can practice real-life conversations with the tutor, use the instant feedback to your advantage and improve your skills on the spot.
The app is subscription-based, and you can choose from either the one-month, three-month or sixth-month plan. The one you opt for depends on how much time you plan to dedicate to learning, and you can access the AI tutor and daily lessons with all options.
MakesYouFluent reviews are all really positive, especially regarding the AI tutor. Users comment on the app’s stress-free environment and praise features like instant feedback and conversational practice.
Pros:
- AI tutor with 24/7 availability
- Instant feedback
- Conversational practice
- Personalized learning paths
Cons:
- Lack of human interaction
2. Pimsleur- The Best App For Audio Learning
Paul Pimsleur, a French-American linguist developed a language-learning method of listening to native conversations for 30 minutes a day to help you learn it.
You can listen to the app on the go, making it very accessible. Whether you’re walking your dog or driving to work, the conversational audio is designed to reach your brain.
There are many positive reviews of the Pimsleur learning program, with users expressing how effective the method is. People also state that the app helps with their verbal skills, as they can hear the conversational language as they go about their days.
Pros:
- Great for audio learners
- Helps with pronunciation
- On-the-go learning
Cons:
- Less focus on reading and writing
3. Babbel- The Best For Interactive Lessons
The popular French learning app Babbel offers people a unique and structured learning experience. It’s a great option for learning French, as you can set weekly goals for yourself, which helps with motivation.
It also has a speech-recognition feature. This is great for practicing pronunciation and getting real-time feedback.
Babble requires a sign up for a six-month, twelve-month, or lifetime subscription. The first lesson on each course is free, so you can try it out before you commit.
Babbel has great reviews online, with most reviews being five stars on TrustPilot. Users love how easy the app is to use and how it provides a great foundation of background knowledge.
Pros:
- Courses are structured
- Easy to use
- Speech-recognition feature
Cons:
- A subscription is required for full experience
4. Duolingo- The Best For a Gamified Approach
Duolingo is well-known for its gamified approach. The app uses leaderboards and quests to make the process fun and give users aims to work towards and challenges to complete.
The gamified approach is great. Learners can enjoy the easy-to-use interface and the fun lessons. The leaderboard is ideal, too, as it offers a sense of satisfaction and achievement when you succeed.
If you want to use the app for free, you can! Just expect ads. However, you can sign up for Super Duolingo to access more features and use it ad-free. You can try this out for two weeks before you pay.
Users post positively online about the app. There appears to be an overarching consensus that the variety of content and lighthearted approach are extremely effective for learning.
Pros:
- Gamified approach for fun learning
- Bitesize lessons
- Free option available (with ads)
Cons:
- Not great for advanced learners
5. Rosetta Stone - The Best App For Immersive Learning
Rosetta Stone is a language-learning app that believes in immersive learning. They offer a great selection of languages, including French. The immersive approach encourages users to dive straight into the French language, as no translations are available when navigating the site.
Rosetta Stone offers users the option of speaking with a live coach to practice native speaking. This adds to the immersive approach and is great as you can get instant feedback from an expert.
The app’s user reviews are highly positive, which is very reassuring if you’re thinking of trying it. Users find the immersive approach helpful and enjoy how the app builds knowledge over time with sounds and images.
Once you’ve had the first free session, you need to pay for the subscription to use Rosetta Stone.
Pros:
- Immersive learning approach
- Suitable for all levels
- Instant feedback
Cons:
- Subscription is required
6. Busuu- The Best App For Community-Based Learning
One of the best apps to learn French is Busuu which is very goal-oriented, effective for motivation and offers the convenience of flexible learning.
Busuu lets you talk to native speakers from across the world and practice your conversational skills. This is a very popular feature, as it adds an exciting, sociable element to the language-learning process.
There is both a free version and a premium version that you can use. With the premium version, you can access grammar lessons, take quizzes, speak and write with native speakers, and more.
Busuu has got excellent reviews online. Many users have taken to popular platforms like TrustPilot to share their positive and successful experiences. A lot of reviews state how effective the app is for beginners, which is useful to know if you’re just starting out.
Pros:
- Community-based learning and social element
- Feedback from native speakers
- Interesting lessons
Cons:
- Limited options with the free version
7. HelloTalk- The Best App For Conversation Practice
HelloTalk is one of the best apps for learning French. This app connects you with real-life French speakers to enhance your skills in all aspects. The community actually consists of over 300 million people, so you can get a taste of just how popular it is!
The app is unique as it works as an exchange between you and the other person. You can also choose to communicate through video calls, voice calls, voice recordings, or direct messages.
With HelloTalk, you can use the free version, which gives you access to many of the features, but you will get ads. However, you can choose a subscription, ad-free version instead.
Users who have first-hand experience using the app commend it for its unique approach. They express their fondness for the community and how engaging it is to use an app with actual native speakers.
Pros:
- Unique approach to language learning
- Real-life conversation practice
- Engaging way of learning new skills
Cons:
- Not very structured learning
8. MosaLingua- The Best App For Repetition
MosaLingua uses the spaced repetition technique with flashcards and activities to help support you learn particular phrases.
One of the features that makes this app stand out is the AI tutor. The MosaChat-AI feature is available 24/7 and lets you practice your conversational skills in French.
MosaLingua offers users a free trial, but it requires a yearly subscription. Furthermore, the AI tutor is free for the first 300 minutes if you have the premium version.
It’s safe to say that the MosaLingua reviews are highly positive. Users are thrilled with their progress and express their appreciation of the repetitive flashcard method.
Pros:
- Spaced repetition theory
- AI tutor with 24/7 availability
- Different courses available
Cons:
- A subscription is required for premium features
9. Memrise- The Best App For Memory
Memrise is an app that teaches users how to make connections with words and phrases. The memory-based approach uses flashcards to promote repetition and fun. It also helps users create links between their learning and real-life scenarios, using audio and images to solidify their learning.
The app has the feature “Learn with Locals,” which lets you watch videos of native speakers talking.
On the app, you can use either the free or paid plan, and the features differ. If you decide to pay for the premium version, you can access all of the learning features and use it ad-free.
There are plenty of positive reviews of the language learning app, and many people seem to especially enjoy the opportunity to speak to the locals. Furthermore, the user-friendly design seems popular, too, which is always ideal when using apps.
Pros:
- Native speakers
- User-friendly design
- Repetition technique
Cons:
- Less grammar help
10. Yabla- The Best App For Video Learning
Yabla uses videos for an immersive experience. You can watch videos of native speakers and enjoy the exercises alongside them.
The video learning feature is what stands out the most on Yabla. It’s great for visual learners and is a very engaging way of learning something new. With interactive videos, you get the experience of listening to native speakers talk.
If you’re not sure about committing to the app, you can opt for a 15-day free trial. Once that expires, you will be required to pay the subscription.
Surrounding the app are many positive reviews from users who enjoy the short and snappy videos and find them useful for their learning. Furthermore, a lot of the users commend the app for its fun games and exercises.
Pros:
- Immersive learning experience
- Engaging bite-sized videos
- Real-life conversations
Cons:
- Subscription is required
There you have it! Give these apps a try if you’re ready to learn French from scratch or brush up on your skills before a vacation. If you’re able to pay for a subscription, you’ll likely get access to many features that can aid your learning. However, if you would prefer a free French language learning app, you can dive into that, too.
What Are the Best Free French Language Learning Apps?
If you’re eager to learn French but not as eager to pay, there are some free options available. Here are some ideas for the best free app to learn French:
English
- Duolingo
- Busuu
- Memrise
- Tandem
- Français Authentique (YouTube videos and app)
- Brainscape (only the first level is free)
You can use free French apps to help with the basics of the language. But a paid app is better if you want a more structured and professional approach.
One of the main reasons for this is that free apps are often filled with adverts. They also often have restricted content and limited features, which is not great if you’re aiming for fluency. If you want good value for money, a paid app helps with motivation, too.
Free apps are a great way to get started, but the best results are obtained by avoiding them and paying for a subscription.
French Language Learning Apps to Avoid
While many great learning French apps have so many features to help you, there are some to steer clear of. Therefore, it’s essential to explore all of the options.
Here are some learning French apps to avoid and why:
Tandem: Tandem is a language-learning app that works by connecting people who want to learn a new language.
However, there are negative reviews surrounding the app due to the other users. There’s no structure to your learning process, and you only get out of it what the other person puts in. This is a bit of a risk, and the lack of structure is not ideal when trying to become fluent.
Rocket Languages: This app is known to be slow and glitches regularly, which isn’t helpful for consistency.
Google Translate: We suggest staying away from this as it’s not 100% accurate and isn’t designed to offer structured learning. It works well for the odd word, but it’s not recommended if you’re actually trying to learn.
These language-learning apps have the worst reputation for helping people learn a new language. We’ve tried and tested each app out and found these to be the least useful.
How We Tested and Reviewed the Best Apps to Learn French
In order to create the list of the ten best learning apps, we tried them out ourselves using criteria to ensure our recommendations were as useful as possible.
The criteria for the best French learning apps were as follows:
- The features of the app. We specifically wanted apps with progress-tracking features, bite-sized lessons, community features, and AI tutors or native speakers.
- Pricing and value. We had to make sure each app was worth what it was charging for a subscription or premium membership.
- User experience reviews. Exploring user reviews was vital in order to create a general opinion.
- Accessibility on iPhones and Androids
We followed a process in order to create a reliable list of the best language-learning apps. Here’s how the process went:
First and foremost, we identified the app’s feature, as this is what will ensure you learn French effectively. We downloaded the apps ourselves and began using each one. We wanted to make sure that the features were helpful and that you’d get the most out of your experience.
We made sure each app could be downloaded to IOS and Android and spent some time ensuring that every app was easy to use and not glitchy. This would have a huge impact on people’s progress, so we made sure to check each one!
The second step was exploring the different pricing options and the value of the features offered. We took time comparing different apps and their pricing in order to find ones that users can get the most out of.
Then, it was time for some external research to find reviews for each app. Finding out what other users were saying about the apps was absolutely vital to our process. We looked online at different reviews, analyzing both positive and negative ones, and used our findings to work out the overall feel of current or past users.
Once we’d made sure each app fit our checklist, we felt in a very confident position to rate the different apps and compile a list of the top 10. Once you choose the right app for yourself, you’ll get the most out of the experience.
How to Choose a French Language Learning App?
Looking for the best French language app? You’ll want the app that suits you and your preferences the most. There are some key factors to keep in mind when picking one to begin your process, and you can use these as criteria when choosing one.
Here are some factors to think about:
- Consistency: Consistency is super important for developing your skills. Try finding an app that promotes this by encouraging you to keep up with your learning by sending you reminders or even rewards.
- Engaging and interactive lessons: If the lessons on the app do not engage you, you probably won’t make much progress. Make sure you choose an app with fun, bite-sized features to keep you as engaged as possible.
- Progressive training: You don’t want to sign up for an app if you’re not going to progress. Look out for apps that let you widen your knowledge by expanding your skillset and providing you with a range of complex topics.
- Ease-of-use: If an app is really hard to use, you’ll likely lose interest fast. However, if the app itself is easy to use, you’ll probably feel a lot more invested!
Keep these factors in mind when choosing the right app for you. Of course, all situations are different, and that can come into play here.
Here are some scenarios and use cases to think about:
Choosing an App as a Beginner.
As a beginner, it’s essential to be as engaged as possible, as you’ll want to try and make it a habit. If you want to become fluent, you need to build solid foundations and understand the basics of grammar and some key vocabulary.
Choosing an App for a Child.
When choosing an app for a child, try and find an app with a gamified approach. This is great for keeping them invested, as they’ll actually enjoy using it. Try to find apps specifically for children, as they’ll likely have built-in features that will engage them as much as possible.
Choosing an App as a Traveler.
Are you traveling to France? If so, you might want to choose an app that focuses on conversational skills, pronunciation, and listening. Plus, you’ll probably find an app that teaches you very useful key phrases. Look out for apps that you can use offline, too!
Choosing an App as an Advanced Learner
If you already know the basics, look for an app that offers progressive training and more complex learning. Choose an app that goes for the immersive experience, as this will heighten your skills even more.
Choosing an App for Professional Reasons
Are you moving to France for work? Or is there an important French person visiting your company? Some apps cater to professional scenarios, so try to be as specific as possible when you’re looking and find one that has business/professional vocabulary.
Once you’ve chosen the right one, you’ll be on your path to fluency in no time!
How Long Does it Take to Learn French Using an App?
The question we all want to know is how long it will actually take to learn French with an app. Here is a rough timeline based on how often you practice:
Basic vocabulary and phrases: This will take you about 3 months if you practice for 30 minutes every day. In 3 months, you’ll be able to understand and say some basic words and phrases. The foundations are laid!
Basic conversation skills: If you practice for 30 minutes a day for a further 3 months, you will develop some basic conversation skills. You might be able to order food in a French restaurant or ask for directions; it’s always useful to know!
Intermediate level: Practicing for an hour a day for 6 months can get you to an intermediate level. At this stage, you’ll probably have a better understanding of grammar, and your conversations will be more detailed.
Advanced level: Practicing your French for 1-2 hours for 12-18 months will propel you towards being fluent. You’ll be able to understand native speakers, and they’ll be able to understand you. You’ll also know complex grammar, phrases, expressions, and conversational phrases.
Fluency level: If you practice for 2 hours a day, you could become fluent in 2 years. At this level, you’ll basically be an expert! You’ll understand French in different contexts and be able to effortlessly converse with native speakers. By continuously practicing, you can reach this level, overcome any challenges, and enrich your confidence in the French language.
How to Overcome French Language Learning Challenges
Learning a new language comes with its challenges, and it’s not always an easy road. Here are some common challenges and ways an app can help you overcome them:
- Motivation. Consistency and motivation are key. To stay consistent, you need to stay as motivated as possible. If an app has bite-sized lessons or uses a gamified approach, it can help you stay engaged and motivated when learning. If an app has a built-in progress tracker, this is great, as it’ll inspire and encourage you to keep going.
- Pronunciation. This is hard to get the hang of, especially for certain words. Apps that use videos of native speakers or have built-in speech recognition can help you work through this issue and nail the pronunciation.
- Grammar issues. Grammar is quite confusing at times, and it’s often an element that beginners struggle with. Find an app that offers grammar lessons and immediate feedback so you can see where you’re going wrong. Interactive exercises can also help with this, as you can actively work on your skills.
By using an app to help you overcome these challenges, you can become fluent and master the French language!
Can You Become Fluent in French Using Apps Alone?
Developing your French skills using apps is a rewarding and inspiring experience. Relying on apps’ accessibility and using their features to your advantage is a great way to lay solid foundations and gain confidence in a new language.
Language learning apps are specifically designed to teach you a whole range of skills in an engaging and fun way. With that being said, in order to become fully fluent, real-life practice is the key to success.
Real-life practice will target all aspects of learning the language, and it’ll work wonders for boosting your confidence. By combining apps with real-life practice, your confidence will soar, and your French skills will grow.
Apps are great for laying solid foundations, and without this, you’ll struggle to become fluent even with real-life practice.