Best Apps to Learn English in 2026

Duolingo is famous for streaks, rewards and short lessons, and that gamification is genuinely useful for beginners who struggle to study every day. Lessons mix vocabulary, listening and simple speaking, and the free tier covers a lot of core content, so you can start without paying. For a learner building a habit from zero, it is the easiest first step.

The limit appears at higher levels. Grammar explanations are thinner than in Babbel, and real conversation practice is limited, so advanced learners will outgrow it as a main tool. Paid Super removes ads and limits, but it does not turn Duolingo into a conversation course. Use it as a daily habit builder, then add speaking practice elsewhere.

Babbel feels more like a course than a game. Lessons are structured, grammar is explained rather than only drilled, and dialogues focus on practical situations such as travel, work and daily life. That structure suits learners who want to understand why a sentence works, not only memorise it, and who prefer a clear path from beginner to intermediate levels.

It is less playful than Duolingo, and some learners will miss streaks and rewards. Pricing varies by plan length, with monthly rates higher than longer plans, and only the first lesson of each course is free. For structured self study, Babbel is our top pick for English learners who want a textbook style path without a textbook.

Busuu combines structured courses with a community feature that sets it apart: native speakers can correct your writing and speaking exercises. That feedback makes mistakes visible in a way an automated check often does not, and it adds a social reason to keep practising. Courses are levelled by the Common European Framework, from beginner to upper intermediate, with a study plan based on your goal.

The free tier is limited, and Premium is needed for full content, offline lessons and certificates. Some lessons also feel repetitive over time. For a learner who wants structure plus real human corrections, Busuu is a strong middle option between Duolingo and a tutor.

Memrise is built for vocabulary that sticks. It uses spaced repetition, showing words again just before you are likely to forget them, and it pairs many words with short video clips of native speakers using them in context. That combination helps with listening and real world phrases, including slang and everyday expressions that textbook courses sometimes miss.

Grammar and structured conversation are weaker here, so Memrise works best as a supplement to Babbel, Busuu or a tutor, rather than as your only course. Pricing varies by platform and plan, so check the current price in your app store or on the vendor site. For fast vocabulary growth, it is a useful second app.

Rosetta Stone teaches by immersion: you learn words and sentences from images and context, without translating from your first language. That method suits learners who want to think in English early, and its TruAccent speech recognition gives feedback on pronunciation, which helps with accent and clarity. It is one of the longest running language brands, with a deep course library.

The pace can feel slow and repetitive, especially for learners who want quick grammar rules or business vocabulary. Pricing also varies by plan length, with monthly, longer term and lifetime options in some stores. For immersion and pronunciation focused learners, Rosetta Stone remains a solid, if traditional, choice.

Pimsleur is an audio course first, built around 30 minute lessons you can do while driving, walking or doing chores. It focuses on speaking and listening, with spaced repetition and prompts to answer out loud, which builds speaking confidence faster than tapping exercises. For commuters and busy learners, that hands free format is a real advantage.

Reading and writing practice are limited, so you will need another tool for those skills, and the monthly price is higher than Duolingo or Babbel. A free trial lets you test whether the audio style suits you. If speaking and listening are your priority, and you have commute time, Pimsleur is worth that premium.

italki is a marketplace for one to one lessons with native English tutors and professional teachers. You choose a tutor by price, availability, accent and reviews, book a trial lesson, and then pay per lesson rather than a fixed monthly subscription. That flexibility suits learners who want real conversation, exam preparation or business English tailored to their job.

There is no single fixed curriculum, so structure depends on the tutor you choose, and quality varies, which is why a low cost trial lesson matters. Hourly prices range widely, from a few dollars for community tutors to much higher rates for professional teachers. For speaking confidence and personal feedback, no app in this list replaces a good tutor.

ELSA Speak, short for English Language Speech Assistant, focuses on one skill: how you sound. Its speech recognition gives feedback on individual sounds, word stress and intonation, and it tracks progress over short daily sessions. That precision helps learners whose grammar is good but whose accent makes them hard to understand, or who need clear speech for work.

It is not a full English course, so you will still need vocabulary, grammar and conversation practice elsewhere. The free tier covers a limited number of lessons per day, and paid plans give access to full content. Pair ELSA with Babbel or a tutor, and use it as a daily pronunciation coach rather than a standalone course.