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Best French Learning Apps

1. Vocaber

A minimalist flashcard app made for serious learners who want to grow their French vocabulary without distractions. It’s based on solid language acquisition theory (Krashen, if you’re familiar), and it skips the games in favor of efficiency. Best for advanced beginners or intermediate learners.

Pros:

  • Focus on the words you don’t know
  • Reduces decision fatigue
  • Sentence-based dynamic flashcards give context
  • Uses spaced repetition to help you actually remember
  • No gamification, no fluff, straight to the vocab
  • No hand-holding, go at your own pace
  • Adjusts to your current level automatically

Cons:

2. Duolingo

You’ve probably heard of this one. It’s free, colorful, and a good starting point for beginners. That said, it’s heavy on repetition and light on depth. Best for dipping your toes in.

Pros:

  • Free (with a paid upgrade if you want it)
  • Gamified design makes it easy to keep showing up
  • Covers reading, writing, listening, and speaking
  • Active community, regular updates

Cons:

  • Gets repetitive fast
  • Prioritizes streaks and XP over real mastery
  • Not great once you’re past the basics

3. Babbel

Babbel focuses on everyday conversations and practical grammar. It’s structured and easy to follow, with lessons that feel more like a language class than a game.

Pros:

  • Conversational focus with useful phrases
  • Grammar is explained clearly
  • Includes speech recognition for pronunciation

Cons:

  • Subscription required
  • Vocabulary coverage isn’t as deep as other apps

4. Rosetta Stone

An immersion-style app with no translations — just pictures, sounds, and French. Good if you want to learn like a child again, not so good if you like knowing why things work.

Pros:

  • Immersive, no-translation method
  • Polished interface and clear structure
  • Strong pronunciation tools

Cons:

  • More expensive than many other options
  • Minimal grammar explanations

5. Busuu

Busuu blends app-based learning with community corrections from native speakers. If you like structured lessons with some human interaction, this one might be a good fit.

Pros:

  • Native speakers can correct your writing
  • Personalized review sessions
  • Covers both grammar and vocabulary

Cons:

  • Free content is limited
  • Interface feels a bit clunky at times

6. LingQ

If you prefer learning by reading and listening to real French — articles, podcasts, interviews — this is worth checking out. You’ll learn vocabulary in context, not in isolation.

Pros:

  • Huge library of real-world content
  • Tracks vocab across everything you read/listen to
  • You can choose topics that actually interest you

Cons:

  • Interface is busy and takes getting used to
  • Not ideal for total beginners

7. Memrise

A vocabulary-focused app that uses spaced repetition and native-speaker videos. It’s a middle ground between serious study and light practice.

Pros:

  • Spaced repetition helps things stick
  • Short videos of native speakers are a nice touch
  • Good for fitting in casual practice

Cons:

  • Grammar is almost nonexistent
  • Free version is limited

8. Pimsleur

An audio-only app that teaches French through guided conversations. If you’re always on the move or don’t want to stare at a screen, this one’s solid.

Pros:

  • Hands-free, audio-based
  • Great for improving pronunciation and listening
  • Easy to fit into daily life (commutes, chores)

Cons:

  • It’s pricey
  • Doesn’t cover reading or grammar

9. MosaLingua

Practical vocab, spaced repetition, and audio dialogues. It’s not the prettiest app, but it’s efficient and focused on usefulness.

Pros:

  • Customizable learning paths
  • Includes cultural tips and practical language
  • Offline access

Cons:

  • Outdated design
  • Takes a bit of time to set up and adjust

10. Drops

If you like visuals and short sessions, Drops might be up your alley. It teaches vocabulary with fast-paced swiping and images — just don’t expect grammar or full sentences.

Pros:

  • Visually engaging
  • Designed for quick sessions (5 minutes)
  • Good for daily vocabulary bursts

Cons:

  • Doesn’t go beyond vocab
  • No grammar or sentence structure

11. HelloTalk

A language exchange app that connects you with real people — you teach them your language, they help with French. Great for conversational practice, but it’s unstructured.

Pros:

  • Real conversations with native speakers
  • Built-in correction tools
  • Includes voice, text, and video

Cons:

  • Quality of interaction varies
  • Not organized like a course — you’re on your own

12. Anki

A powerful, no-frills flashcard app with spaced repetition. Not flashy, not beginner-friendly, but incredibly effective if you’re disciplined. Check out our French Anki Decks, too.

Pros:

  • Fully customizable
  • Based on proven memory science
  • Lots of free user-made decks
  • Free on desktop

Cons:

  • Not specialized for language learning
  • Steep learning curve
  • Basic interface
  • Paid version on iOS