Pricing desk

Language-learning app pricing compared

Monthly equivalents can conceal a full annual invoice. This page keeps list price, invoice cadence, trial type and uncertainty visible.

No pay-to-rank scoringLast verified: Sep 3, 2026

Best for

Budget-conscious learners
Annual-plan buyers
People comparing free tiers and trials

Watch for

Promotions are volatile
Tax and exchange rates may apply
Tutor marketplaces do not have one fixed price

Documented shortlist

Affiliate availability and commission are not inputs. Every current destination is an ordinary merchant link.

LingQ

Documented

A self-directed reading and listening environment built around authentic content, saved words and imported material.

Best fit: Learners who want large amounts of reading and listening input

Watch: The open library is not a mandatory linear course

Official site Standard link · no active affiliation

LingoPie

Documented

A video-first platform using shows, films and short-form media with interactive subtitles and playback tools.

Best fit: Visual learners who stay engaged with series and films

Watch: It is not a conventional linear CEFR course

Official site Standard link · no active affiliation

Babbel

Documented

A structured lesson platform with short dialogues, grammar explanations, speaking practice and review.

Best fit: Learners who want a guided course rather than an open content library

Watch: Course depth is not equal across languages

Official site Standard link · no active affiliation

Busuu

Documented

A structured course platform with short lessons, study plans and corrections from a learner community.

Best fit: Learners who want a CEFR-oriented course sequence

Watch: Language coverage and level ceilings differ

Official site Standard link · no active affiliation

Pimsleur

Documented

An audio-first programme centred on recall, speaking and listening in roughly 30-minute lessons.

Best fit: Audio learners and commuters

Watch: Reading and writing are secondary to audio

Official site Standard link · no active affiliation

Rosetta Stone

Documented

A picture-and-audio immersion programme with pronunciation feedback and minimal reliance on translation.

Best fit: Visual beginners comfortable learning through context

Watch: Limited translation can frustrate learners who want explicit explanation

Official site Standard link · no active affiliation

Mondly

Documented

A broad language catalogue with short thematic lessons, daily challenges and speech-recognition activities.

Best fit: Beginners building a short daily habit

Watch: Advanced depth is not documented uniformly

Official site Standard link · no active affiliation

italki

Documented

A marketplace for one-to-one lessons with independent professional teachers and community tutors.

Best fit: Personalised conversation and feedback

Watch: Choosing a tutor requires comparison work

Official site Standard link · no active affiliation

Preply

Documented

A one-to-one tutor marketplace built around a paid trial lesson and recurring 28-day lesson subscriptions.

Best fit: Learners who want a regular one-to-one teacher

Watch: Unused unscheduled lesson balance can be affected at renewal

Official site Standard link · no active affiliation

Evidence desk

Side-by-side evidence

Facts below were checked against vendor sources on Sep 3, 2026. Regional offers may change.

Current public vendor information; no pay-to-rank score
Criterion	LingQ	LingoPie	Babbel	Busuu	Pimsleur	Rosetta Stone	Mondly	italki	Preply
Learning format	reading, listening, vocabulary, structure	video, listening, vocabulary, reading	structure, speaking, listening, vocabulary	structure, speaking, listening, vocabulary	listening, speaking, structure	structure, listening, speaking, vocabulary	vocabulary, speaking, listening, structure	tutoring, speaking, structure, listening	tutoring, speaking, structure, listening
Languages	50+ languages; Mini Stories are published across the catalogue	17 published target languages; availability can vary by interface language	13 target languages from English; course depth differs substantially by language	14 languages; the published course ceiling ranges from A2 to C1	51 languages; the number of levels varies by language	25 languages on current Sapphire plans	41 languages and many source-language combinations	150+ languages are advertised across the tutor marketplace	At least 24 language categories are published on the marketplace
Level context	All levels are marketed; the open content model is often easiest after the earliest beginner stage	Personalised level selection, without a published universal CEFR pathway	From beginner upward; the published ceiling ranges from A1 to C1 depending on language	Strongest where the chosen language has a complete A1–C1 path	Beginner through intermediate in the deepest courses; no universal CEFR equivalence is published	Beginner-focused; no universal consumer-course CEFR ceiling is published	Beginner to advanced is marketed, but level depth is not published consistently by language	Potentially A1–C2, depending on the selected tutor and lesson goal	Beginner through advanced, depending on tutor specialism
Free access / trial	Free account with tight limits on saved terms, imports and playlists	Seven-day direct-purchase trial; mobile stores and previews follow different rules	Registration and the first lesson of each course are free; no universal timed trial was confirmed	Basic course access, community feedback and basic progress tracking	Seven-day trial for eligible subscriptions, converting to paid access unless cancelled	No confirmed permanent free plan; direct plans advertise a 14-day money-back guarantee	Daily lessons and recurring challenges are available free	Community features are free; live lessons are paid and trial lessons are discounted, not free	No free live plan; the 25- or 50-minute trial lesson is paid
Pricing context	Premium was listed at €14.99 monthly, €119.99 annually, or €215.76 for 24 months; regional pricing may differ	A verified offer showed $41.97 for three months or $83.88 annually; checkout and regional offers can change	A US-facing offer showed $107.40 for 12 months ($8.95 monthly equivalent); the full term is paid upfront	Current numeric pricing was not reliably exposed in public vendor HTML; verify at checkout	All Access was listed at $20.95 per month after the free week	Sapphire was listed at $19.99 monthly or $159 annually for all languages	A verified offer showed $12.90 monthly, $30.96 quarterly or a promotional $61.92 annually	Tutors set their own rates; there is no universal subscription price	Tutor-set pricing; Spanish listings began around $3 per lesson with a displayed average near $17
Billing / renewal context	Plans renew automatically; direct subscriptions can be managed in account settings	A direct trial requires a card and converts to a paid plan unless cancelled	Pricing and promotions vary by location, term and sales channel	Plan price depends on platform, promotion, currency and billing term	Single-language and lifetime options vary by language and checkout	A money-back guarantee is not the same as a no-charge free trial	Regional and promotional pricing can change materially	Availability, price, schedule and lesson structure depend on the tutor	Subscriptions are tutor-specific and renew every 28 days
Platforms	Web, iOS and Android; offline access is a Premium feature	Web, iOS, Android and selected TV platforms; iOS supports limited offline downloads	Web, iOS and Android with synced progress	Web, iOS and Android; offline access requires Premium	Web, iOS and Android with hands-free and offline app use	Web, iOS, Android and macOS	Web, iOS and Android	Web, iOS and Android with video-classroom options	Web and mobile apps

Four kinds of ‘free’

A permanent free tier, a sample lesson, a card-required trial and a money-back guarantee create different risk. We label them separately.

Tutor pricing is a marketplace

italki and Preply tutors set rates. Displayed entry prices are not representative guarantees and should not be treated like subscription list prices.

Record the commitment

Before checkout, write down the charge today, renewal date and cancellation channel. Recheck after any app-store handoff.

Decision criteria

01Amount charged now

02Renewal interval

03Free access

04Trial type

05Cancellation route

06Regional variability

Primary sources

Material claims link to primary or authoritative sources. A link is not an endorsement.