Language-learning app pricing compared

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

Comparison of permanent free tiers, sample lessons, card-required trials, refund guarantees and paid access — ‘Free’ can describe five materially different commitment models. The checkout—not a monthly-equivalent headline—settles the price.

Documented shortlist

Affiliate disclosure. Links to LingQ, LingoPie and Preply in this decision area are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you buy through them. This does not affect our recommendations. How we fund the Lab

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

Check LingQ plans Read evidence review

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

Check LingoPie plans Read evidence review

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

Check Babbel plans Standard link · no affiliate trackingRead evidence review

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

Check Busuu plans Standard link · no affiliate trackingRead evidence review

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

Check Pimsleur plans Standard link · no affiliate trackingRead evidence review

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

Check Rosetta Stone plans Standard link · no affiliate trackingRead evidence review

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

Check Mondly plans Standard link · no affiliate trackingRead evidence review

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

Check italki plans Standard link · no affiliate trackingRead evidence review

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

See Preply options Read evidence review

Evidence desk

Side-by-side evidence

Product facts use the documented vendor records; pricing has its own verification date below. Regional offers may change.

Scroll across to compare product details. Prices and billing terms should be confirmed on the official site.

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	More than 50 languages; the verified selector contained 52	17 published target languages; catalogue availability can vary by interface language and region	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	The current public catalogue exposed 40 named language categories
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
Access model	Permanent free tier	Time-limited trial	Free sample	Permanent free tier	Time-limited trial	Money-back guarantee	Permanent free tier	Paid access	Paid access
Free access / trial	Free account with audio and transcripts, up to 20 saved terms, five imported lessons and one playlist	Eligible web and US iOS card purchases have a seven-day trial; the monthly mobile plan has no trial	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	Registration is free; private lessons are paid; verify introductory offers with the selected tutor	No free live plan; the 25- or 50-minute trial lesson is paid
Pricing context	USD web Premium snapshot: $14.99 monthly, $119.99 for 12 months or $215.76 for 24 months; terms are prepaid and locale/channel can change the offer	No universal numeric quote: check the current regional checkout for term, language access, full charge, trial eligibility and renewal	No stable universal public number; price varies by location, term, promotion and direct, Apple, Google or partner purchase channel	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	An official Mondly comparison page displayed $14.90 per month on 7 September 2026; checkout and promotions can differ	Lesson prices depend on tutor, duration and offer; optional digital memberships are separate purchases	Tutor-set and localized pricing; each tutor has a separate minimum four-lesson subscription cycle
Pricing checked	Sep 13, 2026	Sep 9, 2026	Sep 3, 2026	Sep 3, 2026	Sep 3, 2026	Sep 9, 2026	Sep 7, 2026	Sep 7, 2026	Sep 3, 2026
Billing / renewal context	Recurring prepaid plans; first-time Premium purchases have a published 30-day refund window, while later charges are generally non-refundable	The seven-day trial auto-renews; current-month and post-trial annual charges are described as non-refundable	Cancel through the original purchase channel before its stated renewal deadline; regional withdrawal and refund rights differ	One- to 12-month terms are paid upfront and auto-renew; the first Premium payment has a published 14-day guarantee, excluding renewals	Single-language, All Access and lifetime options vary; direct subscription availability is limited by country and store terms can differ	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	Tutor-specific subscriptions renew every 28 days; cancel at least 24 hours before billing and review current lesson-expiry rules
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

Separate five access models

A permanent free tier continues with feature limits. A sample exposes a lesson or unit. A timed trial grants broader access and may require a card. A money-back guarantee charges first and offers a refund path. Tutor marketplaces sell variable live time.

These models create different risk and cannot be combined into one ‘has a free option’ column.

Show the invoice beside the monthly equivalent

An annual plan may advertise a low monthly equivalent while charging the full year upfront. Display both when a reliable public price exists.

Tax, exchange rate, regional pricing, app-store differences and promotions can change the amount. If the public vendor HTML does not expose a stable number, say so instead of copying a search snippet.

Check renewal and cancellation at the purchase channel

Direct web subscriptions, Apple and Google purchases can follow different management and refund routes. Record the channel, renewal date and cancellation path as part of the decision.

A trial should be evaluated against the tasks you can complete before it ends—not simply the number of days advertised.

Price the smallest complete system

One paid product plus free public media or a free review tool may be more complete than two overlapping subscriptions. A tutor budget should be compared with actual recurring lesson frequency, not the lowest visible profile price.

Dedicated pricing pages preserve one canonical owner for each brand's cost, subscription and ‘worth it’ price questions. They should be refreshed rather than duplicated with year-swapped URLs.

Decision criteria

01Amount charged today

02Billing period

03Effective monthly cost

04Access model

05Renewal and cancellation

06Locale and purchase channel

Primary sources

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