Best for
- LingQ free users reaching saved-term or import limits
- Readers comparing a flexible monthly start with lower prepaid equivalents
- Input-led learners calculating the cost of an established weekly routine
Watch for
- The observed web checkout used USD; regional and store offers can differ
- Annual and 24-month options charge the full term upfront
- The published 30-day refund window applies to first-time Premium purchases
Documented shortlist
Affiliate disclosure. Links to LingQ 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
DocumentedA 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
Documented product record
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.
| Criterion | LingQ |
|---|---|
| Learning format | reading, listening, vocabulary, structure |
| Languages | More than 50 languages; the verified selector contained 52 |
| Level context | All levels are marketed; the open content model is often easiest after the earliest beginner stage |
| Access model | Permanent free tier |
| Free access / trial | Free account with audio and transcripts, up to 20 saved terms, five imported lessons and one playlist |
| 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 |
| Pricing checked | Sep 13, 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 |
| Platforms | Web, iOS and Android; offline access is a Premium feature |
What the free account currently allows
LingQ's free account includes access to audio and transcripts, with limits of 20 saved terms, five imported lessons and one playlist. Those limits allow a real workflow test, but they are restrictive for sustained vocabulary capture or a large personal content queue.
Before paying, complete several text-and-audio sessions and import material you genuinely intend to use. Upgrade because a known limit blocks that routine—not because the library size sounds impressive.
Verified USD checkout snapshot
The USD web checkout checked on 9 September 2026 listed Premium at $14.99 for one month, $119.99 for 12 months and $215.76 for 24 months. The prepaid equivalents are about $10.00 and $8.99 a month; the full term is charged upfront.
These are not universal prices. Recheck the live checkout for currency, tax, term and purchase channel before relying on the snapshot.
Premium Plus is a separate feature decision
The same USD page lists Premium Plus at $29.99 monthly or $269.99 for 12 months. Its advertised additions include more audio transcription, AI voices, advanced chat and simplified lessons. Treat these as a different tier rather than confusing its price with Premium.
Choose the less expensive tier when the core reading, listening and saved-word workflow is all you need. A Plus feature should have a defined recurring task before it increases the yearly commitment. Neither tier purchases a guaranteed level or a personal language teacher.
Monthly flexibility versus prepaid savings
The monthly plan costs more per month but reduces the cost of discovering that the open, self-directed format is a poor fit. An annual or 24-month term makes more sense only after the workflow has survived normal and disrupted weeks.
Include opportunity cost in the comparison: paying less per month is not a saving if the import queue, saved vocabulary and listening routine go unused.
Refund and renewal boundaries
LingQ publishes a 30-day refund window for a first-time Premium purchase. Its terms describe later charges as generally non-refundable, so an existing subscriber should not assume every renewal starts a new guarantee.
This is not a repeating 30-day trial. The terms separately say recurring service is billed in advance and do not promise credits for partial or unused months. Record the first-purchase date, next billing date and applicable request route; no refund was requested or approved for this guide.
Separate a plan cancellation from deleting the account
LingQ's own public wording is not fully aligned. The pricing FAQ says the Account-page ‘Cancel your account’ action cancels immediately and deletes all data. The Terms instead describe cancelling Premium by using Settings and Change Plan to downgrade to Free, with the change effective at the end of the paid billing period; the Terms also warn that content is deleted at that point. Do not treat these labels as interchangeable or assume saved learning data will remain.
Before acting, identify the outcome you want: stop the next renewal, move to Free, or delete the entire account. Read the confirmation screen, save any learning records or imported material you are entitled to retain, and capture the displayed effective date. If the screen does not clearly match the intended outcome, use LingQ's official support address shown on the pricing page before confirming.
Use the receipt to find who manages renewal
A subscription used in the LingQ app may still be billed by LingQ, Apple or Google. The receipt identifies the billing provider. For a direct web purchase, follow the current LingQ account controls. For an App Store or Google Play purchase, manage the subscription in the purchasing store account and keep its confirmation; LingQ's web-account wording is not proof that a store-billed renewal has stopped.
Apple directs users to Settings → name → Subscriptions on iPhone. Google Play directs users to the subscription in the purchasing Google Account and explicitly says uninstalling an app does not cancel its subscription. These are platform instructions, not a claim that every LingQ buyer used that channel.
- Find the original receipt and billing provider
- Check the next charge and the plan name before changing anything
- Complete the cancellation with that provider
- Save the confirmation and verify the displayed end date
Convert the upfront price into cost per completed input hour
The official price page gives monthly equivalents, but the useful denominator is the routine you actually complete. Divide the full upfront charge by the realistic number of listening-and-reading hours planned for that term. A $119.99 annual charge over a hypothetical 100 completed hours is about $1.20 per completed hour; this is arithmetic, not a forecast of use or learning results.
Run the Listening Input Calculator with an ordinary week and planned breaks before choosing twelve or twenty-four months. If the resulting schedule is speculative, the higher monthly price can still create a smaller total loss. If the free limits interrupt a routine that has already survived several weeks, prepayment has stronger evidence behind it.
When LingQ is not worth paying for
Do not subscribe when you want a mandatory linear curriculum, when early beginner material remains too open, or when free browser, ebook and audio tools already support the exact content without harmful friction.
Use the monthly option or choose neither plan while testing. The lower 24-month equivalent should not override a mismatch between the product's core input method and the way you actually study.
Test the time commitment before the billing commitment
Use an ordinary week and realistic breaks to estimate the reading-and-listening time the plan would support. If video context might fit the same time better, compare the two input workflows before paying for a longer term.
Decision criteria
Primary sources
Material claims link to primary or authoritative sources. A link is not an endorsement.
- LingQ — official signup and pricing
- LingQ — official Free versus Premium feature matrix
- LingQ — how the platform works
- LingQ — subscription terms
- Apple — cancel a subscription billed by Apple
- Google Play — cancellation and uninstalling are different
- LingQ: Official pricing
- LingQ: How LingQ works
- LingQ: Subscription terms