The Best Apps for Learning English (And What Actually Works)

Look, you've probably already downloaded three or four apps for learning English. Maybe you're still using one. Maybe you've given up on all of them. Either way, you're here because something isn't clicking—and you want to learn English in a way that actually sticks.

Here's the thing: language learning apps aren't bad. They're just... limited in ways that nobody really talks about.

I spent a lot of time digging through actual research on the best language learning apps—not marketing claims, but peer-reviewed studies from universities and legitimate educational journals. And what I found might change how you think about your entire English learning journey.

What the research says about language learning apps

Let's get the uncomfortable truth out of the way first.

Every major study on English learning apps comes to the same conclusion: no single learning app delivers fluency. The researchers at Michigan State, Yale, City University of New York—all of them. They're pretty clear about this.

That doesn't mean apps can't help you learn English. A 2024 study published in CALICO Journal found that English learners who completed A2-level content scored Intermediate High on standardized tests. Another study from Yale showed measurable oral proficiency improvements after three months of consistent app use.

But here's what they also found: most language learning apps top out around B2 level on the CEFR scale. That's upper-intermediate. Solid, sure, but nowhere near what you need to speak English fluently with native speakers.

And the research consistently points out that vocabulary, reading and listening get the most attention in these apps. Speaking practice? That's where things get shaky. A meta-analysis from 2022 noted that only about half of the studies on mobile language learning even lasted longer than 8 weeks—and most focused on everything except helping learners speak the language.

Duolingo and the gamification trap

You know that dopamine hit when you finish a language lesson and the app congratulates you with confetti and a streak counter? That's not an accident.

Duolingo has over 100 million monthly active users and holds roughly 90% of the active user market share. Ninety percent. And a big reason for that is gamification—the points, the streaks, the little cartoon characters cheering you on. Super Duolingo (the premium version) removes ads, but the free version of this app is what most people use.

There's nothing wrong with making learning a new language fun. But here's what I've noticed: a lot of people end up optimizing for the game instead of actually learning languages.

You're not trying to get a 365-day streak. You're trying to actually understand English conversation when someone speaks to you at normal speed. Those are very different learning goals.

Like Duolingo, most freemium apps use similar tactics. The free app hooks you in, then the app offers premium features for a subscription. Nothing wrong with that business model—but don't confuse completing lessons with building real English skills.

The best apps to learn English for vocabulary

Let me be clear about what language learning apps actually do well: vocabulary and grammar drills.

The research is pretty solid on spaced repetition. The intervals matter. Memrise uses spacing of 4 hours, then 12 hours, then 24 hours, then 6 days, then 12 days, and so on. The principle is the same across most apps—reviewing new words at increasing intervals helps you actually remember them.

We've written about how spaced repetition works for language learning before, and the science behind it is solid. A 2023 study found retention rates of 85.2% for learners using spaced repetition compared to 72.1% for traditional methods.

Memrise specifically focuses on vocabulary acquisition with videos of native speakers pronouncing words. That's genuinely useful for English pronunciation and learning to hear native speakers in context.

But here's the catch: most apps only use spaced repetition for isolated vocabulary. They drill you on English words in isolation or simple sentences. That's fine for building a word bank, but it doesn't prepare you for real-life English.

If you want to learn English effectively, vocabulary and grammar alone won't cut it.

Apps for English pronunciation and speaking

Several English learning apps have tried to solve the speaking problem.

ELSA Speak focuses specifically on English pronunciation, using AI to analyze your accent and give feedback. For learners who want to work on sounding more like native English speakers, it's one of the best apps in that narrow category.

Rosetta Stone uses something called "Dynamic Immersion"—no translation, just images and context. Their TruAccent speech recognition gives pronunciation feedback, and research shows it works reasonably well for English learners in K-12 settings.

Some apps offer English tutors online or connect you with a tutor for live practice. That's genuinely useful—there's no substitute for speaking with a real English speaker. But paying for an English tutor every time you want to practice speaking gets expensive fast.

The honest truth? A 2020 study from Michigan State found that among learners who used one popular app for 15+ hours, 75% improved at least one proficiency sublevel. That's decent progress. But "one sublevel" after 15 hours of study isn't exactly rapid improvement.

Why the best language learning apps still fall short

Here's something the research mentions but doesn't emphasize enough: authentic content matters for building real language skills.

ACTFL—the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages—specifically lists learning with authentic content as a guiding principle. Their reasoning? When you learn from content that interests you, you stay engaged longer and develop better English proficiency. Makes sense.

But most language learning apps use scripted language lessons. Clean audio. Slow speech. Perfect English grammar.

That's the opposite of what you'll encounter in real-life English. Watch any show and you'll hear:

You can complete every lesson in an English learning app and still freeze up when a native speaker talks to you at normal speed. That's not a failure on your part—it's a gap in how you've been learning.

The practice speaking problem

A few apps have tried to solve this with AI chatbots and speech recognition. And to be fair, some of the research shows these app features help with English pronunciation.

But there's a difference between pronouncing English words correctly in a controlled environment and actually having an English conversation.

One study found that speech recognition provides valuable pronunciation feedback but requires accuracy verification. Translation: sometimes it doesn't catch your mistakes. And more importantly, talking to a chatbot doesn't replicate the pressure and unpredictability of real conversation with English speakers.

Some platforms offer community feedback where native speakers correct your writing and speaking exercises. That's genuinely useful—real humans catching real mistakes. But it's still not the same as immersion in the language you're learning.

What I'd actually recommend to learn English

Look, if you're at the absolute beginner stage and want to learn a language from scratch, apps can help you learn the basics of a new language. Building a solid foundation in English—basic vocabulary, understanding simple sentence structures, getting familiar with how English sounds—apps do that reasonably well as a way to start learning English.

The app store is full of options. Most are available for free (at least the basic version). If you're looking to learn and want a structured way to start learning, downloading a language learning application isn't a bad first step.

But if you want to get past intermediate and actually master English, you need real content.

That means TV shows, movies, YouTube videos, podcasts—whatever you're actually interested in. The research supports this, and honestly, it's just common sense. You learn to understand fast, natural speech by... listening to fast, natural speech and learning to speak English the way native English speakers actually talk.

The challenge is that jumping into native content too early can be overwhelming. You're constantly pausing, looking up words in a dictionary, losing track of the plot. It feels more like work than learning. That's why so many language learners get stuck—the best English learning happens through immersion, but immersion is hard without the right tools.

How Migaku handles what apps can't

Migaku is built around immersion learning—the idea that you should learn from real content, not textbook dialogues. It's a different approach than most language learning apps offer.

The browser extension lets you watch anything on Netflix, YouTube, or any video with subtitles and instantly look up words you don't know. Click a word, see the definition (no separate dictionary app needed), hear the pronunciation, and add it to your flashcard deck automatically. You're building vocabulary from context, not from isolated word lists—and you're learning to hear native speakers in real conversations.

And because everything syncs to your phone, you can review those words anywhere. Spaced repetition handles the scheduling, so you're not wasting time on words you already know. The app also tracks what you've learned across all your content.

The difference is you're learning English from content you actually care about. Not scripted language lessons about ordering coffee—real shows, real conversations, real language. Whether you're learning beyond English into Japanese, Korean, Chinese, or you want to learn Spanish, the approach is the same.

If you've been stuck in the app loop for a while—making progress on paper but still struggling to understand native speakers—this might be worth trying. There's a 10-day free trial, no commitment. You don't need to keep using the app if it's not for you.

One more thing. If you're curious about whether Anki is good for language learning or want to understand the different stages of language learning, we've covered those too. Might help you figure out where you are in your learning style and what you actually need to reach your goals.