Best Apps to Learn English in 2026
Busuu is the best app to learn English for most learners worldwide in 2026: its free plan includes the complete English course, 655+ lessons from A1 to C1, with business English, pronunciation and exam tracks. Duolingo is the best free start and teaches English through B2. Speak and ELSA Speak are the best for spoken English and accent. For IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge preparation, book one of italki's 4,245 English tutors, at $4 to $60 an hour.
10 apps and tutor platforms ranked for English learners worldwide, with speaking, accent, exam and business English coverage and prices checked in October 2026.
Choose Busuu to learn English if you want a structured course whose free plan reaches C1, start on Duolingo if you want the largest free option, and add Speak or ELSA Speak when speaking is your weak spot. Toolradar data: only 5 of the 25 language learning tools we track are completely free, so free English study usually means a freemium app with a paid tier behind it.
English learners face a problem that learners of other languages mostly skip: you choose in your own language, and not every app offers English from every language. Babbel shows English only when its app is set to another language, such as German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Swedish or Ukrainian. LingoDeer has English courses for Spanish, German, Portuguese, Japanese and Korean speakers, and none for English speakers. Pimsleur sells English courses for 15 first languages. Check your language before you compare prices.
Methodology: these 10 were ranked for a learner whose first language is not English, against the 25 tools in the language learning category. Prices are US prices from vendor sites in October 2026 unless labeled, and several vendors price differently by country. For AI speaking partners that cover English, see the AI language learning tools guide.
Top Picks
Picked by editorial review, informed by G2 and Capterra review volume and rating and by media mentions, the signals behind our category rankings. How we rate
| Tool | Starting price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busuu | Free plan, then Premium | 4.5 79 reviews | Learners who want a structured path to C1 with community feedback and a free start. |
| Duolingo | Free (Super and Max are paid) | 4.6 1,122 reviews | Beginners who want a free English start in their own language and a daily habit. |
| Speak | From $99.99/yr (US page) | 4.9 28 reviews | Beginners and intermediates who need daily spoken English practice with an AI tutor. |
| ELSA Speak | Free plan, then paid | 4.5 102 reviews | Learners who want pronunciation feedback and an accent target, including for interviews and work. |
| italki | Pay per lesson, $4 to $60/hr | 4.2 13,850 reviews | Learners who want a live English tutor for speaking, an exam or work English. |
| Preply | Pay per lesson (set by tutor) | 4.0 30 reviews | Learners who want a tutor for a specific goal such as IELTS, Cambridge CAE or business English. |
| Babbel | From $8.95/mo billed yearly (US) | 4.3 23 reviews | Learners whose first language Babbel supports and who want a structured paid course. |
| Pimsleur | From $14.95/mo (US) | n/a | Learners who want to speak and understand English by ear, on a walk or a commute. |
| Rosetta Stone | From $13.25/mo billed yearly | 4.3 141 reviews | Learners who want to study English without translations and choose between US and UK English. |
| Memrise | Free plan, Pro at checkout | 4.6 34 reviews | Learners who want to hear English from real speakers and build everyday vocabulary. |
Learners who want a structured path to C1 with community feedback and a free start.
- Pro: Busuu says its free plan gives access to the complete English course: 655+ lessons from A1 to C1 and 200+ hours of learning. Extra courses cover English for Travel, English for Business, English Pronunciation, English Exam Success, London Central (a TV-drama course) and The Economist.
- Pro: Busuu says 26 million people have committed to learning English with it, and its site is published in 13 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish.
- Pro: Feedback comes from a community of fluent English speakers on spoken and written exercises, and Premium and Premium Plus add speaking practice and AI Conversations. The Busuu profile has details.
- Con: Busuu does not offer 1:1 sessions with English teachers in the app, so community feedback does not replace a tutor who corrects you live.
- Con: Price depends on platform, promotion and local currency, so see current price at checkout. The Babbel vs Busuu page compares it with a paid rival.
Beginners who want a free English start in their own language and a daily habit.
- Pro: Duolingo said in April 2026 that English is one of nine courses that now teach through B2 on the CEFR scale, up from A2 for most learners before, regardless of the language they learn from.
- Pro: Duolingo said in January 2023 that it had 24 English courses, for speakers of different first languages, and that its English course for Spanish speakers had over 37 million learners. Its courses are free for all learners.
- Pro: The B2 content adds advanced Stories, DuoRadio episodes and Explain My Answer. Super Duolingo and Duolingo Max are optional paid tiers. The Duolingo profile lists the rest.
- Con: The game format rewards finishing lessons, not speaking, so add speaking practice from Speak, ELSA Speak or a tutor. The Duolingo English Test is a separate Duolingo product, not part of the course.
- Con: Super and Max prices appear at checkout and vary by country and platform, so confirm the number first. Read Duolingo vs Busuu for a structured free option.
Duolingo's pricing is generally fair, offering a robust free tier for casual learners.
Watch out
Family plan requires 6 users for lowest per-user price
Beginners and intermediates who need daily spoken English practice with an AI tutor.
- Pro: Speak says non-English speakers across South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Europe and Latin America use it to build English speaking confidence, and it runs localized sites for each region.
- Pro: You talk with Speak Tutor in real time and can create your own scenarios, and Speak says its users learn over 1000 phrases in the first week. A 7-day free trial comes first.
- Pro: Speak's US plans page lists Premium at $99.99 a year and Premium Plus, which adds instant feedback from Speak Tutor and personalized lessons, at $234.99 a year, both marked as limited-time promotions. See the Speak profile.
- Con: Speak tells learners to use the local site for their region for accurate information, so the US price may not be yours. Confirm the amount in the app.
- Con: It is a speaking tool, not a full grammar course or an exam-preparation product. Pair it with Busuu or a tutor. See Duolingo vs Speak and Busuu vs Speak.
It's best for individuals and small teams committed to language learning through AI interaction.
Watch out
Overage fees for transcription minutes
Learners who want pronunciation feedback and an accent target, including for interviews and work.
- Pro: ELSA Speak teaches English only. Its AI builds a learning path from your level, goals, preferred accent and industry, and you can practice American, British or Australian accents.
- Pro: Beginners can learn English in their native language through a bilingual AI tutor. ELSA Speak lists its Individual plan as free with upgrades available, and its pricing page offers a 7-day free trial.
- Pro: The Individual plan lists AI role-plays, instant feedback and a speech analyzer with test-score predictions, and ELSA Professional adds workplace, interview, meeting and presentation coaches. The ELSA Speak profile and ELSA Speak alternatives list similar tools.
- Con: ELSA Speak is a speaking and pronunciation product, not a full course, so pair it with Busuu or Duolingo for grammar and vocabulary.
- Con: Prices are not shown as plain text on its plans page, so see current price at checkout, and check which plan includes the workplace, interview, meeting or presentation coach you want.
ELSA Speak's pricing is fair, offering a good progression from a free tier to more comprehensive paid options.
Watch out
Pro tier is annual-only, not monthly
Learners who want a live English tutor for speaking, an exam or work English.
- Pro: English tutors cost $4 to $60 an hour, and a 30-minute lesson typically costs $4 to $10, with no subscription. The English page lists 4,245 tutors.
- Pro: You can filter by price, availability and specialization. italki lists tutors for beginners, kids and adults, conversation, grammar, exam preparation (IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC) and business English.
- Pro: Both community tutors and professional teachers are listed, and trial lessons on the listings run from USD 5.00 to USD 60.00. See the italki profile and italki vs Preply.
- Con: Quality varies, so the first lesson tests the tutor, not the platform. Try two or three tutors before you commit to a weekly slot.
- Con: Cost follows frequency. At an illustrative $20 an hour, two one-hour lessons a week is about $173 a month, more than a full year of Babbel at $107.40.
The yearly plan offers a reasonable 16.7% discount, making it the more attractive option for committed learners.
Learners who want a tutor for a specific goal such as IELTS, Cambridge CAE or business English.
- Pro: You pay per lesson and tutors set their own rates, so you can match an English tutor to your budget instead of a fixed plan.
- Pro: Preply has tutor pages for IELTS, the Cambridge CAE, ESL and English for traveling, plus an English classes page for Spanish speakers, which helps when your goal is an exam or a tutor familiar with the mistakes of your first language.
- Pro: Preply's course pages describe a free tutor switch or a full refund if you are not satisfied after a trial lesson. The Preply profile and Preply alternatives list similar services.
- Con: There is no flat monthly rate, so cost scales with how often you book. Budget by lessons per week.
- Con: Because tutors set price and style, fit varies. Treat the trial lesson as the real test and compare two tutors before you buy a package.
Learners whose first language Babbel supports and who want a structured paid course.
- Pro: Babbel lists English among its 14 languages and writes every course for your native language. Its help center says English courses appear when the app is set to Ukrainian, Polish, German, French, Swedish, Italian, Spanish or Portuguese.
- Pro: The 12-month plan is $8.95 a month ($107.40 billed up front in the US) and the 6-month plan is $13.45 a month ($80.70). Lifetime is listed at $299.99. The first lesson of each level is free, and a 14-day money-back guarantee applies after you buy.
- Pro: Review uses spaced repetition, and Babbel Speak is an AI beta for pronunciation practice. The Babbel profile has more.
- Con: English is hidden unless your app language is one of those eight, so a learner whose first language is not on the list cannot use it. Check before you pay. See Duolingo vs Babbel.
- Con: Babbel Live is no longer available to individuals, and prices differ by country, so confirm the amount at checkout.
Babbel publishes two individual stickers on babbel.com/prices.
Watch out
Group plans did not print $ in the public HTML.
Learners who want to speak and understand English by ear, on a walk or a commute.
- Pro: Pimsleur sells English-for-speakers-of courses for Arabic, Cantonese, Farsi, French, German, Haitian, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese speakers.
- Pro: The English for Spanish Speakers course teaches Standard American English as spoken in the US, with instruction in Spanish. US pricing is $14.95 a month audio-only with a 7-day free trial.
- Pro: Premium, at $19.95 a month with interactive tools, is available for English for Spanish Speakers and English for Brazilian Portuguese Speakers. The Pimsleur profile lists the courses.
- Con: Other English courses are audio-only, because Premium is not yet available for them. Refunds are not issued for any part of an unused term, so cancel before the trial ends.
- Con: The method is listening and recall, with reading in separate lessons, so it will not drill grammar tables. Pair it with Busuu or Anki. See Duolingo vs Pimsleur.
While the method is scientifically proven, the high upfront cost for the 'Starting' tier might deter casual learners.
Learners who want to study English without translations and choose between US and UK English.
- Pro: Rosetta Stone lists English (American) and English (British) among its 25 languages. On its US site, a subscription is $19.99 monthly or $159 a year ($13.25 a month), and every subscription includes all 25 languages.
- Pro: TruAccent speech technology gives pronunciation feedback, Chat Missions give you conversation practice, and flashcard sets cover 500+ topics.
- Pro: Sapphire Studio lets you create your own study materials on any topic. The Rosetta Stone profile has more.
- Con: The yearly plan is billed up front, and prices vary by country, so check your own price. See Rosetta Stone vs Duolingo.
- Con: Immersion without translation can feel slow for beginners who need grammar explained in their own language. Add Busuu or a tutor if you stall.
Rosetta Stone's pricing is fair, especially for longer commitments.
Learners who want to hear English from real speakers and build everyday vocabulary.
- Pro: Memrise's German and Spanish pages list English (UK) and English (US) courses plus phrasebooks, and its Arabic page lists English too, so you can choose a variety from your own language.
- Pro: The free plan includes the official courses, video clips of phrases used in real life and personalised review plans. The Pro plan unlocks all learning features and removes ads.
- Pro: Memrise describes lessons built on your interests and videos of native speakers, and offers an AI speaking partner, MemBot. See the Memrise profile and Duolingo vs Memrise.
- Con: Memrise's course pages credit the speaking partner to GPT-3, so run a trial session before you rely on it for speaking practice.
- Con: Its pages do not state an English level ceiling or a fixed Pro price, so see current price at checkout and test whether the course reaches your target level.
Other Language Learning tools worth considering
More published tools from our Language Learning category, ordered by our category ranking. They are not part of the editorial picks above.
What an English learning app is, and what it cannot do
An English learning app teaches vocabulary, grammar, listening and speaking through short lessons on a phone. Course apps (Busuu, Babbel, Rosetta Stone, Memrise, Pimsleur) take you through levels. Duolingo is a free habit app. Speak and ELSA Speak are speaking-first: Speak runs AI conversation practice for English learners in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Europe, Latin America and beyond, and ELSA Speak teaches English only.
Tutor platforms (italki, Preply) sell live lessons per lesson, and italki lists 4,245 English tutors. Anki is a flashcard engine you fill yourself. Four services sit outside the ranking. Cambly, which has no Toolradar page yet, pairs you with native English speakers for live conversation in Small Groups, Private+ and Pro plans. Praktika, also without a page, offers AI tutor characters that guide you in your native language. LingoDeer offers English only to non-English speakers. BBC Learning English publishes weekly programmes such as 6 Minute English and The English We Speak, with no account needed to read its pages.
An app teaches you the language, and a tutor or an exam trains you to use it under pressure. No app replaces a timed speaking test with a person.
Why speaking, accent and exams decide the outcome
Speaking is where most English learners stall. Reading apps reward tapping the right word, and a job interview rewards saying the right sentence. Speak, ELSA Speak and a live tutor are built around speaking, and Busuu sends your spoken exercises to fluent speakers for corrections.
Accent is a choice. ELSA Speak lets you practice American, British or Australian accents, Memrise and Rosetta Stone each offer English (US or American) and English (UK or British) courses, and Pimsleur's English for Spanish Speakers course teaches Standard American English as spoken in the US.
Exams set a level target. IELTS reports whole and half bands on a 9-band scale. Since January 21, 2026, TOEFL iBT reports a 1 to 6 scale in half-point steps, and ETS maps a 4 to 72+, a 5 to 95+ and a 6 to 114+ on the older 0 to 120 scale. Cambridge English offers A2 Key, B1 Preliminary, B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency. Busuu's English path reaches C1, Duolingo's reaches B2, and LingoDeer's stops at B1, so match the ceiling to your exam.
Key Features to Look For
Speaking practice with feedback (Essential)
Speak runs AI roleplay with a pronunciation coach, ELSA Speak gives instant AI feedback on every lesson, and Busuu sends spoken or written exercises to fluent English speakers. A tutor on italki or Preply corrects you live.
A path to your level (Essential)
Busuu's Complete English course runs A1 to C1 with 655+ lessons and 200+ hours of learning. Duolingo teaches English through B2, and LingoDeer stops at B1. Pick the ceiling before you pay.
Accent and variety choice (Important)
ELSA Speak offers American, British and Australian accents, Memrise and Rosetta Stone have US and UK English courses, and Busuu has a London Central TV-drama course. Choose the accent of the people you will talk to.
Exam and business tracks (Important)
Busuu has English for Business and English Exam Success courses. ELSA Speak has workplace, interview, meeting and presentation coaches and a speech analyzer with test-score predictions, and italki and Preply list IELTS, TOEFL and business English tutors.
Listening and reading input (Nice to have)
BBC Learning English publishes weekly programmes at three levels, Busuu has an English course built around The Economist, and Pimsleur is built on audio lessons. Input beside an app builds the listening an exam tests.
Trial and refund terms (Nice to have)
Busuu and ELSA Speak have free plans, ELSA Speak and Speak offer 7-day free trials, and Babbel has a 14-day money-back guarantee. Pimsleur has a 7-day trial but issues no refund for an unused term.
What to settle before you pay
Confirm the app teaches English from your first language. Babbel needs its app set to a supported language, and LingoDeer has no English course for English speakers.
Pick a target: daily conversation, work, or an exam. IELTS, TOEFL iBT and Cambridge English each score differently, so choose before you choose an app.
Choose one accent to practice. ELSA Speak, Memrise and Rosetta Stone let you pick American or British English, and mixing them slows you down.
Budget the tutor separately. italki says English tutors cost $4 to $60 an hour and a 30-minute lesson typically costs $4 to $10, so weekly short lessons are affordable.
Evaluation Checklist
Confirm the app offers English from your first language, not only from English-language menus.
Say one full sentence aloud in the trial and see whether the app responds to your pronunciation.
Check the accent in the sample audio, American, British or Australian, against the people you will talk to.
Confirm the plan reaches your exam level: B2 First needs B2 and C1 Advanced needs C1, and LingoDeer stops at B1.
Read the refund and cancellation terms before you enter a card, especially on trials that bill automatically.
Book one trial lesson with a tutor who lists your exam, and compare the correction you got with the app.
Pricing Overview
Free
Duolingo, the free Busuu plan with the complete English course, the free ELSA Speak plan, Memrise's free plan and BBC Learning English cover a first month of English at no cost.
$0
Yearly course plans
Babbel at $8.95 a month ($107.40 billed yearly in the US) fits a learner whose first language Babbel supports and who wants a structured English course.
About $8 to $9 a month
AI speaking practice
Speak Premium and Premium Plus on Speak's US page fit learners who need daily spoken English. ELSA Speak is priced at checkout after a 7-day free trial.
$99.99 to $234.99 a year
Audio and immersion
Pimsleur at $14.95 a month audio-only, and Rosetta Stone at $13.25 a month on the yearly plan, fit learners who want listening and pronunciation first.
About $13 to $20 a month
Pricing Comparison
| App | English coverage | Entry price | Billing | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Busuu | 655+ lessons, A1 to C1, business and exam tracks | See current price at checkout | Premium and Premium Plus | Free plan with the complete course |
Duolingo | Through B2, from many first languages | Free | Super and Max are paid tiers, see checkout | Free to use |
Speak | English for non-English speakers, AI tutor | $99.99/yr Premium (US page) | Annual, limited-time promotion | 7-day free trial |
English only, American, British and Australian accents | See current price at checkout | 7-day free trial, then paid plans | Free plan | |
4,245 tutors, IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, business | $4 to $60 per hour | Pay per lesson, no subscription | Discounted trial lessons | |
Preply | Tutors, IELTS, CAE and ESL pages | Set by each tutor | Pay per lesson | Trial lesson |
Babbel | English from 8 supported first languages | $8.95/mo (US) | 12 months, $107.40 up front | First lesson free |
Pimsleur | English for 15 first languages | $14.95/mo audio-only (US) | Monthly, 7-day free trial | 7-day free trial |
English (American) and English (British) | $13.25/mo | 12 months, $159 up front, or $19.99/mo | See the app for a sample lesson | |
Memrise | English (UK) and English (US) courses | See current price at checkout for Pro | See checkout | Free plan |
Checked October 2026 on vendor sites: Busuu English, Duolingo B2 announcement, Duolingo English course, Speak, Speak US plans, ELSA Speak, ELSA Speak plans, italki English, Preply English tutors, Babbel review and plans, Pimsleur FAQ, Pimsleur language list, Rosetta Stone plans, Memrise, LingoDeer pricing, Cambly, BBC Learning English, TOEFL iBT scores, IELTS scoring, Cambridge English qualifications.
Mistakes to Avoid
- ×
Picking an app that does not teach English from your language. Babbel needs a supported app language, and LingoDeer has no English course for English speakers.
- ×
Treating app progress as exam readiness. IELTS reports bands and TOEFL iBT reports a 1 to 6 scale, so practice timed test sections with a tutor.
- ×
Practicing only by tapping answers. Speaking is a separate skill, and Speak, ELSA Speak or a tutor on italki at $4 to $60 an hour trains it.
- ×
Buying the 12-month Babbel plan for the lower monthly rate, then quitting after six months. At $107.40 up front, that is $17.90 for each month you used, against $13.45 on the 6-month plan.
- ×
Booking a 10-lesson tutor package before a trial lesson. Try two or three tutors first.
- ×
Ignoring the cancellation date on a trial. Pimsleur issues no refund for an unused term, so a missed date costs a full billing period.
Expert Tips
- →
Pick one accent and keep it for three months. ELSA Speak lets you choose American, British or Australian, and Memrise and Rosetta Stone have US and UK courses.
- →
Pair one course app with one weekly tutor lesson. Busuu's free plan plus a 30-minute italki lesson, typically $4 to $10, covers structure and correction.
- →
For IELTS, practice the speaking test aloud with a tutor who lists IELTS, and learn how the whole and half bands are averaged.
- →
For TOEFL iBT, check whether your school quotes the new 1 to 6 scale or the older 0 to 120 scale. ETS maps a 5 to 95+ and a 6 to 114+.
- →
Add listening once you pass the first units. BBC Learning English adds new programmes such as 6 Minute English every week, and Busuu has the London Central drama.
- →
For work English, use Busuu's English for Business course or ELSA Professional's interview, meeting and presentation coaches, then rehearse with a tutor.
Red Flags to Watch For
-
An English app that cannot teach from your first language and gives you no way to check.
-
A tutor listing with no stated exam experience, accent or trial lesson.
-
A promise of English fluency in a fixed number of days, with no level or hours attached.
-
A free trial that needs a card and bills automatically, with no reminder before the charge.
-
A speaking feature that never asks you to say a full sentence out loud.
The Bottom Line
Start with Busuu's free plan if you want a structured English course that reaches C1 with business and exam tracks, and use Duolingo free if you want the simplest start in your own language. Add Speak or ELSA Speak for daily speaking and accent practice. Book an italki tutor who lists your exam, at $4 to $60 an hour, once you know the basics. Decision: open Busuu's free English course today, then book one italki trial lesson this week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best app to learn English in 2026?
Busuu is the best app to learn English for most learners worldwide in 2026. Its free plan includes the complete English course with 655+ lessons from A1 to C1, plus business, pronunciation and exam tracks, and its site is published in 13 languages. Duolingo is the best free start, Speak and ELSA Speak are best for speaking, and italki is best for live tutors.
What is the best free app to learn English?
Duolingo and Busuu are the best free apps to learn English. Duolingo says its courses are free for all learners and teaches English through B2, and Busuu says its free plan gives access to the complete English course. ELSA Speak and Memrise have free plans, and BBC Learning English needs no account. Free plans build habit and vocabulary, not live speaking.
Which app is best for speaking English and accent?
Speak, ELSA Speak and a live tutor are the best for speaking English. Speak is an AI tutor with real-time conversation, from $99.99 a year on its US page after a 7-day free trial. ELSA Speak teaches English only and lets you practice American, British or Australian accents. A tutor on italki or Preply gives human correction that no app fully replaces.
Which app helps with IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge exams?
No app maps to an exam directly. Busuu has an English Exam Success course, and ELSA Speak's speech analyzer gives test-score predictions. For preparation, italki lists IELTS, TOEFL and TOEIC tutors, and Preply has IELTS and CAE tutor pages. IELTS uses a 9-band scale, TOEFL iBT now uses a 1 to 6 scale, and Cambridge offers B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency.
Which apps teach English in my own language?
Busuu's site is published in 13 languages and Duolingo had 24 English courses in 2023. Babbel shows English when its app is set to Ukrainian, Polish, German, French, Swedish, Italian, Spanish or Portuguese, and Pimsleur has English courses for 15 first languages. LingoDeer has English for Spanish, German, Portuguese, Japanese and Korean speakers, and Memrise lists English from German, Spanish and Arabic pages.
Should I learn American or British English?
Choose the accent of the people you will talk to, and keep it. ELSA Speak offers American, British and Australian accents. Memrise and Rosetta Stone have US and UK English courses, and Pimsleur's English for Spanish Speakers teaches Standard American English. Exams accept either accent, but a tutor can correct you to one target.
Where do Cambly, Praktika and BBC Learning English fit?
They are credible options outside this ranking. Cambly has no Toolradar page yet and pairs you with native English speakers in Small Groups, Private+ and Pro plans. Praktika, also without a page, offers AI tutor characters that guide you in your native language. BBC Learning English publishes weekly programmes such as 6 Minute English, with no account needed to read its pages.
Cite this page: Toolradar, "Best Apps to Learn English in 2026", updated October 2026, https://toolradar.com/guides/best-apps-to-learn-english
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