There are a number of great apps for learning French, but finding a good free app can be tricky. As with anything in life, free solutions often come with compromises: lower quality of learning content, limited amount of content, restricted features, intrusive ads, and so on. However, there are some hidden gems out there.
We’ve sifted through dozens of options to find the best free French learning apps. Let’s explore their unique features, strengths, and weaknesses to help you choose the best one for you.
Sidenote: There are many affordable high-quality apps offering a free trial. Click the link to read more about them.
Busuu
Busuu is a comprehensive language app designed to enhance your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. It offers a solid grasp of grammar, useful vocabulary, and opportunities to practice speaking and writing with feedback from native speakers. The app has both free and paid versions. In the free version, you can access lessons after viewing ads, but some features are limited, such as specialized courses, customized reviews, and the ability to skip lessons.
Pros:
- Tailored learning plan: Creates personalized study schedule based on your individual goals and availability. Even if you’re a complete beginner, you’ll find the app useful.
- Comprehensive skill coverage: Provides exercises in reading, writing, speaking, and listening, ensuring a well-rounded approach to language learning.
- Grammar resources: Includes a detailed grammar section, helping you understand the rules and structure of the French language.
- Community feedback: You can record your responses to exercises and get corrections from native French speakers.
- Native speaker videos: Many lessons feature videos of native speakers, aiding in the comprehension of natural speech patterns.
Cons:
- Short lessons: Some learners might find the lessons a bit too brief, which can leave you feeling like you need more practice to fully grasp the material.
- Inconsistent feedback quality: While feedback from native speakers is a great feature, the quality and detail of the corrections can vary.
- Issues with speaking exercises: Some users report difficulties with the app’s voice recognition, making it challenging to complete speaking exercises accurately.
Pricing:
- Free version: Limited access to lessons and features, ads.
- Paid version: $83/year in the US. Prices may vary in other countries.
- Shorter-term plans are also available.
Duolingo
Duolingo is a blend of a language learning app and a game. It’s good for beginners because of its fun, addictive nature and simple, bite-sized lessons. However, while it’s effective for learning basic vocabulary and grammar, it falls short in advancing to higher proficiency levels and lacks conversational practice and cultural context. The app is mostly free, but it limits the number of mistakes you can make per day and displays ads.
Pros:
- Gamification: Uses rewards and challenges to keep you motivated and make learning feel less like a chore.
- Short lessons: Each lesson takes just a few minutes, allowing you to practice a little every day without feeling overwhelmed.
- Covers all skills: Provides exercises in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, giving you a well-rounded learning experience.
- Mostly free: Offers the entire course for free, as long as you don’t make too many mistakes.
Cons:
- Shallow content: While great at the beginning, it may not provide the depth needed to actually understand and speak the language. The app doesn’t always explain grammar rules thoroughly.
- Slow pace: Introduces new words and phrases slowly, making the lessons feel repetitive.
- Limited speaking practice: Emphasizes vocabulary over speaking skills, which may not be ideal for those looking to quickly become conversational in French.
- Too much gamification: Some users find that the heavy emphasis on game mechanics turns learning into mindlessly chasing a high score.
- AI-generated lessons: Many lessons are now generated by AI, which can sometimes result in errors or less coherent learning experience.
- Ads: The free version includes ads, which can be annoying.
Pricing:
- Free version: Daily learning limits, ads.
- Paid version: $84/year in the US. Prices may vary in other countries.
- Several shorter- and longer-term plans are also available.
Memrise
Memrise is an effective app for expanding your French vocabulary. It combines spaced repetition with engaging, practical content to help you remember new words and phrases. The app uses videos of native speakers, mnemonic techniques, and gamified elements. However, it doesn’t train the full range of skills needed to speak the language. Memrise offers both free and paid versions. On the free plan, you can access most of the lessons, but some advanced features are restricted, like reviewing difficult words or viewing videos of native speakers.
Pros:
- Spaced repetition: Uses spaced repetition to ensure you review words and phrases at optimal intervals, helping you retain them better.
- Real-life videos: Features videos of native speakers using the language in real contexts.
- Memory aids: Employs mnemonic techniques to help you remember vocabulary through associations and imagery.
- Fun and engaging: Incorporates gamified elements to make learning feel like a fun activity.
Cons:
- Limited grammar: Doesn’t provide comprehensive grammar instructions.
- Not comprehensive: Focuses more on vocabulary and less on other language skills, such as writing and sentence building.
- Internet required: Most features require an internet connection, which might be a drawback if you want to study offline.
Pricing:
- Free version: Limited access to lessons and features.
- Paid version: $72/year in the US. Prices may vary in other countries.
- Several shorter- and longer-term plans are also available.
Anki
Anki is a powerful flashcard app that uses spaced repetition to help you memorize French vocabulary. It utilizes community-created decks of words and phrases, allows you to customize them, and even to create your own. Anki is great for serious learners who want to see significant progress over time and prefer having control over their learning process. It’s less suited for those expecting a plug-and-play experience. The Android and web versions are completely free, while the iOS version requires a small one-time fee.
Pros:
- Spaced repetition: Anki’s algorithm ensures you review flashcards at optimal intervals, greatly improving long-term retention.
- Highly customizable: You can create your own flashcards or download pre-made decks, allowing for a personalized learning experience.
- Supports multimedia: You can add images, audio, and videos to your flashcards.
- Active community: Many shared decks created by other users and a wealth of public knowledge about the app.
Cons:
- Steep learning curve: The app’s interface and functionality can be intimidating for new users, requiring time to learn how to use it effectively.
- Time-consuming setup: Creating your own flashcards can be a lengthy process, which might not appeal to everyone. However, you can use public decks.
- Repetitive: Going over flashcards can get repetitive and boring over time.
- Content quality: The quality of learning content varies greatly from one deck to another, depending on the creator.
Pricing:
- Android and web app: Free.
- iOS app: $25 one-time fee.
🚀 Try Anki
Clozemaster
Clozemaster is a unique-looking app designed to help you learn French through mass exposure to vocabulary in context. It focuses on filling in the blanks within sentences to improve your understanding and retention of words and phrases. This method is effective for those who already have a basic knowledge of French and want to advance their skills in a fun, game-like environment. Clozemaster offers a free version that allows you to have one short learning session a day. For unlimited access and extra features, such as additional review and learning modes, you will have to buy a subscription.
Pros:
- Contextual learning: Uses real-life sentences to teach vocabulary, which helps you understand how words are used in context.
- Mass exposure: Provides extensive exposure to vocabulary, crucial for language acquisition.
- Game-like experience: The fill-in-the-blank format and gamified mechanics make learning feel like a fun game.
- Spaced repetition: Ensures you review words at optimal intervals, enhancing long-term retention.
- Variety of modes: Offers different modes, such as multiple choice and text input, catering to various learning preferences.
Cons:
- Not beginner-friendly: More suitable for intermediate to advanced learners. Beginners might find it challenging without a basic vocabulary foundation.
- Repetitive content: Some learners find the repetition of sentences and vocabulary to be monotonous over time.
- Narrow scope: Focuses heavily on vocabulary and context but lacks conversational practice and comprehensive grammar instruction.
- Content quality: Some sentences contain mistakes.
- User interface: Can be cluttered and not as intuitive as other language learning apps.
Pricing:
- Free version: Limited access to lessons and features.
- Paid version: $80/year in the US. Prices may vary in other countries.
- Several shorter- and longer-term plans are also available.
Wlingua
Wlingua is an excellent choice for those who want a comprehensive understanding of French. It offers structured lessons that cover grammar, vocabulary, reading, and listening skills. The app is designed for learners of all levels. If you’re the kind of person that enjoys diving deep into the grammar details, this is the app for you. On the flip side, many people find concentrated grammar lessons challenging and a bit boring. The app has a free and a paid version. In the free version, you can access most lessons, but some advanced features are limited.
Pros:
- In-depth grammar: Provides detailed lessons that thoroughly cover French grammar, making it easier to understand how the language actually works.
- All levels: Suitable for everyone, from beginners to advanced learners.
- Progress tracking: Helps you monitor how far you’ve come and what areas need more focus.
Cons:
- Limited speaking: While excelling in grammar and reading, it offers less focus on speaking skills compared to some other apps.
- Little cultural content: Does not provide as much cultural context as other apps.
- Potentially boring: The thorough nature of the course may require memorizing a lot of information and drilling, which some learners find tedious.
- Rough interface: The app’s design is not very user-friendly and can be a little hard to navigate.
Pricing:
- Free version: Basic access with limited features.
- Paid version: $85/year in the US. Prices may vary in other countries.
- Shorter-term plans are also available.
Language Transfer
Language Transfer offers a simple audio-based course focusing on understanding language structures rather than rote memorization. If you’re familiar with the Pimsleur method, it feels very similar. It’s an excellent resource for quickly grasping the core concepts of French grammar and sentence construction. The app is completely free, but the course is quite short and won’t get you very far on its own, so it should be supplemented with other learning tools.
Pros:
- Comprehensive explanations: Provides clear and detailed explanations of French grammar and sentence structures, making it easier to understand the language.
- Focus on understanding: Emphasizes understanding how the language works, which helps in forming sentences naturally.
- Engaging lessons: The audio lessons are interactive and engaging, keeping you involved throughout the learning process.
Cons:
- Not for absolute beginners: Some learners might find the initial lessons challenging if they have no prior exposure to the French language.
- Limited vocabulary: While excellent for grammar and structure, the app does not focus on vocabulary, so you may need to supplement with other resources.
- Audio-only format: The lack of visual aids can be a drawback for visual learners who benefit from seeing the written language and imagery.
- Short course: The course is quite short, serving as a good starting point but not enough to take you very far in your learning journey.
Pricing:
- Completely free.
TV5Monde
TV5Monde is a fantastic resource for learning French, using real-life videos from French TV shows, news, and documentaries. It’s great for anyone who wants to learn French through authentic content. However, the app might not be the best for beginners and requires a good internet connection to stream videos. The good news is that it’s completely free to use.
Pros:
- Real-life content: You get to watch actual French TV, which helps you understand how French is spoken in real life.
- Interactive exercises: After watching the videos, you can do quizzes, fill-in-the-blanks, and transcriptions to test your understanding.
- Level-specific resources: The app has materials for most levels, from lower intermediate to advanced.
- Regular updates: New content is added often, so there’s always something fresh to watch.
Cons:
- Not for beginners: If you’re just starting out, it will be challenging to understand native speakers.
- Limited exercises: Some learners wish there were more types of exercises to practice with.
- Requires internet: You need a good internet connection because the app streams video content.
Pricing:
- Completely free.
Mauril
Mauril is a free app created by CBC/Radio-Canada to help people learn French through video clips from TV shows and news broadcasts. It’s particularly geared towards those interested in Canadian French, making it a unique resource for learning the language as it’s spoken in Quebec. However, it is only available in Canada, which limits access for international learners.
Pros:
- Authentic content: Features clips from CBC and Radio-Canada shows and news, exposing you to real Canadian French.
- Engaging and interactive: After watching clips, you can do various exercises to test your comprehension.
- Listening practice: The focus on video content helps improve listening skills and familiarizes you with the Quebecois accent.
Cons:
- Limited availability: The app is only available in Canada, so international users cannot access it without using a VPN or other workaround.
- Not for beginners: Beginners might find it challenging as the app does not focus on foundational language skills.
- Not comprehensive: While great for listening practice, Mauril does not provide a thorough curriculum for grammar or vocabulary, so it may need to be supplemented with other resources.
Pricing:
- Completely free.
HelloTalk
HelloTalk is an app that connects language learners with native speakers, allowing you to chat via text, voice messages, and video calls. It includes built-in translation tools, grammar corrections, and community Q&A to help you learn. However, your experience can vary significantly depending on your conversation partners, many users feel that HelloTalk often resembles a dating app more than a language tool. The app offers both free and paid versions. On the free plan, you can talk to people, but many features are restricted, and there are many ads.
Pros:
- Real-life practice: Chatting with native speakers helps you improve your conversational skills in a practical way.
- Multimedia communication: You can use text, voice messages, and video calls.
- Built-in learning tools: Translation, grammar corrections, and community Q&A are integrated into the app.
- Cultural exchange: Learning directly from native speakers allows you to gain insights into French culture.
Cons:
- Not beginner-friendly: You need a decent level of French to benefit fully from conversations with native speakers.
- Partner quality: The experience can vary greatly depending on the language partners you find. People frequently ghost or stop responding after initial conversations.
- Dating app feel: Many users report that it often feels like a dating app, with numerous people using it for romantic purposes rather than language exchange.
- Too many ads: The free version has many ads, which can be distracting and annoying.
- Privacy concerns: There are issues with privacy, especially given that it is a Chinese-owned app, leading to censorship and arbitrary blocking.
Pricing:
- Free version: Basic access with some limitations.
- Paid version: $80/year in the US. Prices may vary in other countries.
- Several shorter- and longer-term plans are also available.
Wrapping up
There are a lot of French learning apps available today. However, most free apps or apps with a free version are limited in some way, whether it’s the quality and amount of content, level, features, or ads. To learn everything needed to speak the language, you might have to combine multiple apps and work around their limitations.
For a smoother learning experience and better results, there are great affordable paid apps. These can be supplemented with extra free resources for an even more well-rounded learning experience. Stay dedicated, practice regularly, and enjoy your language learning journey!
