by Olly RichardsLearning Spanish is easier than ever before. There has never been a better time to learn a new language, even if you are on a tight budget or keep a full schedule.
Thanks to the multitude of apps that teach you Spanish available, you can get language practice or instruction right on your phone—making it simple to practice Spanish on the train, on your lunch break, or anywhere else where you find a spare 20 minutes.
So what's the best app to learn Spanish? This post will dive deep into all the options out there so you can make an informed decision.
I have dedicated most of my adult life to learning languages myself and sharing what I’ve discovered about how to learn languages with others. In the process, I’ve come to realize that it won’t matter what approach you take to learning a language if you can’t stick to the routine.
Keep that in mind as you read through this list of the best apps for Spanish—find what works for you and keeps you excited about your new language. That enthusiasm will keep you motivated more than any particular app or program.
By the way, if you want to learn Spanish through stories, not rules, my top recommendation for language learners is my Uncovered courses, which teach you through StoryLearning®. Click here to find out more and try out the method for free.
The Best App to Learn Spanish Depends on Your Level
If you're wondering, “what is the best app to learn Spanish?” you first need to assess which level you are at in your language learning. If you're honest about your ability, you will be able to choose a Spanish app that serves you well.
Not all of the apps on this list are specifically designed to teach you Spanish. Many are multi-language apps or a way to track and practice any content you choose.
Many people find success using a combination of apps to meet different needs.
That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of great apps here. Most language apps include a Spanish option because Spanish is one of the most popular languages for students in the world.
Best Apps for Learning Basic Spanish
#1 Duolingo
Features:
- Efficient and effective learning with the basic version
- Easy to stay motivated
- Personalised activities
- Gamified learning to make it fun
- Completely free
- Access to your learning statistics
Often listed as the best free app for language learning, Duolingo, is great if you're just getting started with Spanish and are short on time.
If your main goal is learning vocabulary and the very basics, the free version of the app is an easy way to get started. You can learn new vocabulary in just a few minutes a day with the app.
The downside of Duolingo? The free language learning app is well-known for teaching random sentences that you would never use in real life. If you are looking to learn conversational Spanish so you can actually talk to native speakers, it may not be the best app for you. But for absolute beginners, it's one of the best free apps to learn Spanish.
You can sign up for the premium subscription if you'd like additional features.
Duolingo also has a podcast in Spanish which is great for beginner level learners, you can immerse yourself in the language and the narrator chimes in to give you context and explanations.
#2 Babbel
Short lessons, an easy-to-use interface, and audio lessons all contribute to a great learning experience.
The app is a great Spanish vocab app if you're a complete beginner, as it teaches you useful words and phrases. The game-like quizzes make learning fun, and you don't realise you're absorbing your new language!
The app uses flashcard-based lessons, listening, reading, and writing exercises. Reinforced learning material keeps you on your toes to remember what you've learned so far.
Best Apps to Learn Spanish Through Full Immersion
#3 Mosalingua
This app focuses on teaching you useful phrases in a repetitive, flashcard-style system.
The great thing about the MosaLingua app is that it offers a really immersive learning experience. You can use it as a flashcard app, but it also gives you access to a lot of resources, such as videos, songs, and books.
Jokes, stories, and Spanish expressions are all part of the curriculum, so you can learn to speak like a native speaker. You can also customize your learning plan to meet your goals. Travelling to a Spanish-speaking country and need to learn specific vocab fast? You can build a customized plan to speed up your learning.
With over 3,500 flashcards, you'll never run out of words to learn! The app uses the spaced repetition method so you don't forget new vocab before it sticks in your long-term memory.
While the resources on offer are excellent, the user experience isn't as slick as some of the other apps to learn Spanish.
The app is free before you subscribe and then costs $9.99 per month.
Mosalingua is great for those who want full immersion in the Spanish language and access to reading material relevant to their level. The app offers content for levels A1-C1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
#4 News In Slow Spanish
If you're after full immersion and want to learn more about current affairs in Spanish, this could be the best free Spanish learning app for you.
You can select your Spanish language level, and the app will give you current affairs stories at exactly the right pace. You can listen to the story (there are many topics to choose from) while reading along at the same time.
The app is free for a fixed amount of content; you just need to create an account to access it. There are also Spanish podcasts available as part of the News In Slow Spanish app.
This app is great for practicing your listening skills in Spanish.
#5 LingQ
LingQ features Spanish content from multiple platforms, including videos and audiobooks.
In fact, it has some of the best reading material on any Spanish learning app.
You can even import your own content and filter by level of difficulty.
Each of these personalization options makes LingQ appealing no matter where you are in your Spanish language learning because there is something for everyone, from beginners to experts.
Best Spanish Learning Apps For Taking Things to The Next Level
So you've learned the basics and practiced your comprehension with some Spanish immersion, so how do you take your Spanish skills to the next level? Give some of these apps to learn Spanish a try:
#6 Busuu
Busuu is designed to teach vocabulary and grammar to Spanish students at multiple levels of skill.
Beginner and early intermediate Spanish students will find material that suits them on this app.
Tapping into the psychology of learning, Busuu also helps you set a daily goal and (with the premium version of the app) study plan.
From vocabulary training to writing, speaking, and grammar, this app has you covered. The easy-to-use interface switches between disciplines and gives you structured lessons.
When you sign up for the app, you'll need to take a placement test so the app knows what level you should start at.
This learning Spanish app is more than playing fun games with vocabulary. You need to speak into the app to practice your pronunciation and write sentences to prove you've remembered what you learned. Busuu uses the spaced repetition method to keep you on your toes.
While voice recognition technology can give you immediate feedback on your communication skills, community members who are native speakers can give you feedback too. They will mark your written and spoken work so you know how well you did and how close you are to sounding like a local. It's nice to receive feedback from real people and not a robot!
#7 LingoDeer
LingoDeer taps into the benefit of fun with its engaging game-based lessons.
The variety of lesson types allows you to try more than one approach to speaking Spanish.
While LingoDeer is known primarily for its Asian language lessons, it includes Spanish (as well as other languages such as German and French) in its lesson catalogue.
You can download the lessons from LingoDeer, which makes it one of the best Spanish learning apps to use on the go.
The app also has voice recordings of people speaking Spanish so you can learn colloquial expressions and practice your pronunciation.
#8 Pimsleur
Pimsleur is a respected, comprehensive language program based on research on how memory works.
The Pimsleur method gets you speaking languages quickly by, among other things, deliberately limiting vocabulary to the core words that matter most for communication at your current level.
Pimsleur language programs are not free. But the app does offer a monthly plan, so you don't need to pay for the entire program at once.
#9 Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone is another well-known company with a long history of teaching learners of many languages.
One approach that sets the Rosetta Stone app apart from many others on this list is that it teaches Spanish in Spanish, rather than in English (or another native language). This immersion aspect makes the experience much more difficult to learn than if you were learning Spanish in your native tongue, BUT it means you will make progress much quicker.
Rosetta Stone also employs tutors for private lessons, allowing you to practice speaking right away.
Best Spanish Learning Apps For Practicing Speaking and Pronunciation
#10 Speechling
Speechling is dedicated to getting you to speak Spanish fluently by having you repeat Spanish phrases.
You also receive feedback on everything from pronunciation to intonation and word choice.
If your goal is conversational fluency, but you aren’t quite ready to dive in with a language exchange, Speechling can fill the gap.
#11 Memrise
This AI-powered app tailors lessons to your personal preferences and interests. It's like having a personal tutor in your pocket and is one of the best free Spanish learning apps out there.
You'll improve your Spanish speaking skills while learning real-world contexts for the language.
The app offers courses in 23 different languages, and one of the things that make it stand out from other apps is that you get access to thousands of native speakers sharing their pronunciation. This is especially important for the Spanish language because it has so many different accents. Latin American Spanish is quite different from the Spanish spoken in mainland Spain. With these helpful videos, you will be able to pick up the nuances quickly.
The free version of the app is pretty comprehensive and will help you with basic Spanish lessons. You will start memorising vocabulary and basic grammar rules and get to grips with the basics of the language.
You can sync your Memrise account across your devices and even join weekly live tutoring sessions with other learners. As a member of the community, you get access to a bunch of other language resources to help with your learning, too – from learning materials to the opportunity to be part of free group classes. This app definitely has one of the most comprehensive offers for Spanish learners.
Best Apps For Practicing Spanish Vocabulary
In the next section, I'll focus on the best Spanish vocabulary app. If you're a word nerd, then this next set of apps is for you.
#12 SpanishDict
SpanishDict is one of the most frequently visited Spanish-English dictionaries online.
Their app includes all of the same examples and definitions, as well as vocabulary games and audio recordings of common Spanish phrases.
Parts of the dictionary have offline access, which is an added bonus if you will be travelling or are short on data.
You can also download the Dict to give you a word of the day every day on your phone. It's a fun way to remind yourself that you should be studying Spanish today!
#13 Brainscape Flashcards
This flashcards app allows you to make your own flashcards or use premade flashcard decks.
Brainscape is so confident in its spaced-repetition system that they claim you can learn four years’ worth of Spanish classes in just months using their app.
Ongoing feedback and statistics help keep you moving forward with your language goals.
#14 Flashcards Deluxe
Flashcards Deluxe is the best Spanish flashcard app available for practicing vocabulary, including learning Spanish with a language other than English (Spanish to German flashcards, for example).
You can read a full review of Flashcards Deluxe here, including a rundown of my favorite features.
One of these features is the ability to indicate how well you know specific words as you practice. The SRS/Leitner system helps move your words to long-term memory and is completely customizable.
#15 Drops
Drops is not overly complicated or customizable, making it less effective than the other vocabulary apps on this list.
That said, it is one of the most visually appealing, which adds significantly to its appeal. It doesn’t matter how great an app is if you don’t use it.
And the clean interface has helped keep Drops competitive for what it is as a supplemental vocabulary app.
Apps For Connecting With Native Spanish Speakers
So that's it for the vocab apps. Now the moment you've been waiting for – I'll reveal three apps that will help you improve your speaking skills in Spanish by connecting with Spanish speakers from home.
#16 Tandem
This app pairs language learners together for “in-person” practice anywhere around the world.
Tandem lets you scroll through user profiles and choose the way you want to converse—via text, audio/video call, or with an audio message.
These options are great if you're a little shy or nervous about interacting with native speakers. You can start off with text or voice messages and then move on to audio or video calls when you're feeling more at ease in Spanish.
#17 HelloTalk
HelloTalk is another app that lets you chat with native speakers in over 100 languages (including Spanish).
All conversations happen in the app, so there is no need to share Google or Skype info.
HelloTalk also includes translation and voice recognition features to help you communicate even more effectively. There is even a local search option so you can find people to practice with in person if you prefer.
#18 iTalki
iTalki is a website I’ve used many times to connect with language tutors when I’m learning a different language in a place where I can’t find people to practice with in person.
Whether you’re living somewhere without a large population of native Spanish speakers or your schedule doesn’t allow you to connect with a tutor in person, iTalki’s app lets you access the same great benefits directly from your smartphone.
They even have options for writing corrections so you can get feedback on your writing from native speakers.
What Makes A Great Spanish App?
Spanish is one of the most common languages around the world, so there are plenty of apps to choose from. There is no perfect Spanish learning app, but some are certainly better than others. Learning a language is more about habit than the actual curriculum.
In order to figure out which ones are the best apps for learning Spanish, consider the following:
Accountability
The ability to set a reminder or have another form of accountability—reminders, notifications, etc.—can help keep you on track with your language goals. Looks for apps that were designed with an understanding of psychology and aim to keep you accountable.
Focus
Some Spanish apps focus on vocabulary, others target speaking practice, while others still use games to keep users entertained. Before you download an app and commit to using it for Spanish training, ask yourself what you’re looking for in an app.
- Will it be a primary Spanish resource for you? Or simply a backup activity when you have downtime during the day?
- What goals are you hoping to meet with the app?
Finding an app with a focus that matches your own will make you more successful.
Feedback
The best Spanish learning apps will give you feedback, so you know how to improve based on your specific strengths and weak spots. Look for a learn Spanish app with dynamic adjustments (the difficulty changes based on how well you perform). Or feedback from actual native speakers.
This kind of personalization really helps. It helps you use your time effectively and keeps you from forming bad habits in pronunciation or usage.
Final Thoughts On The Best Apps For Learning Spanish
There’s never been a better time to be learning Spanish, thanks to the wealth of resources available right from your phone.
It’s important to remember that no matter what app(s) you choose, language learning does not require a particular skill. Instead, it’s all about setting up the best conditions for learning.
Building a language learning routine that keeps you practicing your language is going to matter more than whether you learn the vosotros or save that for a trip to Spain.
With that in mind, give a few of the apps on this list a try and you'll soon discover the best app to learn Spanish that works for you and you're learning style.
Most of the apps on this list offer a free version or trial, giving you the chance to figure out which approach works best for you. Before long, you’ll be making the most of what’s available without the time commitment or cost of a school.
That said, an app won't do the hard work for you of speaking the language.
You can't get fluent in Spanish just by using an app, in spite of the allure of the app villain.
For that, you'll need something more comprehensive. That's why I created…
Spanish Uncovered
Spanish Uncovered is my comprehensive beginner programme teaches you to speak Spanish using my unique StoryLearning® method.
It's not an app, but you can still use it on ANY device – computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet.
Thanks to StoryLearning, you learn Spanish through a fun and natural method that makes learning a pleasure and Spanish grammar a breeze!
It goes far deeper than the Spanish smartphone apps listed above and will give you a very thorough grounding in Spanish.
You see, apps might appear flashy and modern…
But they lack the depth you need to truly master Spanish.
The only way to achieve a high level of Spanish is to immerse yourself in the language! And that's what you do in Uncovered by learning through story from Day 1.
With stories, you can:
- Learn Spanish faster through immersion, instead of rote learning
- Memorise vocabulary more easily, by seeing it in context
- Learn Spanish grammar naturally, not through rules!
- Understand Spanish more easily, thanks to lots of reading and listening practice
To find out more about Spanish Uncovered and to get a free trial, click here.
