Best language learning app/program?

My husband has been experimenting with Duolingo and Babbel to learn French for the last couple of years. He even got a subscription with Babbel. He was pretty dedicated with Duolingo for a long time but just got to a point where he couldn't make progress and never really learned to speak with it, then he tried Babbel. However, this also dried up when they kept introducing grammar that they hadn't talked about and he felt lost. He is now in an Alliance Française class and has been through A1.1 and A1.2. He is a bit ahead of the class in knowledge but is at least practicing speaking. He is not disturbing the class by having this advance knowledge.

If I just wanted a bit of a basis for travel I would do some Duolingo for pronunciation and work also with a phrasebook. My husband and I have retirement plans that involve French, hence his motivation. It is easy to pick up the basics with a bit of self-study but if you are really serious I would join a class. However, neither Duolingo nor most classes will have the tourist phrases you might need, hence the phrasebook.

Lavandula

I tried Duolingo for some Spanish, but gave up after a few weeks. It doesn't teach you how to speak really, other than pronunciation and some vocabulary. There are some YouTube videos that might be helpful.

I've been using the Pimsleur language system for several years, and find that it works well for my learning style. The lessons have typical conversations and each lesson reinforces some of the material from the previous lesson. I've been using it with SD cards on an older PDA platform, but I've just loaded the Pimsleur App on my phone, and I'm going to use that from now on.

I've looked at a number of websites that purport to have a list of The best language learning apps for 2026 and there doesn't seem to be a consensus across the sites on which app is "the best". Each of us has a different learning style, and what works for one person may not work as well for another.

If I have difficulties with the language in any country, I can always resort to "Live Translate" on my phone.

I use a few simultaneously when I'm learning a new language or improving on one. I like the Babbel app's system for the bulk of my learning. I do sprinkle in free Duoling as a fun gamified way to pump vocab but as a stand-alone it's pretty worthless. I really like the Coffee Break podcasts for walks and exercise. (I slow it down to .9 speed.). Those are just fantastic quick bites for learning language and particularly useful for working on situational language. e.g. you're booking a hotel room or you're asking directions. They build upon previous lessons so it helps with repetition and reinforcement.

If you’re really serious I would also recommend a class- similar to what Lavendula has recommended for Alliance Française you can look for your local Instituto Cervantes, which may also have online options.

I've been using the Pimsleur language system for several years

I like Pimsleur, too. The biggest challenge for me, though, is that the native speakers haven't listened to the Pimsleur lessons and don't respond correctly 🙂.

I've had the most success learning languages by doing online lessons. My preferred platform is italki.

Other than as a courtesy and to show respect to the counties we visit, do we need to learn a foreign language for travel? The translate apps (Apple, Google, etc.) are incredible. And with Apple's EarPods offer live translation into English. I have used the apps for many conversations that otherwise could not have taken place and will have EarPods for my next trip.

Google has released an AI-drive version that allows for practice and some individualized learning. They, however, do not claim that this feature is an independent language learning application.

It likely wouldn't be possible to learn the language of countries one is visiting, especially if the trip involves several countries. Unfortunately I don't have the abilities of a Polyglot. However, I always try to learn some of the polite words and phrases for each of the countries I visit. When I first started travelling to Europe, there was no Google Translate so I wanted to at least make an effort to learn a bit.

Other than as a courtesy and to show respect to the counties we visit, do we need to learn a foreign language for travel?

The "courtesy" aspect is true, but I think there's another subtle layer. People sincerely appreciate it when you make an effort to learn and speak their language. I think it helps create a little bridge that doesn't exist when using an app. It's been a conversation starter in countless situations over the decades.

But I like learning languages so it's fun for me. And once you learn one, the others in that family tend to be easier to pick up.