The best French vocabulary app depends on where you want your words to come from. LingQ saves the words from French texts you read, Drops gives you picture word sets, and Anki holds cards you write yourself. This page compares how each app gets words to you, how it brings them back, and what stays free. For courses, tutors and speaking, see our French app comparison.
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn French. You learn from French you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, your level and what you like, and she writes your French lessons. If a sentence is hard to follow, ask Poppy to explain it.
With Regenerative Review™, words you save show up again in new lessons, so that you can review words in new contexts without having to use flashcards.
- Every French lesson is written at your level, about things you like.
- Ask Poppy about a sentence while you read.
- Saved words come back in new lessons through Regenerative Review™, and you can send them to Anki too.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- You can't turn your favorite novel into a lesson. But Poppy will explain a page you screenshot or paste.
- Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
LingQ
LingQ suits learners who already have French texts or audio to import. Tap the French words you don't know while you read, and each one goes into your review.
- Tap an unfamiliar French word in a lesson and save it as a LingQ.
- Saved words come back in review with the sentence they came from.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Drops
Drops hands you French vocabulary in themed sets such as food or travel. Each word has a picture, its audio and a quick game, which suits visual learners who want a ready-made list.
- Each French word comes with a picture and its audio.
- Favorites and Quiz bring back words you have already met.
Mobile
Memrise
Memrise teaches French words in learning and review activities, and a tap on any word shows its meaning and an example. Wordlists, where you pick your own, are rolling out to new users.
- Learn French words in a course and review them on a schedule.
- Word Information shows meanings, examples and native-speaker clips where available.
MobileWeb
Clozemaster
Clozemaster suits learners who want every French word inside a full sentence. The sentences come from Tatoeba, a community collection.
- Fill in the missing French word in a sentence.
- Sentences you have seen come back later, with translation and audio modes.
MobileWeb
Anki
Anki suits learners who want to decide what goes on each card, such as a French word on the front and the sentence you met it in on the back. Desktop Anki and AnkiWeb sync are free. AnkiMobile on iPhone is a one-time purchase, and Android uses the separate AnkiDroid app. Nouns in French come with an article such as or , so type it on the card with the noun. For help setting up decks, read Is Anki good for language learning?.
- Put any French word or sentence on a card, with sound or a picture.
- Cards come back on a schedule set by SM-2 or FSRS.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Other Apps We Looked At (2)
| App | Word source | Review | Sentence and audio | English help | Free boundary | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | Lessons Poppy writes | Saved words return in new lessons | Words appear in new sentences | Partly | Lessons by other learners are free to read; unlimited custom lessons need Pro | iPhone, iPad, Android |
| LingQ | Text and audio you import | Spaced repetition | Matching text and audio | Yes | 20 saved words, 5 imported lessons | iPhone, iPad, Android |
| Drops | Topics made by Drops | Favorites, Quiz, Word Collection | Pictures and audio | Yes | 5 minutes every 10 hours | iPhone, iPad, Android |
| Memrise | Courses; wordlists for new users | Scheduled review | Examples and speaker clips where available | Yes | Limited free plan, Pro is paid | iPhone, iPad, Android |
| Clozemaster | Sentences with a gap | Review of sentences you saw | Translation and audio modes | Yes | Free to start; Pro adds more | iPhone, iPad, Android |
| Anki | Cards you make | SM-2 or FSRS | Only if you add them to the card | Your own cards | Desktop and AnkiWeb free; AnkiMobile paid once | iPhone, iPad, Android, computer |
| Quizlet | Sets you make or pick | Study and test modes | Sentences depend on the set; spoken audio is generated in study modes | Your own sets | Free to start; Quizlet Plus is paid | iPhone, iPad, Android |
| Reverso | Words you look up | Flashcards and quizzes from search history and favorites | Selected examples and translations in your lists | Yes | Free download; Premium is paid | iPhone, iPad |
If you read French before you save words, our French comprehensible input app comparison covers reading and listening apps. For vocabulary methods in any language, see vocabulary apps compared.
Which French vocabulary app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning French, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or choose Drops for a ready-made picture list. Choose Anki if you want to make your own cards from the French you meet.
Can I keep the sentence a French word came from?
In LingQ, a saved French word comes back with its context. An Anki card carries the sentence only if you write it there, and in Clozemaster the sentence is the exercise.
Can I choose my own French words?
Yes. LingQ saves words from texts you import. Anki and Quizlet hold cards and sets you write yourself. Reverso saves the words and examples you look up.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read. Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- AnkiMobile: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- Anki: what's free
- Anki manual: scheduling and cards
- Drops: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- Drops: what's free
- Drops: French course
- Memrise: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- Memrise: help and FAQ
- Memrise: French course
- LingQ: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- LingQ: what's free
- LingQ: learn French
- Clozemaster: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- Clozemaster: FAQ
- Quizlet: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- Reverso: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
- Bubblegum
- Clozemaster
- Anki
