Best Apps for Italian Listening Practice

The best Italian listening app depends on what you want to hear and what you read along with. Lingopie and Language Reactor give you video with subtitles, News in Slow Italian gives you slowed news, and LingQ gives you audio next to text. This page compares the audio and transcript in each app, the playback speed and replay controls, offline use, the voices and what stays free. For all kinds of input, see our Italian comprehensible input comparison, and for courses, our Italian app comparison.

Lessons Poppy Writes

Bubblegum

For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Italian. You learn from Italian you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.

Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, your level and what you like, and she writes your Italian 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.

Get Bubblegum ↓

  • Italian lessons come with English explanations, so you can read along while the read-aloud voices speak.
  • Saved Italian 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.
  • Bubblegum plays no shows or videos, so your Italian listening comes from lessons and the read-aloud voices.
  • 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

Video With Subtitles

Lingopie

Lingopie suits learners who want to hear the original cast of an Italian show and check the English subtitle afterwards.

  • Italian shows come with two lines of subtitles, a tap-to-look-up dictionary and slowed playback.
  • Words from a show can become flashcards.
  • Lingopie is a paid subscription with a trial, and the voices belong to whichever show you pick.
  • Flashcards

MobileWeb

Language Reactor

Language Reactor suits learners who already watch Italian on YouTube or Netflix and want to look up a word as they watch.

  • Two subtitle lines, popup word meanings and playback controls sit on top of Italian video.
  • The Chrome extension installs free.
  • It runs on desktop Chrome, and Italian and English subtitles depend on the video you pick.

    Browser extension

    Slow Audio and Audio With Text

    News in Slow Italian

    News in Slow Italian suits learners who want a news podcast at a slower pace and a transcript to check.

    • Weekly Italian news is spoken slowly, with a matching transcript and language explanations.
    • The site offers a 7-day free trial.
    • The full programme is a paid subscription after the trial.

      MobileWeb

      LingQ

      LingQ suits learners who bring their own Italian audio and texts, because imports keep the sound and the words together.

      • You play Italian audio next to its text, tap an unknown word and save it for review.
      • Premium adds offline study.
      • The free plan stops at 20 saved words and 5 imported lessons.
      • Flashcards

      MobileWeb

      Other Apps We Looked At (4)
      • Italian Made EasyItalian audio lessons with transcripts and quizzes, and an English interface. Speeds run from 0.5x to 1.5x with 10-second skips, and Premium adds A-B repeat and offline downloads.
      • Erla ItalianShort Italian audio and video with matching text, sentence translations and grammar breakdowns. The developer lists adjustable speed and downloads for offline use, and the app has paid plans.
      • Yabla ItalianItalian videos with dual subtitles, slow playback and listening games. Videos come from real speakers, and the full library is paid.
      • BeelinguappItalian stories with narrated audio next to a parallel text. The app downloads free and sells a paid library.

      Compare How Each App Handles Italian Audio

      AppAudio and transcriptSpeedReplayOfflineVoicesEnglish helpFree boundary
      BubblegumLessons Poppy writes, with read-aloud voicesUnconfirmedUnconfirmedUnconfirmedAI voicesPartlyLessons by other learners are free to read; unlimited custom lessons need Pro
      LingopieShows with tappable subtitlesSlowed playbackUnconfirmedUnconfirmedShow voices varyPartlyPaid subscription with a trial
      Language ReactorVideo with two subtitle linesUnconfirmedUnconfirmedUnconfirmedOriginal programme audioPartlyFree extension
      News in Slow ItalianSlow news with a transcriptSlowed by the hostsUnconfirmedUnconfirmedRecorded programme voicesPartly7-day free trial, then paid
      LingQAudio next to textUnconfirmedUnconfirmedPremiumLibrary and imported audioPartly20 saved words and 5 imported lessons
      Italian Made EasyAudio lessons with transcripts0.5x to 1.5xA-B repeat on Premium, 10-second skipsPremiumUnconfirmedUnconfirmedFree download, Premium adds more
      Erla ItalianShort audio and video with textAdjustableUnconfirmedDownloads listedUnconfirmedUnconfirmedFree download, paid plans
      Yabla ItalianVideo with dual subtitlesSlow playbackSegment replayUnconfirmedReal speakersPartlyFree sample videos, paid library
      BeelinguappStories with a parallel textUnconfirmedUnconfirmedUnconfirmedNarrated audioUnconfirmedFree download, paid library

      Keep Going

      To pick between reading, listening and watching, see our Italian comprehensible input comparison. To practice saying what you hear, see our Italian speaking app comparison.

      Common Questions

      Which Italian listening app should a beginner choose?

      If you are serious about learning Italian, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or choose Italian Made Easy if you want audio lessons with transcripts and a speed setting from 0.5x to 1.5x.

      Which Italian listening apps work offline?

      LingQ Premium and Italian Made Easy Premium both offer offline study, and Erla Italian lists downloads for offline use. For the other apps here, offline use is not confirmed.

      Can I slow Italian audio down?

      Italian Made Easy lets you pick 0.5x, 0.75x, 1x, 1.25x or 1.5x, and Lingopie and Yabla offer slow playback on video. News in Slow Italian slows the hosts' speech itself.

      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
      1. Lingopie: learn Italian
      2. Lingopie: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
      3. Language Reactor: Chrome Web Store
      4. News in Slow Italian: official site
      5. Linguistica: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
      6. LingQ: learn Italian
      7. LingQ: free and Premium
      8. Italian Made Easy: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
      9. Erla Italian: Google Play listing
      10. Yabla Italian: iPhone App Store listing (languages you can use it in)
      11. Beelinguapp: learn Italian
      12. Bubblegum
      13. Language Reactor
      Explore More Italian Guides

      Start Here

      Ordering Food and Drinks at Italian Cafes and Markets

      Guide

      Read at Level 1

      Ordering Food and Drinks at Italian Cafes and Markets

      Guide

      Go Deeper

      Best Apps for Italian Comprehensible Input in 2026

      Read

      Best Apps to Practice Speaking Italian

      Read

      Best Apps to Learn Italian Vocabulary

      Read

      Best Apps to Learn Italian in 2026 (Free and Paid)

      Read

      CILS and CELI: Italian Exam Levels and Dates

      Read

      The Fastest Way to Learn Italian in 2026

      Read

      • Italian
      • Listening
      • Transcripts
      • App Comparison
      • LingQ
      • Lingopie
      • Language Reactor
      • News in Slow Italian
      • Yabla
      • Italian Made Easy
      All posts

      Published Nov 14, 2026