Some languages start with a new alphabet, and others let you begin with words and short conversations on the first day. Each app below sits in the group that matches where it starts you off.
Bubblegum
Bubblegum is the best app for serious learners. You learn from text and audio you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Bubblegum teaches 62 languages. Choose Level 1 and something you enjoy. Poppy, your AI tutor, then puts that topic into your first lesson.
- Lessons start at Level 1, made for learners who know only a few words.
- Letter courses teach the scripts of Korean, Japanese, Thai, Arabic, Russian, and more, so you can read before your first lesson.
- Questions you ask Poppy get answers in a language you already know, such as English or Spanish.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- Bubblegum has no Hindi journey, so it has no course for Devanagari letters.
- A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
Korean, Japanese, Thai, Arabic, and Russian each have their own letters, so reading them is the first thing to learn.
LingoDeer
Thai, Hindi, Greek, and Ukrainian are among the LingoDeer courses that begin with the alphabet, and its lessons run about five minutes each.
- Short mini stories with captions let you read what a lesson just taught.
- Printable Knowledge Cards keep the main grammar points on your desk.
MobileWeb
This table shows which alphabets Bubblegum, LingoDeer, and Drops teach, from each app's own pages.
| Alphabet | Bubblegum | LingoDeer | Drops |
|---|---|---|---|
| Korean (Hangul) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Japanese (kana) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Thai | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Arabic | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Russian (Cyrillic) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hindi (Devanagari) | No | Yes | Yes |
A course picks your next lesson, so each time you open the app, you know what to do.
Duolingo
Duolingo's lessons help you get ready for real conversations, and its free courses include Esperanto and Scottish Gaelic.
MobileWeb
Busuu
Busuu's language experts write its courses, and Polish, Dutch, and Turkish are among its 14 languages.
- Busuu's lessons come with tips about the culture of the language you're learning.
MobileWeb
Babbel
Babbel offers lessons for every reason to learn, even just for fun, and its 14 languages include Indonesian and Norwegian.
- Babbel has a review system built to help you remember what you learn.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Both apps teach with recorded audio and ask you to speak your answers.
Pimsleur
Pimsleur's courses include Dari, Pashto, Ojibwe, and Swiss German, and its lessons play offline.
MobileWeb
Language Transfer
Language Transfer has complete courses for Swahili and Greek, and introduction courses for Arabic and Turkish.
- Every Language Transfer course is free, and donors get the same material as everyone else.
- Download the audio files to your computer, or play them in the app.
MobileWeb
Drops
Drops teaches Mexican and European Spanish as two separate languages, and British and American English too, each voiced in its own accent.
- Multiplayer matches and challenges stay open to you without Drops Premium.
- In Scripts by Drops, you draw each letter of a new alphabet with your finger.
Mobile
Other Apps We Looked At (3)
Which app should I start with?
If you are serious about learning a language, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. If you'd rather start by ear, Pimsleur gives you one free lesson in each of its 51 languages.
Should I learn the alphabet before anything else?
How much should a beginner study each week?
Aim for three to five hours across the week, split into sittings of 15 to 30 minutes when you have time. Over three months, that adds up to 39 to 65 hours of study.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- Bubblegum: Every language you can learn
- LingoDeer: App Store listing (courses from the alphabet, 20 languages, 5-minute lessons, mini stories, Knowledge Cards)
- LingoDeer Help Center: Is LingoDeer free? How does pricing work?
- Drops: App Store listing (55+ languages, scripts it teaches, separate Spanish and English varieties)
- Scripts by Drops: learn to read and write new alphabets
- Drops: Free vs Premium
- Duolingo: App Store listing (40+ languages, every course is free, Esperanto and Scottish Gaelic)
- Busuu: App Store listing (14 languages, language experts, cultural tips, certificates)
- Babbel: App Store listing (14 languages, lessons for every motivation, review system)
- Pimsleur: Home (7-day free trial, All Access and Premium, offline learning)
- Pimsleur: App Store listing (a free lesson in 51 languages, course list)
- Language Transfer: Free courses
- Language Transfer: About
- Mondly: Home (41 languages, 40 practical topics)
- Loecsen: 54 languages, a method designed for beginners
- Preply: App Store listing
- Bubblegum
- LingoDeer
- Duolingo
- Busuu
- Babbel
- Language Transfer
- Drops
Checked on October 24, 2026 against each app's own pages.
