The best app to learn Spanish depends on how you like to learn. Duolingo suits beginners who want a free, game-like daily habit. Babbel suits people who want a structured course built around real conversations. Speak suits anyone who wants to talk out loud from day one, and Busuu suits learners who want native speakers to correct their work. Memrise, Drops and HelloTalk make great extras for listening, vocabulary and real chats.
What to look for in the best app to learn Spanish
Every Spanish app promises to make you fluent. In practice, each one is good at a different part of the job. Some build a daily habit. Some teach grammar step by step. Some get you speaking. Before you pick, think about three things.
- How you like to learn. A game with streaks, a course with clear lessons, or real conversations with people.
- What you need first. New words, grammar, listening, or the courage to speak.
- What you'll pay. Some apps are mostly free, some give you only a taste for free, and some need a subscription after a short trial.
It also helps to know that no single app covers everything. Many people use one main app for lessons and a second one for speaking or vocabulary. That's normal, and it's often the quickest way to make progress.
Every app below teaches Spanish and works on iPhone and iPad.
Duolingo: a free daily Spanish habit
DuolingoView app ›
Duolingo teaches Spanish through quick lessons that feel like a game. You read, write, listen and speak in short bursts, and a daily streak nudges you to come back tomorrow. It teaches over 40 languages, and it also has courses for math and chess.
The big plus is that every course is free. You can work through the whole Spanish course without paying. You don't need an account to start, and parts of it work offline.
The catch: the free plan has ads, and a hearts limit can cut a session short when you make mistakes. Super Duolingo removes the ads and gives you unlimited energy. See the app page for today's price.
Who it suits: beginners who want a free, fun way to build a Spanish habit, a few minutes at a time.
Babbel: a structured course for real conversations
BabbelView app ›
Babbel feels more like a course than a game. Lessons are short and made for speakers of your own language, so explanations come in words you already know. You learn the phrases people actually use for travel, work and daily life, then practice saying them out loud with a built-in conversation partner.
There are no ads. Parts of it work offline, and you need an account.
The catch: only the first lesson of each course is free. After that, you need a subscription to unlock the full Spanish course. See the app page for today's price.
Who it suits: people who want a clear path through Spanish, with grammar explained, and who are happy to pay for a proper course.
Busuu: lessons with feedback from native speakers
BusuuView app ›
Busuu mixes structured lessons with a community of native speakers. After a lesson, you write or record an answer, and real people who speak Spanish correct it. That kind of feedback shows you mistakes a quiz can't catch. It covers 14 languages, from beginner to advanced.
Many features are free, and a subscription unlocks the rest. You need an account, and parts of it work offline.
The catch: the free plan covers only part of each course, so you'll likely hit a wall if you want to go all the way.
Who it suits: learners who want a real person to check their Spanish, not just a right or wrong answer.
Speak: talking out loud from day one
Speak · $83.99/yrView app ›
Speak is built around speaking. A teacher shows you useful phrases, you repeat them out loud, then you have practice conversations where the app listens and gives you feedback on your pronunciation and grammar. You start talking on the first day, instead of tapping words for weeks.
There are no ads, and you need an account. It doesn't work offline.
The catch: most lessons need the paid membership. There's a 7-day free trial, then it costs $83.99 a year.
Who it suits: people who freeze when they try to speak, and anyone getting ready for a trip who wants to say real sentences fast.
Memrise: Spanish from real native speakers
Memrise · Free or $61.99/yrView app ›
Memrise teaches words and phrases with short videos of locals speaking naturally. You hear how people really sound, with real accents and real speed, not a slow textbook voice. Lessons focus on speaking and listening for real situations, like work or making friends. It covers more than 100 languages.
You need an account, and parts of it work offline.
The catch: the free plan limits lessons and shows ads. Unlocking everything costs $61.99 a year.
Who it suits: learners who want to train their ear and pick up the phrases people actually say.
Drops: quick Spanish vocabulary games
DropsView app ›
Drops is all about words. Each word comes with a simple picture, and you learn by swiping and matching in short, game-like sessions. It's a quick way to build vocabulary on a bus ride or in a queue. It covers over 50 languages.
Free lessons are available, and Premium adds unlimited learning time and all the game modes. You don't need an account to start.
The catch: the free plan caps daily play time, and Drops teaches words, not grammar. It works best next to another app.
Who it suits: visual learners who want to grow their Spanish vocabulary in five spare minutes.
HelloTalk: chat with native Spanish speakers
HelloTalk · Free or $79.99/yrView app ›
HelloTalk is a language exchange, not a course. It matches you with people who speak Spanish and want to learn your language. You chat by text, voice or calls, and built-in translation and corrections help when you get stuck.
Chatting with native speakers is free. VIP is an optional upgrade that costs $79.99 a year. You need an account, there are ads, and it doesn't work offline.
The catch: you're talking with strangers, so the quality of each chat varies. There are no lessons to follow.
Who it suits: learners who know the basics and want to use their Spanish with real people.
Compare Spanish learning apps
| Duolingo | Babbel | Busuu | Speak | Memrise | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $83.99/yr | Free or $61.99/yr | |||
| Free version | Free plan | Free plan | Free plan | Trial only | Free plan |
Can you learn Spanish for free?
Yes, up to a point. Here's what each app gives you without paying:
- Duolingo: every course is free, with ads and a hearts limit.
- HelloTalk: chatting with native speakers is free.
- Busuu: many features are free, but only part of each course.
- Memrise: limited lessons and videos, with ads.
- Drops: free lessons, with a cap on daily play time.
- Babbel: the first lesson of each course.
- Speak: a 7-day free trial.
A free mix can take you a long way. Duolingo for daily lessons, Drops for extra words and HelloTalk for real chats covers reading, vocabulary and conversation without spending anything. If you start to feel stuck, that's a good moment to try a paid course or a speaking app.
How to choose the right Spanish app for you
Start with where you are now.
You're a complete beginner
Try Duolingo first. It's free, it's easy to start, and it builds a habit. If you'd like grammar explained more clearly, try Babbel instead.
You have a trip coming up
Pick Speak. It gets you saying useful phrases out loud quickly, which matters more on a trip than perfect grammar. Add Memrise to get used to how locals sound.
You studied Spanish at school and forgot most of it
Try Busuu. Its lessons run from beginner to advanced, and native speakers will point out what you've forgotten.
You understand Spanish but can't speak it
Go to HelloTalk for real chats, or Speak for practice without the nerves of talking to a stranger. Our guide to apps to practice speaking a language goes deeper.
You just want more words
Add Drops to whatever else you use.
Whatever you pick, the best app to learn Spanish is the one you open every day. Ten minutes daily beats an hour once a week. Try one or two for a couple of weeks, then keep the one you look forward to. For more options, see our list of Duolingo alternatives, or search Squapp for Spanish apps.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free app to learn Spanish?
Duolingo is the most complete free option, since every course is free. The free plan has ads and a hearts limit. HelloTalk is also free if you want to chat with native Spanish speakers.
Is Babbel or Duolingo better for learning Spanish?
Duolingo suits you if you want a free, game-like daily habit. Babbel suits you if you want a structured course with grammar explained, but only the first lesson of each course is free.
Which app is best for speaking Spanish?
Speak gets you talking out loud from the first day and gives feedback on your pronunciation and grammar. HelloTalk lets you chat by voice with native speakers, and Busuu lets native speakers correct your recorded answers.
Can I learn Spanish offline on my iPhone?
Partly. Duolingo, Babbel, Busuu, Memrise and Drops all work offline in part. Speak and HelloTalk need a connection.
How much does Speak cost?
Speak has a 7-day free trial, then it costs $83.99 a year. Most lessons need the paid membership.
What app should I use alongside Duolingo?
Drops is a good partner for extra vocabulary, and HelloTalk is a free way to practice with real people. If you want speaking practice with feedback, try Speak.
Keep deciding: Is Duolingo worth it?, Apps to practice speaking a language, Find an app to learn Spanish.
