Top 10 Language Learning Apps for Students 2024: Duolingo, iTalki & More

For international students learning the language of the country they wish to study in is an important aspect of studying abroad. An improvement in language skills enhances not only the quality of an academic visit abroad but also significantly contributes to better academic performance and facilitates smoother cultural adjustment. 

Suffice it to say, learning the native language makes all the difference, whether you are taking VET Courses in Melbourne, General English Classes in Melbourne, or simply looking to improve your communication. 

This blog will present the top 10 language learning apps in 2024 that are tailored to make language learning more accessible, engaging, and efficient. 

Criteria for Choosing the Best Apps for Language Learning

In determining the very top picks for language learning apps in 2024, we have taken some very important factors into account:

• Language Options: Appropriate for different needs, catering to various use needs.
• User Experience: Ease of use, interface design, and engagement level.
• Teaching Methodology: Whether it focuses on speaking, listening, reading, or a mix.
• Additional Features: Additional features of the app such as cultural insights, interaction within the community, and customised learning paths.
• Pricing: Free against paid versions and the overall value for money.
• User Profile: Suitable for a beginner, intermediate, or advanced learner.
• Flexibility: Learning on the go, offline access, and time commitment.

Top 10 Language Learning Apps for 2024

1. Duolingo

Overview: Duolingo remains one of the most famous language learning apps in the world. It offers over 40 languages, using gamification functionalities in making learning fun and easy. Its lessons are short, making it suitable for individuals with very busy schedules.

Pros:

• Costs nothing but with the option to upgrade for an ad-free version.
• It’s user-friendly due to its easy-to-use interface.
• Encourages daily practice with streaks and reminders.

Cons:

• More focus on vocabulary and basic grammar; therefore, there is quite some shallowness in teaching languages.
• Not suitable for advanced students who want clear insights on the subject.

Ideal User Profile: Beginners and casual learners looking to make a start into serious learning in a fun and easy way.

How It Caters to International Students: Through gamification, Duolingo makes the learning process fun and less intimidating, which is ideal for international students who may have many responsibilities.

How it helps students integrate into new environments: Equipping students with the language foundation most needed in their everyday life, Duolingo efficiently helps students integrate into a new environment.

2. iTalki

Overview: iTalki is a service that connects students with native speakers of a target language for one-on-one lessons, making it perfect for those who want to practice speaking in real time.

Pros:

• Customised sessions based on the client’s requirement.
• Access to different languages and dialects.
• Scheduling lessons at times convenient to you.

Cons:

• It could be costly when charged for frequent classes from the tutor.
• Does require a secure internet connection in order for live lessons to be given.

Ideal User Profile: An intermediate to advanced-level learner seeking to develop their conversation skills and understand more about cultural subtleties.

How It Facilitates International Students: iTalki provides students with the opportunity to study with native speakers in order for them to pick up the local accents, idioms, and cultural references.

How It Helps Students Integrate into New Environments: With personalised classes, the student can learn language skills useful for a new environment, like their slang, phrases and local cultural etiquette.

3. Babbel

Overview: Babbel is designed for structured lessons that emphasise conversational skills. It is equally useful for beginners and for those seeking to freshen their knowledge.

Pros:

• High-quality lessons prepared by specialists in linguistics.
• Emphasis on practical conversational skills.
• Integrated speech recognition for pronunciation practice.

Cons:

• Currently, limited to 14 languages which might look far from filling the demands of its users.
• Full access only with a paid subscription.

Ideal User Profile: Novices and intermediate learners who appreciate a systemic way of learning.

How It Caters to International Students: Babbel focuses on conversational skills, thereby simplifying real-time communication for international students in activities such as asking for directions, ordering food, or taking part in class discussions.

How It Helps Students Fit into New Environments: Most of the lessons in Babbel also involve teaching one a number of cultural insights. This feature helps students understand not only the language but also the social environment in which the language is used.

4. Rosetta Stone

Overview: Rosetta Stone uses the same learning technique as how kids acquire their first language, i.e., through immersion. It is for this reason that it is far more beneficial to international students who will have to go through a phase of natural language acquisition.

Pros:

• Provides an intuitive and immersive manner of learning.
• Focus on speaking and listening.
• Supports a wide range of languages.

Cons:

• Can be expensive compared to other apps.
• This immersive approach can be quite intense for absolute beginners.

Ideal User Profile: All levels, but especially students who do well in an immersive learning environment.

How It Caters to International Students: Rosetta Stone focuses on the natural way of learning a language, allowing students to understand a language on a deeper level, which is critical for academic success and other international interactions.

How it helps students integrate into new environments: The more complete experience the app provides, the more it ensures that students learn not just the language but its large context, which really helps in better integration into a new environment.

5. Memrise

Overview: Memrise mixes the knowledge of a language with that of culture, helping students in understanding in what context some phrases are used. This becomes priceless for those being integrated into a new culture.

Pros:

• Fun content and videos from native speakers.
• Has cultural lessons along with language teaching.
• It’s a gamified learning experience that keeps users motivated.

Cons:

• The free version comes with some restricted features.
• May lack the depth for high-level language learners who are seeking extensive language practice and training.

Ideal User Profile: Someone with basic and intermediate learning levels who is interested in language and culture.

How it caters for international students: Memrise gives students the opportunity to be exposed to real-life use of language through its videos, which in turn enable students to develop practical communication skills.

How It Helps Students Fit into New Environments: Especially useful for students when trying to fit into their new environment, the app provides cultural insights to make them more sensitive and adaptable.

6. Busuu

Overview: Busuu incorporates vocabulary practice with conversational lessons, utilising a social feature that connects learners to native speakers for training.

Pros:

• Structured courses available for all levels.
• Includes offline access so you can study on the go.
• Social features provide for peer-to-peer learning and feedback.

Cons:

• Free version is very limited in its scope.
• Some may find the lessons too strict or well-organised.

Ideal User Profile: Structured learners who appreciate a clear progression path from beginner to advanced levels.

How it caters to international students: By combining vocabulary, grammar, and conversation practice, Busuu’s integrated approach guarantees that students are well-rounded in their language skills, which is crucial to both academic and social success.

How It Helps Students Integrate into New Environments: Social features in the app, such as interaction with native speakers, help students to practice real-life conversations—an aspect that is most vital in the process of integrating into a new culture.

7. Pimsleur

Overview: Pimsleur is perfect for a verbal communicator. Since it places a lot of emphasis on listening and speaking, it allows for conversational practice through the app.

Pros:

• Audio-based learning that also allows multitasking.
• Focus on practical, conversational language skills.
• Brief, daily lessons that busy schedules can accommodate.

Cons:

• Little focus on reading and writing.
• This, however, is more expensive than some of the apps, thus costly for long-term usage.

Ideal User Profile: Learners who are more interested in speaking and listening skills and who have busy lifestyles.

How it Caters to International Students: The spoken language emphasised in Pimsleur will cater to international students; since they can easily develop the verbal skills needed for everyday interactions in the new country they have moved to.

How It Helps Students Integrate into New Environments: The app’s language learning focuses on conversation that provides students with the language skills necessary for use in a social environment such as a  class, at work, and within the community.

8. Tandem

Overview: Tandem matches an individual with a native speaker for the purposes of language exchange; it helps one improve by allowing the person to speak and assist others in learning the native language.

Pros:

• Real-time conversation practice with native speakers.
• A language exchange helps you to delve into even more cultural subtleties.
• A wide range of communication options includes text, voice, and video.

Cons:

• Success depends upon finding a language partner that is reliable and consistent.
• Conversations could be informal, whereby no structured learning occurs.

Ideal User Profile: This course serves intermediate to advanced learners who intend to orient their speaking and listening skills towards becoming more practically functional.

How It Serves International Students: Tandem makes a win-win learning experience for both international students and local learners.

How Tandem Helps Students Become Integrated into New Environments: By allowing them to make real friendships with native speakers, Tandem sets students up to be able to find out more about the local culture and language, facilitating adaptation in an easier and healthier way.

9. Mango Languages

Overview: Mango Languages is quite distinctive due to the great amounts of cultural notes input in its lessons, making it ideal among students who want to understand the cultural context of the language.

Pros:

• Strong cultural contextual bases.
• Has a myriad of languages including less-taught languages.
• Interactive exercises that help to enhance comprehension and speaking skills.

Cons:

• Can be expensive without access to a library or educational institution.
• The interface does feel a little dated compared to other apps.

Ideal User Profile: Learners who have an interest in language and culture, and specifically for people who will be travelling or living abroad.

How It Caters to International Students: Mango helps out students not only with the language but also with the understanding of cultural nuances, which is necessary for the infiltrating process of a new country by new students.

How It Helps Students Adapt: Mango Languages ensures that students are culturally informed as well as linguistically prepared.

10. Drops

Overview: Drops is a visual language learning tool that allows you to learn vocabulary in a faster manner. Ideal for students who wish to enjoy quicker vocabulary expansion in their target language.

Pros:

• Visually appealing, which makes vocabulary more memorable.
• Small, bite-sized lessons that can fit into any schedule. 
• Focuses on vocabulary—great for learning a language really quickly. 

Cons:

• Limited emphasis is put on grammar and conversational skills. 
• The free version has some pretty strict time limits on daily usage. 

Ideal User Profile: Visual learners and those who need to quickly build their vocabulary for their needs. 

How It Caters to International Students: Drops is convenient for international students who want to learn vocabulary that is immediately relevant to their studies or everyday life, such as terms in VET Courses in Melbourne or General English Classes in Melbourne. 

How It Helps Students Integrate into New Environments: Vocabulary growth helps students to quickly get into an easy position in which they are able to understand and involve themselves in conversations with people, making them interact easily with their environment. 

Comparison Table

Tips for Maximising Language Learning with Apps 

• Well-defined Goals: Set what your purposes of learning the language are and, perhaps, even particular goals you would like to achieve with it. 
• Regular Practice: Allocate fixed time every day for practice, even if it’s just 10-15 minutes. 
• Practice with Native Speakers: Use apps like iTalki or Tandem to engage with native speakers.
• Diversify Learning Resources: Complement apps with podcasts, movies, or language meetups in the targeted language. 
• Use the Language Daily: Use the new language even in everyday life in small tasks, such as thought processes or labelling items in and around the house. 

Tips for Learning a Language Quickly

• Immerse Yourself: Surround yourself in the language as much as possible- through media, conversation, daily practice. 
• Focus on Core Vocabulary: Begin with the most frequently used words and expressions that should be of immediate practical use. 
• Practice Speaking Early: Don’t wait until you feel ‘ready’ because you never will. Start speaking from day one. 
• Use Spaced Repetition: Use software such as Anki or Memrise to reinforce memory over longer periods of time. 
• Be Patient and Stay Positive: Remember, learning a language is not a sprint but a marathon. Celebrate small wins and remain motivated. 

How Language Skills Enhance Your Study Abroad Experience

Language is the best weapon an international student can have. Knowledge of the local language opens so many cultural doors, paves the way for friendships, and allows for everyday interactions. More importantly, be it for an international student studying VET courses in Melbourne or merely attending General English Classes in Melbourne, mastery of the language helps the student in achieving a fuller experience while in Australia. Most also provide a General English: Free Assessment and Trial Class to get people going.

Conclusion

The learning of a language is sometimes a difficult process, but again, with the right tools, it can be very rewarding. These apps facilitate diverse learning styles and needs of the students, so they are a perfect companion for international students in 2024. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner, there is something in the above list for everyone to help them reach their language learning goals.