· 6 min read
Best App to Learn English: What to Check
By Language Lab editorial team
Best app to learn English: seven things to check before you choose, what English asks of an app, official material to pair it with and a one-week test.
The best app to learn English is the one that makes you speak, tests you, and takes you up a level you can name. No app shortens the hours: Cambridge English estimates about 200 guided learning hours to move up one level of the European framework, and 350–400 hours to reach B1 from zero. What an app can do is make those hours count. Check seven things before you choose: spoken practice with a response, audio at natural speed and slower, built-in self-testing, spaced review, real-life situations, clear levels from A1 upward, and a link to the test you may need, such as IELTS or TOEFL iBT. Then pair the app with the free material from the British Council, the BBC and Voice of America, and try it for one week before you pay.
What English asks of an app
- Listening at more than one speed. Voice of America's Learning English reads its programmes one-third slower than normal speed, which shows how much beginners gain from slowed audio.
- Speaking, not only tapping. English tests such as IELTS and TOEFL iBT both have a Speaking section.
- A level you can name. English courses and exams are organised on the European framework, from A1 to C2.
- A great deal of practice. The British Council's free library alone has more than 10,000 activities and exercises.
Seven things to check
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Speaking | You say sentences aloud and get a spoken or written response, in situations you will meet. |
| Audio | Recordings at natural speed and at a slower speed, in more than one accent. |
| Writing system | English uses the Latin alphabet; check instead that the app teaches spelling and sound together, since English spelling is irregular. |
| Self-testing | The app makes you produce the answer before it shows it. |
| Spaced review | Old material comes back after days and weeks, not only in the lesson where you met it. |
| Real situations | Lessons are built on things you will do: meeting people, shopping, travelling, working. |
| Levels | Stages are named, and you can see how they relate to an official scale or exam. |
Why testing and spacing come first
A 2013 review of ten learning techniques, led by John Dunlosky, rated two as high utility: practice testing and distributed practice. Rereading and highlighting were rated low. So an app that makes you produce an answer, and brings items back after a gap, is using your time better than one that lets you tap through and move on.
Test an app in one week
- Day 1: do the first lesson. Did you speak aloud, or only tap?
- Day 2: start a new lesson. Did the app bring back yesterday's material?
- Day 3: check the audio. Is every English sentence recorded, and can you replay it?
- Day 4: look for the level map. Can you see where the course ends?
- Day 5: try to say five sentences from memory. If you cannot, the app is not testing you enough.
- Day 7: decide. Keep the app only if you spoke every day.
Pair it with official material
- British Council LearnEnglish: a free library of more than 10,000 activities and exercises, chosen by level.
- BBC Learning English: courses, grammar, pronunciation and English through the news; it has taught the language since 1943.
- VOA Learning English: programmes read one-third slower than normal speed.
Aim at a level
English has several international tests. IELTS reports a band from 0 to 9; others include TOEFL iBT, Cambridge English Qualifications and PTE Academic. If you need a test score, choose an app whose levels map to the European framework, and add official practice material for your test.
A note on our own app
Language Lab is our app, so judge it by the same list. Language Lab's English course is built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor. Use the one-week test above on it as you would on any other.
Frequently asked
What is the best app to learn English?
The one that makes you speak English aloud, tests you before showing the answer, brings old material back for review and shows you clear levels. Try it for a week before paying.
How long does it take to learn English with an app?
An app does not change the hours. Cambridge English estimates about 200 guided learning hours per level of the European framework, and 350–400 hours to reach B1 from zero.
How long does it take to learn English?
Cambridge English estimates about 200 guided learning hours to move up one level of the European framework, and 350–400 hours to reach B1 from zero. An app does not shorten that; it helps you use the time well.
Are free English apps enough?
Official learning material is a strong start: British Council LearnEnglish is one example. Whatever you use, check that you are speaking and being tested.
What features matter most in a language app?
Practice testing and spaced review, the two techniques a 2013 research review rated as high utility, and spoken practice with a response.
Can an app make me fluent in English?
An app can carry your daily practice. You will also need conversation with people and a structured course or exam target for the higher levels.
Sources: Cambridge English, Guided learning hours; British Council, LearnEnglish; BBC Learning English; Voice of America, Learning English; IELTS, test format and scoring; ETS, TOEFL iBT; Dunlosky et al., Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Derwentwater and Cat Bells at Keswick, Lake District, RKL / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
