· 6 min read
Best App to Learn Spanish: What to Check
By Language Lab editorial team
Best app to learn Spanish: seven things to check before you choose, what Spanish asks of an app, official material to pair it with and a one-week test.
The best app to learn Spanish is the one that gets you speaking early and keeps testing you. Spanish is among the fastest languages for an English speaker: the US State Department places it in Category I and allows 30 weeks of classes, within a range of 552–690 class hours. That makes speed realistic, and it makes the choice of app matter less than the way you use it. Check seven things before you choose: spoken practice with a response, native audio, self-testing, spaced review, real-life situations, levels from A1 to C1 or beyond, and a link to an official diploma such as DELE or SIELE. Pair the app with the free courses of the Open University and the Instituto Cervantes, and try it for a week before you pay.
What Spanish asks of an app
- Speaking from the first week. Spanish is quick for English speakers, so an app that delays speech wastes its main advantage.
- Verb forms in use. Choose an app that makes you produce verb forms in sentences, not only recognise them.
- Clear levels. Spain's official diplomas certify the levels A1 to C2 of the European framework.
- Plenty of listening. Spanish is spoken in many countries, so varied voices help.
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 by native speakers, ideally from more than one country. |
| Writing system | Spanish uses the Latin alphabet; check that the app teaches the accent marks and the sound of each letter. |
| 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 Spanish 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
- The Open University's Getting started with Spanish 1, 2 and 3: free introductory courses on OpenLearn.
- Aveteca, from the Instituto Cervantes: activities at levels A1–A2, B1–B2 and C1.
- Mi Vida Loca, from the BBC: an interactive drama for beginners, which the BBC maps to level A1.
Aim at a level
Spanish has two official certificates. The DELE is a diploma certifying one level, from A1 to C2, awarded by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of Spain's Ministry of Education. The SIELE is a computer-based test that gives a points score on a 1,000-point scale. Choose an app whose levels follow the same framework.
A note on our own app
Language Lab is our app, so judge it by the same list. Language Lab's Spanish 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 Spanish?
The one that makes you speak Spanish 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.
Is Spanish easy to learn with an app?
Spanish is one of the faster languages for English speakers: the US State Department allows 30 weeks of classes. An app helps most if it makes you speak and tests you.
How long does it take to learn Spanish?
The US State Department places Spanish in Category I and allows 30 weeks of classes, within a range of 552–690 class hours. An app does not shorten that; it helps you use the time well.
Are free Spanish apps enough?
Official learning material is a strong start: The Open University's Getting started with Spanish 1, 2 and 3 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 Spanish?
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: US Department of State, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Foreign Language Training; Instituto Cervantes, DELE, SIELE and Aveteca; The Open University, OpenLearn, Getting started with Spanish; BBC Languages, Mi Vida Loca (archived); Dunlosky et al., Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Arroyo de Mental, a mountain stream in northern Spain, Siurle / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
