LingQ

LingQ is a language-learning app centered on reading and listening to real-world content, with vocabulary review built around what learners encounter. It suits independent learners who want to bring their own material into lessons; those who want an open-ended free tier should look elsewhere.

Overview

LingQ supports 52 languages and combines contextual word discovery with personalized review. Its placement test may help learners get started, while Premium members can study any number of supported languages simultaneously. The service is made by LingQ, founded in 2007 and based in West Vancouver, British Columbia.

Key features

• Content-led learning: Reading and listening to material in context makes LingQ a fit for learners who prefer engaging with real-world language rather than relying only on set lessons.
• Import your own material: The LingQ Importer extension turns browser content into interactive lessons, and imports are supported from Netflix, TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, Apple TV, Disney+, and Amazon Prime. This flexibility is a major draw for learners with specific interests, though the free allowance of five imported lessons is small.
• Vocabulary review: Learners can save unfamiliar words and phrases and revisit them through personalized review. The free tier caps saved items at 20; Premium removes that cap.
• Offline learning: Offline access is a membership feature, useful for learners who want lessons away from a connection.

Pricing

LingQ is freemium. The Free plan costs nothing and allows 20 saved words and phrases, five lessons created from imported content, and one audio playlist. It is enough to sample the approach, but the low vocabulary and lesson limits make it a poor fit for sustained use.

Premium costs $215.76 a year, billed upfront for 24 months, with a stated 40% discount. It includes unlimited saved words and imported lessons, full sentence translations, and offline access. This tier suits learners who expect to study regularly and want the core import and review workflow without free-tier caps.

Premium Plus costs $269.99 a year, billed upfront for 12 months, with a stated 25% discount. It adds six-times audio transcription, AI voices, Advanced Lynx Chat, and AI-simplified lessons. Choose it if those additions matter to your learning routine; otherwise, Premium covers the stated core benefits for less.

Membership prices are in USD. Fees recur until canceled; there are no setup fees, long-term contracts, or cancellation fees. Users can cancel trial or subscription auto-renewal at any time, and can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel at any time; plan changes take effect immediately.

Platforms

LingQ is available on the web, Android, and iOS, with a browser extension for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. That gives learners a way to work across mobile and browser-based content.

Who it's for

LingQ is best for self-directed learners who want to study through reading and listening, save vocabulary from material they care about, and potentially work across multiple languages. It is less suited to someone who wants a generous free allowance or a narrowly structured course without importing outside content.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Imports from a broad range of video, audio, and social platforms can make personally relevant material part of a learning routine.
• Premium removes saved-word and imported-lesson limits and adds offline access.
• Premium members can learn as many supported languages as they want at once.

Cons

• The free tier allows only 20 saved words and phrases and five imported lessons, limiting its usefulness beyond a trial run.
• Paid memberships are charged upfront for the selected duration and recur until canceled, so the annual price is not a monthly payment.
• Premium Plus's additional AI and transcription features cost more, and may not matter to learners who mainly want reading, listening, and review.

Alternatives

For a more audio-focused route, News in Slow Spanish offers a Spanish edition with audio and Rooms for $6.90 a month, though its audio-only plan omits transcripts and lessons. Readlang is another freemium option on Android, iOS, web, and browser extension. Learning with Texts is a free alternative for users prepared to run a local web and database server with PHP.

For Italian audio lessons, News in Slow Italian has an Audio Only plan for $5.90 a month without transcripts or interactive features, as well as a Full Access plan. E-clair is a freemium Android and iOS option with limits on collections and monthly transcription of personal audio. FluentU offers video-based learning on web and mobile, with a Plus plan at $11.99 a month that includes a video dictionary, word lookup, courses, videos, audio, and flashcards. Sounter is a freemium option for web and mobile. Beelinguapp offers unlocked stories and news plus vocabulary practice with a glossary and flashcards on iOS and Android.

Browse more options in Language Immersion Apps or Language learning apps.

Verdict

Choose LingQ if you want to turn personally relevant reading and listening into lessons, build a vocabulary from context, and study across supported languages. Its breadth of imports and uncapped Premium vocabulary are the strongest reasons to choose it; the tight free limits and upfront recurring memberships are the clearest reasons to look elsewhere.