The best apps to learn vocabulary in 2026
There is no single best vocabulary app: there is one per need. Here are five, with what each does best and who it is for. KoKo is ours: we present it last, and we say where the others do better.
Anki To tune everything yourself
The reference for spaced repetition. You make your cards or download shared decks, on any subject, and almost everything can be adjusted. Free on computers, on Android and in the browser; a one-time purchase on iPhone. It takes a little time to get started, and shared decks vary in quality.
| Criterion | Anki |
|---|---|
| Devices | Computer, Android, browser, iPhone |
| Content | Your own cards, or decks shared by others |
| Without paying | Everything, except the iPhone app (one-time purchase) |
Duolingo To start a language from scratch
A full course in short lessons: sentences, listening, pronunciation, grammar through practice. Free with ads, on iPhone, on Android and in the browser. Vocabulary arrives along the path: you do not choose the words you learn.
| Criterion | Duolingo |
|---|---|
| Devices | iPhone, Android, browser |
| Content | A guided course, lesson after lesson |
| Without paying | Most of it, with ads |
Quizlet To revise your own lists
You type in the list from your course, or find one already made, and study it with flashcards, tests and games. Handy before a test, and for sharing a set with a class. Free with ads; some study modes need the subscription.
| Criterion | Quizlet |
|---|---|
| Devices | iPhone, Android, browser |
| Content | Your own sets, or those of other users |
| Without paying | Basic use, with ads |
Memrise To hear native speakers
Language courses where words and phrases are spoken by native speakers, on video. On iPhone, on Android and in the browser, with a free part and a subscription.
| Criterion | Memrise |
|---|---|
| Devices | iPhone, Android, browser |
| Content | Courses, with videos of native speakers |
| Without paying | Part of the courses |
KoKo For ready-made lists, reviewed at the right moment
+6,000 words in 19 languages, sorted into 38 topics and three levels. Each word you learn comes back six times, at intervals that grow from one day to four months, and you type it. No account, no ads, offline. Its limits: iPhone only, vocabulary only, and a single topic open without a subscription.
| Criterion | KoKo |
|---|---|
| Devices | iPhone |
| Content | Ready-made lists: +6,000 words, 38 topics |
| Without paying | One topic out of 38; the rest by subscription |
