A running list of online language-learning tools, courses, and immersion resources — each one labeled honestly, whether that’s a recommendation, a pass, or an honest “we haven’t tried this yet.”
Tool · Input & immersion·PaidRequires payment — no meaningful free tier.
Browser-based immersion and sentence-mining tool
For speakers ofEnglishTaught in EnglishSpanishTaught in SpanishJapaneseTaught in Japanese→The languages in which it is taught → the target languagesFor learners ofEnglishFor learners of EnglishMandarin ChineseFor learners of Mandarin ChineseSpanishFor learners of SpanishFrenchFor learners of French
Beginner–advanced
Tool · Input & immersion·Free & paidThis listing bundles more than one thing (e.g. a free YouTube channel plus a paid course), and each part has its own price.
Dual subtitles and study controls for streaming and online video
For speakers ofEnglishTaught in English→The languages in which it is taught → the target languagesFor learners ofEnglishFor learners of EnglishMandarin ChineseFor learners of Mandarin ChineseHindiFor learners of HindiSpanishFor learners of Spanish
Beginner–advanced
Tool · Learning material·FreeFree to use, no payment required.
A free archive of language-learning materials collected from sources such as the Peace Corps, Foreign Service Institute (FSI), and other public resources. It provides textbooks, audio courses, and lessons for 150+ languages and dialects, primarily designed for English-speaking learners.
For speakers ofEnglishTaught in EnglishSpanishTaught in SpanishFrenchTaught in FrenchPortugueseTaught in Portuguese→The languages in which it is taught → the target languagesFor learners ofEnglishFor learners of EnglishMandarin ChineseFor learners of Mandarin ChineseHindiFor learners of HindiSpanishFor learners of Spanish
Starter–advanced
Tool · Input & immersion·FreemiumFree to start, with paid tiers for more features or content.
Captioned authentic Arabic video clips
For speakers ofEnglishTaught in English→The languages in which it is taught → the target languagesFor learners ofArabicFor learners of Arabic
Beginner–advanced
Learning material · Input & immersion·FreeFree to use, no payment required.
Large listening library with transcripts and varied accents
For speakers ofEnglishTaught in English→The languages in which it is taught → the target languagesFor learners ofEnglishFor learners of English
Starter–higher intermediate
Tool · Learning material·PaidRequires payment — no meaningful free tier.
Mass-sentence audio training with spaced repetition
For speakers ofEnglishTaught in English→The languages in which it is taught → the target languagesany language
Starter–higher intermediateAffiliate disclosure: some links on this page earn us a commission if you sign up. It costs you nothing extra, and it doesn’t affect whether a tool is listed here or what we say about it.