- Italian learning apps at a glance
- Ten Italian learning apps and courses to try
- Which Italian app suits your reason for learning
- Italian is one of the quickest languages for English speakers
- A four-week plan before an Italian trip
- Learning Italian for family or heritage
- Mistakes Italian learners make early
- My plain advice on learning Italian with an app
- Frequently asked questions
The best Italian learning app depends on why you're learning: a trip, family, study or a love of the culture. Gamified apps build a habit, audio courses get you speaking, story courses help you read and free sites fill in grammar. Pick one main app and one extra resource. Ten options follow, in no particular order.
Italian is a lovely language to learn from an app. The spelling mostly matches how words sound, the grammar is friendly to English speakers, and a few weeks of practice can transform a holiday.
The ten apps and courses below include gamified lessons, audio-first courses, story-based learning and free exercise sites. They're listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from each provider's own website, read this week. If you're travelling, my guide to live translation on AirPods is a handy back-up for the words you haven't learned yet.
Italian learning apps at a glance
I checked the free plan column on each app's own website or App Store listing, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the page says the app, a course or a version of the app is free. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the page I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start, so check before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babbel | Subscription language app | Structured lessons for real conversations | Not stated |
| Busuu | Language app with courses by level | Italian courses from beginner upwards | Yes |
| Coffee Break Italian | Podcast and online Italian course | Learning with a teacher explaining as you go | Yes |
| Duolingo | Gamified language app | A daily habit with bite-sized lessons | Yes |
| ItalianPod101 | Audio and video lesson library | Thousands of audio and video lessons | Not stated |
| Mondly | Language app by Pearson | Short lessons from a big publisher | Yes |
| Online Italian Club | Italian exercises and easy readers site | Exercises, readers and dialogues across six levels | Not stated |
| Pimsleur | Audio-first language course | Speaking from day one with audio lessons | Not stated |
| Rocket Italian | Online Italian course | A full course with speaking practice | Trial only |
| StoryLearning | Story-based language courses | Learning Italian through stories | Trial only |
Ten Italian learning apps and courses to try
Babbel
Best for: Adults planning a trip who want short, structured Italian lessons aimed at conversation, with one free lesson to try.
Busuu
Best for: Learners who want Italian lessons organised by level, from an app that lists its Italian course as free to start.
Coffee Break Italian
Best for: Commuters who want to learn Italian a little at a time, with teachers explaining how the language works.
Duolingo
Best for: Holiday learners who want quick, game-like Italian lessons with points and levels to keep a daily streak going.
ItalianPod101
Best for: Listeners who want a big library of Italian audio and video lessons they can work through on their own schedule.
Mondly
Best for: Casual learners who want a free Italian option from Pearson for short daily practice on phrases and grammar.
Online Italian Club
Best for: Self-taught learners who want grammar, listening, vocabulary and dialogue exercises organised across six levels.
Pimsleur
Best for: Drivers and walkers who want audio lessons built on a method aimed at speaking Italian from the very first day.
Rocket Italian
Best for: Learners who want a complete Italian course focused on speaking with native speakers, with a free trial and no card.
StoryLearning
Best for: Readers who want to learn Italian from scratch through story-based courses, starting with a seven-day free trial.
Which Italian app suits your reason for learning
- A holiday in a few months: an audio-first course such as Pimsleur.
- Learning on the commute: Coffee Break Italian.
- A big library to dip into: ItalianPod101.
- Reading Italian stories: StoryLearning.
- Grammar exercises at your level: Online Italian Club.
- A full course with a trial first: Rocket Italian.
Italian is one of the quickest languages for English speakers
The US Department of State's Foreign Service Institute lists Italian at 24 weeks of training, among the shortest of any language it teaches. French and Spanish sit at 30 weeks, and German at about 36.
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That doesn't mean 24 weeks of casual app use. FSI students study full-time. But it does mean steady daily practice pays off quickly, so a few months of regular lessons before a trip can take you a long way.
A four-week plan before an Italian trip
- Week one: greetings, numbers, ordering food and asking for directions.
- Week two: travel phrases for trains, hotels, shops and problems.
- Week three: listen to slow Italian audio every day and repeat it out loud.
- Week four: role-play real conversations, from a cafe to a ticket office.
- Every day: one short app lesson so the words stay fresh.
Learning Italian for family or heritage
If you're learning to talk with Italian relatives, focus on listening and speaking first. Ask family members which words and expressions they use, because regional Italian can differ a lot from textbook Italian.
Recording short voice notes in Italian for relatives is a lovely way to practise. They'll correct you, and it gives you a real reason to keep going.
Mistakes Italian learners make early
- Skipping pronunciation. Italian sounds are regular, so learn them early.
- Only learning words, not phrases. Phrases get you through real situations.
- Avoiding the past tense. You'll need it to tell any story.
- Never listening to native speakers. Add audio from week one.
Do you make an Italian learning app? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on learning Italian with an app
Choose one app you enjoy and use it every day, then add listening, such as a podcast or audio course. Italian rewards consistency, so short daily sessions beat long weekend ones.
Want to practise between lessons? My ChatGPT prompts for learning a language will role-play a waiter, a shopkeeper or a new friend in Italian.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app to learn Italian?
It depends on your goal. Audio courses suit speaking before a trip, gamified apps suit a daily habit and story courses suit readers.
Can you learn Italian for free?
Yes. Several apps offer free courses or versions, and there are free exercise sites with grammar and listening practice.
How long does it take to learn Italian?
The US Foreign Service Institute lists Italian at 24 weeks of full-time training for English speakers, one of the shortest.
Is Italian easier than Spanish for English speakers?
They're similar. The Foreign Service Institute lists Italian at 24 weeks and Spanish at 30, so both are among the easier languages.
How can I learn Italian before a holiday?
Focus on travel phrases, listen to Italian every day and practise real situations out loud for a few weeks before you go.
Should I learn Italian grammar?
Yes, but in small pieces. Learn the patterns you hear often and practise them in real sentences.
