Best Apps To Learn Italian

Picking the right app to learn Italian these days is hard. There are literally dozens of programs available, all with varying features and learning frameworks. Honestly, the process of researching and making a decision can be daunting. Luckily for you, however, we’ve purchased, used, and reviewed 15 of the most popular and widely-used Italian programs on the market, and have ranked the best ones we found here.

Rocket Italian: Surprisingly Impressive

Rocket Italian doesn’t jump out at you as being an incredible language learning program. It doesn’t have much name recognition and there’s nothing flashy about the program itself just looking at the wrapper.

However, I was really impressed.

Rocket Italian offers a thorough approach to learning that sets it apart from other resources and apps I’ve reviewed. It strikes a very smart balance between having a rigorous curriculum and engaging modern content, making it the perfect choice for serious Italian learners.

The Audio Lessons Are Fantastic

The core of the Rocket Italian program is its audio lessons. These 30-minute audio sessions are far more engaging than the repetitive nature of mainstream language learning methods like Duolingo.

They are engaging, make you think critically, and weave in little memory science tricks.

The sessions feature an English-speaking guide who leads you through the material, explaining concepts clearly, introducing new vocabulary in context, and encouraging active participation. In short, I found these lessons to be highly effective.

Comprehensive Learning Approach

What truly distinguishes Rocket Italian is its comprehensive approach that goes beyond just audio lessons. In addition to the audio component, the app offers a variety of supplementary tools, including mock dialogues, tests, flashcards, and detailed grammar instruction.

My favorite aspect outside of the audio lessons was the detailed grammar content. The grammar explanations in the Rocket program are presented in a user-friendly way with numerous examples, enhancing the overall learning experience. Grammar is a real strength of this Italian program.

The Takeaway

With interactive audio lessons, diverse drills, and detailed grammar coverage, Rocket Italian is an essential tool for serious Italian learners in my book. It earns our highest overall grade among Italian apps.

👉 Read Our Review of Rocket Italian

Babbel: Beginner’s Best Bet and Budget-Friendly

Looking to dip your toes into Italian slowly without breaking the bank? Look no further than Babbel, our top choice for beginners. While it won’t turn you into a fluent speaker overnight, it lays a sturdy foundation for reaching an intermediate level.

A Clear Path To Follow

Babbel excels with a structured approach. It guides you through a carefully crafted curriculum, starting with basic vocabulary and progressing to more intricate grammar and conversational skills.

This structured journey keeps you on track and motivated as you make your way through the course. Unlike other apps with haphazard learning system, Babbel’s well-organized approach makes it stand out.

Practical Vocabulary

Babbel focuses on teaching practical vocabulary that you can immediately apply in real-life situations. This was certainly my experience.

Rather than bombarding you with unnecessary words and phrases, it prioritizes essentials that enable you to start using Italian in everyday conversations right away.

Interactive & Engaging Lessons

Babbel’s lessons are interactive and engaging, incorporating a variety of exercises to reinforce learning.

From listening and speaking exercises to writing and grammar drills, I found the app to offer a well-rounded learning experience that caters to different learning styles. Plus, with lessons lasting just 10 minutes, they are very quick to complete.

The Takeaway

Babbel is perfect for beginners and those mindful of their budget. With its 10-minute, easily digestible lessons and a price tag under $10, it will take you from knowing nothing to conversational Italian.

👉 Read Our Review of Babbel Italian

Pimsleur: A Distinct Approach to Audio Learning

For those in search of audio-centric lessons, Pimsleur provides a learning experience that is both similar yet distinct from Rocket Italian, and at a more budget-friendly price.

Audio-Centric Focus

Pimsleur’s lessons revolve predominantly around audio, emphasizing the enhancement of listening and speaking skills. Each lesson builds upon the previous one, progressively advancing in complexity.

While Rocket Italian adopts a conversational approach, Pimsleur’s lessons tend to be more formal and academic. At least, that is my best way of describing it.

While this may suit structured learners, it might be less appealing to those seeking a more informal tone in their Italian.

Noteworthy Features

One standout feature of Pimsleur’s app is its dedicated driving mode, enabling learners to study while on the move.

This feature proves especially convenient for commuters or individuals with busy schedules, providing a practical learning method akin to listening to a podcast during a commute.

In Summary

Pimsleur offers a teaching approach much like Rocket Italian, albeit with its own unique characteristics. Its strengths include flexible monthly subscription plans, a dedicated driving mode, and an intuitive interface, setting it apart from its counterpart.

👉 Read Our Review of Pimsleur Italian

Rosetta Stone: Still Works After 25+ Years

While it may be considered a more traditional program, Rosetta Stone offers a unique method for learning languages, immersing you in the Italian language from the get-go. Although this approach might seem intimidating initially (it was for me), it has proven to be an incredibly effective way to achieve fluency.

Immersion At Its Core

At the heart of the Rosetta Stone program lies its immersive approach. The app presents you with images and scenarios, prompting you to directly associate them with the corresponding Italian words and phrases.

By avoiding translations and explanations in English, Rosetta Stone encourages you to start thinking in Italian right away, which is essential for achieving fluency.

Strong Emphasis On Visual Learning

Rosetta Stone places a great deal of emphasis on visual learning—more so than any other app I’ve come across. It uses images extensively to reinforce vocabulary and concepts in every exercise.

This approach is particularly beneficial for visual learners, as it helps them remember words and phrases more effectively when connected to visual cues.

A Natural Progression In Lessons

One of Rosetta Stone’s key strengths is its natural progression in language learning. The app starts with basic vocabulary and gradually introduces more complex grammar and conversational skills.

This gradual approach allows learners to build a solid foundation in the language. Unlike other apps, this natural progression greatly enhances vocabulary development.

The Takeaway

In my opinion, Rosetta Stone is an excellent choice for visual learners and those looking for a more immersive language learning experience. While eliminating English from the learning process can be challenging, it is highly effective.

👉 Read Our Review of Rosetta Stone Italian

Lingopie: Learning Through TV & Film

Lingopie offers a unique approach to language immersion, using TV shows and movies as the backbone of its learning method.

While it lacks a structured curriculum, it provides an affordable means of enhancing your Italian skills with authentic and captivating Italian video content. That is why we think it is best used as a supplement or tool for advanced learners.

A Wealth of Premium Content

Lingopie’s method revolves around using real Italian-language TV shows and movies for learning. This not only exposes learners to real-life language usage (which can speed up fluency), but also makes the learning process more enjoyable and engaging, in my view.

Moreover, its library is extensive, featuring an integration with Netflix and a vast selection of in-house licensed material, offering thousands of hours of content.

Enhanced Learning Tools

Lingopie offers more than just subtitles on foreign-language films. The app provides various learning aids that complement its video content, including flashcards, grammar explanations, and the option for slow-motion playback.

These tools turbocharge the learning experience by allowing you to engage with the material in different ways. Personally, I found the ability to slow down playback speed to 0.65x and the automatic generation of flashcards to be particularly beneficial.

Affordable & Accessible

One of Lingopie’s main strengths is its affordability. With a low monthly subscription fee (some plans are under $6 per month), it offers excellent value for learners seeking to supplement their learning with real Italian media.

The Takeaway

Lingopie is an excellent choice for those looking to complement other language learning methods, such as Babbel or Pimsleur, or for expanding vocabulary for those with a solid foundation in Italian.