Mondly

Mondly has a user-friendly, modern UI as well as a number of useful functions. Lessons are thorough and just difficult enough to keep you interested. We particularly liked the chatbot feature, which lets you mimic a discussion in your preferred language.

We did notice that some lessons threw you into the deep end with unfamiliar phrases or words. This is a common teaching strategy since dealing with new information can help you retain it in the future, but it can be painfully tough for the less experienced learner.

The app's sole small flaw is that we didn't get the impression that it scaled for more advanced learners. Instead, the same repetitive lesson approach – which is suitable for beginners – appears to be used at all levels of language comprehension. We also saw that the emphasis in the courses was on acquiring new phrases and vocabulary rather than establishing grammatical standards. This is a useful method if you're a learner, but it might not appeal to a more advanced student.

Website: www.mondly.com

Reasons to buy

• Simple to use
• Relatively cheap

Reasons to avoid

• Only really suitable for beginners