Ling is a partly free French app for beginner and intermediate learners (A1–B1). Duolingo-style games for beginners; built for rarer languages, fine for French basics.
Checked October 2026 on the official site ·
About Ling
Ling is a game-style app in 70+ languages, French included, with bite-sized lessons built from flashcards, matching games, tracing and conversation practice, covering speaking, reading, writing and listening. New users get 2 free units; full access is a monthly or annual subscription ($14.99 a month or $79.99 a year in the US App Store), with a 7-day free trial on annual plans only. Ling says its lessons start with basics and build up; A1 to B1 is our reading. It suits a casual beginner who likes Duolingo's format and wants a change. Ling's strength is languages other apps overlook rather than French, and it does not take you beyond the basics or give you real-speed listening.
How it compares
| App | Price | Levels | Real-speed French | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ling | 2 free units; $14.99/mo or $79.99/yr (App Store) | A1–B1 | No | Duolingo-style games for beginners; built for rarer languages, fine for French basics. |
| Duolingo | Free; Super from $9.99/mo or $79.99/yrchecked 2026-10-06 (US App Store) | A1–B1 | No | The easiest free habit for week one; plan what comes after it. |
| Mondly | Some free lessons; Premium $15.90/mo or $74.90/yr; 1-week free trialchecked 2026-10-09 (US App Store in-app purchases) | A1–B1 | No | A pleasant beginner phrase app with speech practice; thin past A2. |
| Drops | Free version; Premium $11/mo, $69.99/yr or $150 lifetimechecked 2026-10-09 (languagedrops.com/premium) | A1–A2 | No | Fast, pretty vocabulary games for beginners; no grammar, no sentences. |
| French with Amélie | Free weekly lesson; Premium $24/mo or $240/yr | B1–C1 | Yes, with a slow version and a transcript | Real-speed dialogues by email and a private podcast. Not an app. Visit |
Prices as shown on the official site on the date given; they vary by country and change often.
