LingQ is a partly free French app for beginner to advanced learners (A2–C2). Huge amounts of real French with text and audio; a tool, not a course.
Checked October 2026 on the official site ·
About LingQ
LingQ is a reading and listening app built on real content: podcasts, articles, books and TV, each with audio and text, where you tap unknown words to save and review them. There is a free account and a paid subscription with a free trial; prices are shown at sign-up. It suits an intermediate learner who wants to read and listen to a lot of real French. It is not a course: beginners get little structure, and the busy interface takes some getting used to.
How it compares
| App | Price | Levels | Real-speed French | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LingQ | Free account; paid plan: see site | A2–C2 | Yes | Huge amounts of real French with text and audio; a tool, not a course. |
| Lingopie | See site; 7-day free trial | A2–C1 | Yes | Good for B1 and up who will really watch; not a course. |
| FluentU | See site; 14-day free trial | A1–C1 | Yes | Real French video with clickable subtitles and quizzes; paid after the trial. |
| News in Slow French | See site; 7-day free trial | A1–C1 | No | Weekly news read slowly with transcripts; structured, but not real speed. |
| French with AmélieRuns this site | 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 |
