On this page I've listed some of the best courses, services, apps, and products for ambitious language learners from beginner to advanced levels.
Most Recommended
Uncovered Beginner Courses (A0-B1)
Available for Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Japanese these courses are some of the most comprehensive self-study courses on the market today.
They offer any beginner a path to get to the intermediate levels (B1) using a written story as a focal point. They are also way cheaper than comparative classes like Goethe, Institute Francais, and others.
Baselang Unlimited Spanish Tutoring Lessons
Unlimited private 1-on-1 lessons with native Spanish speakers for $149 per month.
You can also get specialised help to pass the DELE-exam, if you require this certificate for work or personal achievement.
Try Baselang (First week for just $1)
LanguagePod101 Premium Podcasts in 35 Languages
For a low monthly subscription you get access to hundreds (even thousands!) of lessonsand useful tools for learning your target language. There are 35 languages available to learn!
I love podcasts like this, because you can listen on the commute, while doing chores or anywhere else where you can't study like when you're at your desk.
All Resources
How to Learn Languages
Fluent in 3 Months Premium: Learn what it takes to become a language hacker, and achieve basic conversational ability in 3 months. Pay once, use the wisdom forever.
Conversation Countdown: Let top language hacker Benny Lewis show you how to speak your target language with a native speaker within 7 days.
Successful Self-Study: How to learn a language on your own in no time, without any language classes by Lindsay Dow from LindsayDoesLanguages.
Language Learning Foundations: Take a short-cut and let 8-language polyglot Olly Richards teach you the secrets of his success.
Say Goodbye to Shy: Book and companion course on how to learn languages more effectively if you're an introvert or simply feel shy when trying to talk to people.
Memory Training
Want to improve your memory? My friend Anthony Metivier from Magnetic Memory Method is your man!
Audio-based Methods
Bite-Size Languages: Our own listening practice courses for Spanish, Italian, German, French, Russian, and Danish. Improve your listening comprehension and pronunciation with 100 practical lessons for beginners.
Conversations: Helps to understand real language & transform listening skills in less than 90 Days. Available in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, and Cantonese.
Innovative Languages – Premium podcasts available in 35 languages with hundreds of lessons for each language. Read my review.
Rocket Languages: High-quality audio-based method available in a dozen languages. Read my review.
Speechling.com – Record yourself and get instant feedback on your pronunciation within 24 hours! Use promo code: ACTFLU at checkout for 10% off!
Lupa – Lupa is an extension of the popular Spanish podcast, Radio Ambulante which features real-life stories from native speakers from across Latin America. Lupa takes these podcasts, adds an interactive transcript to them, and helps you to break down each sentence, word by word. We've managed to secure a discount for the readers of Actual Fluency, which allows you to save up to 42% on your annual purchase price!
Online Courses
Fluent Spanish Academy – For intermediate Spanish learners who want to take their Spanish to the next level.
Grammar Hero – For intermediate learners of German, Italian, French, Spanish, Russian, and Portuguese to master some of the trickiest grammar points of each language through stories.
Uncovered Courses (Complete Beginner) – Learn Spanish, Italian, German, or French through stories.
Immersion
Yabla is a language immersion tool that helps you learn a new language through video content. It features interactive videos of various difficulty levels and genres (including television dramas, music videos, animation, interviews, and grammar/vocabulary lessons). Read our extended review for more details.
Books
Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World By Benny Lewis. My review.
Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It by Gabriel Wyner. Podcast Episode.
How to Speak Any Language Fluently: Fun, stimulating and effective methods to help anyone learn languages faster by Alex Rawlings
Spaced Repetition
Memrise – My favourite flashcard software. Free.
Ankisrs.net – Alternative to Memrise, spaced repetition flashcard software. Allows you to design your own decks.
LanguageBoost – Learn the top 500 words in many languages for rapid fluency.
Clozemaster – Gamify your learning and learn in context with tons of languages to choose from.
Duolingo – FREE language courses available in many languages, great for on-the-go learning.
Lingvist – A simple, addictive, and fast way to learn languages. Join today and try the world-leading scientific approach used by Lingvist.
Tutoring and Exchanges
Language Trainers: Language Trainers provides individually-tailored language training on a one-on-oneor small group basis to busy people who need language skills for business, family, and travel needs.
iTalki – Find a tutor or teacher from all over the world at affordable price. Read my review.
Preply – Alternative to iTalki. Read Review.
Baselang – For Spanish learners: Unlimited private lessons for a low, monthly cost. Get $10 off your first month.
HelloTalk – One of the best language exchange apps in the world.
Various
Lang-8 – Submit text to have corrected by native speakers.
Bab.la – Comprehensive selection of dictionaries, tools, and resources for language learners all provided for free.
Forvo – Listen to native speakers pronouncing millions of words
RhinoSpike – Request pronunciations from native speakers and contribute your own voice.
CoolJugator – Conjugate verbs in many languages.
Jolly Baby Club: Teach your infant English with these cheery cartoons.
Shows and Podcasts
The Actual Fluency Language Learning Podcast: My own weekly podcast, where I interview amazing learners in the community and many more.
The Fluent Show: Kerstin Cable and Lindsay Williams tackle language learning topics on a weekly basis.
The I will Teach You a Language Podcast: Where host Olly Richards answers questions from language learners around the world.
Foreign Language Mastery: John Fotheringham interviews polyglots and language learners about their favourite methods, tips and tricks.
Make Money with Languages
A Really Good Ebook about Teaching English Online: Let Olly Richards show you how you can use your English skills to make money with, and transform lives of people around the globe.
Langpreneur: Let Jan van der Aa and Olly Richards show you how you can pivot your language learning passion and skills into a sustainable business that can be your full time career. Podcast, coaching, events, and more!
Travel the world
AirBnB – Rent rooms or whole apartments from private people for less than the cost of a hotel room. Get $20 off your first booking.
UBER – My favourite taxi-app. It's super easy to use, payment is secure over the app and it's 40-50% cheaper than traditional taxis. You get $10 credit by signing up via me.