Comparison

Earworms vs 1M vocabulary builder

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Earworms

Learn languages effectively using the "earworm effect" with catchy music and lyrics. This method anchors foreign language words and phrases into your long-term memory through engaging, brain-based audio-visual lessons. Improve vocabulary and grammar with bite-sized tracks and native speaker pronunciation.

Highlights
  • Learn languages with music and lyrics
  • Brain-based learning technique
  • Audio-visual experience with karaoke lyrics
  • 6-9 minute learning tracks
  • Content-rich language based on CEF
  • Native speaker pronunciation
Features
Read full description

Do you know what “earworm effect” is? Experience it while you learn languages with catchy music and lyrics that you just can't get out of your head. This highly effective award-winning learning technique uses music as the medium to transport words and phrases of a foreign language into your long-term memory. Start your language learning now! Learn Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian, Mandarin, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Maltese, Dutch, Greek, Russian, Arabic, or Turkish and improve your vocabulary and grammar using the power of music. Earworms plant the words of a foreign language into your head with easy language courses. Try our language learning with music lyrics demo for free. THE EARWOMS METHOD 1. Brain-based: The Earworms method not only provides the words, phrases and grammar that you need for language learning, it also actively anchors them into the auditory cortex of your brain! It’s much more than language courses, it's language learning! Learn French, Spanish, English, Italian, German or Dutch listening to music lyrics. 2. Music is the key: Using music as the medium to learn languages is not only fun, it is also effective. Firstly, music puts the learner into the optimum state of consciousness for learning different languages. Secondly, music lyrics learning allows repetition (a prerequisite for language learning). On top of that, music engages and stimulates both hemispheres of the brain, unleashing more learning potential. 3. Chunking: Instead of language learning in terms of individual words and grammar, the Earworms approach immerses the learner in real-life dialogues and expressions with lyrics. These are broken down into bite-size chunks, practiced rhythmically with music and then reconstructed into full sentences. This gives the learner a strong sense of how real language courses are constructed and learning French, Spanish, German, Italian, English and other different languages and their vocabulary becomes easy. IMPORTANT FEATURES * Developed by language teaching experts. * Convenient. 6-9 minute tracks. Listen and learn track by track, any time, anywhere. * Audio-visual experience with 'karaoke-like' live lyrics feature. * Specific unambiguous goals. 200+ optimally selected sets of words and phrases for language learning. * Measurable. Easy tracking of progress of your language courses. * Target language spoken by native speakers - so correct pronunciation is acquired automatically. * Relevant. Carefully chosen content-rich language. Based on the CEF (Common European Framework) and immediately useful to the learner. * Time-bound. The musical memory method enables real rapid progress. E.g. you can learn to count up to 999 in Mandarin in an hour (!) or retain and recall words, phrases and structures in one language level within a couple of weeks. * Educational discounts are available. Visit https://www.earwormslearning.com/edu LANGUAGES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE French + German + Italian + Spanish (European) + Spanish (Lat. American) + Mandarin + Cantonese + Japanese + Arabic + Portuguese (European) + Portuguese (Brazilian) + Russian + Greek + Turkish + Polish + English + Dutch LEVELS There are 3 learning levels available, which will take you up to intermediate level (CEF level A2). * Volume 1. Within a few hours of listening to this volume, you'll have enough vocabulary knowledge of a language to be able to deal with real-life situations like taking a taxi, at the hotel, at the restaurant, requesting, polite phrases, finding your way, numbers, dealing with problems and so on. * Volume 2. This language course will soon have you talking about yourself, chatting and even flirting! * Volume 3. Here you learn more useful everyday situations while going more into the structure, the grammatical rules of the language while improving your vocabulary. NB. The app includes a demo album, full tracks of all languages available – and is free to download. You can then in-app purchase full courses.

About

1M vocabulary builder

Expand your vocabulary in multiple languages with this fun and easy-to-play game. Test your knowledge against the clock and progress through various levels. Practice offline and learn Spanish, French, German, and more.

Highlights
  • Vocabulary expansion
  • Multiple languages supported
  • Timed challenges
  • Progressive levels
  • Offline play
  • Fun and engaging gameplay
Features
Read full description

Can you correctly answer 20 terms in one minute? With a little bit of practise you surely can :-) With this app you will easily expand your vocabulary while having fun :P - a lot of words and levels - easy to play - does not require internet connection Learn these languages: - Spanish - French - German - Italian - Portuguese - Czech - Slovak - Croatian - Polish - Hungarian - Romanian - Bulgarian

Screenshots

Earworms4 screens
1M vocabulary builder4 screens

Verdict

The call

Earworms and 1M vocabulary builder both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of 1M vocabulary builder's written reviews are positive against 73% of Earworms's. 1M vocabulary builder also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 12.4). Earworms's advantage is ratings volume (368 vs 31). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Earworms sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and 1M vocabulary builder sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Earworms holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Earworms has 368 ratings behind it against 31, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 73% of Earworms's written reviews are positive against 100% of 1M vocabulary builder's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Earworms ships an update every 5 months, 1M vocabulary builder monthly. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Earworms versus 1M vocabulary builder: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEarworms1M vocabulary builder
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (368 ratings) — better4.6 (31 ratings)
Positive reviews72.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings368 — better31
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.410.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerearworms LtdTomas Holka

Customer experience

Earworms

All ratings357 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral2.8%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews84 reviews
Positive72.6%
Neutral10.7%
Negative16.7%

1M vocabulary builder

All ratings31 ratings
Positive90.3%
Neutral3.2%
Negative6.5%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Earworms

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • App crashes every few minutes on iPhone
  • Network error on startup despite internet connection
  • Infinite loop on initial setup screen
  • App closes unexpectedly during playback
  • Restore purchases feature not functioning
Show 6 more
  • Activation code cannot be claimed in app
  • Tracks download corrupted or fail to load
  • Text display shows English instead of native script
  • Phrase book download button subscribes to email instead
  • App no longer works after OS updates
  • Category selection feature removed in newer version

Requested features

11 requests
  • Additional volume levels for existing languages
  • More lessons and expanded content library
  • Autoplay feature for continuous listening
  • Repeat single track functionality
  • Ability to select specific lesson categories
Show 6 more
  • Business-focused lesson modules
  • Emergency/medical/police interaction lessons
  • Grocery shopping and tradesperson lessons
  • More Cantonese, Maltese, Hindi, and Finnish content
  • Improved booklet formatting and accessibility
  • Direct email contact option for support

1M vocabulary builder

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Earworms

One-time10
  • Try before you buyFree
  • Álbum de demostraciónFree
  • French Vol. 1$11.99
Show 7 more
  • Italian Vol. 1$11.99
  • Spanish Lat. Am. Vol. 1$11.99
  • German Vol. 1$11.99
  • Spanish Lat. Am. Vol. 1-3$27.99
  • Bundle deals, French Vol. 1-3$28.99
  • Bundle deals, German Vol. 1-3$28.99
  • Bundle deals, Italian Vol. 1-3$28.99
8 purchases

1M vocabulary builder

One-time8
  • Adjectives vocabulary$0.99
  • City vocabulary$0.99
  • Fantasy vocabulary$0.99
Show 5 more
  • Food vocabulary$0.99
  • Human vocabulary$0.99
  • People vocabulary$0.99
  • Verbs vocabulary$0.99
  • Vocabulary - all$3.99

Questions

Is Earworms free?
Earworms is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is 1M vocabulary builder free?
1M vocabulary builder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Earworms or 1M vocabulary builder?
Earworms is rated higher. Earworms averages 4.8 out of 5 from 368 ratings, while 1M vocabulary builder averages 4.6 from 31 ratings.
Do Earworms or 1M vocabulary builder have ads?
Neither Earworms nor 1M vocabulary builder shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Earworms or 1M vocabulary builder?
Earworms ships an update every 5 months, and 1M vocabulary builder monthly. Most recently, Earworms was updated on November 2, 2026 and 1M vocabulary builder on November 2, 2026.

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