Comparison

Fluent Forever vs Michel Thomas Language Library

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

Head to head
About

Fluent Forever

This app uses a science-backed method to help you learn and retain new languages. It focuses on pronunciation, vocabulary through images, and natural grammar acquisition via personalized stories. Achieve fluency faster by hacking your memory.

Highlights
  • Pronunciation training with videos
  • Vocabulary learning via images
  • Spaced repetition system
  • Personalized flashcard creation
  • Natural grammar learning through stories
  • Immersive mobile experience
Read full description

................... "Never before have I seen a method that syncs up so perfectly with our current scientific understanding of how memory works." - Scientific American Mind ................... LANGUAGES Spanish (Latin American & Castilian), French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, Dutch, & Hebrew. ................... WHAT IS FLUENT FOREVER? A revolutionary language learning method developed by Gabriel Wyner, an opera singer who needed to learn multiple languages quickly and retain them forever. Fluent Forever's products have evolved from pronunciation trainers into a bestselling book and now into the most crowdfunded app in history. Discover the immersive mobile experience designed to rewire your brain into fluently speaking any new language and hack your memory to remembering it forever. ................... HOW IS FLUENT FOREVER BETTER? Rather than distract or briefly entertaining you like other "gamified" language apps out there, Fluent Forever doesn't waste your time with inefficient "bite size" lessons - instead, it immediately gets you correctly pronouncing and hearing the sounds of your target language, then efficiently has you learn the most frequently used words and push them into your longterm memory, and finally has you naturally build sentences using words you know and practice your speech to fluency. In short, if you're serious about speaking a new language, Fluent Forever will get you there faster. ................... FLUENT FOREVER'S METHOD The foundation of our proven method, as detailed in Gabe's bestselling book, is based on the principles of personalized flashcard creation and spaced repetition, extremely powerful learning tools that optimize your brain’s memory abilities. So not only will you learn a language quickly, you’ll never forget it. 1. Train Your Ears With Pronunciation Lessons You need to learn what a language sounds like before you can learn how to speak it. Our powerful tools like detailed instructional videos, mnemonic imagery and minimal pair tests will train your ears in the sound system of your new language. 2. Learn Vocabulary Through Images Instead of Translations Within weeks you will understand the sounds of your new language, and you can begin learning words. By creating personalized flashcards using our memorable word association system, you will rapidly learn the most used words in your new language. You will then push these new words into your long term memory by reviewing your flashcards using our automated spaced repetition system. 3. Learn Grammar Naturally Through Stories Relevant To You Once you learn the most used words in your language you can begin learning sentences. By visualizing how your new words fit into sentences about topics you’re interested in, you will naturally learn grammar through immersive stories, as opposed to boring lessons or complex conjugation tables. You will never be forced to learn words or grammar you don’t need or want to learn. ................... Try our revolutionary new app now to start your journey to real fluency. ................... MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION The monthly subscription that can be purchased on the app lets you fully use our app to learn one language. SUBSCRIPTION TERMS Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. We don't offer an iTunes free trial. Our trial period will continue even if you purchase a subscription. PRIVACY POLICY: https://fluent-forever.com/privacy-policy TERMS OF SERVICE: https://fluent-forever.com/terms-of-service

About

Michel Thomas Language Library

Learn languages by listening and speaking from the first lesson, without memorization or note-taking. This method focuses on intuitive understanding and building sentences naturally. Try any language for free for 20 minutes.

Highlights
  • Learn by listening, not memorizing
  • Build sentences from day one
  • No note-taking or homework
  • Mistakes are learning opportunities
  • Courses led by real teachers
  • 20 languages available
Features
Read full description

Start speaking a new language from your first lesson. Learn by listening, not by memorising. No memorisation, no notetaking, no homework, just intuitive, simple and stress-free learning. Join over five million learners worldwide and discover why the Michel Thomas method has transformed language learning. Try any language for free for 20 minutes. No payment card details required. LEARN FROM REAL TEACHERS AND LEARNERS Listen to learning as it happens and learn from every breakthrough. BUILD SENTENCES FROM DAY ONE Master the key structures of the language and create your own sentences NO NOTE-TAKING, NO MEMORISATION Learn how the language works instead of repeating grammar drills and vocab lists MISTAKES WELCOME Every slip-up is a step forward, helping you understand the language better Learn by listening, not by endless tapping. With courses led by real teachers with years of experience, you’ll gain confidence quickly, learning at a pace that feels fast but never overwhelming. No memorisation, no homework and no drills. You’ll master the building blocks of a language, unlocking the ability to create your own sentences. And don’t worry about mistakes. They’re not failures, they’re opportunities to deepen your understanding and grow faster.  We’re on a mission to make language learning something you look forward to. Fast progress, real conversations, and the joy of learning. That’s why more than five million language learners have put their trust in the Michel Thomas approach. READY TO GET STARTED?  Jump in - your new language is waiting!  1. Choose a language from our website and sign up for an account 2. Download the free Michel Thomas Language Library app 3. Sign into the app with your account, download your course and start learning Join five million people who have already learned a language with the Michel Thomas method and achieve your goal to speak a new language with confidence. CHOOSE FROM 20 LANGUAGES TO LEARN TODAY Arabic (Egyptian); Arabic (MSA); Danish; Dutch; English; French; German; Greek; Hindi; Irish; Italian; Japanese; Korean; Mandarin Chinese; Norwegian; Polish; Portuguese; Russian; Spanish; Swedish Plus, new languages and levels coming soon. ANY QUESTIONS? Contact us at support@michelthomas.com Michel Thomas® is a registered trademark of Michel Thomas, used by Hodder & Stoughton Limited (a division of Hachette UK) under exclusive license.

Screenshots

Fluent Forever4 screens
Michel Thomas Language Library4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Michel Thomas Language Library at none against Fluent Forever's 10. Michel Thomas Language Library also leads on rating (4.2 vs 3.7). Fluent Forever's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 157). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support 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. Fluent Forever sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Michel Thomas Language Library asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Michel Thomas Language Library holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fluent Forever has 1.2K ratings behind it against 157, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 43% of Fluent Forever's written reviews are positive against 41% of Michel Thomas Language Library's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fluent Forever ships an update every 2 weeks, Michel Thomas Language Library every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Fluent Forever versus Michel Thomas Language Library: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFluent ForeverMichel Thomas Language Library
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (1.2K ratings)4.2 (157 ratings) — better
Positive reviews43.1% of reviews — better40.8% of reviews
Number of ratings1.2K — better157
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.1 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size98 MB99 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperFluent Forever, Inc.Hachette UK (Holdings)Limited

Customer experience

Fluent Forever

All ratings1,225 ratings
Positive65.1%
Neutral7.0%
Negative27.8%
Written reviews554 reviews
Positive43.1%
Neutral12.1%
Negative44.8%

Michel Thomas Language Library

All ratings157 ratings
Positive77.7%
Neutral5.1%
Negative17.2%
Written reviews98 reviews
Positive40.8%
Neutral6.1%
Negative53.1%

User reviews

Fluent Forever

From 1.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Effective language learning method
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 🚀 Streamlined flashcard creation process
  • 💡 Ability to customize flashcards with personal images
  • 🚀 Efficient pronunciation training

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches causing app crashes and data loss
  • 🔍 Limited vocabulary and sentence options
  • 🔍 Lack of grammar explanations
  • 🔍 Difficulty in accessing and reviewing past progress
  • 🔍 Inconsistent audio quality and pronunciation

Michel Thomas Language Library

From 157 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🧠 Excellent language learning methodology
  • 🎯 Effective speaking-focused approach
  • 📱 Convenient offline access to lessons
  • ⏱️ Flexible short lesson format
  • 🚗 Great for learning while driving

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
  • ⏸️ Play/pause button unreliable
  • 💰 High pricing compared to competitors
  • 🔐 Account access and login issues
  • 📉 Poor customer support responsiveness

Bugs and requests

Fluent Forever

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Subscription issues and billing problems
  • Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • Inconsistent behavior when marking flashcards
  • Images not loading or disappearing from flashcards

Requested features

5 requests
  • Offline mode for flashcard review
  • Ability to add custom vocabulary and sentences
  • More detailed grammar instruction
  • Progress tracking and analytics dashboard
  • Support for additional languages

Michel Thomas Language Library

Reported bugs

16 issues
  • App crashes on login
  • App crashes when opening audio files
  • Pause/play button unresponsive when phone locked
  • Pause button skips back 30 seconds
  • Progress bar out of sync with audio
Show 11 more
  • Audio tracks fail to play despite downloading
  • Auto-play between tracks not working
  • App minimizes unexpectedly
  • Incompatibility with iOS 13+ updates
  • Sign-up button non-functional on iPad
  • Downloaded content shows 'coming soon' indefinitely
  • Purchased courses inaccessible after app updates
  • Device limit restrictions blocking legitimate users
  • App blocks access after multiple reinstalls
  • Slow loading screens for simple operations
  • Inconsistent play/pause icon display

Requested features

11 requests
  • Bookmark/progress saving functionality
  • Lesson completion tracking
  • Better pause/play button responsiveness
  • Improved UI design with larger control buttons
  • MP3 file access for external players
Show 6 more
  • Subscription option for all courses
  • Spaced repetition reminders
  • Real-time speaking feedback
  • Consistent track numbering with PDF booklets
  • Better integration with lock screen controls
  • Dark mode option

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Fluent Forever

Subscriptions9
  • 1 Month Subscription$5.991 Month
  • 1 Month Subscription$6.991 Month
  • 1 Month Subscription$7.491 Month
Show 6 more
  • 1 Month Subscription$8.991 Month
  • 1 Language for 1 Month$9.991 Month
  • 1 Language for 1 Month14 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • 1 Month Subscription$11.991 Month
  • Full app access for a year$71.991 Year
  • Full app access for a year2 variants$95.991 Year
None

Michel Thomas Language Library

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Fluent Forever free?
Fluent Forever is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Michel Thomas Language Library free?
Michel Thomas Language Library is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Fluent Forever or Michel Thomas Language Library?
Michel Thomas Language Library is rated higher. Fluent Forever averages 3.7 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Michel Thomas Language Library averages 4.2 from 157 ratings.
Do Fluent Forever or Michel Thomas Language Library have ads?
Neither Fluent Forever nor Michel Thomas Language Library shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fluent Forever or Michel Thomas Language Library?
Fluent Forever ships an update every 2 weeks, and Michel Thomas Language Library every 4 months. Most recently, Fluent Forever was updated on November 6, 2026 and Michel Thomas Language Library on November 6, 2026.

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