Comparison

ForeignLanguage Graded Readers vs Coffee Break Academy

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

Head to head
About

ForeignLanguage Graded Readers

Learn languages through engaging short stories tailored to your proficiency level. Expand vocabulary and improve comprehension in French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, or English with controlled language and authentic dialogues. Designed for enjoyable self-study or classroom use.

Highlights
  • Eight short stories per collection
  • Controlled language at your level
  • Authentic spoken dialogues
  • Vocabulary lists
  • Chapter summaries and comprehension questions
  • Variety of genres
Features
Read full description

Read for pleasure at your level and learn a foreign language the fun way! Teach Yourself Short Stories by Olly Richards is a series of easy graded readers for adult and young adult language learners. Featuring eight unmissable short stories for beginners, high-beginners and intermediate learners, the series is available in French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian and English. “Olly's top-notch language-learning insights are right in line with the best of what we know from neuroscience and cognitive psychology about how to learn effectively. I love his work - and you will too!” - Barbara Oakley, PhD, Author of New York Times bestseller A Mind for Numbers Expand your vocabulary and improve your comprehension in an enjoyable and natural way: Read in French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian or English and improve your language learning skills! The Short Stories collection is designed to give you a sense of achievement, a feeling of progress and most importantly - enjoyment! Each foreign language reader gives you: • Eight stories in a variety of exciting genres, from science fiction and crime to history and thriller - making learning fun, while you acquire a wide range of new vocabulary • Controlled language at your level, including the 1000 most frequent words, to help you progress confidently • Authentic spoken dialogues, to help you learn conversational expressions and improve your speaking ability • Accessible grammar so you learn new structures naturally, in a stress-free way • Vocabulary lists so you can quickly look up unfamiliar words without interrupting your flow. • Chapter summaries and comprehension questions to help you follow the plot and understand the story. • Enjoyment! It's much easier to learn a new language when you're having fun, and research shows that if you're enjoying reading or listening in a foreign language, you won't experience the usual feelings of frustration – “It's too hard!” “I don't understand!” The Beginners collection is for students from high-beginner to low-intermediate level (A2-B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference). Intermediate is for low-intermediate to intermediate learners (B1-B2)! You can also purchase a sample to read a story before you buy the full collection. Discover the joy of being entertained in a foreign language, while learning new skills at the same time – Short Stories for Beginners in French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian or English! These stories are Ideal for self-study, as well as in the classroom as supplementary learning material. If you are interested in using this content with your students, contact learningsolutions@teachyourself.com What the experts say: “As researchers in language acquisition, we need to study people like [Olly Richards]”. -Stephen Krashen, Emeritus Professor, University of Southern California “Olly's advice on language learning is the real deal, and I recommend you pay attention to what he has to say!” - Benny Lewis, Fluent in 3 Months “When we wanted to create a free online course on how to learn a language we asked Olly to write it with us”. - Dr Tita Beaven, The Open University “Learning a language is challenging, but it's one of the best things you can do for your brain and your learning skill set... Olly Richards is doing some seriously incredible work to empower more and more people to rise to the challenge”. - Jonathan Levi “Olly bridges the gap between theory and practice by helping you to use scientific principles to get real results with your language learning”. - Anthony Metivier, Magnetic Memory Method

About

Coffee Break Academy

Features
Read full description

Learn a language on your terms with the Coffee Break Academy app, the only official way to access Coffee Break Academy courses on your mobile device. Whether you're just getting started or want to build on your existing skills, Coffee Break Academy offers a wide range of structured, progressive language courses. From beginner to advanced levels, you'll be guided step by step by our team of expert teachers. Choose from French, Italian, Spanish, German, Japanese, Swedish, Portuguese, Chinese, Scottish Gaelic, and English, with courses designed for learners at every stage. What’s included: Video and audio lessons with clear, engaging teaching Lesson notes to help you review key grammar and vocabulary Download lessons for offline learning – perfect for your commute or coffee break Learning reminders to help you stay on track Free introductory courses in French, Italian, Spanish, and German to get you started Why Coffee Break Academy? Unlike other apps that focus on memorizing random phrases, Coffee Break courses are designed to help you make real progress in your chosen language. Each course is carefully structured, focusing on building understanding and confidence over time. Our courses have helped millions of learners around the world build their language skills, all in short, manageable lessons that fit into your busy day. Learn your way – anytime, anywhere: Whether you’re learning on your commute, at the gym, or during your coffee break, the Coffee Break Academy app makes it easy to fit language learning into your lifestyle. For Existing and New Learners: Already purchased a course on the Coffee Break Academy website? Simply log in to your account and access your courses in the app. New to Coffee Break? Start with one of our free taster courses and see how much you can learn in just a few minutes a day. Download the Coffee Break Academy app today and start your language learning journey with us.

Screenshots

ForeignLanguage Graded Readers4 screens
Coffee Break Academy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Coffee Break Academy at none against ForeignLanguage Graded Readers's 5. On price, update cadence, 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. ForeignLanguage Graded Readers sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Coffee Break Academy asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ForeignLanguage Graded Readers ships an update every 6 months, Coffee Break Academy every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
ForeignLanguage Graded Readers versus Coffee Break Academy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterForeignLanguage Graded ReadersCoffee Break Academy
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (31 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews35.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings31 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 months — betterEvery 7 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size94 MB106 MB
Age rating+417+
DeveloperHachette UK (Holdings)LimitedRadio Lingua Ltd

In-app purchases

5 purchases

ForeignLanguage Graded Readers

One-time5
  • Pack of 2 Credits$1.99
  • Pack of 11 Credits$10.99
  • Pack of 13 Credits$12.99
Show 2 more
  • Pack of 15 Credits$14.99
  • Pack of 65 Credits$64.99
None

Coffee Break Academy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ForeignLanguage Graded Readers free?
ForeignLanguage Graded Readers is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Coffee Break Academy free?
Coffee Break Academy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ForeignLanguage Graded Readers or Coffee Break Academy have ads?
Neither ForeignLanguage Graded Readers nor Coffee Break Academy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ForeignLanguage Graded Readers or Coffee Break Academy?
ForeignLanguage Graded Readers ships an update every 6 months, and Coffee Break Academy every 7 months. Most recently, ForeignLanguage Graded Readers was updated on November 6, 2026 and Coffee Break Academy on November 8, 2026.

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