Comparison

LingQ | Learn Languages vs Migaku

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

Head to head
About

LingQ | Learn Languages

Learn languages naturally by reading and listening to real content. Expand your vocabulary and improve comprehension with interactive tools and AI-powered features. Supports over 50 languages and offers a global community for support.

Highlights
  • Massive content library
  • Import your own content
  • Interactive reader with word definitions
  • AI-powered learning tools
  • Progress tracking
  • Offline learning
  • Community support and tutoring
Features
Read full description

Experience Language Learning with LingQ — the natural and effective way to learn a new language. LingQ is a language learning app that lets you grow your vocabulary and improve comprehension through meaningful exposure to the language with real content. Follow your interests and enjoy an immersive learning experience in over 50 languages. Learn Spanish, English, Japanese, Korean, Italian, German, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Arabic, and other languages. Trusted by Learners Worldwide: ◆4.7 star rating from over 45000 reviews. ◆Featured in CBC, Men’s Health, La Vanguardia, El País. Designed for Real Language Learning LingQ uses an input-based approach: you learn languages by reading and listening to real, interesting content at your level. ◆ Massive Content Library: Thousands of lessons from podcasts, books, interviews, videos, articles, and more — all with matching text for easy listening and reading. ◆ Follow Topics You Enjoy: Choose content you love and progress naturally through immersion, not drills. ◆ Import Your Favorite Content: Turn Netflix, YouTube, podcasts, books, and articles into personalized lessons. ◆ Powerful Reader: An effective, optimized reader that tracks every word you encounter to boost your vocabulary. ◆ Interactive Learning: Listen, read along, tap words for instant definitions, and learn naturally as you go. ◆ Advanced Progress Tracking: Monitor your listening, reading, study time, and vocabulary growth. ◆ Learn Anytime, Anywhere: Study offline and sync your progress automatically. Learn whenever you want. AI Language Learning Tools • AI Audio Transcription: Turn podcasts and audiobooks into interactive lessons. • AI Voices: Make your lessons, reviews and chats more immersive with natural sounding text-to-speech voices. • Advanced Chatbot: Get detailed tutor responses and real-time web search with our advanced Lynx AI Chatbot. • AI-Simplified Lesson: Take advantage of more interesting content earlier on in your learning journey by generating simplified versions of lessons. Read and Listen with Interactive Tools • SRS vocabulary review for long-term retention; • Mini Stories that build a strong foundation at any level; • Grammar guides with clear, accessible explanations; • Audio playlists for hands-free listening; • Karaoke Mode to follow the text while listening; A Global Community to Support You • Writing Exchange for real corrections from native speakers; • Tutoring sessions tailored to your goals; • Community forum for questions, guidance, and motivation; • Challenges that help you stay consistent and build strong habits; Built by Language Learners LingQ was co-founded by Steve Kaufmann, a polyglot who learned more than 20 languages using this same natural approach. Learn Multiple Languages LingQ supports more than 50 languages, including Spanish, English, Japanese, Korean, Italian, German, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Arabic and more. Get LingQ Premium and Accelerate Your Learning • Unlimited vocabulary lookup and SRS review; • Comprehensive word tracking to boost your progress; • Unlimited content imports; • Access to AI features; Start learning from real content. Download LingQ and begin today. Feedback? Let us know. Send suggestions and feedback to iosapp@lingq.com. Terms of Service - https://www.lingq.com/terms/

About

Migaku

This app helps you learn languages by making content interactive. Click words in subtitles or text to get definitions, create flashcards, and personalize study sessions. It focuses on high-frequency words for efficient learning.

Highlights
  • Interactive subtitles for YouTube
  • One-click media-rich flashcard creation
  • Personalized study sessions
  • Data-driven courses for beginners
  • Word frequency-based vocabulary learning
  • AI sentence breakdown and explanations
Features
Read full description

Learning languages is actually pretty simple: if you consume content you enjoy, and you understand that content, you will make progress. Period. Migaku (and its Chrome browser extension) enables you to do that: 1. Our courses take you from zero to 80% comprehension in ~6 months (10 cards/day) 2. We make text interactive: click words in your phone's YouTube subtitles to see what they mean 3. We let you make media-rich flashcards out of those words with one click 4. We make personalized study sessions out of the flashcards you create 5. Repeat! Whether you're learning Japanese, Mandarin, Korean, Spanish, Italian, German, Cantonese, Portuguese, English, French or Vietnamese, Migaku equips you with the tools you need to make real progress. Migaku requires a paid subscription to access its courses, features, and AI tools. Migaku – AI Language Learning Tool ■ How languages are really learned: If you want to watch movies in other languages, then you need to learn languages with movies. If you want to read books in other languages, then you need to learn languages by reading. As you spend more time doing the things you enjoy doing in the language you're learning, you'll build the unique skills you need to more easily do those things. Unfortunately, it's difficult to read books and watch movies in another language as a beginner. And that's where Migaku comes in ■ Data-driven courses for beginners The problem with most apps and textbooks is that they teach you what someone else thinks language learners need to know, and those things may not reflect what you actually need to learn to do the things that are important to you. This matters because not all words are used equally often: while a college-educated native speaker knows ~30,000 words, you only need to know ~1,500 words to recognize 80% of the words in modern media. Our flashcard-based courses teach you these ~1,500 words—the ones that are useful to everyone, no matter their goals—plus a few hundred basic grammar points. What makes our courses special is that every "next" flashcard contains only one new word, making Migaku's learning curve super smooth. You're always learning something new, but never overwhelmed. It's a fluent language learning approach. Migaku courses are currently available for Japanese, Mandarin, and Korean. ■ Turn subtitles and text into interactive language learning opportunities Migaku makes texts interactive: just click on words to see what they mean. You can also hear audio recordings from native speakers, reference images of the term, check example sentences, get an AI explanation of what the word means in context, have AI break sentences down for you word-by-word, or see a translation of the sentence that your word appears in. Basically, Migaku lets you consume content in another language as if you knew as many words as a native speaker. Our mobile app supports YouTube, manually pasted content, and physical content like books or street signs. Our Chrome extension supports web pages and several popular streaming websites. ■ Create custom study cards or import language flashcards Find a useful looking word while consuming content? Turn it into a high-quality flashcard with one button, and Migaku's spaced repetition language practice algorithm will create personalized study sessions for you. You'll be nudged to review these flashcards periodically, ensuring you remember them. Decks designed for the Anki flashcard app can be converted for use with Migaku, too. ■ Study anywhere, even offline Migaku's courses and any flashcards you make are available offline and automatically sync between all of your devices. ■ Learn multiple languages at once A single Migaku subscription gives you access to all of Migaku's languages and lets you use all of Migaku's features and AI language learning tools as much as you want. - - - Immerse → enjoy → improve

Screenshots

LingQ | Learn Languages4 screens
Migaku4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: LingQ | Learn Languages at 4.7 against Migaku's 4.4. LingQ | Learn Languages also leads on ratings volume (10K vs 360) and chart position (#111 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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. LingQ | Learn Languages sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month and Migaku sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $14.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

LingQ | Learn Languages holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LingQ | Learn Languages has 10K ratings behind it against 360, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of LingQ | Learn Languages's written reviews are positive against 73% of Migaku's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LingQ | Learn Languages ships an update every 5 days, Migaku weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
LingQ | Learn Languages versus Migaku: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLingQ | Learn LanguagesMigaku
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (10K ratings) — better4.4 (360 ratings)
Positive reviews80.2% of reviews — better73.3% of reviews
Number of ratings10K — better360
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#111 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size345 MB1.9 GB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperLingQ Languages LtdMigaku Inc.

Customer experience

LingQ | Learn Languages

All ratings10,219 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.3%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews1,172 reviews
Positive80.2%
Neutral6.1%
Negative13.7%

Migaku

All ratings360 ratings
Positive84.7%
Neutral1.4%
Negative13.9%
Written reviews232 reviews
Positive73.3%
Neutral3.0%
Negative23.7%

User reviews

LingQ | Learn Languages

From 10K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent for reading and listening practice
  • 👍 Customizable content and learning experience
  • 🚀 Efficient vocabulary acquisition
  • 👍 Helpful for improving comprehension and fluency
  • 👍 Engaging and enjoyable way to learn

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app with sync and performance issues
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🤔 Limited free version functionality
  • 🤔 Confusing user interface and navigation
  • 🤔 Inconsistent quality of translations and definitions

Migaku

From 360 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Effective and convenient language learning
  • 👍 Intuitive and visually appealing interface
  • 🎓 Comprehensive courses and lessons
  • 💡 Seamless integration with streaming platforms
  • 🗣️ Helpful pronunciation and pitch accent features

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
  • 🔒 Lack of free trial or free plan options
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🤖 Inconsistent performance of AI-powered features
  • 🔌 High storage and battery consumption on mobile

Bugs and requests

LingQ | Learn Languages

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Sync issues between app and web version
  • Incorrect translations and definitions
  • Unreliable streak tracking and progress reporting

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improved user interface and navigation
  • Better sync and performance across devices
  • More content and language options
  • Enhanced vocabulary management and review tools
  • Affordable subscription plans

Migaku

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Unable to create new accounts in the app
  • Broken kanji course with empty cards
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps

Requested features

4 requests
  • Offline mode for learning on the go
  • Expanded support for more languages
  • Better integration with Anki and other SRS apps
  • More customization options for flashcards and reviews

In-app purchases

12 purchases

LingQ | Learn Languages

Subscriptions12
  • LingQ Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • LingQ Premium (Monthly)$14.991 Month
  • Premium Plus Monthly$29.991 Month
Show 9 more
  • LingQ Premium (6 Months)7 Days trial$80.996 Months
  • LingQ Premium (6 Months)$80.996 Months
  • LingQ Premium$89.991 Year
  • LingQ Premium$99.991 Year
  • LingQ Premium$101.991 Year
  • LingQ Premium2 variants$109.991 Year
  • LingQ Premium (12 Months)7 Days trial$119.991 Year
  • LingQ Premium (12 Months)$119.991 Year
  • Premium Plus Yearly7 Days trial$269.991 Year
13 purchases

Migaku

Subscriptions8
  • Migaku Standard2 variants$14.001 Month
  • Migaku Standard7 Days trial$14.001 Month
  • Early Access2 variants$21.001 Month
Show 5 more
  • Early Access7 Days trial$21.001 Month
  • Migaku Standard$136.991 Year
  • Migaku Standard7 Days trial$136.991 Year
  • Early Access$179.991 Year
  • Early Access7 Days trial$179.991 Year
One-time5
  • Lifetime$214.99
  • Lifetime$289.00
  • Lifetime$344.99
Show 2 more
  • Lifetime$359.00
  • Lifetime$719.00

Questions

Is LingQ | Learn Languages free?
LingQ | Learn Languages is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Migaku free?
Migaku is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, LingQ | Learn Languages or Migaku?
LingQ | Learn Languages is rated higher. LingQ | Learn Languages averages 4.7 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while Migaku averages 4.4 from 360 ratings.
Do LingQ | Learn Languages or Migaku have ads?
Neither LingQ | Learn Languages nor Migaku shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LingQ | Learn Languages or Migaku?
LingQ | Learn Languages ships an update every 5 days, and Migaku weekly. Most recently, LingQ | Learn Languages was updated on September 24, 2026 and Migaku on September 25, 2026.

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