Comparison

Rocket Languages 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

Rocket Languages

Learn to speak new languages like Spanish, French, and Japanese with structured audio lessons and cultural insights. This app offers lifetime access to courses designed for real conversations, helping you overcome common learning frustrations and speak confidently from day one.

Highlights
  • Structured audio lessons for speaking
  • Lifetime access with free updates
  • Cultural insights and customs
  • Voice recognition for pronunciation
  • Adaptive review activities
  • Interactive audio and conversation practice
Features
Read full description

Rocket Languages - Finally Speak Spanish, French, Japanese & More Learn Spanish, French, Japanese, Italian, German, Korean, Chinese, and more with Rocket Languages - trusted by 2+ million learners worldwide. Unlike game-based apps, Rocket gives you lifetime access to structured lessons that teach you to speak confidently in real conversations. Start your free trial today and see how quickly you’ll go from learning words to actually speaking your new language. WHY ROCKET LANGUAGES WORKS • Speak in real conversations from day 1 – guided audio lessons get you talking fast • Get lifetime access with free updates – your course never expires, and you own it for life • Understand culture, not just grammar – greetings, customs, food, holidays, and everyday life • Perfect your pronunciation – state-of-the-art voice recognition with thousands of native audio examples • Fix weak spots fast – smart review activities adapt to your progress WHAT YOU’LL GET IN EACH LEVEL • 60+ hours of interactive audio lessons you can listen to anywhere — like a podcast, but designed to get you speaking • 60+ hours of Language & Culture lessons that explain the “why,” not just the “what” • Writing practice for Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and other script-based languages • Stress-free conversation practice – train both sides of real dialogues so you’re ready when it counts • Built-in motivational tools to keep you inspired and on track SOLVE THE BIGGEST LANGUAGE LEARNING FRUSTRATIONS • Forgetting what you’ve learned • Memorizing phrases you can’t use in real life • Feeling nervous speaking with locals • Struggling to find time in a busy schedule • Believing you’re too old to learn • Finding other apps unstructured or confusing With Rocket Languages, you’ll remember what you learn, practice until it sticks, and finally speak with confidence. EXTRA BENEFITS YOU WON’T FIND ELSEWHERE • Train your ear – interactive audio sharpens listening skills quickly • Learn how the language actually works – build sentences step by step • Get tailored courses – each one crafted for what’s practical and relevant • Stay motivated – built-in tools keep your learning on track WHY LEARNERS CHOOSE ROCKET LANGUAGES • Proven by millions worldwide • One-time purchase – no ads, no subscriptions • A complete method that teaches speaking, listening, reading, writing, and culture START SPEAKING TODAY Whether it’s for travel, work, or personal growth, Rocket Languages gives you everything you need to finally speak your new language with confidence. • Free trial included – explore the course with no time limit. • Try a set number of lessons for free, then unlock full levels when you’re ready for more. • Additional levels are available as optional in-app purchases, but you’ll always keep free access to your trial lessons. Download Rocket Languages today - start your free trial and begin speaking Spanish, French, Japanese, and more with confidence.

About

Michel Thomas Language Library

Learn languages naturally through an audio-based method without books or memorization. This app guides you from beginner to confident speaker by actively participating in simulated live lessons, building a solid foundation and speaking in full sentences from the start.

Highlights
  • Audio-based lessons
  • No books or memorization required
  • Learn from simulated live lessons
  • Active participation
  • Speak in full sentences from the start
  • Learn at your own pace
Features
Read full description

*****‘A great app and a wonderful teacher…Best way to learn a language by far’ – Ethicos *****‘His method is just genius! It works so well around a busy life’ – Kim s *****‘I could not believe how quickly I was able to learn a language’ – Laurie 1954 The Michel Thomas Method Languages app makes language learning easy! Go from absolute beginner to confident speaker – all without books, homework or having to memorize anything. The stress-free Michel Thomas Method teaches you a foreign language in weeks, not years. Trial 20 minutes of any language for FREE (no card details required). You’ll stick with it because you’ll love it. HOW TO GET STARTED 1. Choose a language from our website to trial for free, or purchase, and sign up for an account. 2. Download the free Michel Thomas Method App. 3. Sign into the app with your account, download your course and start learning! Ready to move up to the next level? Find your next course on our website and continue learning! THE METHOD THAT WORKS WITH YOUR BRAIN 'What you understand, you know; and what you know, you don't forget.' – Michel Thomas Based on Michel Thomas’s 25 years of extensive research on how the brain best learns and retains information, and perfected over another 25 years of teaching with students, academics, professionals, politicians and Hollywood stars. The highly acclaimed Michel Thomas Method courses provide an accelerated method for foreign language learning that will have you speaking a language in whole sentences right from the start. You will quickly build a solid foundation and gain a deep understanding of the language, and be motivated to carry on due to your phenomenal progress. HOW DO THE COURSES WORK? ‘All stress inhibits true and effective learning’ – Michel Thomas During your course, you will join a Michel Thomas Method teacher and two students in live lessons, learning from both their successes and their mistakes to keep you motivated and involved throughout the course. You, as the learner, become the third student and participate actively in the class. Within the very first hour you will be able to construct simple phrases by listening and thinking out answers for yourself without the pressure of writing, or stress of having to memorize. You will learn at your own pace, pausing and repeating where necessary. Michel Thomas Method courses are the perfect foundation for anyone looking to start their language learning journey, continue their journey, or for those who have failed to learn a language in the past or lack confidence speaking. We offer courses from beginner to high intermediate level. The courses make it easy and convenient to fit language learning into your daily routine in whatever time you have. Let go of the tensions and anxieties traditionally associated with language learning, and enjoy it. WHY IS IT SO EFFECTIVE? You will learn the language naturally, as you learned your own, by listening and speaking, rapidly building your confidence and improving your fluency. The language is broken into essential building blocks which you reconstruct to create sentences, absorbing the vocabulary and grammatical structures almost effortlessly, to say what you want, when you want. You will enjoy the language learning process as it creates real excitement – you’ll speak the language immediately and experience a constant sense of progress through your new understanding. LEARN UP TO 19 LANGUAGES: Arabic (Egyptian) Arabic (MSA) Danish Dutch French German Greek Hindi Irish Italian Japanese Korean Mandarin (Chinese) Norwegian Polish Portuguese Russian Spanish Swedish Join 5 million people who have learned a language with the Michel Thomas Method and achieve your goal to speak a new language today! Any questions? Contact us at support@michelthomas.com Michel Thomas Method® is a registered trademark of Michel Thomas, used by Hodder & Stoughton Limited (a division of Hachette UK) under exclusive license.

Screenshots

Rocket Languages4 screens
Michel Thomas Language Library4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Rocket Languages at 69% against Michel Thomas Language Library's 41%. Rocket Languages also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Rocket Languages sells 49 one-off in-app purchases and Michel Thomas Language Library sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Rocket Languages holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rocket Languages has 2.5K ratings behind it against 156, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Rocket Languages's written reviews are positive against 41% of Michel Thomas Language Library's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Rocket Languages ships an update monthly, Michel Thomas Language Library every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Rocket Languages versus Michel Thomas Language Library: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRocket LanguagesMichel Thomas Language Library
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (2.5K ratings) — better4.2 (156 ratings)
Positive reviews69.4% of reviews — better40.8% of reviews
Number of ratings2.5K — better156
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.415.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB97 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLibros Media LtdHachette UK (Holdings)Limited

Customer experience

Rocket Languages

All ratings2,470 ratings
Positive91.2%
Neutral3.9%
Negative4.9%
Written reviews409 reviews
Positive69.4%
Neutral12.0%
Negative18.6%

Michel Thomas Language Library

All ratings156 ratings
Positive78.2%
Neutral5.1%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews98 reviews
Positive40.8%
Neutral6.1%
Negative53.1%

User reviews

Rocket Languages

From 2.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Interactive and engaging lessons
  • 🚀 Comprehensive and structured learning approach
  • 💡 Variety of practice methods (listening, speaking, writing)
  • 👍 Explanations of grammar and cultural context
  • 🚀 Detailed and accurate pronunciation feedback

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Voice recognition issues and inconsistencies
  • 🐛 App crashes and bugs
  • 🐛 Inability to review/replay recorded audio
  • 🐛 Lack of offline functionality
  • 🐛 Outdated or confusing user interface

Michel Thomas Language Library

From 156 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

Rocket Languages

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Audio playback issues
  • Inconsistent voice recognition
  • Lesson progress not properly tracked
  • Compatibility problems with newer devices/OS
  • Crashes and freezes during use

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to slow down audio playback
  • More grammar and vocabulary review tools
  • Improved search and navigation within the app
  • Customizable learning plans and progress tracking
  • Integration with other language learning resources

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

49 purchases

Rocket Languages

One-time49
  • Rocket Sign Language Level 1$39.99
  • Rocket Spanish Level 1$59.99
  • Rocket Japanese Level 1$59.99
Show 46 more
  • Rocket Italian Level 1$59.99
  • Rocket Korean Level 1$59.99
  • Rocket Arabic Level 1$59.99
  • Rocket French Level 1$59.99
  • Rocket Portuguese Level 1$59.99
  • Rocket Sign Language Level 1$59.99
  • Rocket Spanish Level 1$89.99
  • Rocket Korean Level 1$89.99
  • Rocket Arabic Level 1$89.99
  • Rocket French Level 1$89.99
  • Rocket German Level 1$89.99
  • Rocket Italian Level 1$89.99
  • Rocket Japanese Level 1$89.99
  • Rocket French Level 1$99.99
  • Rocket Japanese Level 1$99.99
  • Rocket Italian Level 1$99.99
  • Rocket Spanish Level 1$99.99
  • Rocket Spanish Levels 1 & 2$119.99
  • Rocket Spanish Premium: Level 1$149.99
  • Rocket French Premium: Level 1$149.99
  • Rocket German Premium: Level 1$149.99
  • Rocket Italian Premium: Level 1$149.99
  • Rocket Japanese Premium: Level 1$149.99
  • Rocket Chinese Premium: Level 1$149.99
  • Rocket Arabic Premium: Level 1$149.99
  • Rocket Portuguese Premium: Level 1$149.99
  • Rocket Korean Premium: Level 1$149.99
  • Rocket Russian Premium: Level 1$149.99
  • Rocket Spanish Levels 1, 2 & 3$179.99
  • Rocket French Levels 1, 2 & 3$179.99
  • Rocket Japanese Level 1, 2 & 3$179.99
  • Rocket Russian Levels 1, 2 & 3$179.99
  • Rocket German Levels 1, 2 & 3$179.99
  • Rocket Chinese Levels 1, 2 & 3$179.99
  • Rocket Italian Levels 1, 2 & 3$179.99
  • Rocket Spanish Levels 1, 2 & 3$249.99
  • Rocket Japanese Level 1, 2 & 3$249.99
  • Rocket Italian Levels 1, 2 & 3$249.99
  • Rocket German Levels 1, 2 & 3$249.99
  • Rocket Chinese Levels 1, 2 & 3$249.99
  • Rocket Russian Levels 1, 2 & 3$249.99
  • Rocket French Levels 1, 2 & 3$249.99
  • Rocket Japanese Level 1, 2 & 3$259.99
  • Rocket Italian Levels 1, 2 & 3$259.99
  • Rocket Spanish Levels 1, 2 & 3$259.99
  • Rocket French Levels 1, 2 & 3$259.99
4 purchases

Michel Thomas Language Library

One-time4
  • Pack of 11 Credits$10.99
  • Pack of 12 Credits$11.99
  • Pack of 90 Credits$89.99
Show 1 more
  • Pack of 100 Credits$99.99

Questions

Is Rocket Languages free?
Rocket Languages is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Michel Thomas Language Library free?
Michel Thomas Language Library is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Rocket Languages or Michel Thomas Language Library?
Rocket Languages is rated higher. Rocket Languages averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while Michel Thomas Language Library averages 4.2 from 156 ratings.
Do Rocket Languages or Michel Thomas Language Library have ads?
Neither Rocket Languages nor Michel Thomas Language Library shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Rocket Languages or Michel Thomas Language Library?
Rocket Languages ships an update monthly, and Michel Thomas Language Library every 4 months. Most recently, Rocket Languages was updated on October 18, 2026 and Michel Thomas Language Library on October 15, 2026.

Other comparisons