Comparison

Parallel Arabic vs Takalamu

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

Head to head
About

Parallel Arabic

Features
Read full description

Most Arabic apps teach you the formal version โ€” the one people rarely speak on the street. Parallel Arabic is different. We teach the dialects: Egyptian, Levantine, Moroccan Darija, and Modern Standard Arabic โ€” so you can hold a real conversation with real people, wherever you are. Read in parallel Every story and lesson shows English, Arabic script, and transliteration side by side โ€” so you can follow along at your own pace, whether you can read Arabic yet or not. Hear it like a native All content is voiced by native dialect speakers, not generic text-to-speech. Tap any word to hear it pronounced, see its meaning, and get example sentences โ€” instantly. Learn your way Choose your dialect and start building vocabulary that actually matters to you. Generate custom lessons, stories, and practice sentences around topics you care about โ€” not generic scripted content. AI that works for you Practice speaking with an AI tutor in your chosen dialect and get instant feedback. Read AI-generated stories on any topic, tap any word to translate it, and hear native audio pronunciations โ€” all in one place. Built to make words stick Our spaced repetition review system schedules words at exactly the right time so you don't forget them. Each review session generates fresh stories and sentences using your saved words โ€” not the same flashcards on repeat. See your progress Your vocabulary map grows with every word you learn, giving you a visual picture of how far you've come. Track your daily activity and climb the leaderboard. What's included: - 4 Arabic dialects: Egyptian, Levantine, Moroccan Darija, Modern Standard Arabic - 50+ structured lessons per dialect - AI-generated stories with click-to-translate - AI conversation tutor with pronunciation feedback - Writing and sentence-matching practice - Dialect comparison โ€” see how words differ across regions - Spaced repetition review powered by your own vocabulary - Visual vocabulary map - Word of the Day Free to start. Premium unlocks everything. Whether you're a complete beginner or brushing up before a trip, Parallel Arabic meets you where you are; and teaches you Arabic the way it's actually spoken. https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Takalamu

This app offers a structured method for learning Modern Standard Arabic through dialogues, exercises, and spaced repetition. It covers vocabulary from daily life to faith, helping users understand written Arabic and express themselves effectively.

Highlights
  • 90 structured lessons
  • 620+ vowelized words
  • Real everyday dialogues
  • 6 varied practice exercises
  • Spaced repetition algorithm
  • Audio for dialogues and phrases
  • Progress tracking and syncing
Read full description

Takalamu is a method for learning Modern Standard Arabic (fusha), built for learners who want to understand what they read and express themselves in daily life: greeting, introducing yourself, talking about your family, then moving into the vocabulary of prayer and the Quran. A JOURNEY IN 5 CIRCLES From the most personal to the most spiritual: - Me: introduce yourself, express your feelings, talk about your day - My family: loved ones, the home, daily life - People: the market, the restaurant, asking for directions, traveling - The community: congratulating, comforting, celebrations, culture - Faith: the pillars of Islam, invocations, the foundations to understand the Quran 90 structured lessons, more than 620 fully vowelized words and a 22-theme vocabulary library, from numbers to the beautiful names of Allah. A 3-STEP METHOD 1. Learn with real everyday dialogues, fully vowelized (complete tashkil): you read correctly from day one. 2. Practice with 6 varied exercises: quiz, matching grid, sentence building, FlashSwipe and more. 3. Remember for good: the spaced repetition algorithm (SRS) brings each word back right before you forget it. EVERYTHING YOU NEED - Complete tashkil on every word, with transliteration and translation - Audio for dialogues, words and phrases - Root exploration: see how a root like ุณ ู„ ู… connects salam and islam - Phrasebook: useful phrases unlock as you progress - Weekly challenge: listen, answer the quiz and climb the leaderboard - Resume mode: a targeted refresher when you come back after a break - Detailed tracking: day streaks, mastery rate, progress per circle - Your progress syncs automatically across your devices WHO IS IT FOR? The only prerequisite: being able to decipher the Arabic alphabet, even slowly. If you learned to read with the Quran, you are exactly in the right place. Takalamu is for you if you are starting from zero, if you read the Quran without understanding it, if you speak a dialect but not fusha, or if you already tried to learn and gave up along the way. Takalamu does not replace a teacher: it is the first step. You build your foundation (vocabulary, fluent reading, basic structures) at your own pace, so you can later approach a class or a conversation with solid ground under your feet. FREE TO TRY, THEN PREMIUM Create a free account: the first lessons and part of the vocabulary are open so you can get a real feel for the method. The Takalamu Premium subscription then unlocks the whole journey: all 5 circles, the 90 lessons and the full vocabulary library. Takalamu Premium is an auto-renewable subscription (monthly, 6 months or yearly). Payment is charged to your App Store account at purchase confirmation. The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel it anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of use: https://takalamu.com/cgu Privacy policy: https://takalamu.com/confidentialite Questions? contact@takalamu.com

Screenshots

Parallel Arabic4 screens
Takalamu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Parallel Arabic at none against Takalamu's 2. Parallel Arabic also leads on ads (none vs shown). Takalamu's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Takalamu sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. Parallel Arabic asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Parallel Arabic ships an update every 3 weeks, Takalamu every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 5 level
Parallel Arabic versus Takalamu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterParallel ArabicTakalamu
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviewsโ€”100.0% of reviews
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 days โ€” better
AdsNo โ€” betterYes
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
Monetizationโ€”Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 โ€” better15.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size389 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSherif ElmetwallyAmine Serra

In-app purchases

None

Parallel Arabic

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Takalamu

Subscriptions2
  • Takalamu Premium โ€” Monthly$12.991 Month
  • Takalamu Premium โ€” Semi-annual$49.996 Months

Questions

Is Parallel Arabic free?
Parallel Arabic is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Takalamu free?
Takalamu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Parallel Arabic or Takalamu have ads?
Takalamu shows ads; Parallel Arabic does not.
Which is updated more often, Parallel Arabic or Takalamu?
Parallel Arabic ships an update every 3 weeks, and Takalamu every 3 days. Most recently, Parallel Arabic was updated on October 8, 2026 and Takalamu on October 15, 2026.

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