Comparison

Polyglo vs Effy

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

Head to head
About

Polyglo

Features
Read full description

Polyglo is a language learning app built around real conversations. Instead of memorizing word lists, you learn through dialogues that reflect everyday situations β€” so the language actually sticks. FEATURES Dialogue Learning Follow natural conversations unit by unit. Build listening comprehension and speaking intuition at the same time. Vocabulary Organized by theme and unit, with audio pronunciation for every word. Review at your own pace. Grammar Clear, concise explanations without the textbook fluff. Understand the rules behind what you're saying. Practice Reinforce what you've learned with fill-in-the-blank, translation, and conversation exercises β€” organized by unit and available in English, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. PLANS Polyglo is free to start. Unlock additional units or go VIP to access everything β€” including all future languages as they're added. VIP Pass One-time purchase. Full access to all current and future content. No subscriptions, no surprises. MORE LANGUAGES COMING We're continually expanding. Buy VIP once and get every new language automatically. Questions or feedback? Reach us at polygloapp@gmail.com

About

Effy

Features
Read full description

Reading is how a language actually goes in. Effy turns real articles into lessons in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese or Chinese β€” read them, hear them read aloud, and tap any word you don't know. Start with a short article. Meet a word you've never seen. Tap it, hear it, save it. Effy brings it back on the day you were about to forget it, until it's yours. WHAT YOU CAN DO β€’ Learn English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese or Chinese β€” switch anytime β€’ Read articles graded by level, from A1 through C2, so nothing is out of reach β€’ Follow natural read-aloud audio with the word highlighted as it is spoken β€’ Tap any word for an instant translation, definition and grammar note β€’ Build a personal vocabulary and review it with spaced-repetition flashcards β€’ Practise speaking out loud and get instant feedback β€’ Play a daily word game and climb the leaderboard β€’ Keep listening while you browse β€” narration follows you around the app WHY READING WORKS Word lists give you a translation. An article gives you a word inside a sentence you wanted to read, on a subject you chose β€” and that context is what makes it stay. You learn the word, how it behaves, and which sense it carries here. Spaced repetition does the rest. Every word you save is scheduled for the day you are most likely to forget it, so your review time goes where it is needed instead of over what you already know. A few minutes a day is genuinely enough. WHO IT'S FOR β€’ Learners past the basics who want real material, not phrasebook drills β€’ Anyone reading for study, work or news in another language β€’ Returning learners rebuilding vocabulary they once had Effy is free to start. An optional Effy Pro subscription (monthly or yearly) unlocks full vocabulary and grammar for every article, unlimited practice, progress tracking and an ad-free experience. Payment is charged to your Apple ID; the subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends, and can be managed in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://geteffy.io/terms Privacy Policy: https://geteffy.io/privacy

Screenshots

Polyglo2 screens
Effy4 screens

Verdict

The call

Polyglo and Effy are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters β€” price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them β€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Polyglo sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Effy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Polyglo ships an update every 4 days, Effy every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Polyglo versus Effy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPolygloEffy
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 3 days β€” better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 β€” better16.6
Further details β€” not scored
Size247 MB144 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNaoki YoshidaKAM CHEUNG Wong

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Polyglo

One-time5
  • English Unlock$2.99
  • Chinese Unlock$2.99
  • Japanese Unlock$2.99
Show 2 more
  • Spanish Unlock$2.99
  • VIP Pass (All Languages)$9.99
2 purchases

Effy

Subscriptions2
  • Effy Pro$1.991 Month
  • Effy Pro$9.991 Year

Questions

Is Polyglo free?
Polyglo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Effy free?
Effy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Polyglo or Effy have ads?
Both Polyglo and Effy show ads.
Which is updated more often, Polyglo or Effy?
Polyglo ships an update every 4 days, and Effy every 3 days. Most recently, Polyglo was updated on October 25, 2026 and Effy on October 29, 2026.

Other comparisons