Comparison

Selam vs Abugida

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

Head to head
About

Selam

Master Amharic with interactive, bite-sized lessons and native speaker audio. Explore Ethiopian culture, learn the Fidel script, and track your progress with gamified features. New content is added regularly.

Highlights
  • Bite-sized, game-like lessons
  • Native speaker audio
  • 4 interactive exercise types
  • Cultural articles
  • Gamified progress tracking
  • Fidel script learning
  • In-depth word explanations
Features
Read full description

Learn Amharic to connect with family and your roots. Whether you grew up hearing Amharic or are learning it for someone you love, Selam helps you build everyday vocabulary through short, interactive lessons. Practice with pictures, recorded audio, matching and translation. You can also choose Tigrinya and follow its own learning path. TWO LANGUAGES, ONE APP Choose Amharic or Tigrinya and follow a structured learning path. Amharic includes 22 units and 68 lessons. The new Tigrinya course includes 10 vocabulary units and 32 lessons, covering greetings, family, food and more. LEARN BY SEEING AND LISTENING Connect words with pictures and hear their pronunciation. Practice recognizing words, matching meanings and recalling what you have learned. GRAMMAR THAT FITS THE LESSON Short grammar cards explain useful patterns at selected moments in your lessons, helping you understand how the language works as you practice. FLASHCARDS, YOUR WAY Review one unit or choose All learned to practice words and phrases from completed lessons in your selected language. Reveal each answer, mark how you did and revisit cards that need more practice. Flashcard practice requires premium. BUILD A LEARNING HABIT Earn XP, keep your streak going and track your progress as you complete lessons. Switch between Amharic and Tigrinya from the app's language picker. MORE TO EXPLORE IN AMHARIC The Amharic course also includes sentence practice, an interactive Fidel chart, cultural articles and word explanations. The Tigrinya course currently focuses on vocabulary lessons and selected grammar cards. START WITH UNIT 1 Create an account to complete all three Unit 1 lessons for free in either language. A premium subscription unlocks Unit 2 onward and flashcard practice. Subscription prices and any available trial are shown in the app before purchase. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple account settings. Let's learn together. Privacy Policy: https://www.learnwithselam.com/privacy.html Terms of Service: https://www.learnwithselam.com/terms.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Abugida

Features
Read full description

Welcome to Abugida This is our very first release, and it's packed with everything you need to start learning Amharic:- • Interactive lessons covering greetings, travel, family, and everyday conversation • Learn to read and write the Ge'ez (Fidel) alphabet with audio-guided practice • Progress tracking and achievement badges to keep you motivated • Study anytime, at your own pace Thank you for downloading this is just the beginning. More lessons, more features, and more ways to connect with Amharic are on the way!

Screenshots

Selam4 screens
Abugida4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

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. Selam sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and Abugida sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Selam ships an update every 2 weeks, Abugida fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Selam versus Abugida: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSelamAbugida
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (133 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews76.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings133 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size120 MB42 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSelam Labs LLCPlayStream LLC

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Selam

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Plan$12.991 Month
  • Founding Member3 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • Annual Plan3 Days trial$89.991 Year
2 purchases

Abugida

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly - Abugida Plus7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Annual7 Days trial$54.991 Year

Questions

Is Selam free?
Selam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Abugida free?
Abugida is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Selam or Abugida have ads?
Neither Selam nor Abugida shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Selam or Abugida?
Selam ships an update every 2 weeks, and Abugida fortnightly. Most recently, Selam was updated on October 31, 2026 and Abugida on October 29, 2026.

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