# English Learning Lounge Starter vs Basic English

The clearest difference is rating: Basic English at 4.7 against English Learning Lounge Starter's 4.0. Basic English also leads on ratings volume (5.9K vs 4). English Learning Lounge Starter's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (100% vs 91%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. English Learning Lounge Starter sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Basic English sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Basic English holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Basic English has 5.9K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of English Learning Lounge Starter's written reviews are positive against 91% of Basic English's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

English Learning Lounge Starter ships an update every 6 weeks, Basic English every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | English Learning Lounge Starter | Basic English |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/english-learning-lounge-starter/id959469863/reviews) | **[4.7 (5.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-english-esl-course/id1225114836/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **5.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 90.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 86 MB | 198 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Neil Coghlan](https://appshunter.io/developer/658250797) | [Nguyen Thi Hoai Thu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1321248741) |

## What reviewers say

### English Learning Lounge Starter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/english-learning-lounge-starter/id959469863)

This app provides over 20 years of ESL teaching experience to help you improve your English. It offers detailed grammar explanations and practice exercises, focusing on listening, reading, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Designed for busy learners, it explains concepts before testing your understanding.

**Highlights:** Detailed grammar explanations, Authentic listening and reading practice, Vocabulary building exercises, Pronunciation practice, Multiple choice quizzes, Gap fill exercises, Word re-ordering activities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Unit 11 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Unit 12 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Unit 13 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Unit 14 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Unit 2 | $0.99 | one-time |
| First Words Expansion Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Expansion Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Elementary Expansion Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Starter App Unlock | $8.99 | one-time |


### Basic English

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-english-esl-course/id1225114836)

Learn to speak English fluently and confidently with interactive lessons, audio, and quizzes. Improve speaking, listening, and vocabulary through step-by-step instruction and real-world conversation practice, even offline.

**Highlights:** Offline learning support, Interactive lessons with audio and quizzes, Real-world conversation practice, Vocabulary and grammar expansion, Speaking practice with recording, Listening practice via radio

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Month | $6.99 | per month |
| Year | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium | $11.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Excellent learning tool
- 💡 Helpful for improving English
- 🤩 Great app
- 🥰 Love the app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Ads disrupt usage
- 🤔 Incorrect quiz answers
- 🤷‍♀️ Premium not connected

**Reported bugs**

- Audio issue during use
- Repeated audio lessons

**Requested features**

- Option to speak slowly
- Desktop version for online classes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is English Learning Lounge Starter free?

English Learning Lounge Starter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Basic English free?

Basic English is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, English Learning Lounge Starter or Basic English?

Basic English is rated higher. English Learning Lounge Starter averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Basic English averages 4.7 from 5.9K ratings.

### Do English Learning Lounge Starter or Basic English have ads?

Neither English Learning Lounge Starter nor Basic English shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, English Learning Lounge Starter or Basic English?

English Learning Lounge Starter ships an update every 6 weeks, and Basic English every 3 weeks. Most recently, English Learning Lounge Starter was updated on November 1, 2026 and Basic English on November 2, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*