LearnLingo vs Lingoda: Free English App or Live Online Classes?

Key takeaways

• Lingoda sells live classes with teachers; LearnLingo is a free self-study course. Different tools for different jobs.
• Both follow CEFR levels. Lingoda says one level has 50 classes; LearnLingo runs from A1 to C1 at your own pace.
• Lingoda wins on live speaking, teacher feedback and level certificates.
• LearnLingo wins on price, flexibility, daily review of mistakes and Turkish support.
• Lingoda plans renew every four weeks and have booking and cancellation rules; LearnLingo has no schedule at all.
• Combining daily LearnLingo practice with a small Lingoda plan gives you both structure and conversation.

LearnLingo vs Lingoda at a glance

Facts about Lingoda come from its pricing page, checked in October 2026. Details change, so check before you subscribe.

Feature	LearnLingo	Lingoda
Price model	Free course; optional Plus subscription	Monthly plans of 4 to 32 classes, renewing every four weeks
Free tier	Every lesson, full course	7-day free trial (3 group classes or 1 private class), then paid
Levels (CEFR)	A1 to C1	CEFR curriculum; Lingoda says 50 classes per level
Teaching method	Short interactive exercises, grammar tips, spaced review	Live 60-minute video classes, groups of 3 to 5 or private
Speaking practice	Speaking Coach game, browser speech recognition on web, listen and repeat on iOS	Live speaking with a teacher and classmates
Listening practice	Listening exercises, read-aloud dialogues, Listening Lab	Live teacher and classmates; self-study materials
Grammar explanations	Built-in tips, unit guides, Sage the Turtle helper	Taught in class with lesson materials
Native-language support	Turkish UI and explanations	Classes taught in English
Platforms	Web, iOS app	Web-based classroom and apps
Offline use	No offline mode on web	No; classes are live
Certificates	None	Lingoda certificate on level completion
Best for	Free daily practice, beginners, Turkish speakers	Adults who want real classes, a schedule and a certificate

Method and lesson design

Lingoda. Lingoda is closer to a language school than an app. You book a 60-minute live class, join a video room with a teacher and a few other learners, and work through a prepared lesson: vocabulary, a grammar point, speaking tasks and discussion. Groups are small, 3 to 5 students according to Lingoda, so you speak more than in a typical school classroom. Lingoda also says it offers more than 100 hours of AI-powered self-study materials. Classes run around the clock, so you can usually find a time slot.

The cost of this model is planning. Lingoda recommends booking a week ahead, and on monthly plans you must cancel at least 3 days before a class to get the credit back. Real classmates also mean mixed levels, accents and confidence on any given day.

LearnLingo. LearnLingo gives you short interactive lessons you can start at any minute: choice questions, word-bank translation, matching, gap-fill and listening. Each unit includes grammar tips, a guide and dialogues read aloud by your device. Mistakes return in spaced practice. There are 13 games for extra practice.

Verdict: Lingoda for a classroom experience with a teacher; LearnLingo for flexible, bite-sized self-study.

Curriculum and levels

Both use the CEFR scale, which makes them easy to combine. Lingoda says a level has 50 classes and that you can move at your own pace. LearnLingo moves you through units from A1 to C1; you can start where the English level test places you. If you are new to the scale, read CEFR levels explained.

Verdict: Equal on structure. Lingoda adds a teacher to the curriculum; LearnLingo makes it free.

Grammar

In a Lingoda class, a teacher presents a grammar point, gives examples and corrects you as you use it. You can ask questions. But with a few classmates and an hour of time, you will only produce a limited number of sentences with any one structure.

LearnLingo gives you volume: many short exercises on the same pattern, with instant feedback and an explanation from Sage the Turtle. Sage is a rule-based helper, not an AI chatbot or a teacher. The English grammar hub adds reference pages.

Verdict: Lingoda for explanation and correction in context; LearnLingo for repetition until the form is automatic.

Vocabulary and review

Lingoda introduces vocabulary in each class and offers self-study materials. LearnLingo stores the words and sentences you get wrong and schedules them again, which is the core of spaced repetition. Games such as Word Match add more review.

Verdict: LearnLingo for systematic review; Lingoda for using new words in conversation.

Speaking and pronunciation

This is Lingoda's main advantage. In a small group you speak to a qualified teacher and to other learners, answer unexpected questions and hear corrections. LearnLingo's Speaking Coach uses browser speech recognition on the web where available and listen-and-repeat with a self-check on iOS. It builds confidence with sounds and sentences, but it is not a conversation. Read our guide to improving English speaking for ways to practice outside class.

Verdict: Lingoda, clearly.

Listening

Lingoda gives you a real teacher plus classmates with different accents, which is valuable. LearnLingo offers short, repeatable listening drills using a speech engine voice, which is clear but less natural. Add real podcasts and video, as described in how to improve English listening.

Verdict: Lingoda for natural speech; LearnLingo for frequent practice.

Motivation

LearnLingo uses hearts, streaks, XP, levels and weekly leagues to keep a daily habit. Lingoda's motivation is the class itself: a booked time, a teacher, classmates and a monthly plan you have paid for. Unused credits roll over while you stay subscribed, according to Lingoda, but you still need to book them.

Verdict: Lingoda for commitment; LearnLingo for small daily wins.

Price and value

Lingoda sells plans of 4, 8, 16 or 32 classes, renewing every four weeks; the price per class drops on larger plans. On the euro pricing page in October 2026 we saw two sets of plans: one starting at 44.99 euros for 4 classes and going down to 4.99 euros per class on the 32-class plan, and another starting at 109.99 euros for 4 classes and going down to 10.99 euros per class. The page did not clearly label which set applies to which class type, and prices differ by country, currency and promotion. Lingoda also lists a 14-day money-back guarantee, minus classes taken. Check the current price on Lingoda.

LearnLingo's full course is free. LearnLingo Plus is optional, with weekly, monthly and yearly plans listed on the LearnLingo Plus page.

Verdict: LearnLingo for cost. Lingoda is fair value if you attend every class you pay for.

Platforms

Lingoda runs classes in a browser-based classroom and needs a stable connection, a microphone and a camera. LearnLingo works in any modern browser and on iOS. Neither works offline on the web.

Verdict: Equal, with LearnLingo easier for short, unplanned sessions.

Support for Turkish speakers

Lingoda classes are taught in English, which is good immersion but hard for true beginners. LearnLingo offers a Turkish interface and Turkish explanations; see also our guide to English mistakes Turkish speakers make.

Verdict: LearnLingo.

Privacy and ads

Lingoda requires an account and payment details for its trial. Learners must be 18 or older. LearnLingo lets you try lessons before signing up and shows no ads inside lessons. Read each privacy policy before you register.

Verdict: LearnLingo asks for less to start.

Who should choose Lingoda

• You learn best in a real class with a teacher.
• You want a level certificate from the school, for example for an employer who accepts it.
• You can commit to fixed class times every week.
• You are A2 or above and need structured speaking.
• You also want French, German, Italian or Spanish later; Lingoda teaches those too.

Who should choose LearnLingo

• You want a free English course.
• You are a beginner and want explanations in Turkish.
• Your schedule is unpredictable.
• You want to build grammar and vocabulary before paying for classes.
• You like game-style motivation and short sessions.

Using both together

Lingoda classes are much more useful when you arrive prepared. Use LearnLingo to pre-learn and review, and use Lingoda for speaking.

A sample week

Day	LearnLingo (free)	Lingoda (paid)
Monday	One lesson on the grammar you will meet in class	None
Tuesday	Review mistakes, Word Match	One group class
Wednesday	One lesson, Listening Lab	None
Thursday	Grammar Gap, Speaking Coach	Optional second class
Friday	Review mistakes	None
Weekend	Short review, Writing Studio	Write a short paragraph about the class topic

A small Lingoda plan of 4 or 8 classes a month plus daily LearnLingo is often more sustainable than a large plan you cannot attend. For time estimates, read how long it takes to learn English.

Certificates: what they are worth

Lingoda gives its own certificate when you finish a level. It shows you completed a course, and some employers will value that. It is not the same as an official exam. Universities and visa offices usually ask for IELTS, TOEFL or a Cambridge exam; see our Cambridge English exams guide. LearnLingo issues no certificate at all.

Level self-check before your first class

Read each statement. If you agree with most statements in a row, that level is probably right for you.

Level	You can...
A1	Introduce yourself, say where you live and ask simple questions
A2	Talk about your routine and past weekend in simple sentences
B1	Describe experiences, give opinions with reasons and handle travel situations
B2	Discuss abstract topics, follow most talks and argue a point clearly
C1	Speak fluently on complex topics with few searches for words

Practice set: classroom English

Choose the best answer. Answers are below.

1. "Sorry, I'm late. My connection ___ down." (a) was (b) were (c) is be
2. "Could you write that ___ the chat?" (a) on (b) in (c) at
3. "I agree ___ you." (a) to (b) with (c) on
4. "What ___ you think about this topic?" (a) are (b) do (c) does
5. "I've never ___ to Canada." (a) been (b) gone (c) be
6. "In my opinion, online classes ___ more flexible." (a) is (b) are (c) be
7. "Can I ask a question ___ the homework?" (a) about (b) of (c) for
8. "She speaks ___ than me." (a) fast (b) faster (c) fastest
9. "If I ___ more time, I would take more classes." (a) have (b) had (c) will have
10. "Let's ___ a break." (a) do (b) make (c) take

Answers: 1 a, 2 b, 3 b, 4 b, 5 a, 6 b, 7 a, 8 b, 9 b, 10 c. If number 9 was hard, practice the second conditional.

How to get the most from a Lingoda trial

If you decide to try Lingoda, a free trial is short, so plan it. These steps help you judge it fairly.

1. Know your level first. Take a placement test so you book classes at the right level. Classes that are too easy waste the trial; classes that are too hard can knock your confidence.
2. Book all trial classes on day one. Lingoda recommends booking about a week ahead, and popular times fill up. Spread the classes across the week so you can compare teachers.
3. Prepare for each class. Look at the topic and do a matching LearnLingo lesson the day before. If the class is about the present perfect, do a present perfect unit and read our present perfect guide.
4. Count your speaking time. After each class, estimate how many minutes you actually spoke. In a small group this varies with your classmates, and it is the main thing you are paying for.
5. Set a reminder before the trial ends. Lingoda's pricing page says the first payment is taken automatically on day 8 unless you cancel. Decide before then.

What a typical hour looks like in each

A Lingoda hour, as Lingoda describes its classes, is one block of live teaching: a warm-up, new language, guided practice and discussion with a few classmates and a teacher. You get correction from a person and you must respond in real time, which is excellent for fluency.

An hour of LearnLingo, by contrast, is usually spread across several days: three or four short lessons, a review session of your mistakes, a game or two, and some listening. You produce many more short answers, and the system remembers what you got wrong. What you do not get is a person who asks "why?" and waits for a longer answer.

Neither hour is better in every way. The question is which kind of hour you are missing right now. Most self-taught learners lack speaking hours; most classroom learners lack review hours.

Looking for other options?

See our list of Lingoda alternatives for learning English, browse all comparisons, or start the free A1 course.

People Also Ask

Is Lingoda better than LearnLingo?

For live speaking with a qualified teacher and a level certificate, yes: Lingoda offers both and LearnLingo offers neither. For free daily practice of grammar, vocabulary and listening at your own pace, LearnLingo is the better fit. They work well together.

How much does Lingoda cost?

Lingoda sells monthly plans of 4, 8, 16 or 32 classes that renew every four weeks; the per-class price falls as the plan grows. On its pricing page in October 2026 we saw euro plans from 44.99 euros for 4 classes. Prices vary by country, plan and promotion, so check the current price.

Does Lingoda have a free trial?

Lingoda's pricing page describes a 7-day free trial with 3 group classes or 1 private class. The first monthly payment is charged automatically on day 8 unless you cancel.

Does LearnLingo give certificates like Lingoda?

No. LearnLingo does not issue certificates. Lingoda issues its own certificate when you complete a level. For official proof of level, an exam such as IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge English is still the standard.

Can I use LearnLingo and Lingoda together?

Yes. A good plan is daily LearnLingo lessons for grammar and vocabulary, plus two to four Lingoda classes a month for live speaking. Arriving at class already knowing the target grammar makes each paid class more useful.