🇰🇷 Best app to learn Korean
The best app to learn Korean, honestly compared
Updated:
Quick answer
Learn Hangul first, with Duolingo or flashcards; it takes days, not months. For grammar explained step by step, Talk To Me In Korean. To actually speak Korean and get corrected in English, SpeakBase: Kate holds a spoken Korean conversation with you, the first lesson is free and Premium is $11.99 a month. On italki, Korean trial lessons with human tutors were listed at USD 5 to 70 on 17 October 2026.
Korean has one of the most learnable alphabets in the world and one of the hardest grammars for English speakers. Apps are good at the alphabet; the grammar only settles when you use it out loud.
What makes Korean hard to speak
Korean puts the verb last, attaches particles to nouns, and has speech levels: the same sentence changes ending depending on who you talk to. Polite -yo forms are the safe default for a learner, and getting them automatic takes spoken practice, not taps on a screen.
The options at a glance
| App | Best for | Speaking practice | Cost model |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpeakBase (Kate, AI tutor) | Actually speaking: real conversations out loud, corrected as you go | Yes, every lesson is spoken; mistakes are corrected and explained in English | First lesson free, no card; Premium $11.99 a month for 150 minutes of conversation |
| Duolingo | A free daily habit and first vocabulary | Short repeat-after-me exercises; little open conversation | Free core app, with an optional paid subscription |
| Talk To Me In Korean | Grammar explained by native teachers, step by step | Listening and explanations; no live conversation | Mix of free content and paid courses |
| Busuu | Getting written and spoken answers reviewed by native speakers | Recorded answers reviewed by the community, not live | Free tier, with a Premium subscription |
| Anki | Memorising a new script and thousands of words | None | Open-source flashcard app; pricing depends on the platform |
| Pimsleur | Learning by ear on a commute or a walk | You answer prompts out loud, but nobody hears or corrects you | Paid; the first 30-minute lesson is free |
| italki (human tutors) | Learners who want a real person and can schedule lessons | Yes, live with a person | Pay per lesson; each tutor sets their own price, in US dollars |
Competitor details were checked on 17 October 2026 and change often; prices are not listed where they could not be confirmed on the provider's own site.
Each option, in one paragraph
SpeakBase (Kate, AI tutor): live voice conversation with an ai tutor
Best for actually speaking: real conversations out loud, corrected as you go. First lesson free, no card; Premium $11.99 a month for 150 minutes of conversation. The catch: not a full grammar course and not a human; pair it with an app or a book for reading and writing.
Duolingo: gamified lessons
Best for a free daily habit and first vocabulary. Free core app, with an optional paid subscription. The catch: you can finish many units and still freeze in a real conversation.
Talk To Me In Korean: korean lessons, audio and books
Best for grammar explained by native teachers, step by step. Mix of free content and paid courses. The catch: explains Korean well but cannot answer you back.
Busuu: course plus community feedback
Best for getting written and spoken answers reviewed by native speakers. Free tier, with a Premium subscription. The catch: feedback arrives later, not in the moment you speak.
Anki: spaced-repetition flashcards
Best for memorising a new script and thousands of words. Open-source flashcard app; pricing depends on the platform. The catch: you build or download decks yourself; it teaches recall, not conversation.
Pimsleur: audio course
Best for learning by ear on a commute or a walk. Paid; the first 30-minute lesson is free. The catch: fixed recordings: no feedback on what you actually said.
italki (human tutors): marketplace of paid human tutors
Best for learners who want a real person and can schedule lessons. Pay per lesson; each tutor sets their own price, in US dollars. The catch: booking, time zones and cost per hour add up if you want daily practice.
Our pick for each goal
- Hold a real conversation in Korean: SpeakBase (Kate, AI tutor). The only option here that talks back, live, and corrects what you actually said, at any hour.
- Grammar explained by native teachers: Talk To Me In Korean. Korean lessons built for English speakers.
- A free daily habit: Duolingo. Free core app and a streak that gets you to open it every day.
- Learn by ear on a commute: Pimsleur. Audio lessons you can follow without looking at a screen.
- A human teacher on a schedule: italki (human tutors). Choose your own tutor and pay per lesson.
Where SpeakBase fits
SpeakBase is not trying to replace a course app. It does the one thing course apps cannot: a live spoken Korean conversation. Kate, the AI tutor, talks with you out loud about your day, your plans or a role-play, notices your mistakes, gives you the correct sentence, explains it in plain English and asks you to say it again. Your first lesson is free with no card; Premium is $11.99 a month for 150 minutes of conversation. Not sure where you stand? The free Korean level test gives you a CEFR level in about three minutes, and the AI Korean tutor page shows what a lesson looks like.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app to learn Korean?
Learn Hangul first, with Duolingo or flashcards; it takes days, not months. For grammar explained step by step, Talk To Me In Korean. To actually speak Korean and get corrected in English, SpeakBase: Kate holds a spoken Korean conversation with you, the first lesson is free and Premium is $11.99 a month. On italki, Korean trial lessons with human tutors were listed at USD 5 to 70 on 17 October 2026.
Can you become conversational in Korean with Duolingo alone?
Duolingo is a good free way to build a habit and first vocabulary, but its speaking exercises are short and scripted. Most learners who only use it can recognise a lot of Korean and still freeze in a real conversation. Add regular spoken practice, with a person or with an AI tutor such as Kate on SpeakBase, to close that gap.
What is the best free way to start learning Korean?
Start with Duolingo's free core app for a daily habit or Busuu's free tier, and take SpeakBase's free first lesson to hear yourself speak Korean with a tutor who corrects you in English. No card is needed for either.
How much does SpeakBase cost for Korean?
The first lesson is free with no card. Premium is $11.99 a month, or $10 a month billed annually, and includes 150 minutes of Korean conversation with Kate every month, all role-plays and your personal review cards. Cancel any time.
Can I speak Korean with SpeakBase before I read Hangul well?
Yes. The lesson is spoken, so reading is not required to start. Kate uses polite -yo forms by default and explains every correction in English.
More on Korean
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3 minutes · free · no card · then keep talking with Kate