The best app to learn Korean depends on what you need: Speak to talk from the first lesson, LingoDeer for grammar explained step by step, Duolingo for a free start, and Slova for Korean built around your own goals and interests.
TL;DRTo speak from lesson one, pick Speak. For clear grammar, LingoDeer. For Korean built around your goals and interests, from a job in Seoul to K-dramas, Slova. To start free, Duolingo, then the King Sejong Institute's free courses. For scenes you act out, Teuida; for the car, Pimsleur. Prices run from free to about 20 dollars a month.
Korean has a friendly start and a tricky middle. Hangul, the alphabet, is quick to learn. Then come particles, verb endings that change with who you are talking to, and verbs at the end of the sentence. That middle is where most of the time goes, and our guide to how long Korean takes shows what to expect.
We compared 20 apps in September and October 2026, from free official courses to AI tutors you talk to, and rechecked every price and free plan in October 2026. Prices are US dollars from each app's own pricing page or US App Store listing. This is not a ranking from worst to best. Every app below has a "best for" line, so find the one that sounds like you.
Comparison table
✓Yes◐Partly✕No
| App | Best for | Speaking | Hangul and reading | Grammar explained | Words come back |
|---|
| Speak | Speaking from lesson one | ✓ | ◐ | ◐ | ◐ |
|---|
| LingoDeer | Clear grammar, step by step | ◐ | ✓ | ✓ | ◐ |
|---|
| Slova | Korean around your goals and interests | ✓ | ◐stories with a transcript | ✓ | ✓one Lexicon |
|---|
| Talk To Me In Korean | Lessons from Korean teachers | ✕ | ◐ | ✓ | ✕ |
|---|
| Duolingo | A free daily start | ◐paid Video Call | ◐ | ◐ | ✓ |
|---|
| Teuida | Replying to K-drama scenes | ✓ | ◐ | ◐ | ✕ |
|---|
| Pimsleur | Learning in the car | ✓ | ✕ | ◐ | ✓ |
|---|
| Lingopie | Learning from Korean TV | ◐record yourself | ◐ | ✕ | ✓ |
|---|
| Praktika | A friendly AI tutor | ✓ | ✕ | ◐ | ✕ |
|---|
| Pingo AI | Quick custom chats | ✓ | ✕ | ◐ | ◐ |
|---|
| HelloTalk | Chatting with native speakers | ◐voice chat | ◐ | ✕ | ✕ |
|---|
| LingQ | Reading and listening to what you choose | ✕ | ✓your own content | ✕ | ✓ |
|---|
How we tested
We checked every app between September and October 2026 against the same three tasks. For each one we went through its lesson flow and official help pages, read its store listing and recent store reviews, and rechecked every price and free limit in October 2026.
- Introduce yourself. Say who you are and what you do, out loud and in polite Korean, within the first ten minutes.
- Read a short menu. Read a few Hangul words such as 김치찌개 and 비빔밥, and see what help the app gives and how it checks you.
- Follow real Korean. Understand one minute of natural speech from a drama or a conversation, with and without help.
Then we scored each app on five things. Each one gets 2 (strong), 1 (partly) or 0 (missing), which is what the marks in the table above show.
- Speaking. How much of a session you spend saying Korean out loud.
- Hangul and reading. Whether the app teaches the alphabet, or quietly leans on romanization.
- Grammar explained. Whether particles and the polite, formal and casual endings are explained in plain words.
- Words that come back. Whether new words return for review or vanish after the lesson.
- Value. What a month costs against what you get, and where the free plan stops.
We also noted whether an app helps with TOPIK, the Korean proficiency test, because it changes what you study. More on that in the TOPIK section below.
The best apps to learn Korean
1
Speak
Best for speaking Korean from lesson one
Speak is a speaking-first course, and Korean is one of the six languages it teaches English speakers, with Spanish, French, Japanese, Italian and Simplified Chinese [1]. Each lesson has you say sentences out loud and then use them in a conversation with the Speak Tutor. The Tutor is also a chat coach: ask it about a particle or a sound and it answers, and it can write a custom speaking lesson on a topic you pick. Our Speak review goes through the lessons.
A Hands-Free mode lets you keep going without touching the screen, and an "I Can't Speak" mode plays the spoken parts for you when you are on a train. It is a speaking course, not a reading course, so check that you can read Hangul before you start. Premium Plus is where the price jumps: it gives unlimited personalised lessons, while Premium gives a limited number a day.
GoodGets you saying full Korean sentences in the first session, with a tutor you can ask questions.
Watch outReading Hangul is not its focus, and it is one of the pricier plans after the free trial.
- Premium $17.99 a month or $83.99 a year; Premium Plus $39.99 and $164.99 [1]
- 6 languages for English speakers
- iPhone, Android
- Free trial
- App Store 4.8 from 63K ratings (8 October 2026)
2
LingoDeer
Best for clear grammar, step by step
LingoDeer is a structured course built around Asian languages, and its Korean course runs from A1 to B1 [4]. The lessons come with short grammar tips that explain particles and endings in plain English, every word and sentence is voiced by native speakers, and you can download the whole course to study offline.
The alphabet section is free, along with all of Unit One, the test-outs and the Travel Phrasebook. The rest, and offline mode, need Premium [3]. It explains the why behind a sentence, which suits adults who want a reason as well as a rule.
GoodThe clearest Korean grammar notes in any app we compared, in a course that starts with the alphabet.
Watch outThe course page lists pronunciation guides and native audio but no open conversation, and it stops at B1.
- $14.99 a month or $95.99 a year [2]
- 20 courses
- iPhone, Android
- App Store 4.7 from 28K ratings (8 October 2026)
3
Slova
Best for learning Korean through your own life and interests
Slova starts with one sentence about why you want Korean, and the answer can be a goal or something you love. A goal might be a job at a Korean company, a move to Seoul, a trip to Busan or a partner's family. An interest might be K-dramas, K-pop, football or cooking. You can say both. Slova asks a few questions about that topic and builds a path of units and lessons around it, and the path keeps changing as your goals, interests and level change.
Under the path sits a real curriculum from A0 to C2, built by language learners and computer scientists, with visual lessons. Every lesson comes in two forms you can switch between: interactive slides with pictures, audio and quick checks at your own pace, or out loud with our AI tutors, who listen to your answer and correct it with a reason. In a café role-play the tutor plays the worker. Say 고마워 for your drink and the tutor stays in character, answers 감사합니다, then explains that the casual form is for friends, not for staff. Finish the last unit and the path extends itself, so there is no end of course.
You also make your own practice. Describe a place, say a convenience store from a drama, and Slova draws it and labels every object in Korean: 삼각김밥 (triangle kimbap), 컵라면 (cup noodles), 계산대 (checkout counter). Ask for a short podcast or story at your level and Audio Lab writes it, with a transcript that follows the audio. You can generate vocabulary and verbs on any topic, from a night market to an office. Every word from lessons, pictures, audio and texts you read goes into one list, the Lexicon, which shows where you met it and how well you know it, and brings it back for review. Words you already know can be imported, so you do not start from zero.
That is why results come quickly. The word you learn on Monday is one you hear in Tuesday's episode or use in tomorrow's chat, because it comes from your own life. If your reason is dramas, your first words come from drama scenes, and if it is a move, your first conversations are about flats and phone plans. It also gives you a reason to open the app in week six, when courses written for everyone start to feel like homework.
GoodKorean that comes from your own life, spoken from the first lesson, with speech levels taught in the situations where they matter.
Watch outNewer than the big names, and it teaches 12 languages today rather than 40.
- English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, German, Italian, Russian, Turkish, and growing
- A0 to C2 curriculum
- Speaking in every lesson
4
Talk To Me In Korean
Best for lessons from Korean teachers
Talk To Me In Korean, or TTMIK, is a library of more than 1,700 audio and video lessons in its course site [5]. The Core Grammar courses are the best known: short lessons that walk through particles, endings and sentence order in plain English. The first lesson of Core Grammar 1 is free, with no card needed, and the Standard and Monthly plans come with a 7-day trial.
The company also has an app, TTMIK Courses, which includes a TOPIK 1 course and occasional live classes with teachers. It is a library you watch and listen to, so the review and the speaking practice are up to you. Many learners pair it with a flashcard tool or a speaking app. The app is rated 3.9 from 14 ratings on the US App Store (8 October 2026), and reviewers mention a cluttered library, so the website is the better place to study.
GoodClear, patient explanations of Korean grammar from a dedicated Korean-teaching team.
Watch outLessons are watched and heard rather than practised, and the app is far less polished than the website.
- Monthly $16.99; Standard $10.17 a month ($122 a year); Smart Save $7.12 a month ($85.40 a year) [5]
- Korean only
- Web, iPhone, Android
- 7-day free trial on Monthly and Standard
5
Duolingo
Best for a free daily start
Duolingo's Korean course is free and starts with Hangul and short sentences. A lesson takes a few minutes of tapping, typing and matching, with instant feedback, and streaks make you open the app. Explain My Answer, which tells you why an answer was right or wrong, became free for all learners on 1 January 2026 and covers most learners of Korean [7]. Video Call with the character Lily is a paid Max feature. Our Duolingo review covers the whole app.
GoodFree, polished, and a friendly way into Hangul and first words.
Watch outMostly tapping and typing, with an energy limit on free lessons, and few long grammar explanations.
- Free, or Super at about $10 to $13 a month or $84 to $96 a year [6]
- 40+ languages
- iPhone, Android, web
- App Store 4.7 from 5.5M ratings (8 October 2026)
6
Teuida
Best for replying to K-drama scenes
Teuida teaches Korean, Japanese and Spanish in first-person scenes: a bilingual tutor on screen speaks to you and you answer out loud, while AI analyses your pronunciation [8]. Its tagline is speaking with K-drama scenarios, and the lessons are built from everyday scenarios, with short stories and culture tips between them.
Replying to a tutor on screen is a gentle way to say your first lines out loud, and the pronunciation analysis shows which sounds slipped. The catch is that the scenes are written in advance, so you practise set lines, not open conversation.
GoodThe closest feeling to speaking in a drama scene, with no one judging.
Watch outSet lines only, and grammar is a side dish. Full content needs Premium.
- $14.99 to $17.99 a month, or $59.99 to $89.99 a year [8]
- 3 languages
- iPhone, Android
- A limited set of lessons is free
- App Store 4.9 from 59K ratings (8 October 2026)
7
Pimsleur
Best for learning Korean in the car
Pimsleur is a 30-minute audio lesson where a narrator prompts you, you answer out loud, and phrases come back at growing gaps. Korean runs to Level 5, and courses are sold in 30-lesson batches. The app has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto modes and a hands-free driving mode, and you can download lessons for offline use [9]. Voice Coach gives AI feedback on your pronunciation. Our Pimsleur review has the method.
GoodHands-free practice that trains your ear for Korean sounds and builds a clear accent.
Watch outSlow, and it is not the place to learn Hangul or grammar, so plan a second app for reading.
- All Access $20.99 a month or $164.99 a year; a single language is about $20 a month [10]
- 51 languages
- iPhone, Android, web
- 7-day free trial
- App Store 4.7 from 30K ratings (8 October 2026)
8
Lingopie
Best for learning from Korean TV
Lingopie is a streaming app with Korean shows and a player built for learners. You can switch on dual subtitles, tap a word to see its translation and save it as a flashcard, pause and record yourself repeating a line, and loop the audio. Its Korean page promises more than a thousand hours of Korean TV [11]. It suits learners who would rather watch a series than do a lesson.
The catch is the same as with any show: native-speed Korean is fast and full of casual speech. It works best after you can read Hangul and have a few hundred words.
GoodReal Korean from real shows, with words you can save in one tap.
Watch outBetter once you can read Hangul, and it has no lesson structure of its own.
- About $12 to $14 a month, or $60 to $84 a year [11]
- 15 languages
- iPhone, Android, web, TV
- 7-day free trial
- App Store 4.4 from 2.2K ratings (8 October 2026)
9
Praktika
Best for a friendly AI tutor at a low price
Praktika puts an animated tutor on screen who talks with you by voice about a topic you pick, and Korean is one of its 13 languages [19]. You can set feedback to soft, balanced or strict. The free plan gives you 3 AI tutors, limited speaking and basic feedback, and Premium adds every tutor and mode [13]. English is its deepest course, so expect Korean to feel lighter.
GoodLots of speaking time at a low price, with feedback you control.
Watch outKorean is thinner than English, and the free plan limits speaking.
- $9.99 a month, $49.99 for 3 months, $119.99 a year [12]
- 13 languages [19]
- iPhone, Android
- Free plan
- App Store 4.7 from 165K ratings (8 October 2026)
10
Pingo AI
Best for quick custom chats
Pingo AI is a voice tutor with scenario lessons, a personalised plan built from your goals, and a Free Chat mode where you set up any scene and custom role-play. You can pick strict, balanced or light feedback, and a hands-free mode keeps working with the screen locked [14]. Korean is one of its 25 languages; our page on Pingo AI's pricing and free plan has the details.
It is the quickest way to rehearse a specific situation, such as ordering chicken by phone: 양념치킨 한 마리 주세요. Set feedback to strict if you want every ending checked.
GoodAny scene you can describe, set up in seconds.
Watch outLight feedback if you leave the default, and Korean is one language among 25.
- $14.99 to $17.99 a month, or $83.99 to $99.99 a year [14]
- 25 languages
- iPhone, Android
- Free trial, length not published
- App Store 4.6 from 16K ratings (8 October 2026)
11
HelloTalk
Best for chatting with native speakers
HelloTalk is a language-exchange app: you find a Korean speaker who wants English, then text, send voice notes or call, and correct each other. Practice with native speakers is free, and free members are limited to 10 translations a day [15]. VIP removes the limit.
There is no teacher and no course, so it works best once you can read Hangul and write a few sentences. The most useful habit is to message in Korean first and use the translation tool second.
GoodFree, real conversation with real people.
Watch outNo lessons, and quality depends on your partner.
- Free; VIP $12.99 a month or $79.99 a year
- 260+ languages
- iPhone, Android
- App Store 4.6 from 44K ratings (8 October 2026)
12
LingQ
Best for reading and listening to Korean you choose
LingQ turns Korean content into interactive lessons. It has thousands of hours of Korean audio with matching transcripts, and you can import your own: a YouTube video, a book chapter, a song, or the subtitle track of a show. A reader highlights the words you know and the ones you are learning, and the words you save come back in spaced-repetition review [20].
It is for intermediate learners who can already read Hangul and want to learn from content they actually care about. There is no course and no speaking practice, so pair it with a tutor or a speaking app.
GoodLearn from the Korean you would read or watch anyway, with every new word saved for review.
Watch outNo beginner course, no speaking, and the free plan is small: 20 saved words, 5 imported lessons and 1 playlist.
- Free; Premium $14.99 a month, $10 a month on the annual plan, or $8.99 a month on 24 months paid upfront [20]
- 50+ languages
- iPhone, Android, web
More apps worth knowing
13
Langua
Best for natural voices and mistake reports
Langua is an AI conversation partner with a choice of voices and dialects, instant corrections with explanations, and detailed reports after each chat. It lists "AI for Korean" among 22 languages, and Call Mode gives hands-free voice conversations. It suits intermediate learners better than beginners.
GoodNatural-sounding voices and clear mistake reports.
Watch outOne of the pricier plans, and the trial needs a card.
- Communicate $19.99 a month or $149.99 a year; Unlimited $29.99 and $199.99
- 22 languages
- iPhone, Android, web
- 5 or 7-day trial with a card
14
Eggbun
Best for chat-style Korean lessons
Eggbun is a Korean-only app where lessons arrive as a chat with a tutor character called Lanny, with more than 550 lessons covering Hangul, speaking, reading, listening and writing, plus native audio and culture notes [16]. It feels like texting a friend who happens to teach Korean.
GoodGentle, friendly lessons that start from the alphabet.
Watch outThe listing does not mention TOPIK or open conversation.
- $9.99 to $14.99 a month; $69.99 to $71.99 a year; lifetime $99.99 [16]
- Korean only
- iPhone, Android
- App Store 4.6 from 6.1K ratings (8 October 2026)
15
Drops
Best for picture-based vocabulary in five-minute bursts
Drops teaches Korean words through pictures and short timed sessions, without translations. Its Korean app lists more than 2,700 words across 150-plus topics, with Hangul practice, and a grammar feature has recently arrived for Korean. Free use is capped at 5 minutes a day, and Premium removes the limit.
GoodFast, pretty vocabulary practice that fits a coffee break.
Watch outWords only, so it will not teach you how to build a sentence.
- Free with a daily limit; Premium plans from about $8 to $90 depending on length
- 55+ languages
- iPhone, Android
- App Store 4.8 from 24K ratings (8 October 2026)
16
KoreanClass101
Best for audio and video lessons from a podcast school
KoreanClass101 teaches Korean through short audio and video lessons with thousands of lessons in the library. You can join for free with no credit card. Paid plans add lesson notes with grammar explanations, a word bank and, on the top plan, one-on-one teacher guidance.
GoodLessons you can play anywhere, with a teacher option.
Watch outThe free account is a taste, and the plans are layered.
- Basic $7.99, Premium $24.99 and Premium PLUS $46.99 a month on the US App Store
- 34 languages
- iPhone, Android, web
17
King Sejong Institute (Online)
Best free official Korean courses
The Online King Sejong Institute is a free online Korean learning service run by the King Sejong Institute. Courses run from introductory to advanced levels, with online Korean teachers and multilingual lectures, on a computer or a phone [17]. It also has K-Culture courses.
GoodFree, official and structured, from beginner to advanced.
Watch outIt feels like a class, with set courses and a login.
- Free
- Introductory to advanced
- Web, mobile
18
Rosetta Stone
Best for picture-based immersion
Rosetta Stone teaches Korean without translation: you match words to pictures and speak, with pronunciation checks. The subscription covers all 25 of its languages, Korean among them, and Sapphire Studio lets you build your own materials on any topic.
GoodA steady, translation-free way to build first words.
Watch outSlow on grammar, and there is no free plan.
- $19.99 a month or $159 a year
- 25 languages
- iPhone, Android, web
19
italki
Best for a human tutor paid per lesson
italki is a marketplace of Korean tutors. You buy credits and pay per lesson, with no subscription. The Korean page listed 523 tutors when we checked, and trial lessons in the sample ran from $5 to $25. The optional Plus subscription adds AI role-play, error corrections and flashcards.
GoodA real person who adapts to you, and you pay only for the lessons you book.
Watch outQuality varies by tutor, and there is no built-in course.
- Trial lessons about $5 to $25; Plus $5.99 a month or $59.99 a year
- 150+ languages
- iPhone, Android, web
- App Store 4.8 from 9.8K ratings (8 October 2026)
20
Anki
Best for flashcards you build yourself
Anki is a flashcard program that schedules each card for when you are about to forget it. It is free on Windows, Mac and Linux, and on Android as AnkiDroid, while the iPhone app is paid. Make cards from your own life: words from a drama, a menu or a conversation.
GoodThe strongest review engine, fully in your control.
Watch outNo lessons, and you build or find your own cards.
- Free on computer and Android; iPhone app $24.99 once
- Any language
- Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone
Best free apps to learn Korean
For most people the best free app to learn Korean is Duolingo for the daily habit, with LingoDeer's free alphabet and first unit for grammar, and the King Sejong Institute for a free, structured course. Here is where each free plan stops, checked in October 2026.
| App | What is free | Where it stops | Paid price |
|---|
| Duolingo | Every Korean lesson, see what free Duolingo includes | Energy limits lessons in a row, and Video Call is paid | Super about $10 to $13 a month |
|---|
| LingoDeer | The alphabet, Unit One, test-outs and Travel Phrasebook [3] | The rest, and offline mode, need Premium | $14.99 a month |
|---|
| Talk To Me In Korean | One full lesson, Core Grammar 1, with no card, and a 7-day trial [5] | The 1,700+ lesson library is a subscription | From $7.12 a month, billed yearly |
|---|
| King Sejong Institute | Free online Korean courses, beginner to advanced, with online teachers [17] | It feels like a class, with set courses and a login | None, it is free |
|---|
| HelloTalk | Text and voice chat with native speakers | 10 translations a day [15] | VIP $12.99 a month |
|---|
| Praktika | 3 AI tutors, limited speaking practice and basic feedback [13] | Premium adds every tutor and mode | $9.99 a month |
|---|
| Teuida | A limited set of lessons | Premium has the rest | $14.99 to $17.99 a month |
|---|
| Drops | 5 minutes a day | Premium removes the limit | From about $8 a month |
|---|
| Anki | Computer and Android apps | The iPhone app is paid | $24.99 once |
|---|
Speak, Pimsleur, Lingopie, Pingo AI and Langua are trial-only. A free start that works: Hangul and first words in Duolingo, grammar in LingoDeer's free unit, then a real conversation on HelloTalk, following our plan for learning Korean by yourself.
Fastest way to learn Korean with an app
Korean is one of the slower languages for English speakers, and no app changes that. What speeds you up is the same everywhere: speak every day, hear real Korean, and review the words you meet. How fast that adds up depends on the goal, and you can see the numbers in our guide to how long Korean takes.
The fastest setup we found has three parts:
- Hangul in the first week. The alphabet is small, every app assumes it, and an app that keeps you on romanization will slow you down later.
- One speaking app, every day. Fifteen to twenty minutes with Speak, or with Slova if you are learning for a specific reason, gets sentences out of your mouth early.
- Grammar and review in the background. Ten minutes a day of LingoDeer or TTMIK, and Anki or the Lexicon for words, so what you met on Monday is still there on Friday.
Best apps for beginners and adults
Korean is friendlier to start than its reputation. The alphabet is logical, the sounds are few and clear, and Korean is not a tonal language. Adults usually want two things a child does not: to know why a sentence works, and a plan that fits into 20 minutes a day.
For the first month, we would pick one of these starts:
- Free and structured: Duolingo for the daily habit, plus the King Sejong Institute when you want a class.
- Paid and explained: LingoDeer or Talk To Me In Korean, if you want grammar in plain English before you speak.
- Speaking from day one: Speak, if you would rather talk badly now than read perfectly later.
- Built around your reason: Slova, if you are learning for a job, a move, family or a passion, so the first words are ones you will use this week.
Learning Korean in the car, or by listening
Audio is the best way to use a commute or a walk. Three options work without looking at a screen:
- Pimsleur is the one built for the car, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto modes and a hands-free driving mode. You answer out loud, so it works best on a calm drive.
- Talk To Me In Korean has audio and video lessons, and the audio ones suit commuters who already know Hangul.
- KoreanClass101 has short audio lessons that walk you through real conversations, with a free account to start.
Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. Anything that needs the screen can wait until you park.
Best apps for Korean conversation
Understanding Korean is easier than saying it, and the only fix is saying it. You have three kinds of partner:
- AI tutors are always there and never tired: Speak for guided speaking, Praktika for a friendly voice, Pingo AI for any scene you can describe, Teuida for replying to drama scenes. Our Praktika review goes deeper on the second.
- Human tutors on italki catch what an AI misses and talk about their own lives.
- Exchange partners on HelloTalk swap an hour of English for an hour of Korean.
A sensible split is AI for volume during the week and a human tutor once a week for the unexpected. Our guide to the best speaking practice apps compares all five ways to practise.
Apps other than Duolingo
Duolingo is a good habit builder, and many people outgrow it. The cure depends on what is missing. If you want speaking, use Speak. If you want grammar explained, LingoDeer or Talk To Me In Korean. If you want a free class, the King Sejong Institute. If you want Korean built around your goals and interests, Slova.
Hangul first, then the hard part
Hangul has 24 basic letters, 14 consonants and 10 vowels, grouped into syllable blocks: ㅎ, ㅏ and ㄴ stack into 한. Most learners get a first pass through them in a few days. Drop romanization early, because apps that keep showing it make reading harder later.
The real work starts after Hangul. Particles such as 은/는 and 이/가 mark the topic and the subject, so 저는 학생이에요 ("I am a student") and 제가 할게요 ("I'll do it") use different ones. Verb endings carry tense and politeness, and the verb comes last. Learn one grammar point at a time, through your own interests: a particle in a line from your favourite drama sticks better than one in a sentence about apples.
Polite, casual and formal Korean
Korean changes the end of the verb depending on who you are talking to. The polite -요 form, as in 감사해요, is safe with almost anyone you do not know well. The formal form, as in 감사합니다, is for customers, speeches and Korean business settings. Casual speech, 반말, as in 고마워, is for close friends, younger people who agree to it, and family.
Beginners should use the polite form everywhere. The mistake to avoid is copying casual lines from dramas and using them with strangers, which can sound rude. Check that your app tells you which level a sentence is in.
TOPIK: which apps help
TOPIK is the Korean proficiency test, run by the government of South Korea. TOPIK I (levels 1 and 2) is for beginners and has listening and reading. TOPIK II (levels 3 to 6) covers intermediate to advanced, and adds a writing section with essays of 200 to 300 words for levels 3 and 4 and 600 to 700 words for levels 5 and 6 [18].
No app here is a full TOPIK course. The closest is Talk To Me In Korean, whose app includes a TOPIK 1 course. For the rest, use a grammar app such as LingoDeer, which stops at B1, a flashcard tool for words, and the official TOPIK pages for dates and rules. A speaking app will not prepare you for the paper on its own.
K-dramas and K-pop
Dramas are the reason many people start Korean, and it is a fine reason. They are also not a textbook: characters often use casual speech, slang and fast, emotional dialogue that is hard to follow as a beginner. The best way in is to learn the words from the shows you love, in lessons you can pause, then watch with Korean subtitles when you are ready.
Slova builds a path around the drama or the group, so your first words come from scenes you know. Lingopie lets you watch Korean shows with dual subtitles and save words as flashcards once you can read Hangul. Teuida lets you answer drama-style scenes out loud. Our guide to learning from TV shows goes deeper.
Best app by goal
| Your goal | Our pick | Also good |
|---|
| Start Korean for free | Duolingo | King Sejong Institute |
|---|
| Learn Hangul properly | LingoDeer | Eggbun |
|---|
| Speak Korean from the first week | Speak | Teuida |
|---|
| Learn Korean around your goals and interests | Slova | Speak |
|---|
| Speak from day one about your own life | Slova | Praktika |
|---|
| K-dramas and K-pop | Slova | Lingopie |
|---|
| A job, a move or family | Slova | Speak |
|---|
| Grammar that makes sense | LingoDeer | Talk To Me In Korean |
|---|
| TOPIK I practice | Talk To Me In Korean | King Sejong Institute |
|---|
| Talk about anything you like | Pingo AI | Praktika |
|---|
| Learn in the car | Pimsleur | Talk To Me In Korean |
|---|
| Talk to a real person | italki | HelloTalk |
|---|
Which one should you pick
If you are starting from zero and want to spend nothing, begin with Duolingo for Hangul and add LingoDeer's free unit or the King Sejong Institute for grammar. When you are ready to pay, Speak is the best way to get Korean out of your mouth early, and LingoDeer is the better choice if you need grammar to make sense first.
For the car, Pimsleur. For a human voice, an italki tutor.
If you are learning Korean for something specific, a job in Seoul, a move, family, or a passion like K-dramas, K-pop or cooking, Slova is the one we would start with. It builds the lessons, the speaking practice and the word review around your own reason, so what you learn today shows up in your life tomorrow.
Conclusion
Korean rewards a good start: Hangul first, polite speech from the first conversation, and grammar one step at a time. Start free with Duolingo, LingoDeer's free unit and the King Sejong Institute, then pay for the one thing you are missing. Speak leads for speaking, and LingoDeer for grammar. If you want one course, speaking included, built around your own goals and interests, give Slova a try.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app to learn Korean?
It depends on what you need. Speak for speaking from lesson one, LingoDeer for clear grammar, Duolingo for a free start, and Slova for Korean built around your goals and interests, like a job in Seoul or K-dramas. Most people do best with two apps.
What is the best free app to learn Korean?
For most people, Duolingo, because every Korean lesson is free, with energy limits and ads. LingoDeer's alphabet and first unit are free and explain grammar best. The Online King Sejong Institute offers free courses with online teachers, beginner to advanced.
Which app is best for learning Hangul?
LingoDeer teaches the alphabet in a free section and explains each step. Duolingo starts with Hangul too, and Eggbun and Drops are Korean-focused. Drop romanization early, because apps that keep showing it make reading harder later.
Which Korean speech level should I learn first?
The polite form that ends in -요. It works with strangers, shop staff and new coworkers, and you can add the formal and casual forms later.
Sources
- Speak on the App Store (US) plans, prices, languages
- LingoDeer. Pricing monthly and yearly prices
- LingoDeer Help. Is LingoDeer free? free content and what needs Premium
- LingoDeer. Learn Korean course level, grammar tips and offline download
- Talk To Me In Korean. Pricing plans, trial, free lesson and library size
- Duolingo on the App Store (US) Super prices, free courses
- Duolingo Blog. Explain My Answer is now free courses and date
- Teuida on the App Store (US) plans, prices, how it works
- Pimsleur. FAQ trial, Voice Coach, CarPlay and Android Auto, offline lessons
- Pimsleur on the App Store (US) plans and prices
- Lingopie on the App Store (US) plans, prices and features
- Praktika on the App Store (US) plans, prices and rating
- Praktika Help Center. Is there a free version? free plan limits
- Pingo AI on the App Store (US) plans, prices, features
- HelloTalk FAQ. Translation limit free daily limit
- Eggbun on the App Store (US) lessons, plans and prices
- Online King Sejong Institute. About free online Korean courses
- HKEAA. TOPIK TOPIK I and II, levels, sections and essay lengths
- Praktika Help Center. Which languages can I study? the 14 listed languages, 13 counting Portuguese once
- LingQ. Free vs Premium free limits, plan prices, languages
Written by Yiğit Karasu, founder of Slova
