10 Best Apps to Learn Spanish: Free and Paid Picks for UK Learners

FindTutors
Irem Cohantimur

Learning Spanish is more accessible than ever for UK learners. Whether you're preparing for GCSEs, planning a trip to Spain, or simply want to expand your language skills, there’s an app (or combination of tools) that can help you reach your goal.

With many Spanish learning apps available, it can be hard to know which ones are worth your time. In this guide, we compare the most popular and effective options for UK learners, based on personal experience, features, pricing, and use cases.

Key Takeaways

  • Spanish is one of the most important languages to learn in the UK, according to the British Council.
  • There are many different Spanish learning apps and platforms, some focus on fun and games, others on grammar or real conversation.
  • Your choice of the best app to learn Spanish depends on your level, learning style, budget, and goals.
  • FindTutors is one of the best apps to learn Spanish with real conversation practice and personalised support.
  • GoStudent is a structured online tutoring platform ideal for academic support or younger learners.
  • Free apps like Duolingo and Memrise are good starting points for language learning but may need to be combined with other tools for full fluency.

10 Best Apps to Learn Spanish in the UK

1. FindTutors: Best App to Learn Spanish with Real Tutors

FindTutors isn’t your typical language learning app. It’s a platform that connects learners with real Spanish tutors for one-on-one lessons online  or in-person. If your goal is to actually speak Spanish confidently, not just memorise vocabulary, the FindTutors app offers a level of personalisation and interaction that most apps can’t match.

Why Learn Spanish with FindTutors?

  • Real conversation practice: Unlike traditional apps or chatbots, speaking with a real person at FindTutors helps you improve pronunciation, fluency, and confidence much faster. You get immediate, personalised feedback that’s crucial for real-world communication.
  • Customised lessons: Our tutors adapt each session to your specific needs, whether it’s preparing for GCSE/A-level exams, learning essential travel phrases, or mastering business Spanish. Unlike one-size-fits-all platforms, FindTutors tailors your learning experience.
  • Flexible and budget-friendly: You have complete control over your learning experience. Choose your tutor, lesson schedule, and budget. With prices ranging from £10–£40/hour and many tutors offering a free trial session, FindTutors gives you affordable access to high-quality, personalised education.
  • UK-relevant: Our tutors are familiar with UK school curricula, exam requirements, and local learning needs, making FindTutors the ideal choice for students preparing for exams like GCSEs and A-levels. You won’t find this level of UK-specific expertise on most other platforms.

By offering tailored lessons, flexibility, and expertise in UK learning needs, FindTutors stands apart from many other apps that focus more on general language learning rather than personalised, real-world application.

Features & Benefits

  • Live one-on-one lessons: Unlike AI-powered apps, FindTutors gives you real-time feedback, corrections, and the chance to ask questions on the spot.
  • Student Pass: For £19/month, contact and try unlimited tutors until you find the right fit. A one-time £9.90 option is also available to post a class request.
  • Pay-as-you-go pricing: No monthly commitment. Pay only for the lessons you attend. This is ideal if you want flexibility or are on a tight budget.
  • Spanish dialect choice: Choose tutors from Spain for Castilian pronunciation or Latin America depending on your preferences.

What Stands Out?

FindTutors is particularly effective for improving speaking skills and building confidence. The ability to reschedule lessons easily and tailor content to personal goals makes it a flexible option that fits around a busy lifestyle.

Who It’s Good For:

  • Learners preparing for exams (GCSE, A-level, DELE)
  • Adults aiming to speak confidently for travel or work
  • Beginners who want personalised guidance
  • Anyone who's feeling stuck with self-study apps and needs a push forward

2. GoStudent: Private Tutoring for Structured Academic Support

GoStudent is another popular tutoring platform in the UK, but with a more school-like approach. It matches learners with qualified tutors and provides tailored study plans, especially helpful for students working toward academic goals.

Key Features

  • Structured lesson plans: Sessions often follow a curriculum aligned with school expectations. This helps build consistent progress and measurable improvement.
  • Assigned tutor: GoStudent pairs you with a tutor after a consultation, so you get ongoing support from someone who understands your learning history.
  • Interactive platform: Online classroom features like whiteboards and screen sharing make lessons engaging and easy to follow.
  • Online tutoring benefits: Learn from anywhere, save travel time, and access a wide pool of Spanish tutors who specialise in UK exam boards and teaching styles. For parents, it offers a convenient way to ensure their child receives personalised support without the hassle of commuting.
  • Extras: Tutors can assign homework, track your performance, and help with specific exam prep.

Pricing

  • Pricing is typically around £25.99 per lesson, but the GoStudent app offers discounts for bulk lesson packages.
  • A free trial lesson is available to test the service before committing.

What Stands Out?

GoStudent is ideal if you (or your child) need regular Spanish tutoring alongside school. It feels more like having a structured class with continuity. This is great if you value consistency and long-term tracking. Online tutoring is especially helpful for busy families, and it means you can fit lessons around a school timetable or other commitments.

Who It’s Good For:

  • School-age Spanish learners studying for GCSEs or A-levels
  • Parents seeking consistent academic support
  • Those who prefer fixed study plans and a classroom feel

3. Seneca: AI-Powered Learning for Smarter Revision

Seneca is an interactive learning platform designed to help students revise more effectively. Using neuroscience-based techniques, it optimises retention and engagement, making language learning faster and more enjoyable.

Key Features:

  • AI-powered learning: Smart algorithms personalise your Spanish revision, targeting weaker areas like grammar, vocabulary, or conjugation.
  • Interactive study materials: Includes quizzes, animations, and memes to keep Spanish lessons engaging.
  • Spanish-focused courses: Covers beginner to advanced levels, aligned with UK qualifications like GCSEs and A-levels, featuring structured content for language mastery.
  • Smart feedback: Tracks progress in listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, adapting to improve retention.

Pricing

The Seneca app offers free, unlimited access and optional premium packages to add extra features and exam support.

  • Supreme (£9.99/month or £6.99/month annually): 800+ premium courses & e-books, including Spanish-specific content and smart learning modes.
  • Exam Boost (£12.99/month or £8.99/month annually): Adds unlimited Spanish exam questions and mini-mock exams for GCSEs or A-levels.
  • Amelia AI Assistant (£19.99/month or £14.99/month annually): Includes AI-powered tutoring with personalised feedback on Spanish pronunciation, grammar, and fluency.

Who It’s Good For:

  • Students preparing for Spanish exams (GCSEs, A-levels).
  • Parents seeking a structured, engaging tool for Spanish revision.
  • Those who prefer an AI-assisted, interactive approach to learning Spanish.

Seneca is ideal for self-paced Spanish learning with fun and effective methods to build confidence and fluency.

4. Duolingo: A Fun, Free Starting Point

Duolingo is often the first app people try for language learning. It’s free, gamified, and designed to make daily language practice addictive.

Duolingo App Ratings:

  • Google Play: 4.6★ (31M reviews)
  • App Store: 4.8★ (3.8M ratings)

What Stands Out?

  • Very beginner-friendly with fun, short lessons
  • Great for building daily habits
  • Includes Spanish Stories and Podcasts

Drawbacks:

  • Limited grammar explanations
  • No real speaking practice
  • Repetitive after a while

Duolingo is a good Spanish learning app for total beginners who want a no-pressure introduction to Spanish.

5. Babbel: Clear Grammar and Realistic Phrases

Babbel provides structured courses with grammar support and real-life dialogues.

⭐ Babbel App Ratings:

  • Google Play: 4.6★ (1.06M reviews)
  • App Store: 4.7★ (661.6K ratings)

Pros:

  • Teaches grammar in a clear, simple way
  • Practical phrases for travel and conversation
  • Step-by-step course structure

Cons:

  • Limited speaking practice unless you upgrade to Babbel Live (~£84.00-£126.00)
  • Requires a subscription after trial

Babbel is a good language learning app for adults who prefer a logical, grammar-supported learning style.

6. Memrise: Learn Spanish Phrases with Native Speaker Videos

Memrise is a vocab-building app focused on real-world Spanish. This language learning app uses videos of native speakers to teach practical phrases.

⭐ Memrise App Ratings:

  • Google Play: 4.6★ (1.55M reviews)
  • App Store: 4.7★ (87.8K ratings)

What Stands Out?

  • Spain and Latin America dialect options
  • Engaging short clips from locals
  • Spaced repetition to reinforce learning

Memrise is a good Spanish language app for travellers and visual learners who want to pick up everyday Spanish quickly.

7. Busuu: Balanced Learning with Community Feedback

Busuu combines structured lessons with feedback from real Spanish speakers for language learning.

Busuu App Rating

  • 4.6 (892K reviews on Google Play)
  • 4.7 (87.8K ratings on Apple App Store)

Features:

  • Lessons from A1 to B2 level
  • Grammar support and spaced repetition
  • Community exercises with peer correction

Strength: Good balance between structured learning and light social interaction.

Busuu is good for learners who enjoy both guided courses and real feedback.

8. Rocket Languages: Comprehensive Audio-Based Course

Rocket Languages offers podcast-style lessons that break down Spanish conversations.

Rocket Languages App Rating

  • 4.8  (2.68K reviews on Google Play)
    4.5  (1.4K ratings on Apple App Store)

Standouts:

  • Heavy focus on speaking and listening
  • One-time purchase option
  • Very detailed grammar and culture lessons

Downside: Less gamified and visually engaging than other apps.

Rocket Languages is popular for committed learners who enjoy audio learning and want lifetime access.

9. Rosetta Stone: Immersive, Translation-Free Learning

Rosetta Stone teaches Spanish entirely through context and images, avoiding English translations.

Rosetta Stone App Rating

  • 4.4 (393K reviews on Google Play)
  • 4.8 (224.4K ratings on Apple App Store)

Pros:

  • Strong pronunciation practice
  • Focus on intuitive understanding

Cons:

  • Limited grammar explanation
  • Might feel slow for advanced learners

Rosetta Stone is a good option for beginners who want an immersive, visual approach to learning Spanish.

10. Mondly: Speech Practice with Gamified Lessons

Mondly uses chatbot-style conversations and voice recognition in quick, gamified lessons.

Mondly App Rating

  • 4.4 (894K reviews on Google Play)
  • 4.7  (25.5K ratings on Apple App Store)

Pros:

  • Bright design, easy to use
  • Good for practising pronunciation
  • Includes AR and VR features for fun learning

Mondly is a good Spanish language app for casual learners who want a more tech-driven experience.

Bonus: Free Tools to Boost Your Spanish Learning

These free (or freemium) tools are great additions to any Spanish learning routine, especially when paired with structured lessons or a tutoring platform like FindTutors.

  • SpanishDict: One of the most popular online Spanish dictionaries with accurate grammar explanations, example sentences, verb conjugation tables, and audio for both Spain and Latin American accents. Ideal for quick lookups or deep dives into grammar topics.
  • Anki / Quizlet: Customisable flashcard apps using spaced repetition, a proven method for long-term memory. Use pre-made decks (e.g. GCSE vocab) or create your own based on lessons.
  • HelloTalk / Tandem: Language exchange apps that connect you with native Spanish speakers around the world. You can chat via text, voice messages, or even calls. A great way to practise real conversation for free while helping others with their English.
  • Duolingo Podcasts & YouTube Channels: Great for intermediate listening and cultural context.
  • LingQ: A free app that lets you read and listen to Spanish content (articles, dialogues, even Netflix subtitles) while saving new words into a personal vocabulary list. Great for building reading fluency naturally.
  • Clozemaster: A sentence-based learning tool where you practise words in real contexts. Works well after Duolingo or as a step up from basic vocab memorisation.
  • Language Transfer: A free audio course focusing on understanding Spanish structure and grammar through logical explanations. Particularly good for beginners or learners who like to “understand the why.”
  • Forvo: Unsure how a Spanish word is pronounced? Forvo offers crowd-sourced audio pronunciations from native speakers around the world. It is useful for hearing regional variations.
  • BBC Bitesize (Spanish GCSE): UK-based learners studying for exams can benefit from BBC Bitesize’s free Spanish section, which includes vocabulary, grammar summaries, and listening exercises aligned with the UK curriculum.

Spanish Learning Apps Compared: Top Options for UK Learners (Prices & Features)

Platform Type Strengths Pricing (UK) Best For
FindTutors Private tutoring platform Real conversation, flexible schedule, UK-focused, personalised lessons £10–£40/lesson; StudentPass £19/month Learners aiming for fluency, GCSE/A-level prep, custom learning paths
GoStudent Online tutoring platform Structured academic support, homework help, long-term tracking ~£25.99/lesson (discounts for bundles) School learners needing regular support, GCSE/A-level students
Seneca Interactive learning platform Exam-focused, free access, GCSE/A-level content Free Students preparing for exams (GCSE/A-level), motivated learners
Duolingo Gamified app Free, fun, habit-building, podcasts & stories Free (Super from ~£4.99/month) Beginners on a budget, casual learners
Babbel Structured app Clear grammar, practical dialogues, step-by-step progression ~£10/month (Babbel Live ~£84-£126) Adult learners who like structured lessons and grammar help
Memrise Vocabulary app Native speaker videos, real-world phrases, visual learning Free (Limited access to app); Pro from ~£24.85/month Visual learners, travellers, vocab building
Busuu Structured app with community CEFR-level courses, grammar tips, community feedback Free; Premium from ~£11.59/month Learners who want structure plus peer interaction
Rocket Spanish Full course (audio-based) In-depth audio lessons, grammar & culture focus, lifetime access option From ~£36.20/month Serious learners who enjoy audio study and structured depth
Rosetta Stone Immersive learning app No translations, intuitive grammar, good pronunciation training ~£12.49/month or ~£166.22 lifetime Beginners who prefer immersion over explanations
Mondly Gamified + tech features Speech practice, chatbot & AR features, child-friendly ~£9/month or £40/year Casual learners, families, speech-focused learners

 

Final Thoughts: How to Choose the Right Spanish Learning App

There’s no single best app to learn Spanish, it depends on your goals. If you want to:

  • Speak confidently: Go for FindTutors for real conversation practice
  • Support school learning: Try GoStudent for structured tutoring
  • Build daily habits: Duolingo or Memrise are easy and fun
  • Understand grammar: Babbel or Busuu are good structured options
  • Commit long-term: Rocket Spanish or Rosetta Stone offer full programs

Most learners find a combination works best: for example, use Duolingo daily, study grammar with Babbel, and book weekly lessons on FindTutors.

The key to learning Spanish isn’t just picking the right app, it’s using it consistently. So choose a tool that suits your routine and keeps you motivated. With the right mix, you’ll be saying “¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás?” in no time.

Want to start speaking Spanish now? Head to FindTutors.co.uk and browse Spanish tutors near you or online, many offer the first lesson free!

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Irem Cohantimur
Content Specialist at FindTutors
Irem is a Content Specialist with experience in digital marketing, specialising in SEO and UK market trends. Originally from Turkey, now based in Barcelona, where she completed her Master's in Marketing. Fluent in Turkish and English, and currently improving her Spanish, Irem is passionate about marketing trends. With a strong background in both organic and paid marketing strategies, she enjoys crafting engaging digital content through her expertise in content development and data-driven insights.
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