Disclaimer:
Always remember that driving should be your core focus, you should never watch videos or allow yourself to be distracted whilst driving.
We have specifically chosen platforms which have audio components to allow you to learn languages, all the while keeping you safe.
Driving and listening is a great way to learn a language but what are the best apps to learn a language while driving?
Our favorite is Plimseur which provides streamlined audio tuition to use whilst driving in focused lessons. If we were to choose one, it would definitely be Plimseur. The others on this list are all terrific alternatives to use, but choose the option that works best for your overall needs.
Just 20% of American students learn a foreign language while in school, far below students worldwide.
It’s no wonder that just 1% of adults in the United States can use a foreign language they learned in a classroom.
To be fair, learning an additional language can be challenging. It takes time, commitment, and practice. That’s all difficult to do in a classroom setting or to fit in on your own if you have limited free time.
It’s never too late to start, though. There are numerous benefits to learning a foreign language, including improvement in cognitive abilities, creativity, and memory and opening the door to more career options.
And since you likely have a limited amount of time to squeeze in language lessons, many language apps can help you even when you’re behind the wheel. Here are some of the best apps to learn a language while driving.
Duolingo
Available as a free app (or in a paid upgraded version named Duolingo Plus), Duolingo is one of the most popular and best apps to learn a language while driving.
Related: What plans are available with Duolingo
Millions have had great success with Duolingo, with the company reporting 26.7 million learners of Spanish, 16.8 million learners of French, and 11.1 million learners of Japanese.
Languages available run the gamut, from Hindi and Turkish to Latin and Irish.
Duolingo thrives as one of the best apps to learn a language while driving because of its personalized approach. Duolingo’s lessons are tailored to you and your learning style; it’s like having a private tutor who knows your strengths and weaknesses in and out.
Duolingo also incorporates games as much as possible, reflecting that fun learning can be effective learning. Lessons are usually completed in small bursts, lessons that Duolingo dubs “bite-size.”
That format is a big reason why it’s one of the best apps to learn a language while driving. Even if your commute is 10 or 15 minutes, you can still complete at least one lesson.
Rosetta Stone
It’s one of the oldest and most respected players in the language-learning industry, but Rosetta Stone is staying modern by solidifying itself as one of the best apps to learn a language while driving as well.
Rosetta Stone has been around for 30 years, so it knows what it’s doing and clearly does it well. Most connect it with traditional computer-based lessons, but it has expanded its offerings to include a handy app, where you can choose from 25 languages.
Rosetta Stone has fantastic immersion techniques, including integrating interactive lessons, using scenarios from the real world, and incorporating audio from those who speak the language you’re learning.
Related Learn Spanish while driving with Rosetta Stone
A big motivator: You get instant feedback on how you are pronouncing words and coaching live from native speakers.
If you’d like to experience for yourself why it’s one of the best apps to learn a language while driving, you can try the app for free during a three-day trial.
Babbel
There’s a reason why Babbel is named after the Biblical Tower of Babel, used to explain why different languages are spoken worldwide.
The company’s lessons are designed by more than 100 language experts who carefully crafted an approach to language learning that incorporates realism and interactive dialogue to get you feeling confident quickly.
With lessons that last just 10-15 minutes, it’s ranked as one of the best apps to learn a language while driving. The lessons are easy to navigate on the mobile app, which is highly intuitive and well-designed.
Related: I Tried Babbel for One Month to Learn French — Here’s How It Went
Babbel has sold more than 10 million subscriptions, and it calls itself the No. 1 selling app for language learning.
You can choose from either a basic app subscription, with lessons tailored for your level of understanding and schedule, or go big with a Babbel live subscription that includes access to app lessons but also live virtual classes.
Babbel’s method — progressive lessons that build on the results of the previous lesson — is tried and true and powerful.
That’s a big reason why it’s among the best apps to learn a language while driving. Even if you don’t have much time for lessons, Babbel’s lessons seamlessly fit together.
The basic app subscriptions range from $13.95 a month for one month to $6.95 a month for 12 months. Discounts on subscriptions are commonplace, and you can try it out for free as well.
LanguagePod101
Founded in 2005, LanguagePod101 boasts over 1 billion downloads for its lessons covering more than 35 languages, available on mobile apps, desktops, YouTube, or through audio CDs and podcasts, among other platforms.
There are individual web portals based on the language you are interested in, and the lessons come with a tremendous amount of supplementary materials, including grammar outlines, cultural lessons, and much more.
That comprehensiveness earns it a spot on our list of best apps to learn a language while driving. There are also free forms of its online classes, mobile apps, eBooks, and iTunes lessons.
Supplementary material costs vary, but they’re worth it. The video and audio lessons are conversational and easy to follow, making it accessible for language newbies and those looking to hone their skills.
Related: Babbel vs Pimsleur
Pimsleur
More than 50 languages are available on Pimsleur — and you can try them all with just one paid monthly subscription of $13.95 a month.
There’s also a free 7-day trial, and you can take a 30-minute lesson for free right now on Pimsleur’s website.
All of that is fantastic, but it’s Pimsleur’s straightforward, interactive approach that makes it one of the best apps to learn a language while driving.
Core lessons are 30 minutes (you can stream them anywhere through Amazon Alexa, along with reading lessons and role-playing conversations that are particularly helpful and fun.
Additional Pimsleur features that make it stand out include translating that role-playing into fast games that test your comprehension of conversations and the ability to both live stream and download lessons for later use through the app.
Pimsleur bases its method on the scientific principles behind effective language learning, eschewing too much information for clear and straightforward practice and understanding reinforcement, another reason why it’s among the best apps to learn a language while driving.
Click the banner above for the 7-day free trial
Linguaphone
Based and developed in the United Kingdom, Linguaphone is the language granddaddy in this group; it has been in business for more than 100 years.
Both natives and linguists write its courses, and there are more than 60 to pick from.
It’s a highly personalized experience — you pick the right courses for you in the right format, including MP3 downloads, books, or CDs.
With those different options, it’s one of the very best apps to learn a language while driving.
Using the mantra of enjoyment leading to fast learning, Linguaphone’s approach is simple yet highly effective: listen, speak, and understand.
You set your own pace and gradually and reliably begin to have it all click because of this multipronged approach. Its courses also reflect any experience level, carefully designed for beginners to experts.
There are even all talk courses for those who want to fast-track conversational skills and understanding techniques.
With its courses tailored to essential stages of language learning, you won’t be wasting your time wading through courses you don’t need or are too advanced.
That’s another big reason why it’s one of the best apps to learn a language while driving. Cost depends on your lesson format and experience level.
Assimil
Big in Europe, Assimil has a remarkable collection of language lessons, ranging from those for Espéranto beginners and children studying French to learning Italian for free on streaming platforms.
Assimil is constantly developing new apps or updating them, making it a clear choice as one of the best apps to learn a language while driving.
Five new apps are currently available for a range of mobile platforms, and e-courses cover the most popular languages.
Assimil approaches its language courses as it would with children, who generally soak in the conversations of people around and assimilate sounds with meanings before attempting to reproduce them and make sentences their own.
This same natural method is applied to courses for teenagers and adults on Assimil, ages 15 and older.
AnkiApp
AnkiApp’s approach and offerings are simple, direct, and incredibly effective, a bit more streamlined than other language learning companies and apps.
The app uses flashcards that you can make with images, sound, and words to study on your own time across both mobile and desktop platforms.
You can even sync AnkiApp lessons to your many devices through the cloud, another reason why it ranks with the best apps to learn a language while driving.
You simply download material from AnkiApp’s collection of more than 80 million flashcards (you can make your own, too) and study through quick sessions. And by “quick,” we mean “super, super quick,” since the sessions only last up to 1 minute.
It’s learning that’s big on efficiency but doesn’t skimp on ways to develop long-lasting language skills.
Final Thoughts
Learning a new language is one of the greatest things you can do with your life, from a social, emotional, and career perspective, and learning safely whilst driving is a great way to while away your time, especially in those pesky traffic jams.
As per the title of this blog, if you want an easy-to-use, audio-focused language learning app, the absolute best that we can recommend would definitely be Plimseur, due to its ease of use, easy listening and endless testimonials of getting the results people want to achieve.
Related: The 15 Best Methods Of Learning A Language (The Ultimate Guide)
Whichever platform you pick, remember, be safe always.
Let us know how it goes, and how you get on with your driving and learning a language combo.
Catch you soon
Hey, I’m Kris Taylor. I’m a Learning and Development professional currently in the healthcare field, with over 8 years of experience in the area of corporate education. I have created numerous instructional content for various corporate projects including eLearning, in-person facilitation, and virtual training across a wide variety of learning interventions and sectors. On Taughtup, I discuss topics ranging from how to succeed through K-12 to college all the way to instructional design tips for L&D designers.
