4 Memrise Alternatives for Faster Progress in 2026

Key takeaways

• italki connects you with native speakers for real conversation practice that Memrise’s flashcards can’t provide – you’ll speak with actual teachers who correct your mistakes in real-time instead of memorizing vocabulary alone
• Free alternatives like Duolingo and Anki offer vocabulary building without subscription fees – you can start learning without paying anything, though you’ll still need speaking practice for fluency
• Different platforms address Memrise’s gaps – comprehensive grammar instruction (Busuu), live tutoring for speaking skills (italki), or customizable flashcards (Anki)

If you’re searching for Memrise alternatives, you’re probably frustrated with endless vocabulary drills that don’t translate to actual speaking ability. Memrise helps you memorize words through its spaced repetition system and native speaker videos, but many learners hit a wall when they realize they can’t hold real conversations or understand grammar rules.

The problem isn’t the spaced repetition method itself – it works well for building vocabulary. The issue is that memorizing isolated words and phrases through a flashcard app doesn’t prepare you for the unpredictable flow of real communication. You complete lessons, watch video clips, and pass quizzes, but struggle when native speakers actually talk to you.

Several language learning platforms take different approaches to address these gaps. Some, like italki, prioritize real conversations with native speakers who provide immediate feedback. Others offer stronger grammar instruction, community feedback from other users, or completely free alternatives to Memrise.

Whether you need Spanish tutors for business meetings, French teachers to prepare for exam prep, or simply want to practice speaking instead of just memorizing vocabulary, you’ll find platforms that help you learn a language more completely.

Top 4 Memrise alternatives at a glance

Platform	Typical Price Range	Languages	Approach
italki	$3-$25/hour	150+	Live online classes with native speakers (1-on-1 + group classes)
Duolingo	Free – $13/month	40+	Gamified practice with grammar explanations
Busuu	Free – $13.99/month	14	Structured courses with community feedback
Anki	Free	Any	Customizable flashcard app with spaced repetition

What are the best alternatives to Memrise?

1. italki

Best for: Learners who want to speak fluently through real conversations with native speakers

italki is the leading online platform for personalized language learning, built around one-on-one lessons with native tutors. More than 20,000 teachers support learners across multiple languages, and over 5 million learners already trust the platform worldwide.

Unlike Memrise’s flashcard-based approach, you practice your target language in live video sessions where teachers adapt to your learning style, correct your mistakes in real-time, and focus on the specific topics you care about. This addresses Memrise’s core limitation: while flashcards build vocabulary, they don’t teach you how to create sentences, understand grammar, or hold natural conversations.

The platform offers both one-on-one lessons and small groups across 150+ languages. You choose your teacher based on their experience, teaching style, and student reviews, then book classes that fit your schedule. Most sessions cost $3-$25 per hour, giving you actual speaking practice with real people who provide feedback.

How italki differs from Memrise:

• Real conversation practice: Speak with native speakers who respond naturally and correct mistakes immediately, developing fluent speaker abilities that solo apps cannot build
• Comprehensive grammar explanations: When you struggle with grammar rules, tutors explain concepts adapted to your background, making complex structures clear instead of just memorizing phrases
• Personalized learning path: Your teacher designs lessons around your primary goal (travel, business, exam prep, conversation practice) instead of following a fixed curriculum
• Immediate pronunciation feedback: Teachers catch errors as you speak, not after you’ve practiced incorrectly through audio playback
• Teacher variety: Work with teachers who speak your native language, whether you need Spanish tutors for English speakers, French lessons for English speakers, or an English class in Chinese.

Become fluent in any language on italki

2. Duolingo

Best for: Gamified vocabulary building with stronger grammar instruction than Memrise

Duolingo makes learning language feel like playing a mobile game. The free version gives you access to bite-sized lessons that teach new words and phrases through pattern recognition and repetition. You earn points, unlock levels, and compete with friends while building your vocabulary.

How Duolingo differs from Memrise:

• Grammar explanations included: Duolingo explains grammar rules within lessons, while Memrise focuses primarily on vocabulary memorization
• Completely free option: The basic features are free forever, though Duolingo offers a premium tier that removes ads
• Guided learning path: Duolingo forces you through a structured progression, while Memrise lets you jump between own courses and user-created content

The platform works well for beginners building everyday vocabulary and understanding basic grammar. Unlike Memrise, where Duolingo’s lessons include grammar tips and context for why sentences work certain ways. However, both apps share the same core limitation: neither provides substantial practice speaking with real people.

Most users enjoy Duolingo’s fun approach to learning new words, but like Memrise, it doesn’t prepare you for real conversations. If you’re exploring options, check out these Duolingo alternatives.

3. Busuu

Best for: Structured courses with community feedback from native speakers

Busuu combines structured courses created by linguistic experts with community feedback from other users. Each lesson teaches vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, then lets you submit writing and speaking exercises for correction by native speakers in the Busuu community.

How Busuu differs from Memrise:

• Grammar-focused lessons: Busuu provides comprehensive grammar instruction with clear explanations
• Community corrections: Submit writing and speaking exercises to get feedback from real native speakers, not just automated responses
• Free tier available: Access basic features without paying, though premium unlocks full courses and offline access
• Structured learning path: Follow a clear progression through beginner to advanced levels instead of creating own study plans

The platform teaches 14 popular languages with courses designed around CEFR levels (A1-B2). Lessons incorporate reading, writing, listening, and speaking exercises, making it more comprehensive than Memrise’s vocabulary-focused approach. However, the community feedback feature depends on other users volunteering their time, so response quality and speed can vary.

Busuu works well if you want structured progression with grammar explanations and the ability to get feedback on your writing and pronunciation. The community aspect provides some human interaction that flashcard apps lack, though it’s not the same as live lessons with dedicated teachers.

4. Anki

Best for: Creating customizable flashcards with complete control over your learning process

Anki is a free, open-source flashcard app that uses spaced repetition to help you memorize anything. Unlike Memrise, where you follow structured courses created by others, Anki lets you create your own flashcards or download decks shared by other users across any language or topic.

How Anki differs from Memrise:

• Completely free: No premium tiers or subscriptions, just download and learn
• Full customization: Create flashcards with text, images, audio, and even video to match your learning style
• Advanced spaced repetition: Fine-tune review intervals and algorithm settings for optimal memorization
• Unlimited languages: Learn any language since you create or import your own content, not limited to popular languages

The platform requires more setup than Memrise. You’ll need to create your own decks or find quality ones online. However, this flexibility means you can focus on exactly what you need to learn. Many language learners combine Anki with other tools: using it to memorize vocabulary while taking online classes on italki for speaking practice and grammar instruction.

Anki works best for self-directed learners who want control over what they memorize and how they review it. The learning curve is steeper than Memrise’s polished interface, but the program is more powerful for serious language study. However, like Memrise, Anki only helps with memorization – you’ll still need real conversations to develop fluent speaking skills.

How does italki compare to other Memrise alternatives?

Platform	Live Speaking Practice	Grammar Support	Languages Offered	Pricing Flexibility
italki	✅ With tutors	✅ Personalized	150+	Pay per lesson
Memrise	❌ (AI chatbot only)	Limited	20-25	Free + Subscription
Duolingo	❌	✅ Basic explanations	40+	Free + Premium
Busuu	Limited (community feedback)	✅ Structured	14	Free + Premium
Anki	❌	None (self-study)	Any	Free

Most language apps focus on vocabulary and grammar through pre-recorded content or flashcards. You repeat the same lesson format whether you’re stuck on verb conjugations or ready to discuss specific topics in your profession. This works for building a foundation, but doesn’t prepare you for real conversations.

italki takes a different approach by connecting you directly with teachers who adjust every lesson to your needs. If you’re learning Spanish for business meetings, your teacher focuses on professional vocabulary and formal grammar. If you need to pass the DELF exam in French, you practice the exact question formats that appear on the test.

The platform’s 20,000+ teachers give you options flashcard apps can’t match. You can take trial lessons with different teachers until you find someone whose teaching style fits how you learn. Some students prefer structured lessons with homework, while others want casual conversation practice. Both options exist on italki at prices that match your budget.

Unlike apps where you practice alone, italki teachers provide feedback on your specific mistakes. They catch pronunciation errors before they become habits, explain grammar in ways that make sense to you, and share the idiomatic phrases native speakers actually use. This personalized attention speeds progress faster than any flashcard program.

Compare teacher profiles and prices →

How do I choose the right Memrise alternative?

Your ideal platform depends on three factors: your learning goals, available time, and budget.

Choose italki if you want to speak fluently. Real conversations with native speakers build speaking confidence faster than any flashcard-based app. The flexible scheduling fits lessons into your routine, and trial lessons start at just $3 so you can find the right teacher.

Choose Duolingo if you’re a complete beginner on a tight budget. The free version teaches basic vocabulary with grammar explanations, though you’ll eventually need conversation practice to actually speak.

Choose Busuu if you want structured grammar lessons with community feedback. The free tier provides solid foundational courses, and premium access costs less than Memrise Pro while offering more comprehensive instruction.

Choose Anki if you’re a self-directed learner who wants complete control. The free, open-source platform lets you customize everything about your flashcards and learning process, though it requires more setup than Memrise.

The best results come from combining approaches. Many learners use free flashcard apps like Memrise or Anki to build vocabulary between live lessons on italki, giving you both memorization tools and speaking practice.

Compare more language learning platforms: Preply alternatives | Rosetta stone alternatives | italki vs Cambly | italki vs Preply| italki vs Lingoda | italki vs Vebling

Which platform delivers the best results?

Research on language learning consistently shows the same pattern: people who practice speaking with native speakers reach fluency faster than those who study alone with apps. You can memorize thousands of words through Memrise’s spaced repetition system and still freeze up in real conversations because flashcards don’t prepare you for the unpredictable flow of actual communication.

italki’s approach addresses this directly. When you speak with a teacher in real-time, you learn to think in your target language instead of translating from your native language. You practice the specific vocabulary you’ll actually use in context, not isolated words without practical application.

The platform’s learner reviews show this pattern repeatedly. Students report having their first real conversation in their target language within weeks of starting lessons, not months or years. Teachers adapt lessons based on what you struggle with, so you spend time on what helps instead of completing pre-built courses that may not address your specific challenges.

Memrise serves a specific purpose well – memorizing vocabulary through spaced repetition. However, vocabulary alone doesn’t equal fluency. You need grammar understanding, pronunciation practice, listening skills, and most importantly, real speaking experience. While Memrise provides some audio clips of native speakers, it’s the only reason to use it alongside other tools that address its gaps.

Whether you supplement Memrise with occasional italki lessons or make live classes your primary learning method, the human interaction speeds up results in ways flashcard apps can’t match.

Ready to practice with native speakers? Learn faster with personal guidance from 20,000+ expert tutors trusted by over 5 million learners worldwide. Book a trial lesson today and start having real conversations in your target language.

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FAQ

Is Memrise good for learning languages?

Memrise is effective for building vocabulary through spaced repetition and native speaker videos, but it’s incomplete as a standalone language learning program. The app focuses on memorization without providing comprehensive grammar instruction, meaningful writing practice, or opportunities to have real conversations with native speakers.

Most learners using only Memrise can recognize words and phrases but struggle to speak fluently because the app doesn’t teach how to create sentences or understand grammar rules. You’ll need to supplement Memrise with conversation practice through language exchange partners, online classes, or platforms like italki to develop speaking skills.

What’s better than Memrise?

italki offers better results for most learners because live lessons with native speakers develop speaking fluency faster than flashcard-based memorization. You get personalized grammar explanations, immediate pronunciation feedback, and practice with real conversations instead of isolated vocabulary drills.

Lessons typically cost $3-$25 per hour, comparable to Memrise Pro’s subscription while providing actual human instruction. For budget-conscious beginners, Duolingo or Anki provide free alternatives with stronger grammar support than Memrise, though both still lack the speaking practice needed for fluency.