What is the best app to learn Spanish?

There isn't one best app, because different apps are good at different jobs. Duolingo is great for building a daily habit, Babbel for structured beginner lessons, Anki for vocabulary memory, and story or video apps for listening. Most people do best with one main app plus something for real listening.

Decide what you need first

"Best" depends on what's missing from your routine. Ask yourself which of these you need most:

A habit and a gentle start
Clear explanations and a lesson order
Vocabulary that stays in memory
Listening practice with real Spanish
Speaking with a real person

Each need has a different kind of tool. An app that nails one often ignores the rest, which is why nobody can name a single winner.

The main contenders

Here's an honest rundown of well-known options.

Duolingo. Very good at getting you to show up daily, thanks to short lessons and streaks. Weak on real listening speed and on explaining grammar. I wrote more in is Duolingo enough.

Babbel. More structured and explanation-heavy, with lessons built around conversations. Good for adults who like to understand the rules. It's less playful, and like most apps, it won't replace real listening. See Babbel vs Duolingo.

Pimsleur. Audio-based lessons where you speak a lot from the first day. Strong for pronunciation and for building spoken reflexes. The pace is slow, and the content is limited in vocabulary range.

Anki. A flashcard program built on spaced repetition. Unbeatable for vocabulary retention if you set it up well. It's a tool, not a course, and it takes effort to configure.

Dreaming Spanish. Video-based input for learners, sorted by level, with a Spanish-only approach. Excellent for listening. It doesn't teach you step by step, so it's best alongside something else.

Language-exchange and tutoring apps. Like italki, they connect you with real people. Best for speaking and feedback, not for daily self-study.

Where a story app fits

I built Langtok, so I'm biased, but this is the gap it was made for: short Spanish stories you swipe through like TikTok, with word-by-word synced subtitles, tap-to-translate, and adjustable playback speed from 0.25x to 1.75x. You can save words and practice them in quizzes, and there are XP, streaks and levels to keep you going. It focuses on listening and reading, so you'd pair it with a course for grammar and with a tutor for speaking.

A sensible combination

Here are a few setups that work:

Complete beginner: Duolingo or Babbel for structure, plus a listening app from the first week.
Vocabulary-focused: a main course plus Anki or built-in spaced review. See what spaced repetition is.
Speaking-focused: a course plus weekly sessions with a tutor.

Don't over-shop

My honest take: the difference between the top apps is small compared to the difference between doing it daily and not. Choose one main app, stick with it for a month, and then add whatever is missing. If you've been on the same app for months and your listening hasn't improved, the fix is probably another type of practice, not another app.