Best Indonesian learning app
Our expert team of linguists have spent over 40 hours thoroughly testing, researching, and reviewing the 4 best apps to learn Indonesian. Each app has been scored against 5 key criteria and 21 sub criteria which are a careful mix of factors proven to make language learning effective. Ultimately, the best app to learn Indonesian will depend on you, your goals, and your current skill level. Our list is sorted by the app's overall score. You can filter it by goal (whether you’re looking to learn Indonesian for travel, to improve your grammar or fluency, etc), skill level (from beginner to advanced), and value for money. The overall winner is: Babbel with a score of 9.53.
- Personalized learning paths and a review manager to help identify weaknesses
- Regularly updated content and a focus on practical, real-life conversations
- Provides access to native Indonesian teachers through Babbel live
- Personalized learning paths and a review manager to help identify weaknesses
- Regularly updated content and a focus on practical, real-life conversations
- Provides access to native Indonesian teachers through Babbel live
- $7.45 per month
- You can tailor your learning according to your goals and interests
- Engaging and fun - short sharp lessons and gamification to make learning fun and motivating
- Augmented reality and Interactive chatbot conversations provide an immersive way to practice your Indonesian skills
- You can tailor your learning according to your goals and interests
- Engaging and fun - short sharp lessons and gamification to make learning fun and motivating
- Augmented reality and Interactive chatbot conversations provide an immersive way to practice your Indonesian skills
- $4.99 per month
- Scientifically proven "Pimsleur Method" structured to help you learn fast and retain information
- Speech recognition technology with feedback to hone your Indonesian pronunciation
- Flexible learning across all devices, with hands free for on the go learning
- Scientifically proven "Pimsleur Method" structured to help you learn fast and retain information
- Speech recognition technology with feedback to hone your Indonesian pronunciation
- Flexible learning across all devices, with hands free for on the go learning
- $14.99 per month
- Effective at teaching Indonesian vocabulary in a fun way that really sticks
- Clean and easy to navigate interface
- Review activities including Review Quiz and Review dojo
- Effective at teaching Indonesian vocabulary in a fun way that really sticks
- Clean and easy to navigate interface
- Review activities including Review Quiz and Review dojo
- $7.50 per month
Best Indonesian apps for:
Babbel Indonesian
Babbel is the world's best selling language app with 10 million purchased subscriptions. It teaches common Indonesian words and phrases and then immerses you in simulated conversation to practice them. Recordings of native Indonesian speakers and advanced voice recognition help to hone your accent, and culture and grammar tips bring the language into context. A review manager tracks your progress and with Babbel Live you can receive small group tuition.
Pros
- Covers all elements of Indonesian learning - speaking, listening, reading and writing plus grammar explanations and exercises
- Personalized learning paths and a review manager to help identify weaknesses
- Provides access to native Indonesian teachers through Babbel live
- Regularly updated content and a focus on practical, real-life conversations
- Available on both web and mobile platforms
- Culture Bites and Babbel Magazine promote cultural savviness
- Integrated podcast series promotes language immersion
Cons
- Pacing is a little slow at times
- Fewer languages than its competitors and only one Asian language (Indonesian)
- Minor interface annoyances with the desktop version
Best for: Babbel is a comprehensive language learning platform that's great for a wide range of learners. That said, I'd say Babbel is best for those learning to learn Indonesian from scratch or looking to improve their intermediate Indonesian skills. It will especially suit people who want to learn flexibly in short bursts and those interested in joining small live tutorial groups
Price: Pricing from $7.45/month.
Overall: Babbel is an excellent choice if you want to learn Indonesian efficiently and effectively. Its well-designed lessons, practical approach, and customizable learning paths make it a great tool for gaining real-world language skills. Babbel Live instructor-led classes provide a more immersive experience for anyone serious about learning Indonesian. Combine Babbel's curated Indonesian course with the Babbel Live classes and you'll be speaking Indonesian in no time at all.
Mondly Indonesian
Mondly is a language learning platform with 80 million learners. It offers 42 languages and enables you to learn Indonesian anywhere on any device. It targets all aspects of Indonesian communication: speaking, reading, writing, and listening. Mondly provides you with a gamified, interactive learning experience via memory exercises, a very intuitive interface and AR and chatbot technology.
Pros:
- Effective and comprehensive covering Indonesian speaking, listening, reading and writing
- You can tailor your learning according to your goals and interests
- Engaging and fun - short sharp lessons and gamification to make learning fun and motivating
- Learn Indonesian anywhere, anytime on any device
- Great user experience with a user friendly, polished interface
- Augmented reality and Interactive chatbot conversations provide an immersive way to practice your Indonesian skills
Cons:
- Less to offer more advanced learners or those wanting a strong conversational focus
- You always have to start at the basic level
- Bite-sized lessons may be too short for those preferring a more in-depth approach
- Free version is limited
Best for: Anyone who is looking to learn Indonesian as a beginner or has a limited grasp and wants to improve. Those who love fun, gamified, interactive apps and are intrigued by AR and like to engage with new technological experiences. Overall, Mondly is for those of you who consider themselves to be self-guided learners and would benefit from daily, weekly, and monthly lessons and goals
Price: There are a variety of subscription options but premium membership is available from $4.99 per month (billed annually).
Overall: Mondly is an incredibly popular platform that has over 80 million users. Having used the platform for the past couple of weeks it's easy to see why. Lessons are comprehensive and immensely fun and I found it a really effective way to learn Indonesian . I was very impressed by how easy it was to use and how fast I was able to introduce myself in Indonesian.
Pimsleur Indonesian
Pimsleur is one of the most established names in language learning with 5+ decades of experience behind them. Their scientifically backed Pimsleur Method helps you absorb new Indonesian vocabulary and phrases and commit them to memory efficiently and fast. There's a big emphasis on learning by listening and repeating. Games, quizzes and speech recognition technology add variety to what is a very systematic approach to learning Indonesian.
Pros:
- Scientifically proven "Pimsleur Method" structured to help you learn fast and retain information
- Speech recognition technology with feedback to hone your Indonesian pronunciation
- Flexible learning across all devices, with hands free for on the go learning
- Easy to use with fun review activities including match quizzes, voice coach, and speed rounds
- Strong focus on core Indonesian vocabulary and structures in practical, real-life conversations
Cons:
- Basic subscription is audio only
- Core lessons can seem monotonous and repetitive
- No placement test
- Not ideal for teaching Indonesian grammar and writing
Best for: Beginners and those with limited knowledge of Indonesian who want to get talking straight away. Especially suited to those who learn by listening who enjoy a structured approach to their learning. Also great for people who want to brush up on basic "survival skills" -- those key phrases you'll need on vacation or travelling.
Cost: Subscriptions are available from $14.99 - $20.95 per month or you can make a one time purchase of an entire course for around $500
Overall: A structured and efficient way to learn Indonesian that gets you speaking more intuitively and understanding quickly in a way that really sticks.
Drops Indonesian
Drops is a slick, game based vocabulary app. It introduces new Indonesian words and phrases with audio recordings and images and then helps you commit them to memory through game play. Games involve matching, sorting and true/false challenges. Drops also lets you track your progress, provides extra practice for words you're struggling with and earn badges for various achievements.
Pros:
- Effective at teaching Indonesian vocabulary in a fun way that really sticks
- Clean and easy to navigate interface
- Review activities including Review Quiz and Review dojo
- Adaptable with ability to skip learned content
- Wide range of topics covered
Cons
- Free version has a daily 5 minute limit
- Does not teach sentences or grammar - but does have a travel talk category for Indonesian phrases
- No voice recognition software for Indonesian pronunciation practice
- Desktop version can be a little glitchy
Best for: Those who want to learn Indonesian from scratch and would like a head start by mastering some basic vocabulary. Also anyone who wants to supplement another more comprehensive method of learning with a reliable and effective vocabulary app. Especially suitable for people who learn through game play
Price: pricing from $7.50 per month
Overall: Drops is great at what it claims to do. That is, teach Indonesian vocabulary through game play in short daily sessions. It's upfront about not teaching Indonesian grammar and sentences and as long as you understand what it is and isn't for, it represents good value. The free version gives you a good feel for what the app is like so you have nothing to lose by trying it out.
Methodology: how we reviewed the best Indonesian learning apps
First, we consulted with language experts to identify the factors needed to make online language learning effective.
From this we identified 5 overall criteria: effectiveness, user experience, features, value for money and goals.
These, in turn, are underpinned by sub criteria. Some directly related to language learning such as vocabulary, speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar. Others influencing learning success more generally. Such as using a mix of methods, fun activities and the ability to personalize your learning.
One of our language learning specialists will then spend around 10 hours, usually over the course of two weeks, testing each Indonesian app, before awarding scores.
Finally, our editorial team checks each review to make sure that the scoring system has been applied consistently.
We believe that this is the best way to objectively evaluate apps with different feature sets. It also means that you, the reader, can tailor your search to your own needs.
Buyers guide: what to look for in a Indonesian learning app
The best app to learn Indonesian for one person may not be the best app for another for three reasons: your goals, current skill level and budget:
- Goals - are you looking to learn Indonesian for a holiday, to pass an exam, to become conversational or even fully fluent? Your goal will have the biggest impact on your choice of app as each app has its own strengths and weaknesses.
- Skill level - where you are on your Indonesian learning journey will have a big influence on your choice. Some apps are more tailored toward beginners than intermediates or vice versa. We generally find that apps with live lessons are a good option for intermediate to advanced speakers because they give you the most control over your learning.
- Budget - some apps are free to use, but have limited feature sets. Others charge a monthly subscription, have a pay per lesson model, and some even have a one time purchase fee. Knowing what you're prepared to pay is important: but remember that learning a language is a skill for life, and value for money is as important as the amount you'll actually pay. You want to make sure you're not losing time and money on an app that's not very effective at meeting your needs.
We've made things easy for you by letting you filter our list based on the above.
Why you should use an app to learn Indonesian
A language learning app can be one of the best ways to learn Indonesian. While each provider is different, the general benefits are that you:
- Can learn at your own pace
- Benefit from scientifically proven methods
- Learn whenever it suits you
- Learn anywhere and on any device
- Can have more fun than in a traditional classroom
How to use an app
Using an app is straightforward and you can often get setup and start learning in a matter of minutes. Each app will be slightly different, but the steps are generally the same:
- Find and download the app
- Create an account - usually using either your email, Facebook or Google account
- Choose which language you want to learn
- Start learning, stay motivated and keep going
Remember that apps only work if you do. Often they'll come with practice guides, so its important you stay disciplined to achieve your goals.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to learn Indonesian there are plenty of apps to choose from.
Having spent over 40 hours reviewing the best 4 Indonesian apps, our conclusion is that the overall winner is Babbel with a score of 9.53. Coming in at a close second is Mondly with a score of 9.34.
That said, if you’re looking to learn Indonesian to achieve a specific goal, at a particular skill level, or within a fixed budget, head on up to the top of our comparison table and filter based on that.
Whatever choice you make, a large part of your success in learning Indonesian will depend on the work you put in!
We’ve put in a lot of hard work and effort to help you find the best app for you to learn Indonesian. Now it’s over to you.
Good luck!