Drops vs MosaLingua
Overview
Drops is a slick, game based vocabulary app. It introduces new 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.
MosaLingua is a language learning program offering courses based on the MosaLearning® method. This is scientifically proven to help with language learning and to commit new knowledge to long term memory. It has features such as 24/7 access to a virtual tutor that learns your needs and interests, and Hands-Free learning which make it possible to practice whenever and wherever suits you.
Pros
- Effective at teaching 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
- Uses MosaLearning®, a scientifically researched method that optimizes memory
- Comes with a lot of course content and incorporates all of the elements of language such as vocabulary, speaking, listening, grammar, reading
- MosaChat AI gives you 24/7 access to a personal language eTutor
- You can target your weaknesses and add materials to your flashcards to help you memorize that content
- Connects you to their active team of native speaking teachers
- Web and app based so you can learn on the go
- Lessons cover useful and relevant topics and content is regularly updated
Cons
- Free version has a daily 5 minute limit
- Does not teach sentences or grammar - but does have a travel talk category for phrases
- No voice recognition software for pronunciation practice
- Desktop version can be a little glitchy
- Only 9 languages available (though this isn’t a problem if the language you’re interested in is offered)
- Navigation is not as intuitive as I’d like it to be
Best for
Best for: Those who want to learn another language 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
Best for: Anyone who wants to learn a new language from scratch or wants to improve their existing skills. It’s great for those with busy schedules looking for a flexible, self-directed language learning resource packed with high-quality content.
Price
From $7.50 per month
From $4.99 per month
Number of users
40 million downloads
12 million
Overall
Overall: Drops is great at what it claims to do. That is, teach vocabulary through game play in short daily sessions. It’s upfront about not teaching 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.
To providerOverall: The MosaLarning® system is backed by scientific research and the platform focuses on all the elements you need to master a language. The Hands-Free element and the massive library of content make it worth the investment for me. And, of course, the introduction of MosaChat AI gives you 24/7 access to real-time feedback from a personal ‘tutor’ that constantly adjusts to your level and learns about your needs and interests. As long as the language(s) you want to learn are offered by MosaLingua, I would recommend taking the 15 day free trial to see if it suits you.
To providerSupported languages
Ainu, Arabic, ASL, Bosnian, Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), Croatian, Danish, Dutch, English (American and British), Esperanto, Estonian, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Igbo, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian and European), Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Sanskrit, Serbian, Spanish (Castilan and Mexican), Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Te Reo Maori, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese and Yoruba.
Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Japanese and English
About
Drops was founded in Estonia in 2015 by Daniel Farkas and Mark Szulyovszky. Its mission was to make a game out of language learning. And it paid off.
By 2020 it had 25 million users and that number has now exceeded the 40 million mark.
Drops is now the fastest growing language app in the world and adds around seven languages a year to its offering. It spans mobile and web-based programs.
Though Drops does use gamification, its designers insist it is a gaming, not just a gamified, app. The difference being that gamification uses rewards to give you external motivation. Whereas being immersed in a game is an internally rewarding experience.
And though it’s fun, years of research have gone into what makes language learning effective and easy.
In November 2020, Drops was acquired by Kahoot!, the world's leading game-based learning platform. Testimony both to the fun and effectiveness of the Drops’ game based approach.
As part of Kahoot!, Drops continues to evolve and find more enjoyable and effective ways to learn new languages. It now has two companion apps: Scripts, which teaches learners how to read and write new alphabet/character-based writing systems, and Droplets, for children.
Drops also has a commitment to protecting culturally endangered languages, such as Hawaiian, Samoan, and Maori and they have worked with UNESCO to support this aim.
MosaLingua is a language learning platform founded in 2009.
Its team consists of language experts and teachers from 15 different countries. They’re available for email support and keep site content and learning tools up to date and relevant.
It offers lots of different options for language learning. But basically, languages are taught using a system based on 5 cognitive science and psychology concepts:
- Spaced Repetition System -- correctly spaced out review sessions to commit information to long-term memory
- Active Recall -- techniques that help you extract information easily from your memory, without assistance or a clue
- Metacognition -- Opportunities to reflect on your learning
- Pareto Principle – Focussing on the most frequently used words to make fast progress
- Learner Motivation and Psychology -- in-person support via email to personalize your learning method
Together, these 5 concepts form the MosaLearning® method (Motivating Optimized System for Adaptive Learning).
By joining MosaLingua, you will connect with over 12 million users and native speakers of your target language. You will also have access to constantly updated advice, resources and techniques from the Mosa team to help you learn and master foreign languages.
How it works
Drops is a games based app designed to make language learning a fun part of your daily routine.
You download the app by pointing your phone camera at the QR code, or by using Google Play or the Apple app store, or from your desktop. Then you can use it for free for a limit of 5 minutes a day or subscribe to Premium with a free 7 day trial.
Once you’ve downloaded Drops, you just choose the language you want to learn.
Then you adapt Drops to your needs by answering questions about your goals for learning, your age, your existing knowledge, when and for how long you want to spend learning each day and your personal interests. Drops then designs a program based on your responses. You can change language any time after you’ve started your learning.
Sessions are around 5 minutes long. Each one introduces words from a topic relevant to your interests and reasons for learning. The words will be spoken and written out with a matching visual and you’ll play various games to help you memorize them. You can indicate which words you feel you’ve mastered so the app won’t test you on them as often.
During your session you will be given point scores and encouragement to keep you motivated and, at the end, a summary of your progress so far. If you’re in free mode, you’ll need to wait 10 hours before you can take another session.
There are several different ways to learn a language on MosaLingua. They are designed to suit different goals and learners of different levels. The levels are set according to the Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR). These are:
- A1 - A2 beginners
- B1 - B2 Intermediate
- C1 - C2 Advanced
| Present level(s) | Aim | Best program | Languages |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1-C2 | Learn new vocabulary quickly and in authentic contexts | MosaLingua Premium subscription | All |
| A1-B1 | Improve your listening comprehension | MosaSeries subscription | French, German, Spanish, Italian |
| A2-B2 | Improve your spoken English | MosaSpeak English one off purchase | English |
| A2-B2 | Improve your spoken language skills | MosaSpeak one off purchase | French, German, Spanish, Italian |
| A1-B2 | Teach yourself a language quickly and efficiently, with helpful tips from polyglots | MosaTraining one off purchase | All |
Overall, MosaLingua works with a set of flashcards, dialogues, and audiobooks.
For this review I trialled MosaLingua Premium and used it to learn Spanish.
The Spanish course consists of 19 levels. Each with a set of flashcards, dialogues and audiobooks. The number of flashcards varies. For example, Level 0 (basic) has 25 flashcards, whereas Level 9 (medium) has 897!
Using the flashcards you exercise your auditory and visual memory while you record yourself repeating the word or phrase. There are no quizzes or exams for each level.
The MosaLearning® Method is used each time you start to learn a set of flashcards and you'll be alerted when you to stop to avoid memory saturation.
What a lesson is like
Lessons consist of introducing new words and phrases using audio and a matching image.
After 3 or 4 new words or phrases have been introduced, you play a variety of games delivered in quick succession requiring you to:
- Carry out different sorts of matching activities
- Spell out words and phrases by selecting letters or combinations of letters
Indicating whether what the app is displaying is correct or incorrect
Words you already know will be repeated and revisited to help commit them to long term memory. You can choose which words you feel you don’t have to review, and the app won’t test you on them as frequently.
There are also a number of review tools such as quiz mode that you can engage with to strengthen your knowledge.
Lessons last 5 minutes and there is a countdown to keep you motivated and engaged.
A typical Spanish lesson (and I assume other languages are the same) will start with some flashcards. It uses an approach based on visual, auditory, and written memory.
You first look at the flashcard which will have an image and accompanying audio with Spanish pronunciation.
Then, you have to record yourself repeating the word (you can record and repeat as many times as you need).
Once you have finalized your flashcards, MosaLingua generates learning statistics which give an idea of your learning speed.
You’re then invited to use the Dialogues and the Hands-Free section for practice.
There is a free section with a great selection of audiobooks, videos, and music in Spanish. These are divided according to your level and interests and some can only be unlocked once you have learned specific flashcards.
You can also navigate through the additional resources tab, which will guide you through an extensive variety of free newspapers, magazines, music, and cinema.
During my experience, I was able to practice the vocabulary I learned on the flashcards, my reading comprehension, and my pronunciation. After a week, I was able to track my progress, the number of flashcards that I had memorized, and new reading and listening material had been unlocked.
Who is it good for?
Bearing in mind that Drops is a vocabulary learning app, I would say it would suit anyone who:
- Wants to learn another language from scratch and would like a head start by mastering some basic vocabulary
- Wants to supplement another more comprehensive method of learning with a reliable and effective vocabulary app
- Enjoys learning through game play
The MosaLingua learning style would suit anyone who:
- Wants to learn a new language from scratch
- Has some grasp of a language and wants to improve
- Has a busy schedule and needs to fit lessons around their life
- Is looking for a flexible, self-directed language learning resource packed with high-quality content
- Wants a focus on developing conversational language
Features
- 45 Languages
- Review tools
- Game based approach
- Gamification and challenges
- Supplementary Apps
- MosaLearning® method based on scientific principles
- MosaLingua chat AI
- Flexible learning
- Hands-Free section
- Ability to connect to their team of native speaking teachers for advice and support
- Multiple curated resources
Is it worth it?
If you’re looking to learn a ton of vocabulary in a super fun way that really sticks then yes.
I found the app to be very compelling, it really holds your attention. I really enjoyed all the games and found I was learning tons without even noticing. And it’s not just fun, but visually appealing with a clean, easy to use interface.
But if you’re looking to learn a language in the round, with sentences, conversation, spoken exercises and cultural sensitivity, Drops is not for you.
I would say Drops is best for someone wanting to get into pole position in a new language by learning key vocab. Or those needing a fast and fun recap in a language prior to travel. It would also sit well alongside another more comprehensive language learning resource.
That said, the freemium version is available to you for five minutes a day. And if you love it, you can trial the app for 7 days before commiting to a subscription. So there’s nothing to lose by giving it a try.
In a word: yes.
MosaLingua is best suited for independent learners that like to learn at their own pace.
The platform and its content are continuously updated and the MosaLarning® system is backed by scientific research and the platform focuses on all the elements you need to master a language.
The Hands-Free element and the massive library of content make it worth the investment for me. And, of course, the introduction of MosaChat AI gives you 24/7 access to real-time feedback from a personal ‘tutor’ that constantly adjusts to your level and learns about your needs and interests.
And as mentioned, since there is a 15 day free trial of MosaLingua, as well as a refund policy, you have little to lose by trying it out.
As long as the language(s) you want to learn are offered by MosaLingua, why not give it a go and see how far you can get? Just remember to stick with it, be disciplined, and keep in mind why you want to learn a language in the first place!