How I test and score
I sift through the plethora of language apps, delivering reviews based on deep expertise in language learning and teaching.
My review process starts with an initial walk-through, using the app for at least 15 minutes to capture first impressions and usability.
I then conduct a criteria-based evaluation focusing on key features like spaced repetition, user customization, and the balance between educational content and gamification.
My reviews are thorough, with a scoring system that emphasizes course quality (70%) over user experience (20%) and price (10%).
Importantly, I do not receive payment for these reviews.
Learn more on my review policy and process page.
Summary
Course quality
User experience
Pricing
Pros
- Effective spaced repetition system
- Interactive video content
- Practical missions for real-life scenarios
- User-friendly interface
Cons
- Conversations are too short
- Limited advanced content
- Removed community-based lessons
Best suited for
Beginners and intermediate learners looking for structured vocabulary practice and interactive content.
At a glance
App name
Memrise
Made by
Memrise
User base
Sentiment
- Decreased feature quality: Users express dissatisfaction with the removal of community courses and the overall decline in app functionality and features over time.
- Effective vocabulary learning: Users appreciate the app\'s focus on vocabulary, finding it highly effective for learning and reviewing new words.
- AI-driven content complaints: The AI chatbot and conversation exercises are often cited as repetitive, poorly integrated, and mismatched with the users\' learning levels.
- Subscription and cost issues: Several reviews mention the high cost of the premium version and the frustration with content being locked behind paywalls.
- Learning pace and progression: Users find the app\'s pacing too slow, lack options to skip ahead, and face difficulties maintaining streaks due to inconsistent lesson lengths and interruptions.
Concept
Memrise aims to teach conversational language suited for learners of all levels, providing a supplement to their language studies.
Available on
Web, iOS, Android
Levels covered
(A0) Total beginner, (A1) Beginner, (A2) Elementary, (B1) Intermediate, (B2) Upper-intermediate
22 languages taught
Arabic, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Yoruba
Pricing, free trial, refunds
Pricing
Free trial
Refunds
First-hand review
Walk-through
Initial Impressions
When you first open Memrise, you\’re greeted with a dashboard displaying your language of choice, accumulated points, and practice options. The home screen is straightforward, showcasing different sections:
Exploring the Dashboard
Home: Contains the essential metrics like points accumulated and current language learning path.
Scenarios: This section caught my attention as it seems to offer situation-based learning modules.
Videos: Memrise provides video content designed to help with listening and comprehension. They include short clips with transcripts and follow-up activities to reinforce learning.
Vocabulary and Space Repetition
Memrise emphasizes vocabulary through spaced repetition, ensuring you revisit and practice new words until you\’re comfortable with them. I consider this approach to be fundamental but very effective.
For instance, I noticed that after introducing a new word, Memrise integrates it into various exercises to reinforce learning. These include multiple-choice questions and typing tasks aimed at enhancing recall and application.
The Chatbot Experience
One feature that I found intriguing is the chatbot, which allows for simulated conversations. When I initially tried the free version of Memrise, I found myself limited to one conversation per day. However, once I upgraded to the Pro version I was able to access all the content in the chatbot section.
Mission: Order Coffee
I tested a mission where the task was to order coffee. The chatbot initiated the conversation, and I was able to respond either by typing or speaking. While I appreciated the interactive element, I was slightly disappointed that the conversation length was still short, even in the Pro version. This could detract from the overall immersion and practice opportunities.
Content Complexity
While exploring different content, I noticed that while the vocabulary and sentence structures became slightly more complex, the app still felt heavily focused on vocabulary drills. The conversations, although engaging, could benefit from longer and more varied dialogues, especially for advanced learners.
User-Generated Content
Memrise used to allow users to create and share their own lessons. However, this feature is no longer part of the main platform, which could limit the diversity of available content. While this ensures content quality, it also reduces the variety that user-generated materials could provide.
Final Thoughts
Memrise is a solid app for those starting their language learning journey or aiming to reinforce their intermediate skills, particularly with its focus on vocabulary and interactive learning modules. However, for those seeking to achieve high fluency, the app might fall short due to its heavy emphasis on vocabulary drills and shorter conversation practices.
Happy learning, and Ciao!
Features
Spaced repetition
Does the app offer plenty of repetition to acquire vocab and grammar naturally?
Customization
Can users customize settings, interface, content, etc.?
Focus on learning
Is the interface and content focused on the course content instead of fluff and gamification?
Personalization
Are the materials automatically tailored to the user’s profile?
Sentence accuracy
Are sentences free from typos, grammar errors? Do they sound natural?
Sentence relevance
Are sentences realistic and useful?
Variety and depth
Is there enough variety of materials in terms of topics, formats and levels?
Audio quality
Are audio materials easy to listen to in terms of recording quality and speech rate?
Speaker's quality
Do speakers speak correctly, clearly and naturally?
Speaking practice
Does the app offer plenty of speaking practice?
Ease of use
Is the app easy to set up, use and navigate?
Interface and design
Is the user interface neat and visually appealing?
Performance
Does the app load fast? Is it free from glitches and crashes?
Grammar notes
Do the courses come with grammar notes?
Learning path
Do the courses follow a well defined path?
Speech recognition
Does the app recognize user speech?
User-generated courses
Can users actively generate materials from their interests?
Offline access
Are the courses available offline?
Conclusions
Would I take these courses?
I would use Memrise for its effective vocabulary learning and interactive features but seek additional resources for advanced conversation practice.
How to get the most out of the app
Engage with all interactive features, and complement with other resources for advanced learning.
Alternatives
Think In Italian is better than Memrise to master Italian
Think In Italian is the only app that gets your to speak Italian all the time. It comes with hundreds of grammar lessons and readings to listen and repeat, plus an AI tutor to review the courses and practice conversation. See the full review.
FAQs
Does Memrise offer practice speaking?
AI chatbots are available, but conversation length is limited
Does Memrise use spaced repetition?
Yes, extensively for vocabulary learning.
Does Memrise have advanced level content?
It does but the avanced can feel too simple and mainly vocabulary-focused.
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Rave Reviews
★★★★★
Rated 4.9/5 based on 170+ reviews
