Guide · Apps compared
The best apps for reading books in a foreign language
It depends on what you want to read. LingQ is the most complete if you want to import your own content in dozens of languages. Readlang is the cheapest way to read web articles and your own texts in a browser. Beelinguapp suits beginners who like side-by-side translations with audio. Passage is built for reading whole classics on iPhone, iPad and Mac, with each sentence explained in your own language.
We make one of these apps, so read this with that in mind. We've tried to be fair: every competitor fact below comes from that company's own website or App Store listing, checked on 24 October 2026, and we say where each one beats us. Prices are US prices and change, so check before you buy.
The short version
| App | Best for | Languages | Platforms | Paid plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passage | Reading whole classics with every sentence explained | 6 to read, 7 for explanations | iPhone, iPad, Mac (Apple silicon) | $2.99/mo or $24.99/yr |
| LingQ | Importing anything: articles, ebooks, YouTube, Netflix, podcasts | More than 50 | iOS, Android, web | $14.99/mo or $119.99/yr |
| Readlang | Reading web pages and your own texts in a browser | 100+ listed | Web, Chrome extension; mobile via the browser | $6/mo or $48/yr |
| Beelinguapp | Short stories side by side with a translation and narration | 23 | iOS, Android | Several plans; Pro $5.49/mo or $28.49/yr on the US App Store |
| Kindle / Apple Books | Your own ebooks, with a free dictionary | Depends on the book and dictionaries | Most devices | Free (you buy the books) |
What to look for in a reading app
- Content. Does the app come with things to read, or do you bring your own? A built-in library saves time; importing gives you freedom.
- Help at the right size. Word lookups are fine when you know the grammar. When a sentence loses you, you need the whole sentence explained.
- Levels. Can you find something at your level quickly? See how to choose a book at your level.
- Review. Saved words are only useful if you see them again. Look for spaced review.
- Where you read. Phone on the commute, tablet on the sofa, laptop at a desk. Check the app runs where you do.
Passage
Best for: learners who want to read real books, start to finish, on Apple devices.
Passage is a reader with a built-in library of about 450 public-domain classics in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch and Turkish, each marked beginner, intermediate or advanced. When a sentence stops you, you tap it and get a natural translation, a short grammar note and the key words, explained in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Turkish or Portuguese. Saved words come back in eight practice games with spaced review, and Read Aloud uses an on-device voice.
- Good: nothing to set up; whole, unabridged books; sentence-level explanations in your own language; native apps for iPhone, iPad and Mac; low price.
- Not so good: six reading languages only; no Android, Windows or web; you can't import your own books or articles; Read Aloud uses a synthetic voice.
- Price: free to start. Passage Pro is $2.99 a month or $24.99 a year (with a 7-day free trial).
LingQ
Best for: serious learners who want one tool for everything they read and listen to.
LingQ is built around learning from input. Its website says it supports more than 50 languages, with a lesson library across news, culture, books and podcasts, and importers that turn Netflix, YouTube, podcasts, books and articles into lessons. It tracks every word you've seen and has spaced review.
- Good: huge language list; import nearly anything; Android and web; active community.
- Not so good: the free plan is tight (20 saved words or phrases and 5 imported lessons, per LingQ's pricing page); the interface takes some learning; the most expensive option here.
- Price: Premium $14.99 a month or $119.99 a year on the US App Store.
Full comparison: Passage vs LingQ.
Readlang
Best for: reading articles and your own texts in a browser, on a budget.
Readlang lets you click any word or phrase on a web page or uploaded text to translate it, then practise the words as flashcards. It also offers AI explanations of words in context. It runs on the web and as a Chrome extension; on phones, Readlang's own guide has you add the web app to your home screen.
- Good: works on any text or website; over 100 languages listed; unlimited single-word translations on the free plan; cheap premium.
- Not so good: no native mobile app from Readlang; the built-in library is articles; the free plan limits phrase translations and context explanations to 10 a day.
- Price: Premium $6 a month or $48 a year; Premium Plus $15 a month or $120 a year.
Full comparison: Passage vs Readlang.
Try it on a real bookPassage is free to start on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Pick a classic at your level and tap any sentence you don't get.
Download on theApp StoreBeelinguapp
Best for: beginners who want to see the translation all the time and listen along.
Beelinguapp shows a story in the language you're learning next to your own, with audio narrated by native speakers and karaoke-style highlighting. Its website lists 23 languages, and the library includes stories, classics and daily news at several levels, plus quizzes and flashcards.
- Good: human narration; side-by-side text is reassuring for beginners; many language pairs; Android.
- Not so good: with the translation always on screen, it's easy to slip into reading your own language instead; no Mac app listed.
- Price: free to start. The US App Store lists several plans, including Beelinguapp Pro at $5.49 a month or $28.49 a year.
Full comparison: Passage vs Beelinguapp.
Kindle and Apple Books
Best for: advanced readers with ebooks they already own.
Both let you select a word to see a dictionary definition, and a passage to translate it. Install a dictionary for your target language and you have a free reading tool for any ebook you buy.
- Good: free; any book you can buy; e-ink screens on Kindle.
- Not so good: no grammar help; no levels; saved words don't turn into review without extra tools; you have to find the books.
Others worth knowing
- Language Reactor: dual subtitles and lookups for Netflix and YouTube. Great if you'd rather watch than read.
- Lute and Learning with Texts: free, self-hosted readers in the LingQ style, for people comfortable running their own software.
- Graded-reader apps for Chinese and Japanese, which work quite differently from the apps above.
How to choose
- You want a ready library of real books on iPhone, iPad or Mac: Passage.
- You want to read everything (YouTube, news, your own ebooks) in one place, in any language: LingQ.
- You mostly read online, on a computer, and want it cheap: Readlang.
- You're near the start and want a translation always beside the text, with audio: Beelinguapp.
- You already own ebooks and read at an advanced level: Kindle or Apple Books.
Most of these are free to start, so try two and keep the one you actually open every day.
Sources
- LingQ: lingq.com (languages, content, importers) and lingq.com/en/signup (free-plan limits); LingQ on the US App Store (prices, platforms). Checked 24 October 2026.
- Readlang: readlang.com (features, plans, prices, platforms) and its forum guide to installing Readlang on a phone's home screen. Checked 24 October 2026.
- Beelinguapp: beelinguapp.com (languages, features) and Beelinguapp on the US App Store (prices, platforms). Checked 24 October 2026.
- Passage: passage.patara.design and the App Store listing.
Questions
What is the best free app for reading in a foreign language?
For your own ebooks, the dictionary and translate features built into Kindle and Apple Books are free. Readlang's free plan includes unlimited single-word translations in a browser. Passage, LingQ and Beelinguapp are all free to start, with limits.
Which reading app supports the most languages?
Readlang lists over 100 languages and LingQ more than 50. Beelinguapp offers 23. Passage has books in 6 languages (English, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch and Turkish).
Is there a LingQ alternative for iPhone and Mac?
LingQ runs on iPhone and iPad and in a web browser. If you want a native Mac app and a ready library of books rather than importing content, Passage runs on iPhone, iPad and Macs with Apple silicon. See Passage vs LingQ.
Do reading apps work for Chinese or Japanese?
LingQ and Readlang support both. Passage has no Chinese or Japanese; its books are in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch and Turkish. For Chinese, dedicated graded-reader apps are often a better fit.