The Best Apps to Learn Swedish: What Each One Is Really Good For

You’ve got a 200-day streak in your language app. You know “jag äter ett äpple” by heart. And yet, when your Swedish colleagues chat over fika, you understand almost nothing. That’s not your fault. Most apps are good at one thing and weak at another. This comparison shows you what each Swedish app is really good for, and how to combine them so you actually understand Swedes.

I’ve tested more than 30 language courses and apps over 20 years of self-study, and written four books on how to learn vocabulary effectively. I speak Norwegian at business level and hold conversations in Swedish, so I know which skills Swedish really demands. This comparison is based on that experience, not on which app pays the highest commission.

Swedish learning apps compared

17-Minute-Languages: the best app for vocabulary that sticks

The biggest reason people don’t understand spoken Swedish isn’t grammar. It’s vocabulary. If you only know a few hundred words, every fourth word in a real conversation is a gap. 17-Minute-Languages is built to close exactly that gap.

The course uses a long-term memory method: every word comes back at fixed intervals, and only after you’ve known it several days in a row does it count as learned. Words you forget go back into the loop. That’s the principle I’ve used for every language I’ve learned, and the reason I recommend this course most often for Swedish.

• From A1 to C2: over 1,300 words in the beginner course, over 1,800 in the intermediate course and over 2,100 in the C1/C2 course
• Native speaker audio for every word, sentence and dialogue, so you train your ear from day one
• About 15 to 20 minutes a day, with a daily learning plan that tells you what to do
• Works on PC, tablet and smartphone, and your progress syncs automatically
• One-time payment, no subscription, at least 10 years of access and a 31-day money-back guarantee

Weak spots: it’s not a game like Duolingo, and you won’t get live conversation practice. Pair it with a tutor or Swedish friends.

Babbel Swedish: short lessons for everyday conversations

Yes, Babbel has Swedish. The course is built around short lessons with realistic dialogues: introducing yourself, shopping, talking about your weekend. Grammar is explained in small portions inside the lessons rather than in long chapters, and new words come back in review sessions.

What I like about Babbel Swedish:

• Practical, conversation-based lessons you can use in daily life right away
• Speech recognition gives you a first check of your pronunciation, which is useful for Swedish with its tricky vowels
• Short sessions that fit into a commute or a coffee break
• Clear structure: you always know what comes next

Where Babbel falls short:

• It’s a subscription. If you take a long break, you pay for months you don’t use.
• Speech recognition is no substitute for a real person correcting you.
• The vocabulary is smaller than in a dedicated vocabulary course, so you’ll need to add words for real conversations.

How to get the most out of Babbel: do the review sessions every day, not just new lessons, and say every sentence out loud, even if you’re on the bus and only whisper. You can test the first lesson of the Swedish course for free. → Learn Swedish with Babbel*

Duolingo Swedish: good for a habit, not enough on its own

Duolingo is the app most people start with, and for good reason: it’s free, it’s fun, and the streaks really keep you coming back. For Swedish, that’s a decent first step. But I see the same pattern again and again: learners with long Duolingo streaks who still can’t follow a normal conversation.

The reasons are built into the app:

• Little real listening: short, isolated sentences instead of natural speech at normal speed.
• Odd sentences: you learn words in combinations you’d rarely use in real life.
• Limited depth: the course gets you through the basics, but it’s not designed to take you to the level where you can work or live in Swedish.

My advice: keep Duolingo if you enjoy it, as a daily warm-up. But if your goal is to understand Swedes, add a structured course with real audio and regular speaking practice. Our guide on why Swedish feels hard explains where most app learners get stuck.

Preply: the app for speaking Swedish with a tutor

No app can replace a real conversation, and that’s what Preply is for. You book one-to-one video lessons with Swedish tutors and choose by price, availability and reviews. Many tutors specialise in conversation, pronunciation or preparing for life and work in Sweden.

For Swedish, a tutor is especially valuable because of the pronunciation. Someone who hears you and corrects the “sj” sound or a long vowel in real time saves you weeks of guessing. Even one lesson a week makes a big difference to your confidence. → Find a Swedish tutor on Preply*

Pimsleur, Rosetta Stone and Mondly

Pimsleur teaches Swedish through audio lessons where you listen, repeat and answer out loud. That’s a good fit if you have a long commute by car and want to train listening and speaking without looking at a screen. The vocabulary is small, though, so it works best as a supplement.

Rosetta Stone is one of the best-known names in language learning and teaches through images and immersion, without translations. Some learners love that approach, others find it slow. Check the current language list on their website before you subscribe.

Mondly also offers a Swedish course. Since summer 2026, Mondly is no longer being developed, so I no longer recommend it. The app still works if you already use it, but I wouldn’t start with it today.

Which Swedish app is right for you?

• You’re moving to Sweden for work: 17-Minute-Languages for vocabulary plus a Preply tutor once a week. If you’re registered in Sweden, add the free SFI classes.
• You have a Swedish partner or family: a vocabulary course for the words, and your partner for listening. Ask them to speak Swedish with you for 15 minutes a day.
• You mainly learn on your phone in short breaks: Babbel, plus a few minutes of Swedish podcasts.
• You just want to try Swedish without spending money: start with Duolingo and the free trials, then decide.
• You commute by car: an audio course like Pimsleur, or the audio trainer that comes with the 17-Minute-Languages intermediate course.

Why one app alone won’t make you fluent

Every app trains some skills well and others hardly at all. To understand and speak Swedish in real life, you need four things: a large vocabulary, daily listening to natural speech, the basics of grammar and regular speaking. In my experience, the combination that works best is simple: one structured course as your backbone, 10 to 15 minutes of real Swedish audio every day and a weekly conversation with a tutor or a Swedish speaker. You’ll find the full step-by-step plan in our guide on how to learn Swedish.

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Frequently asked questions about Swedish learning apps

What is the best app to learn Swedish?

It depends on your goal. 17-Minute-Languages is best for building a large vocabulary with native audio, Babbel for short everyday dialogues, Duolingo for a free daily habit and Preply for speaking practice with a tutor.

Is Duolingo good for learning Swedish?

Duolingo is good for getting started and building a daily habit. On its own, it’s not enough to understand natural spoken Swedish or hold real conversations. Combine it with a structured course and speaking practice.

Does Babbel have Swedish?

Yes. Babbel offers a Swedish course with short, dialogue-based lessons, speech recognition and review sessions. You can try the first lesson for free.

Can you learn Swedish with an app alone?

You can reach a basic level with apps alone. To understand Swedes in real conversations, you also need daily listening to natural Swedish and regular speaking practice with a person.

Is there a free app to learn Swedish?

Duolingo is free with ads. Most other apps offer a free trial: 17-Minute-Languages for two days and Babbel for the first lesson.

Is Mondly still a good app for Swedish?

Since summer 2026, Mondly is no longer being developed, so I no longer recommend it. The app still works for existing users, but for new learners there are better options.

Related links

• Learn Swedish: a realistic plan from your first words to real conversations
• Is Swedish hard to learn? An honest answer
• The Swedish alphabet with pronunciation
• Swedish phrases for everyday life
• Which type of language learner are you?

Prefer another language?

• 🇩🇪 – Schwedisch lernen
• 🇳🇴 – Lær svensk