7 Language Learning App Success Stories [2023]
Language learning apps use different activities and methods to assist users to expand their vocabulary and develop correct linguistic skills and general communication skills. The demand for global language learning apps has recorded a massive rise in the past decade and is expected to rise beyond $21.2 in the next few years.
Therefore, if you love linguistics or you have a passion for building apps that teach people a new language, then the language app business idea is worth diving into.
Here are basic steps to guide you through the journey of building a language learning app:
- Come up with an application concept
- Make a unique business analysis
- Define the feature set and make the requirements list
- Choose the technology stack based on the platform
- Develop the application design
- Create the content
- Develop full application version or MVP of your choice
- User testing
- Market and advertise the application
From the ideation stage to the final stage of your app development, focus on ensuring that your language learning application will have the following features:
- Gamification to encourage learners and bring on the competition
- Break down the courses into small chunks
- Provides learners with timely and relevant tips
- Variety of content and activities
- User-friendly design and interface
- Create a users’ community so they can interact and share tips
- Ensure a simple sign-in
- Regular assessment to test and score learner’s progress
Examples of language learning apps include Duolingo, Memrise, and LinguaLift.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a language learning app:
1. Gikken ($224K/year)
Alex Chernikov (from Berlin, Germany) started Gikken ago.
I’m Alex, the co-founder and CEO of Gikken /'gɪk ən/. We made a few apps and browser extensions used by 800,000 people every month. We’re (yet) small, profitable, and based in Europe’s most interesting city—Berlin, Germany.
We’re making around $18,000 a month with it being higher in school months and lower during the summer months. You may ask, “Why so little if you have so many users?” and that’d be a totally valid question that I’m also asking myself. Monetizing our existing user base better is our top 1 priority for the next year.
2. Duolingo ($162M/year)
In 2000, Luis von Ahn was starting his PhD in computer science when he attended a talk and happened to learn about one of Yahoo's biggest problems: automated bots were signing up for millions of free Yahoo email accounts, and generating tons of spam. Luis' idea to solve this problem became CAPTCHA, the squiggly letters we type into a website to prove we're human. He gave away that idea for free, but years later, that same idea had evolved into a new way to monetize language learning on the web, and became Duolingo. Today, the popular app is valued at $1.5 billion, and is seeing a big spike in growth while people are confined to their homes.
Luis Von Ahn (from Irvine, California, USA) started Duolingo ago.
In 2000, Luis von Ahn was starting his PhD in computer science when he attended a talk and happened to learn about one of Yahoo's biggest problems: automated bots were signing up for millions of free Yahoo email accounts, and generating tons of spam. Luis' idea to solve this problem became CAPTCHA, the squiggly letters we type into a website to prove we're human. He gave away that idea for free, but years later, that same idea had evolved into a new way to monetize language learning on the web, and became Duolingo. Today, the popular app is valued at $1.5 billion, and is seeing a big spike in growth while people are confined to their homes.
Learn more about starting a language learning app:
Where to start?
-> How much does it cost to start a language learning app?
-> Pros and cons of a language learning app
Need inspiration?
-> Examples of established language learning app
-> Marketing ideas for a language learning app
Other resources
4. Duolingo
Duolingo is the world's most popular way to learn a language. It's 100% free, fun and science-based. Practice online on duolingo.com or on the apps!
- Estimated revenue: $13.5M/month
- Website traffic: 76.2M/month
- Business rank: #510
Check out their full website ➜
5. The Go Programming Language
Go is an open source programming language that makes it easy to build simple, reliable, and efficient software.
- Website traffic: 2.16M/month
- Business rank: #9.43K
Check out their full website ➜
6. Official Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone is the best way to learn a foreign language. The award-winning language solution combines proven learning methods with the world's best speech recognition technology.
- Website traffic: 2.71M/month
- Business rank: #10.2K
Check out their full website ➜
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
Get our 5-minute email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Collect and analyze feedback with Delighted, the self-serve experience management platform of choice for thousands of the world’s top brands.
Choose from 8 ready-made survey templates including: Net Promoter Score, Product Market Fit, Smileys, Thumbs Up/Down, 5 Stars, and more.
And 5 survey delivery methods: email, web, link, kiosk, and iOS.
Sign up now and start collecting feedback for free.
"An amazing network of founders that truly want to help each other grow their business."