How Long Does It Really Take to Learn a Language With an App?
FSI hour estimates, what 30 days on each app produced in our test, and the point where apps stop being enough.
The US Foreign Service Institute estimates 600–750 class hours for an English speaker to reach professional working proficiency in Spanish or French, and 2,200 for Japanese, Korean, Mandarin or Arabic. Thirty minutes a day is 180 hours a year.
What 30 days produced
On our A1 placement test after 15 hours: italki 85%, Babbel 82%, Pimsleur 76%, Busuu 74%, Rosetta Stone 68%, Memrise 64%, Mondly 60%, Duolingo 58%. The spread is the method: apps that make you produce sentences and explain grammar beat apps that reward recognition.
The ceiling
Babbel and Busuu go to B2; most others stop at A2 or B1. From B1 onward the fastest progress comes from conversation (italki, Babbel Live) and native content.
A realistic plan
Months 1–6: a structured app daily. Months 3 onward: one tutor lesson a week. From month 6: podcasts, series and books in the language. Expect B1 in Spanish in about a year at 30 minutes a day plus weekly conversation.
» See the full rankings: Best Language Learning Apps of 2026, Best Apps to Learn Spanish .