I use the paid versions of all of the following: Duolingo, Clozemaster, Memrise, Mondly and LingQ. All are good. If I had to get rid of one, it would probably be Mondly as the sentences are sometimes incorrect, but Mondly has many, many languages, including Greek which I study.

I can’t vouch necessarily for the free versions of any of these, as I understand that the ads can be annoying and/or content is super limited, depending.

Another user gave an excellent list of seemingly free or low cost resources. I’ll also add that googling “free ____ language book PDF” usually produces some sort of book PDF as well. Not to mention using a library system to access free online ebooks to study.

Could look into and give Anki a try. Different format from Duolingo, but it’s free, ad-free, and open source. There’s a lot of existing decks for language learning, as well as enabling you to create your own if you’d like.

Few more things to add:

I had thought about paying for Duolingo. However I saw news about them using AI and laying off employees (https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/09/tech/duolingo-layoffs-due-to-ai/index.html)

And apparently they’re showing ads for Max tier to people who’ve already paid.

https://old.reddit.com/r/duolingo/comments/1gi9f7o/if_super_duolingo_was_actually_ad_free_instead_of/

https://old.reddit.com/r/duolingo/comments/1i3gyb5/duolingo_max_is_extremely_annoying/

So I’m looking to jump ship (While knowing that next platform might degrade in future and I’ll have to make similar post again. Isn’t that great?🫠).

Harry Potter. If you’re already familiar with the books, and have some basic knowledge of the language you try to learn, it’s very easy to read with a lot of spoken language. Once you’ve mastered the words for owl and broom, it’s very easy.

There are problems there, too, with giving money to a transphobe. I’ll leave this open to your personal ethics.

There might be other similar choices. But HP is really a good choice due to its simplicity and its familiarity.

https://www.memrise.com

I am going this route cause I just want to be able to speak it, not write a book one day: https://podcast.innerfrench.com/e/lcp001/

Busuu is worth looking into. Has some similar things to duo lingo like a streak and on the free version you will be served one as before each lesson.

That said however it will actually teach you properly how to use the language and the little exercises at the end of lessons are peer reviewed so other native speakers will assess what you write or speak and then say if it is correct and if not how you can change it / tips.

You can also do the same for people learning your native language and this connection to others learning I think is a great asset to the app.

There is a paid tier but unlike Duolingo with its shitty heart system you dont feel like it is forcing you to pay. There is no artificial limit to learning. If you get 5 things wrong it doesnt shut up shop for the day, you can keep learning, which is much better than Duolingos approach.

Just… Consume media in French??

Maybe flashcard programs could be good? For things like Anki, I presume you could find packs for a given language, specially French, rather easily.

I personally use memorion on android, it’s like amore user friendly anki. For grammer i prefer the old pen and paper method. I also have talkpal to practice speaking, it is an ai app. The free version allow 10min use per day.

You can try a combination of different resources. don’t do too many at one time, 1-3 is enough, depending on your interest and learning style and schedule.

I would exhaust the free and cheap resources first, like Tv5monde, CI stuff, language transfer and some basic grammar. Use ANKI or whatever other flashcard app to go through 1k high frequency words to build up vocab.

Get yourself up to being able to read your first book and listen to your first podcast (innerfrench). After that, you can focus a lot on practice by consuming content.

Remember the goal is to start using/practicing the language not duolingo/grammar/anki the language but USE the language which is read/write/listen/speak. :-

• Duome - free

• ANKI - free flashcard app. If you like it get the refold 1k deck or community deck.

• TV5monde - Free

• LeFrançais Facile avec RFI - Free

• Tex’s french grammar Free

• Closemaster

• Busuu

• Morpheem - Free, this is a cool concept using AI try it.

• Lingua $9.9/year cheap for what you get. Reading, Listening, Dictation, Grammar, Vocab

• Lingolia Paid (grammar) or Kwiziq (expensive)

• LinQ for reading and listening (paid)

• Linguno - Free simple games.

• Free4talk - free. Practice speaking with others.

• LanguageTransfer free

• InnerFrench (free podcast) Keep trying to be able to understand him.

• AliceAyel (youtube) free + paid(site) CI very easy to understand stories

• French CI easy CI.

• Speakly (paid) strong focus on listening and flashcard style.

• NewsinSlowFrench

• Refold document has a list of CI resources

• StoryListening

• Hyplern - graded interlinear books.

• Graded reader on amazon/kindle.

• Grammar book on amazon/kindle.

• Discord French-Learn French in a friendly community - resources and voice channel to participate

• Discord Refold - French - more resources and community.