Language Learning App Development: Features, Cost, Technology Stack

Do you want to learn a new language? Are you fascinated by the words in the French and Spanish language or any other language for that matter?

Do you believe that learning another language apart from your mother tongue is an enriching experience? Are you pondering to make a career in a foreign language, and not just pursuing it as a hobby? The COVID-19 lockdown has just added the need to learn new languages for many of us. It is one of the best ways to spend time productively. Moreover, learning foreign languages is a new trend in the market. In earlier days, learning a new language required one to take the help of either a mentor or a book. But not anymore! Times have changed and only for the better.

The technology today has made the entire learning process a lot easier, convenient, and at hand. We are living in an app-influenced world. Applications are currently ruling the digital world. The demand for mobile application development services has accelerated. Language learning apps have become the best alternative to books and tutors. If you are seeking to develop a language learning app, this article is for you. Read on to find out the nitty-gritty of language learning apps as well as the development process.

What Is A Language Learning App?

A language learning app aims to make the learning process simpler for users. The app helps users to learn foreign languages, starting from a beginner level to a pro. There are ample language learning apps in the market that help users pick up a new language and become fluent in it.

Prominent Examples Of Language Learning Apps In The Market

In 2018, the market size of the global language services industry was $46.52 billion U.S dollars, and by 2021 it is expected to reach $56.18 billion U.S dollars. As per the Technavio Analysis, “the worldwide language learning market is expected to develop at a CAGR of approx. 18 percent amid the prediction period of 2020 to 2024”. The ongoing pandemic has just spiked the demand for language learning apps. People in professional careers are trying to brush their language skills to be better able to communicate with their foreign clients. Others want to learn a new language as a hobby and use time productively. So, before uncovering the development process and the cost involved, let us analyze some of the top language learning apps currently ruling the market.

• Duolingo: Duolingo is undoubtedly one of the best language learning apps to date. It is a free app that is all set to teach over 95 courses in 2020. In 2018, the app was reported to have 300 million downloads. Duolingo is an interactive and engaging app that encourages users to start with simple phrases first and then forge ahead to more complex ones. The app points to the mistakes of the users and appreciates when they are correct. You can quickly learn the basics of a language with the help of fun activities that are offered by Duolingo. Mobile application development services can better help businesses with the development process.

• Rosetta Stone: Rosetta Stone has been helping language learning enthusiasts for the last 26 years now. It allows users to learn a language by listening to words and match phrases with the respective photos. The app offers one free lesson, after which you need to opt for a subscription to avail of its other lessons.
• Busuu: The language learning app Bussu was established in 2008, and boasts of 100 million users. The platform offers around 12 languages to its users. It is one of the largest language learning apps globally. Basic language learning is for free, but you need to opt for premium services if you wish to take grammar lessons and learn in an offline mode.

• Memrise: This app offers multiple options for users willing to learn a foreign language. It has a lot of content that helps to memorize vocabulary and phrases. Though it is not the best app if you want to be fluent in a foreign language, Memrise is highly popular due to the rich vocabulary and phrases it offers. The free version of the app is sufficient for learners. With pro membership, you can get to avail an ocean of content as well as offline access.

• Hello Talk:  It is a free app that helps users to learn new languages. In this app, you can learn the language that you prefer with the help of a native speaker of the place. The app is available for android as well as Apple users. The app connects you to a native speaker with whom you can then interact via text messages or speaking directly. The app covers nearly 100 languages and has a huge community.

Benefits Of Language Learning Apps

The increasing inclination towards digitalization and a hectic schedule has increased the value of language learning apps in the world today. It is often hard for individuals to take out time to pursue hobbies and interests. In such scenarios, apps are the best medium to pursue a hobby without compromising on the schedule. Language learning apps can be used while exercising or traveling in that 10 min mid-break. Apart from the flexibility and easy approach towards learning, language learning apps offer some other benefits as well. Read below to find out more.

• Performance Analysis And Report: With the help of the apps, users can keep track of their learning. They can check their performance and know how much they have learned, at what stage they are, and how much more they need to learn. The apps have an automated feature to track the user’s progress and show them their report.

• Level-wise Lessons: The lessons are designed for beginners as well as mid-level and advanced learners. The language learning app contains A to Z information about a particular language. You can learn any language ranging from English, French, Spanish, Chinese, German, Italian, and so on.
• Easy And Quick Learning: Language learning apps can teach you a lot in a short span of time. The courses are structured in a way to feed more in less time, although the app allows the users to learn at their own pace.
• Learn Any Global Language: The apps offer a quality course for most of the languages spoken globally. With just a few clicks, the user can master a language like the native speaker of the place.
• Saves Time: The apps are designed in such a manner so that learners can save time as well as money while learning new languages. The courses are crisp and interactive. Also, there is no need to hop from one platform to another for reading, writing, and practice, all these features can be found in a single app. People pick up apps because they do not have the time to attend regular classes, and the apps suffice the purpose.
• Learn Anywhere And Anytime: We have our smartphones with us most of the These smartphones contain the app, allowing users the flexibility to learn anywhere anytime. If you have offline access, the app can even be used in places with low network connectivity. Some apps also allow users to download the course and learn it in their own comfort time, without any notification distractions.

Features To Include In A Language Learning App

If you are thinking of developing a language learning app, ask a learning app development company to add the following essential features:

1. Sign-in: The app should have a sign-in feature where you can collect the users’ basic information such as name, age, gender, etc. This will help to create an account of the user. Do not forget to ask for the email address to remind the users of necessary updates and about their course.
2. Pronunciation Check: This is one of the most essential features. Pronunciation is important to get an apt accent. Being new to the language, the user might know the basic pronunciation, so ensure to integrate the pronunciation check feature. This will help the user to pick up the word in its correct accent.
3. Online Community: An online community can help learners to get in touch with other learners. You should manage a forum where users can put up their opinions and discuss and learn more. The discussion will have a positive impact on the users as well as the application. Users will be able to interact on different topics and brush up on their learning.
4. Motivational Notification: Many a time, users are all excited while installing the app but gradually lose interest or get involved in some other work. An encouraging, friendly push notification is a must to bring the users back to using the app. Sometimes in the middle of the learning process, users find it difficult to imbibe the teachings, at such times it is important to encourage users. Timely reminders and push notifications consisting of uplifting words can drive the users to continue learning and not give up. Hybrid app development services are high in-demand these days.
5. Attractive User Interface: The app user interface should captivate users and make them believe the app is better than its contemporaries. Design your app in the best way possible to stand out.
6. Gamification: Conventional learning methods often bore users, so try adding gaming features. These will not only make the learning process more enjoyable but also more productive. The idea of learning with some fun elements is not just limited to kids but suits adults equally Gamification is the best alternative for an outdated explanation and will keep the users engaged.
7. Audio Clips For Revision: ‘Practice makes a man perfect’ is a quote that fits rightly in the frame of language learning. Once the user has learned the basics, practice is of utmost importance. Audio clips can be used for listening and practicing the newly learned language. Users can listen to them at any time, in the middle of their work, while jogging, etc. The app should also have a feature that can remind the users of revision and its importance. The revision trick is not only helpful for users but also for app owners. It can considerably increase the number of visits of users in a day. Hybrid app development services help to develop hybrid apps.

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8. Core Vocabulary: In the process of learning a new language, vocabulary holds a significant place. Vocabulary strengthens the learning process. The app should have plentiful vocabulary from basic to advanced. The rich knowledge of vocabs adds confidence to the user. The apps should have this feature so that the user can easily learn and bring new words to practice. You can add exercises to practice and remember words.
9. Competition: A competitive spirit always brings the best out of a person and acts as a tool for self-motivation. App owners should know how to use this human nature in favor of the app and the user. You can add a dashboard in the app, where user can see their performance and compare it with some top performers or their pals. This will encourage users to be more engaged in the app. A leader board could suffice the purpose.
10. Personal Tutor: Virtual personal tutor is a great way to help users work on their weaknesses. The personal tutor can be there for users when they need it the most. Sometimes users are unable to understand the relevance of a piece of conten The tutor can make understanding it easier. You can add one-on-one personal guidance for premium users. The personal tutor feature is highly recommended in education app development.
11. User-feedback: User-feedback is an important feature of any You should take feedback about the course as well as the app and improve accordingly. The review course feature should be available within the app. For an app owner, it is one of the best ways to improve the app and make the app the first preference of the user.
12. Set Goal: The app can have a feature that encourages users to set goals and complete them within a time-limit. As soon as the user visits the app, the app can ask users to set a goal on how much they want to learn that This will keep the user regular and engaged.
13. Quality Learning Resources: The quality of the course is another most important aspect. Ensure that your app has a quality course and the users get the right information. You should hire native speakers to reduce the error to a minimum. Do not fill your app with any useless information. Seeing the competition and the eagerness of the users, the quality of the app should always be the top concern. Just getting in touch with a learning app development company is not enough, you need to be specific with the features you want.
14. Live-streaming: Add this feature so that it enables users to have video-conference with their virtual tutor. This will make learning more interesting, and the users will be more assured of the quality the app is offering them.

What Goes Behind The App? 

An application needs a strong tech stack to offer all the above-mentioned features. So, now let us go through some latest technology stack options that developers can use for the education app development process:

• Database: Language learning apps are heavily stuffed with data, so you need to use a strong database. You can use MySQL, MongoDB, Cassandra, or any other that you find the best fit to handle large data.

• UI/UX Design: UI and UX play a crucial role in developing the front-end and back-end of the app. For the client-side, developers can use Cascade Style sheet (CSS) and Bootstrap. For the server-side, developers can use Python, JavaScript, Ruby, or Django. If you are developing for an android, you need to use Java, and if you are opting for iOS, use S

• AI-enabled Chatbot Integration: Artificial Intelligence has brought some major changes in most of the industries. AI is used to suggest human-like solutions. The app developer can integrate an AI-enabled chatbot to offer a customized experience to the users. This is one of the latest trends being used by top players like Duolingo. It increases the importance of app and helps in effective learning. It allows users to learn a language despite a busy It reduces the learning time and effectively teaches more in less time. Well, incorporating AI into your app is one great piece of advice if you are thinking to approach an iOS application development company to build a feature-rich app.

• Real-time Analytics: Developers can use real-time analytics that allows users to communicate with their tutor. To offer real-time analytics, you can use Java frameworks like Spark or any other such as Hadoop, Apache, CISCO, BigData, IBM, and so on.

• Cloud Storage: Cloud computing is one of the most revolutionary technologies with immense potential to bring the best to a If you have a lot of content on different topics, you can store the course electronically to minimize the chance of content loss. You can also store user information. You can use cloud storage to safely store a large chunk of data and can use the data further if you want to expand your business. Developers can use Google Cloud Storage or Amazon Storage or any other platform that pleases them.

To develop an app, you need a strong team with proficient knowledge of the technology stack. The team should have a project manager, quality analysis tester, front-end developer, back-end developer, graphic designer, UI/UX designer. Next, let us proceed to some factors that affect the cost of development.

Factors Affecting The Cost Of Language Learning App

• Time: Many developers work on an hourly basis, and charge according to the number of hours invested in developing the app. If you want to develop a complex app along with some advanced features, it will consume more time and the price will vary
• Basic Features: The complexity level of the app plays a crucial role in deciding the cost of development. If you want an app with basic features without integrating advanced technology, it will cost less. To develop an iOS app, you can get in touch with an iOS application development company.
• Advanced Features: A complex app equipped with rich-features is Such an app has all the best features and the latest technology integrated into it. The app is built as per the latest trend of the market.
• Platform: Platform is another important factor that hugely impacts the cost of development. If you are building an app for iOS you need to loosen your pocket more, and if you are developing it for android, the cost will be less. iPhone app development services use Swift and need to go for some other essentials before launching the app, so the price is high. But the benefit is iPhone users help you to earn more by opting for the subscription model. Since both platforms have a large user population, you can develop an app for any of the
• Size Of The Development Team: If you are hiring a team with a greater number of members, you need to pay higher, as the charge of each member spikes the final cost.
• Developers: Developers or the company have different charges on the basis of the location and experience. If you are looking for an experienced developer who has done some notable projects in the past, you will need to pay a higher sum. The price is also divided on the basis of region. Developers of a developed company charge higher than those of developing companies.

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The Business Model Of Language Learning App

To earn from the app, you can opt for different monetization approaches. The top two methods are the in-app advertisement and the subscription model. You can allow users to learn and enjoy the free version of the app but can include advertisements to make profits. You can add banners of brands who pay you based on CPC and CPI. If you want to add a unique set of features and facilities for your users, you can include a subscription section. In the subscription model, users can enjoy offline service, ad-free learning, and personalized attention.

Development Cost Of Language Learning App

Considering all the above-mentioned features, if you want to develop an app with basic features, it will cost you somewhere between $10,000 and $20,000. If you are looking forward to developing a feature-rich app for the iOS platform, it will cost you around $40,000. iPhone app development services are pricey. However, let us make it clear that these values are approximate, and the price would vary as per the factors described previously.

The Key Takeaway

Language learning apps are high in demand these days. So, it is the best time to get into the business if you are seeking to develop such apps. In this article, we tried to compile all the prime information that you should know before you set out to develop an app. We hope you could extract as many useful details as possible.