Image credits: © Katrin Adam
Yabla or LingQ – Which language course is better? We’ve tested both language-learning solutions and compare them here. Who will come out on top by the end of this head-to-head?
Quick Verdict: Our recommendation is Yabla. You can freely explore the available video material, and the value for the price is more convincing. However, LingQ is by no means a weak option!
Table of Contents
Yabla vs. LingQ – The Contenders at a Glance
Yabla focuses on learning through videos – everything from documentaries to music clips.
versus
LingQ also takes a flexible approach to learning, plus it has a wonderful community feature.
Similarities: Where Yabla and LingQ Overlap
Yabla and LingQ share a very similar premise: both offer flexible self-study systems that supply high-quality content. Traditional rote memorization is avoided, and each platform is an excellent addition to an existing learning strategy – or can even serve as its core.
Though their approaches differ, they share a core audience: each aims at learners who already have some background – whether they’re advanced or simply returning to a language after time away.
Differences: Yabla and LingQ Are Far From Identical
Now let’s highlight how they diverge – mainly through the format of their freely accessible lessons, additional features, and overall scope. Yabla is like YouTube among language courses: you learn through well-thought out, subtitled video content spanning every genre, from documentaries to crime series to music videos. On top of that, you get practice exercises designed to reinforce what you’ve learned.
Yabla currently offers five languages, while LingQ supports nearly 50. LingQ is a platform for free self-studying and also comes with a global community feature that provides extra user-created content – sometimes at an additional fee. Plus, you can upload your own materials and convert them into the LingQ format.
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Yabla or LingQ – Scope and Features
Both Yabla and LingQ offer Chinese, Spanish, Italian, German and French with English as the base language. LingQ, however, boasts nearly 50 language options, including less common choices like Swahili, Khmer, or Belarusian.
Yabla stands out with its well-designed filter tool. You can sort by regional accent (e.g., Ecuadorian Spanish or B1-level French documentaries). LingQ, on the other hand, features an international community with regular learning challenges, private online lessons, and personalized text-correction services.
– A Point for Both –
Although it’s not the core element of a language course, a user-friendly and visually appealing interface is definitely a plus. Nobody wants to click through multiple tabs just to find what they’re looking for. So how do our contenders stack up here?
Yabla vs. LingQ – User-Friendliness
Both providers feature straightforward user interfaces, and each is available as an app or a browser-based tool. That’s great! Both are bright and welcoming. All buttons are labeled or use intuitive symbols, making everything easy to navigate. However, Yabla – mainly because it has fewer add-on features—tends to feel simpler overall. It’s a close call, but we’ll give this one to:
– A Point for Yabla –
That’s all well and good, but let’s move on to the most important part of any language course: the learning method and how it’s put into practice. Which of the two, Yabla or LingQ, performs better in this core area?
Yabla or LingQ – Learning Concept
Both platforms rely on independent learning with provided resources as the centerpiece of their approach. These are presented in a didactic way. With Yabla (on the left), you get subtitles in both your target and base language, a transcript, and the option to adjust playback speed. You’ll also find exercises that mostly focus on vocabulary. You can freely choose the content that suits your interests best, which is nice.
LingQ (right) uses audio-based text selections on various topics and levels. From these, you can create “LingQs” (flashcards) to practice vocabulary in multiple exercise formats. You can also connect with its international community – and for an extra fee, you can get private lessons or text corrections. Great concept!
– A Point for Both –
A language course can be amazing, but if you don’t actually use it, that won’t help you progress. Next to a strong core learning concept, motivational elements can be a big factor. How do Yabla and LingQ do in this department?
Yabla or LingQ – Motivation
LingQ’s community-driven learning challenges can inspire learners to stay active by using its point system. Meanwhile, Yabla scores with its wide selection of video content, which includes TV series and music videos. That way, your personal interests can guide your studies – just as they can at LingQ. However, with a full community feature and the chance to practice language skills more directly (for instance, with private tutoring), LingQ nudges ahead here.
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Neither platform offers extensive built-in gamification, so you may want to boost your own motivation with strategies like self-nudging or our 1-Meter-HACK. After all, even a high-quality course won’t help if you never use it!
– A Point for LingQ –
A great language course must also be fairly priced. The more features, languages, and robust learning concepts included, the more a higher price tag can make sense. So how do Yabla and LingQ compare in terms of value for money?
Yabla vs. LingQ: Value for Money
With Yabla, prices start at around $8.33 per month (depending on your subscription choice) per language. You can also try it free for 14 days, and there’s a generous money-back guarantee. This is very fair, especially considering the variety and quality of the content.
LingQ can be used in a limited, free version, but that’s mostly suitable for trying out the platform. The full feature set ranges between €8.99 (for a 24-month plan) and €14.99 if you pay month-to-month. If you want additional tutoring and text corrections, subscriptions start at €35.99. Given this, we’d say:
– A Point for Yabla –
We’ve now reviewed these two platforms in five categories. Let’s take a look at the final result:
The Score Summary
Scope
User-Friendliness
Learning Concept
Value for Money
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Scope
Learning Concept
Motivation
Conclusion – Yabla or LingQ: Who Comes Out on Top?
In this direct comparison between Yabla and LingQ, Yabla wins with a score of 4:3. It shines thanks to its robust filtering feature and wide variety of high-quality content. Advanced learners and those returning to a language can benefit from its fun, creative way to maintain or deepen their skills. Yabla also offers better overall value in our view—especially considering the big price differences among well-known platforms.
Does that mean you should jump straight into Yabla? While it comes out ahead in this match-up, other providers also offer strong learning concepts. And LingQ certainly isn’t weak: it impresses with a solid learning approach and broad content range, along with a motivating community and built-in challenges.
No matter which course you settle on, what counts is staying consistent. If you have questions about how to maintain strong motivation, feel free to sign up for our email tips anytime.