Best apps for reading books in a foreign language in 2026

The eight apps in one table

This list covers iPhone apps whose main job is reading books in a language you are learning: each has a library of books or opens book files, and each translates a word or a sentence while you read. The rows are sorted by one number you can check yourself, the count of ratings in the US App Store, taken from Apple’s public lookup API on 17 October 2026. That number mostly reflects how large and how old an app is, which is why Kindle, a general e-book reader, sits far ahead of the learning apps. Readlang Mobile, row seven, is made by the publisher of this page.

Sorted by the number of App Store ratings in the US, checked 17 October 2026 (userRatingCount in Apple’s iTunes Lookup API). The average rating is from the same source, rounded to one decimal. Prices are the in-app purchases shown on each US App Store listing on the same day; prices on a developer’s own website can differ. A rating count shows how many people rated an app, not how well it teaches a language.

What each app is for and where it stops

1. Amazon Kindle

Amazon Kindle is an e-book reader, not a language course, but it is where many learners already read. In the iPhone app you press and hold a word to see its definition, and the App Store listing also mentions instant translations. On Kindle e-readers, Amazon’s user guide describes a Translation option in the menu of the options bar, Vocabulary Builder, which adds every word you look up in the dictionary automatically, and Word Wise, hints above hard words "available on many popular English-language titles".

Who it suits: readers who want current books in the language, bought from Amazon, synced between phone, tablet and e-reader. Where it stops: there is no library graded for learners, Word Wise does not help with books in other languages, and the app does not schedule word reviews. With 5,873,464 US ratings it tops this table because of its size, not because it was built for learners. More in Kindle vs Readlang Mobile for foreign-language reading and in our note on the 2026 Kindle lineup.

2. LingQ

LingQ (LingQ Languages Ltd.) turns content into lessons: you read and listen, tap a word for its meaning, and the app tracks every word you meet and brings saved words back with spaced repetition. Its App Store listing names books, articles, YouTube, Netflix and podcasts as sources, with AI transcription for podcasts and audiobooks, offline study, and "over 50 languages" in the description.

Who it suits: learners who want books and video in one system and a count of the words they know. Where it stops: it has the highest subscription price here, $14.99 a month or $119.99 for 12 months (Premium Plus $29.99 a month), and the listing puts unlimited lookups and unlimited imports in Premium, so the free plan is limited; the listing does not give its numbers. Cheaper apps built on the same loop are compared on LingQ alternatives.

3. Beelinguapp

Beelinguapp shows a story in two languages side by side, with karaoke-style text that follows narration recorded by native speakers. The library has classics, cultural guides, daily news and illustrated children’s books, with a quiz at the end of each story. You can peek at the translation, select words to add to a glossary and practise them. The listing’s Languages field names 22 languages; its description lists 23.

Who it suits: beginners who want to hear the text and see a full translation next to it. Where it stops: the listing does not mention importing your own books; the website mentions flashcards for saved words but not spaced repetition. Subscriptions in the US App Store are $7.99 a month or $49.90 a year. A head-to-head is on Beelinguapp alternative for reading real books.

4. Linga

Linga (PragmaTech Limited) is a reader for books in six languages: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian and English. The listing cites more than 1,000 books and imports of EPUB, PDF, MOBI, FB2 and TXT. Tapping a word or phrase gives a translation and dictionary details, saved words go into flashcards with spaced repetition, and the dictionary and exercises work offline. The website lists web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and Linux.

Who it suits: intermediate readers who bring their own files, including PDF, and read on more than one device. Where it stops: only six learning languages, and the limits of the free version are not published. The US App Store lists $5.49 a month, $54.99 a year and $109.99 for lifetime access.

5. duoBooks

duoBooks (PlainProg LLC) translates a book sentence by sentence into your native language and lets you break a sentence into parts and look up each word in context. It has a personal dictionary with spaced-repetition flashcards and review reminders, and voiceovers for words and sentences. The description promises "3000+ books and short stories", while the notes for version 7.0 say "over 17,000 titles"; your own EPUB and FB2 files can be imported.

Who it suits: readers who want a translation for every sentence, not just for single words. Where it stops: the listing does not state the free-plan limits or whether books can be read offline, and the two book counts it gives do not match. Plans in the US App Store: $19.99 for six months or $29.99 a year.

6. SmartBook

SmartBook: Dual Language Books (Stanislau Kurs) puts the original and its translation in one parallel view; you can also tap a word or phrase for a translation and definition and hear it read aloud. It opens EPUB, FB2 and TXT files and gives access to "over 75,000 free books". Saved words keep their context and can be exported as CSV or TXT for a flashcard app.

Who it suits: readers of public-domain classics, and anyone who keeps vocabulary in a separate flashcard app. Where it stops: paragraph translation, the choice of translation engine, AI translation, context examples and vocabulary export all need a subscription or purchase, and the free app contains advertising. It is the cheapest paid option here: $1.99 a month, $19.99 a year or $24.99 for Premium PRO.

7. Readlang Mobile (our app)

Readlang Mobile is a native app for iPhone and iPad on iOS 18 or later; in the US App Store it is listed as "Readlang Language Readers" (checked 17 October 2026). You tap a word and the translation appears inside the line you are reading; tap the first and last word of a phrase to translate the whole phrase. By default the translation comes from Google Translate through the app’s server; Apple Translate, which runs on the device, can be chosen in Settings. The library holds public-domain books graded A1 to C1 in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian, some with an audiobook that highlights the current word. Web articles open when you paste a link.

Who it suits: learners who read on iPhone or iPad and want books already sorted by level. Where it stops: no Android or web version; reading languages are limited to those Apple Translation supports, about twenty; your own EPUB files need Premium; PDF and DRM-protected books do not open; there is no export to Anki or CSV. The free plan gives 30 translations a day and phrases up to six words; Premium is $8.99 a month, $59.99 a year or $99 once. Readlang Mobile is an independent app and is not affiliated with Readlang (readlang.com).

8. Simply Fluent

Simply Fluent (Simply Fluent OÜ) lets you tap a word or phrase and see its meaning in that sentence; words you save are then shown with their meaning above the text in later books. Stories carry a CEFR badge from A1 to C2, and the website says the library has books in 45 languages and translation works in 131. It imports EPUB, TXT and Markdown files or pasted text; PDF needs Premium and DRM-protected books cannot be added. It runs on iOS and Android.

Who it suits: learners of less common languages who want graded stories. Where it stops: the free plan allows one book of your own and "150 lookups in total", an allowance that does not reset. With a single US rating there is little public feedback yet. The US App Store lists $6.99 a month or $49.99 a year; the website shows €7.99 a month or €59.99 a year.

Which app fits which kind of reader

• You buy new books in the language. Kindle is the only app here with a bookstore of current titles; the learning apps rely on public-domain books, their own stories or files you bring.
• You already have EPUB files. Linga, duoBooks, SmartBook and Simply Fluent import them; LingQ turns books into lessons; Readlang Mobile opens them on Premium.
• You want to hear the text. Beelinguapp has narration by native speakers; duoBooks voices words and sentences; Simply Fluent reads aloud; some Readlang Mobile books come with an audiobook.
• You want books sorted by level. Simply Fluent marks stories A1 to C2; Readlang Mobile grades its library A1 to C1.
• You want the app to schedule word reviews. LingQ, Linga and duoBooks have spaced repetition; SmartBook exports words as CSV or TXT for a separate flashcard app.
• You learn a language outside the big five. LingQ lists over 50 languages and Simply Fluent 45 for its library; Linga covers six.
• You want the lowest price. SmartBook, at $1.99 a month or $19.99 a year in the US App Store; duoBooks is $29.99 a year.

Books you already own: file formats, PDF and Kindle purchases

Most reading apps for learners open EPUB, the common format for e-books without copy protection. Linga also opens PDF, MOBI, FB2 and TXT; duoBooks opens FB2; SmartBook opens FB2 and TXT; Simply Fluent opens TXT and Markdown, and PDF on Premium. Readlang Mobile opens EPUB on Premium and does not open PDF.

Copy-protected (DRM) books are a different matter. Simply Fluent says DRM-protected books cannot be added, and Readlang Mobile does not open them either. Books bought from Amazon are read in Kindle apps and on Kindle devices; none of the other listings on this page says it can import them. If the book you want exists only in a store with DRM, reading it in Kindle with the dictionary and Translation option is the practical route.

Not in the table: web readers, desktop readers and children’s books

Readlang (readlang.com) is a web reader with browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. It has no native app for iPhone or Android; on a phone you add the site to the home screen. You can upload text and DRM-free EPUB files. Its pricing page, checked 17 October 2026, gives unlimited single-word translations and 10 phrase translations a day on the free plan, and Premium at $6 a month or $48 a year. Options for reading it on iPhone are on Readlang alternative for iPhone and iPad.

LUTE (Learning Using Texts) is free, open-source software you install on your own computer with Python or Docker; it imports TXT and EPUB and has no mobile app. It is left out because this list is about apps on the phone.

Unuhi: Bilingual Books has 3,748 US App Store ratings, which would place it third, but its listing describes bilingual picture books for children aged 2 to 10, sold one book at a time. It is a fit for parents, not for adults reading books, so it is not ranked here. Two newer apps, BookLight and WordVia, had no US ratings on 17 October 2026 and could not be placed by this criterion.

Questions people ask