HebrewPod101 Review: Is It The BEST Hebrew Learning App?
Kelsey Wetherbee
Published on June 14, 2022
An excellent resource to learn Hebrew, especially for beginners
HebrewPod101 is one of the better courses for those interested in learning Hebrew. The audio/video lessons are engaging and there are lots of other lessons and resources outside the specific level pathways. Beginners and intermediate learners will benefit the most from this app, but advanced learners should look elsewhere.
PROS
- Many levels and lessons available
- Lots of additional study resources included
- Lessons to teach Hebrew alphabet
CONS
- Course is a bit disorganized
- Advanced level is lacking
Table of Contents
HebrewPod101 Overview HebrewPod101 Price HebrewPod101: How It Can (or Can’t) Help you- Challenge #1: Beginning a New Language
- Challenge #2: Learning & Remembering New Words
- Challenge #3: Understanding & Speaking to Native Speakers
- Challenge #4: Making Language Learning a Routine
- HebrewPod101 vs Pimsleur
- HebrewPod101 vs Glossika
- HebrewPod101 vs Duolingo
- HebrewPod101 vs Rosetta Stone
HebrewPod101 Overview
HebrewPod101 is one of the 34 language courses offered by Innovative Language. It uses podcast-style lessons that use conversations by native Hebrew speakers, and then break them down to explain important topics related to the language. The lesson content focuses on everyday situations to get you conversational in Hebrew without focusing on long grammar explanations. There are many additional resources available, including Hebrew alphabet lessons, cultural topics, and vocabulary flashcards.
HebrewPod101 is best for beginners and low-intermediate learners. The lessons do a good job of introducing new concepts and phrases gradually without being overwhelming. There are 5 levels total: absolute beginner, beginner, intermediate, upper-intermediate, and advanced. However, the advanced level isn’t very developed and doesn’t have enough useful content to help you keep improving.
HebrewPod101 Price
HebrewPod101 has three paid subscription tiers, and you can choose a 1, 3, 6, 12, or 24-month plan. The more months you buy, the cheaper it costs per month. A Basic subscription costs from $8.00 per month to $96.00 for 24 months (50% cheaper per month). A Premium subscription costs from $25.00 per month to $240.00 for 24 months (60% cheaper per month). A Premium+ subscription costs from $47.00 per month to $549.00 for 24 months (51% cheaper per month). There is some content offered for free, but it isn’t enough to help you learn Hebrew effectively.
For those on a budget, the Basic subscription is a good choice and gives you access to all the lessons and lesson notes. A Premium subscription lets you use all the lessons and lesson notes, as well as all additional practice features available. A Premium+ subscription gives you everything included at the Premium level along with access to a 1-on-1 tutor that guides you through the course and corrects your written assignments.
Since there are different levels, you can choose the one that fits your learning needs and budget. The Basic subscription price is on the low end of the price scale and compares to other apps like Mondly or Duolingo Plus. The Premium subscription is on the more expensive side and compares with apps like Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone.
HebrewPod101 Free Trial
You can try HebrewPod101 for free for 7 days. The trial gives you access to all content that is available with a Premium subscription. You can use all the lessons and additional resources during the trial period. The only feature that isn’t available is access to the 1-on-1 tutoring that’s only available with a Premium+ subscription. You don’t have to enter credit card information to start the free trial.
HebrewPod101 Discount
HebrewPod101 always has a discount available. When you set up your account, you are offered a special deal that gives you a Premium subscription for a month for $1.00. There are also discounts displayed at the top of the Dashboard page, and there are some excellent deals available around the holidays.
Students get 20% off any 12-month subscription. The discount is automatically applied and you don’t have to verify a student email address.
HebrewPod101 Review: How It Can (or Can’t) Help You
Hebrew might be a difficult language to learn, but creating an account on HebrewPod101 is simple. After entering and confirming your email address, you choose the level you want to begin with. There are no placement tests. Most levels begin with a quick assessment to see if you should jump ahead or start from the beginning of the level. If you later find that the level you chose is too easy or difficult, it’s easy to change to a different level.
Once you choose your level, you start on a “pathway” that guides you through the lessons. Each pathway has audio/video lessons and assignments. Since HebrewPod101 has so many extra lessons and practice activities in addition to the pathways, it can sometimes get confusing. I recommend starting with your chosen level pathway for a few lessons while you get used to the app and then exploring some of the additional content that’s available.
Getting started on HebrewPod101 was easy, but there are often common difficulties that language learners face, such as remembering new vocabulary and understanding native speakers. Let’s see if HebrewPod101 can overcome these challenges.
Challenge #1: Beginning a New Language
HebrewPod101 is excellent for beginners. All explanations are in English so they are easy to follow. Each lesson covers a small bit of information, so they are not overwhelming. Some lessons teach you how to read and write the Hebrew alphabet, as well as plenty of vocabulary resources to build your vocabulary quickly.
Challenge #2: Learning & Remembering New Words
HebrewPod101 has a strong emphasis on vocabulary. Every lesson has a list of vocabulary words and phrases that they introduce during the lesson. Each vocabulary word has an audio clip so you can hear how to pronounce it correctly. There are also tons of additional resources to practice vocabulary. I especially like the list of 100 Most Common Words to get me started with learning the most used words in Hebrew.
Challenge #3: Understanding & Speaking to Native Speakers
All of the Hebrew is spoken by a native speaker and not a computer which is what some apps use. Because of this, it’s a natural way to practice listening to spoken Hebrew. There are also additional video lessons that you can watch that feature native Hebrew speakers talking about different language and cultural topics.
Although HebrewPod101 includes lots of listening activities, there is almost no way to practice speaking. During the lessons, you are prompted to repeat the vocabulary words after the teacher, but this isn’t a very effective way to learn. Even the Premium+ subscription, which offers feedback from a 1-on-1 tutor, doesn’t offer the option to talk in person with them or practice having conversations. There are other platforms that are better to help you start speaking such as italki or Preply.
Challenge #4: Making Language Learning a Routine
With HebrewPod101, you can learn on the online platform, use the Innovative Languages app, and even download the audio/video files and lesson notes to learn when you are offline. There aren’t a lot of gaming aspects that other apps rely on, but there are a few tracking features that let you see how many lessons you’ve completed and how many minutes you’ve studied.
HebrewPod101 Review: Overall Learning Experience
Overall, I thought HebrewPod101 was an effective and interesting way to learn Hebrew. I don’t usually like to learn with audio lessons, but these were interesting because they included different language and culture tips. It was also nice to hear an entire conversation in Hebrew instead of breaking up each word and phrase like some apps do. And since the lessons were usually 10-12 minutes, I didn’t think they were too long.
The lessons don’t include a lot of practice activities, but the lesson notes provided are very helpful. It includes the audio transcript as well as explanations of any grammar and cultural topics. Another nice feature is the comment section included with each lesson. You can write a question and someone from HebrewPod101 will answer.
There are many lessons and resources available with HebrewPod101. There are 5 levels that go from Absolute Beginner to Advanced. Each level has quite a few lessons. But what was confusing to me is that the 3rd level, Intermediate, had the fewest number of lessons. This was strange because, in the other Innovative Language courses, the Intermediate level usually has the most. This is also where learners need more practice to make it to the advanced level.
HebrewPod101 Review: Areas of Improvement
As with any app, there are a few areas that could be improved. The platform is a bit disorganized. HebrewPod101 has tons of extra material that make it an excellent resource. But, apart from the set level pathways that give a clear direction of what to do next, a lot of the features are hidden. There isn’t a tutorial to show features or how to save words to word bank or access flashcard decks for lessons. In the end, you’ll find all the features after looking around and using the site for a bit, but it would be nice if everything was clear and you knew all the options available to you.
I think that level 5, Advanced, is not named correctly. First, I think that this level will get someone to an upper-intermediate level at best. Second, the lesson format changes. Everything is spoken in Hebrew, as it should be, but the lessons are more like additional listening practice than an actual lesson. Each one is less than 5 minutes and covers a cultural topic, such as Israeli writers and movies. I think they’re excellent practice materials for an upper-intermediate learner, but I don’t think they will help an upper-intermediate learner become advanced.
HebrewPod101 Alternatives and Competitors
If HebrewPod101 doesn’t fit your learning style or budget, there are other options available. Another app that uses podcast-style lessons is Pimsleur. Rosetta Stone and Mango Languages offer interactive, flashcard-style lessons. If you want to practice vocabulary, Drops and Glossika are good options. If you prefer short, quick lessons, Duolingo, Mondly, or Memrise might work for you. For advanced speakers, you could take classes with a live teacher on a platform like italki or Preply or find a language exchange partner on Tandem or HelloTalk.
HebrewPod101 vs Pimsleur
HebrewPod101 and Pimsleur both use audio lessons that teach important language topics in the context of a dialogue. But Pimsleur offers more exercises that help you understand what you learned. Depending on which subscription you get, Pimsleur may be more expensive. Both are excellent apps, and I recommend trying the free trial to both to see which one fits your language goals. If you think Pimsleur might be right for you, you can learn more about it in this review, or try it for free by clicking the link below.
HebrewPod101 vs Glossika
Glossika and HebrewPod101 both focus on vocabulary and try to teach grammar in context, and not through long explanations and practice. HebrewPod101 is better as a stand-alone app because it covers a wider variety of topics and explains certain cultural elements. Glossika’s price is also pretty expensive. I prefer HebrewPod101 because it is more thorough. If you think Glossika might be right for you, you can learn more about it in this review, or try it for free by clicking the link below.
HebrewPod101 vs Duolingo
HebrewPod101 has more detailed lessons for serious learners, and Duolingo uses gamified aspects to make language learning fun. I always recommend testing out a language with the free version of Duolingo to see if you like it and want to continue learning. HebrewPod101 is better for serious learners who want a deeper understanding of the language. If you want to learn more about Duolingo, you can read this review or try it for free by clicking the link below.
HebrewPod101 vs Rosetta Stone
HebrewPod101 and Rosetta Stone have different lesson styles. Rosetta Stone has short, flashcard-style lessons that you can complete quickly. HebrewPod101 has longer, audio lessons that explain everything in English. Rosetta Stone has a subscription option that gives you lifetime access to all languages, so if you’re studying more than one language, Rosetta Stone is the better choice. To see if Rosetta Stone is right for you, you can read more about it in this review or try it for free by clicking the link below.
HebrewPod101 Review FAQ
HebrewPod101 is an online platform and mobile app that helps you learn Hebrew. The course uses audio and video lessons that focus on conversation and listening. There are more lessons for beginners and intermediate level than for advanced speakers.
HebrewPod101 offers some of its content for free, such as weekly lessons and some vocabulary practices, but it’s quite limited. If you want access to all of the lessons and features available, you will need a paid subscription.
HebrewPod101 is one of the better options available to learn Hebrew. The lessons are interesting and cover a wide range of topics. There are 5 levels available that go from Absolute Beginner to Advanced, but beginner and low-intermediate learners will benefit the most from this app.
HebrewPod101 has three paid subscription tiers, and you can choose a 1, 3, 6, 12, or 24-month plan. The more months you buy, the cheaper it costs per month. A Basic subscription costs from $8.00 per month to $96.00 for 24 months. A Premium subscription costs from $25.00 per month to $240.00 for 24 months. A Premium+ subscription costs from $47.00 per month to $549.00 for 24 months. Some content is free, but it isn’t enough to help you learn Hebrew effectively
About This HebrewPod101 Review
This is an independent HebrewPod101 review, and the company has not sponsored this article. To write this review, I used the free trial for the app and used it for a few hours to thoroughly test its content and features. I also found additional information on the Innovative Language website to verify my findings.
