The 9 Best Apps to Learn Thai and Become Fluent Fast

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Learning Thai can be intimidating, especially if you’re just starting out. If you’re studying the language at home by yourself, there are even more obstacles. That’s why it’s so important to use the best apps to learn Thai. By practicing with high-quality tools and resources, you’ll be able to learn the language quickly and, most importantly, correctly!

Thailand, also known as the Land of Smiles, is a popular travel destination for tourists around the world. It also attracts a huge number of digital nomads who want to experience new surroundings. You may be able to communicate with locals through a friendly smile, but knowing some key words and grammar can help you fully immerse yourself in the local culture.

Apps can help learn everything you need to know in no time. So let’s take a look at the best apps to learn Thai.

What Are The Best Apps To Learn Thai?​

There are a lot of language apps out there, but most of them won’t help you learn a language effectively. They’re full of games and simple activities that may help you pick up a few words and phrases, but you won’t be able to communicate. To find the best apps to learn Thai, I tested a bunch of them to determine which ones actually teach you the language.

The table below shows the best Thai learning apps and which skills they can help you improve. Scroll down to learn more about each one.

Quick Summary: Our Top Picks for Apps to Learn Thai

IMAGE	PRODUCT
Best Overall	Pimsleur Start speaking in your very first lesson Learn how to have everyday conversations Guided lessons help you learn important vocabulary	Try for Free →
Best Thai App for Beginners	Mondly Learn Thai from the very beginning Lessons are short and easy to follow Flexibility lets you focus on what you want to learn	Try Now →
Best App to Find Thai Tutors	italki Quickly find a Thai tutor online Read reviews from past students Find someone in your budget	Try Now →
Best Thai Podcast App	ThaiPod101 Thousands of lessons available New lessons every week Fits every budget	Try for Free →
Best App to Learn Thai for Travel	Glossika Learn basic words and phrases quickly Phrases spoken by native speakers Uses adapted learning and algorithms to learn at your own pace	Try for Free →
Best Comprehensive Thai App	Mango Languages In-depth lessons cover important topics Its structure is similar to a traditional language course You may be able to get free access through your university or public library	Try for Free →
Best App to Write in Thai	Write It! Thai Practice writing the letters in the app See the letters in different words Different types of activities to remember each letter	Try Now →
Best Free App to Learn Thai	50Languages Learn useful Thai phrases Activities help you practice what you learn Completely free	Try for Free →
Best App to Learn Thai Vocabulary	Drops Learn vocabulary quickly with different games Illustrations and repetitions help you remember new words Thousands of useful words and phrases	Try for Free →

Pimsleur Overview

Listen your way to fluency with Pimsleur’s audio course. Lessons focus on conversations between Thai speakers and help you learn to communicate in everyday situations.

Best for Overall Learning

Price $14.95/month

Free trial 7 days

Try Pimsleur

If you want to become conversational in Thai quickly, Pimsleur should be at the top of your list. It has full courses for some of the most widely spoken languages. You start speaking in your very first lesson, and it helps you focus on useful conversational skills. I like that it’s audio-only because this is the fastest way to improve your listening skills.

The lessons are short (around 30 minutes) and help you navigate everyday situations. It’s also convenient because you can take the lessons anywhere you want. Try Pimsleur for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Pimsleur review.

Key Features

• Start speaking in your very first lesson
• Learn how to have everyday conversations
• Guided lessons help you learn important vocabulary

Pricing

The Pimsleur Thai course costs $14.99-$20.99 per month or you can buy the entire course upfront for $119.95. If you want to try the course, you can sign up for a free 7-day trial of the Pimsleur app. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee, so it’s definitely worth a try!

Mondly Overview

Mondly teaches Thai grammar and vocabulary with short, interactive lessons. Best for beginners because it only focuses on the basics of Thai.

Best for Beginners

Price $9.99/month

Free trial 7 days

Try Mondly

The Mondly Thai course is an excellent way to jump in and learn the basics of Thai. The lessons are short and easy to follow, and the content is perfect for complete beginners. One of the best features of Mondly is that you can pick and choose which lessons you want to complete. Other apps force you to follow the order of the lessons, but Mondly gives you much more flexibility.

Mondly helps you build a strong foundation in the language from zero. It’s not very useful for intermediate or advanced learners though. If you already know quite a bit of Thai, Mondly isn’t the right choice for you. Try Mondly for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Mondly review.

Key Features

• Learn Thai from the very beginning
• Lessons are short and easy to follow
• Flexibility lets you focus on what you want to learn

Pricing

A monthly subscription to Mondly costs $9.99 a longer subscription costs less. Mondly offers a few of its lessons for free to help you get a feel for the app. It’s worth signing up for a free account to see if Mondly is a good fit for you.

italki Overview

italki is a platform that connects you with an online Thai tutor. Filter tutors by criteria and reviews from past students.

Best for Finding Thai Tutors

Price Varies

Free trial N/A

Try italki

While language learning apps can help you build a solid foundation in Thai, some people prefer to dive right in and take live lessons. italki is the best app to use if you want to find a Thai tutor online. There are currently over 100 Thai tutors available on the platform.

italki lets you filter tutors by languages they speak, where they’re from, availability, price, and more. You can read past student reviews and also watch each tutor’s introduction video to find your perfect match. Try italki by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this italki review.

Key Features

• Quickly find a Thai tutor online
• Read reviews from past students
• Find someone in your budget
• Safe and secure platform

Pricing

Each tutor sets their own rate on italki, and Thai lessons usually range from $8.00 to $12.00 per hour. Most tutors also offer discounted trial lessons, which you can take for as low as $3.00 per 30 minutes. Browse through some of the tutor profiles to see which one can help you learn Thai quickly!

ThaiPod101 Overview

ThaiPod101’s lessons are more conversational and less formal than typical teacher-led lessons. The podcast style also makes it easy to learn Thai anywhere!

Best for Podcast-Style Lessons

Price $8/month

Free trial 7 days

Try ThaiPod101

ThaiPod101 is a one-stop shop for Thai learners of all levels. It has thousands of video, audio, and text lessons to help you learn in a variety of contexts. It originally started as a podcast but has expanded over the past few years into other types of content. The topics it covers will help you navigate everyday situations confidently and comfortably.

In addition to the podcast-style lessons, there are additional learning materials like a grammar bank and vocabulary lists. There are many subscription levels so you can pay for exactly what features you want to use. Learn more about it in this ThaiPod101 review.

Key Features

• Thousands of lessons available
• New lessons every week
• Fits every budget
• Learn about useful topics

Pricing

To access basic features and weekly lessons, ThaiPod101 is completely free. Paid subscriptions start as low as $4.00 per month. The price goes up depending on the length of your subscription and which features you want. Check out everything ThaiPod101 has to offer by clicking the link below.

Glossika Overview

Glossika focuses on teaching important words and phrases that can help you get around on your next trip to Thailand.

Best for Learning Thai for Travel

Price $16.99/month

Free trial 7 days

Try Glossika

If you’re traveling to Thailand for a trip or as a digital nomad, you may want to learn some useful words and phrases. Glossika is the perfect app for that. It doesn’t focus on any grammar and practices common phrases through spaced repetition.

Glossika can help you learn to do simple tasks like order in a restaurant or ask for directions. It won’t make you fluent, but it’ll help you interact with locals during your stay in Thailand. You can try Glossika for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Glossika review.

Key Features

• Learn basic words and phrases quickly
• Phrases spoken by native speakers
• Uses adapted learning and algorithms to learn at your own pace

Pricing

A subscription to Glossika for one language costs $16.99 per month or you can study all 60+ languages available for $30.99 per month. You can try Glossika with a free 7-day trial to see if it’s right for you.

Mango Languages Overview

Mango Languages has a comprehensive Thai course that teaches interesting cultural notes in addition to important language topics.

Best for Improving All Thai Skills

Price $11.99/month

Free trial 14 days

Try Mango Languages

Mango Languages is one of the most established language apps available. It offers comprehensive courses that cover grammar, vocabulary, and everyday communication. Its Thai course helps you learn the basics quickly through in-depth and interactive lessons. You’ll learn everything from greetings and small talk to compliments and the food and drink culture of Thailand.

One reason Mango Languages stands out from other language-learning apps is its cultural lessons. A lot of apps focus only on teaching you the language and completely ignore the culture. To understand the nuances of the language, you need to learn about both. Mango Languages is one of the best ways to do that. Try Mango Languages for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Mango Languages review.

Key Features

• In-depth lessons cover important topics
• Its structure is similar to a traditional language course
• You may be able to get free access through your university or public library

Pricing

A subscription to Mango Languages costs $11.99 per month for access to only Thai or $19.99 per month for access to all languages. There’s a slight discount if you decide to get a yearly subscription. Before you buy anything, check with your local library and educational institutions. Mango Languages partners with them to provide its courses for free, so it’s worth checking it out.

Write It! Thai Overview

Write It! Thai teaches you how to read and write the Thai alphabet. The useful practice exercises will help you remember the letters.

Best for Thai Writing Practice

Price $4.99

Free trial N/A

Try Write It! Thai

One of the most difficult aspects of learning Thai is reading and writing. Its alphabet has a lot of different characters – 44 consonants and 28 vowels. Memorizing them can be daunting, but Write It! Thai can be a huge lifesaver.

It has different activities that help you learn to write the letters, identify them in different words and contexts, and practice using them. It only focuses on the alphabet, so it’s useful for learning it quickly.

Key Features

• Practice writing the letters in the app
• See the letters in different words
• Different types of activities to remember each letter

Pricing

The Write It! Thai app costs $4.99 for access to all of its features. It’s a one-time cost, making it an affordable way to practice the Thai alphabet anytime you want.

50Languages Overview

50Languages is a great way to learn basic Thai for free. Practice vocabulary and grammar whenever you want!

Best for Learning Thai for Free

Price Free

Free trial N/A

Try 50Languages

For those who may not be ready to invest in a premium language learning app, 50Languages is a great option. The app is free and offers a solid introduction to Thai. It’s essentially a vocabulary phrasebook that has some extra activities to help you practice what you learn.

50Languages isn’t the most advanced or well-designed app. But it still helps you learn quite a bit. And at its price (free), what more can you expect?

Key Features

• Learn useful Thai phrases
• Activities help you practice what you learn
• Completely free

Pricing

50Languages is free to use and is available for both Android and Apple devices. Try it out to start learning some basic phrases. If you want to learn more, you can start using one of the other apps on this list.

Drops Overview

Drops is an excellent vocabulary app. You can learn a lot of Thai vocabulary quickly and remember it long-term.

Best for Vocabulary

Price $13.00/month

Free trial 5 mins/day

Try Drops

Drops is the best app to learn Thai vocabulary quickly. The vocabulary lists are packed with useful words and phrases, and you can choose what you want to study. The design of the app is very user friendly, which will help you stay focused.

While you won’t become fluent by only using Drops, it’s the perfect supplement to other Thai apps like Pimsleur. You can track how many words you’ve learned, which helps you stay motivated. Try Drops for free by clicking the link below or learn more about it in this Drops review.

Key Features

• Learn vocabulary quickly with different games
• Illustrations and repetitions help you remember new words
• Thousands of useful words and phrases

Pricing

Drops costs $13.00 per month if you pay monthly, but is cheaper with a longer subscriptions. You can use the app for free for 5 minutes each day to see if you enjoy using it.

Why You Should Use Apps To Learn Thai

There are a lot of different ways to study Thai, but apps are by far the most useful. Textbooks may explain the grammar more in-depth or have huge lists of vocabulary to memorize, but that won’t help you communicate. Thai learning apps break down larger topics into smaller, manageable lessons.

They also help you practice all forms of communication (reading, writing, speaking, and listening). The ones on this list aren’t that expensive either, so they can provide a lot more value for a lower cost than most textbooks and other study methods.

How To Use Apps To Learn Thai

Since most apps offer a trial period or a few free lessons, you can try out a few different ones to see which one works best for your learning style. Once you know what app(s) you want to use, you can establish a learning routine. Most apps encourage you to study on a regular basis to help with retention and continual improvement.

Best Apps To Learn Thai: Final Thoughts

Learning Thai, whether for travel or to become fluent, is an exciting process. The apps on this list can keep you motivated and make the most of your study time. As you see yourself progress, you’ll be even more motivated to keep learning! These apps to learn Thai will help you master the different aspects of the language. They’ll also help you learn to communicate in a more natural way. If you’ve tried any of these Thai apps, comment below to share your thoughts about them.

Best Apps To Learn Thai: FAQ