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Add to SafariWhen comparing Pimsleur vs RypeApp, the Slant community recommends RypeApp for most people. In the question“What are the best sites for learning foreign languages?” RypeApp is ranked 15th while Pimsleur is ranked 17th. The most important reason people chose RypeApp is:
Simple, intuitive, and nice UX
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Graduated interval recall
Spaced repetition in and between lessons are timed for maximum recall. This also means you can't skip days between lessons, or work ahead. Each level takes one month.
Pro Very effective for beginners
Pimsleur is based on proven memory science, it's not perfect, but it is very effective. Intermediate learners may not get as much out of it.
Pro Learn while you commute
Pimsleur uses daily 30-minute audio lessons. You can probably fit this in while you're driving to work.
Pro Principle of anticipation
Rather than simple listen-and-repeat, you also have to translate phrases and answer questions in the target language during the lessons.
Pro Teaches pronunciation well
Uses the backchaining technique with native speakers.
Pro Easy interface to use
Simple, intuitive, and nice UX
Pro Live 1-on-1 language lessons, fairly affordable
Rype offers more value for 1/10th the cost of a language school.
Pro Every teacher is handpicked via live 1-on-1 interview
Eliminates the upfront work you have to do to find qualified teachers.
Pro Saves you massive time learning
No commuting required, teachers are available 24/7, and you can fit it into your busy schedule.
Cons
Con No writing practice
Pimsleur is an audio-only course. This can be easier for beginners learning languages that don't use the Latin alphabet, but for serious language learners, it's a gap they'll have to fill using something else.
Con Expensive
All the CDs for one language cost nearly a thousand dollars. The .mp3's are about half that. Your local library may carry the CDs, those that don't may be able to get them via inter-library loan (ask your librarian). You can also find them used and re-sell them for nearly as much (depending on how long you want to wait), after you finish. Be certain to get the same edition for all levels.
Con Too slow-paced and repetitive for some learners
If you learn quickly, you may find that the 30 minute lessons covering only a small handful of vocabulary move too slowly for you.
Con Limited vocabulary
It teaches hundreds of words. A great start, but not enough to achieve the thousands required for fluency, even with all three levels. Pimsleur deliberately focuses on the most common words of the target language for maximum recall.
Con Expensive for some languages
Particularly for a language like Arabic - it can be cheaper to find a tutor (or tutors) then book lessons through them.
