Simply FluentThe short answer
Simply Fluent is made for reading books in the language you are learning. The translation reads the whole sentence, the words you save keep their translation in every book, and the library, flashcards and read-aloud are free. Premium costs half of what LingQ's does. If you want to learn mostly from video and podcasts, or study on a computer, LingQ is the better fit.
Choose Simply Fluent if
- you want to learn by reading books and stories
- you want each saved word's translation shown above it, in every book
- you want to read, review and listen without paying
- you want a lower price: €59.99 a year, after 30 days to try it
Choose LingQ if
- you want to learn from YouTube, Netflix, podcasts and articles
- you study on a computer as well as your phone
- you want an AI chat partner, or to compete in challenges
- you want a count of every word you know
Simply Fluent is a reading app
Everything in it is built around reading a book page by page. These screens are from the app, reading in Portuguese.
Made for books
The library has short stories, and classic novels by writers such as Jane Austen and Jules Verne rewritten in modern language, sorted by level from A1 to C2. You can add your own EPUB, TXT and Markdown files too. You read page by page, and the app keeps your place in every book.
The translation reads the sentence
When you select a word, the app reads the whole sentence and highlights the meaning that fits it, with the other meanings below. Select an expression and it is translated as one unit, so you see what the phrase means and not each word on its own.
Saved words keep their translation
A word you save stays highlighted with its translation above it, in every book you read in that language. When you mark it memorized, the translation is hidden and you read the word on its own. Every saved word also becomes a flashcard, with your favorites first.
Side by side
What each app offers today. The small numbers point to the LingQ page each fact comes from. The Simply Fluent column describes the current app; the questions page has more detail.
| Simply Fluent | LingQ | |
|---|---|---|
| What you read | A library of short stories, and classic novels rewritten in modern language, filtered by level from A1 to C2. | A library of lessons with audio and matching text, including Mini Stories.3 |
| Looking up a word | Select a word, or up to 5 words (15 with Premium). The meaning that fits the sentence is highlighted, with the other meanings below. Expressions are translated as one unit. | Click a word to see up to 3 meanings, or write your own. The first is written by AI from the sentence.5,7 |
| Words you save | Stay highlighted with their translation in every book in that language. Mark one memorized and the translation is hidden. | Each saved word moves through four statuses, then Known. Words you haven't met are blue, and by default the blue words left on a page are marked Known when you turn it.6,5,8 |
| Review | Every saved word becomes a flashcard. Favorites first, then the words you meet most often. Spaced repetition. | Spaced repetition review, with gaps from 1 day to 3 months depending on a word's status.9 |
| Listening | Any book read aloud with your phone's voices, offline, at three speeds. Pages can turn with the audio. | Library lessons come with audio. Generated audio for your own imports needs Premium, and AI voices depend on the plan.1,11 |
| AI | Insights: what a word means here, grammar, the words it is often used with, and example sentences. | Lynx, a chat assistant, and "Explain This" for any word or phrase. Premium Plus adds simplified lessons.12,16 |
| Progress | Words and pages read, reading time and speed, words saved, practiced and memorized. A streak and achievements, which you can turn off. | Known words as the main measure. Coins for reading, listening and saving words, a streak for meeting a daily coin goal, and challenges with leaderboards.13,14,15 |
| Your own content | EPUB, TXT and Markdown files, or pasted text. PDF with Premium. | Ebooks (EPUB, PDF, DOCX, TXT, MOBI), imports from YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, TikTok, articles and more, and pasted text such as Instagram posts.10,2 |
| Languages | Books in 45 languages. Translation in 131, so you can read your own books in 85 more. | Its home page says 52, and also "more than 50". Its pricing page says 40+.2,1 |
| Where it runs | iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets. | Web, iPhone, iPad and Android, and a browser extension for importing.12,3,4,2 |
| Offline | Free. | Premium.1 |
| Free plan | Every book in the library, flashcards, statistics, offline reading and read-aloud. 150 translations and insights in total, which don't reset. One book of your own. | 20 saved words, 5 imported lessons and 1 audio playlist. Library audio and flashcard quizzes are included.1 |
| Price | €7.99 a month or €59.99 a year. | Premium from €14.99 a month or €119.99 a year. Premium Plus €26.99 a month or €239.99 a year.1 |
| Free trial | 30 days of Premium, for everyone. | Offered. The pages we checked don't say how long it lasts.2 |
LingQ's prices are from its web pricing page in euros. Prices in the app stores, and in other currencies, can differ.
Where LingQ is stronger
It imports almost anything
LingQ turns YouTube videos, Netflix and other streaming shows, Spotify, TikTok, articles and ebooks into lessons, with browser extensions for Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge.2 You can also paste in text, such as Instagram posts.10 If most of what you want to learn from is video or audio, LingQ fits better.
It runs on a computer
LingQ has a web app as well as phone apps, so you can study in a browser.12,4
A library built around audio
LingQ's lessons come from podcasts, books, interviews and videos, each with matching text.3 If you want to listen and read the same material, that is its core.
A count of the words you know
Every word you meet on LingQ is new, being learned, or known, and the number of known words is its main measure of progress.6,13
AI chat and a community
Lynx, LingQ's chat assistant, can talk with you in the language you are learning.12 LingQ also has challenges with leaderboards.15
What it costs
Without a subscription, Simply Fluent gives you every book in the library, flashcards, statistics, offline reading and read-aloud, plus 150 translations and insights that don't reset. On LingQ's free plan you can save 20 words.1 Simply Fluent Premium is €59.99 a year, and everyone gets 30 days of it first. LingQ Premium is €119.99 a year.1 Both in euros, as each app shows them on its website, checked on Sep 26, 2026.
Simply Fluent
- Free plan
- €0
- Premium, monthly
- €7.99
- Premium, yearly
- €59.99
- Free trial
- 30 days
LingQ1
- Free plan
- €0
- Premium, monthly
- €14.99
- Premium, yearly
- €119.99
- Premium, 2 years
- €215.76
- Premium Plus, monthly
- €26.99
- Premium Plus, yearly
- €239.99
In the US App Store, LingQ Premium is $14.99 a month or $119.99 a year, and Premium Plus is $29.99 a month or $269.99 a year.3
Questions
Can I read my own books?
Yes. Import EPUB, TXT or Markdown files, or paste in text; PDF works with Premium. The free plan includes one book of your own, and Premium has no limit. Books with DRM, such as Kindle books, can't be imported.
What happens to my words if I stop paying?
You keep every saved word, flashcard and statistic, and you can still open every book in the library. Translations and insights then come from your allowance of 150.
Can I use both?
Yes. Some people learn from video and podcasts in LingQ and read books in Simply Fluent. The words you save in one don't carry over to the other.
Can I use Simply Fluent on a computer?
Simply Fluent is an app for iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets. There is no web version, so if you want to study in a browser, LingQ has one.
Sources
- LingQ, pricing and plans. Checked Sep 26, 2026.
- LingQ, home page. Checked Sep 26, 2026.
- LingQ on the US App Store. Checked Sep 26, 2026.
- LingQ, about. Checked Sep 26, 2026.
- LingQ help, How to create LingQs (2023).
- LingQ help, How LingQ statuses work (2023).
- LingQ update, Context-dependent AI word translation (July 2024).
- LingQ help, How to increase your known word count (2023).
- LingQ help, How does the LingQ SRS review work (2023).
- LingQ blog, Complete guide to importing (2021).
- LingQ update, Updates, February 19, 2026.
- LingQ help, What is Lynx AI in LingQ (March 2026).
- LingQ help, LingQ statistics.
- LingQ help, How to earn coins (updated June 2024).
- LingQ help, What is a challenge.
- LingQ changelog, October 21, 2025.
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