Readlang

Readlang is a reading tool for language learners who want to work through native text and turn unfamiliar vocabulary into review. It suits self-directed readers best; its flexible input options are a strength, but the free plan’s daily caps can interrupt regular study.

Overview

Readlang builds language practice around reading rather than a fixed sequence of lessons. Click a word or phrase in text or on a webpage to translate it, then collect useful terms for spaced-repetition flashcards. That approach is a good fit for learners who already have articles, books, or other material they want to read. It is less suited to anyone seeking offline lessons.

Readers can paste text, upload files, or import webpages using a browser extension or bookmarklets. For video, the player supports full transcriptions and lets users upload and sync transcripts to YouTube videos. The combination gives learners several ways to work with material they choose, without making Readlang a general-purpose course.

Key features

Readlang offers translations for single words and phrases, plus AI-based explanations that use context. Context can help clarify an expression beyond a direct translation, but the free plan allows only 10 explanations a day. Its 10 daily phrase translations are capped at six words each. Those limits are manageable for occasional reading; sustained reading with frequent lookups is a stronger case for a paid plan.

Translated vocabulary can be reviewed with flashcards that use spaced repetition and prioritize useful words. Anki export offers another way to continue practicing collected words and phrases. A popup dictionary appears in the Web Reader, while the online eReader has a sidebar dictionary.

Readlang says it does not sell personal data and uses strictly necessary cookies, without advertising cookies or third-party advertising trackers. Its privacy policy says passwords are hashed and access to personal data is restricted, while acknowledging that absolute security cannot be guaranteed. Named service providers include Linode (Akamai), Stripe, Google, OpenAI, Microsoft Azure, AWS, and Rollbar, among others. Support is available through direct contact or the feedback forum.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing. It includes unlimited single-word translations, 10 phrase translations per day with a six-word limit, 10 context explanations per day, no streak repairs, and no audio storage. It is the sensible starting point for light reading and vocabulary practice, but the phrase and explanation quotas make it restrictive for frequent readers.

Premium is $6 a month, billed $6 / month or $48 / year. It adds unlimited word and phrase translations, raises the phrase limit to 12 words, removes the daily cap on context explanations, includes 10 hours of audio storage, and provides two streak repairs per month. This is the practical fit for learners who regularly need phrase help or contextual explanations. Subscriptions renew monthly or yearly until canceled; Readlang says it does not store full card details.

Premium Plus is $15 a month, billed $15 / month or $120 / year. It includes the same translation and explanation limits as Premium, but increases audio storage to 200 hours and adds high-quality voices for whole texts and an advanced AI model. Those extras make it the plan to consider when the larger storage allowance or enhanced voice and AI features matter; readers who mainly need translation and review can stay with Premium.

Platforms

Readlang supports Android, iOS, browser extensions, and the web. It says it has no native mobile apps, but the web app can be added to an iPhone, iPad, or Android home screen. That offers a mobile access route, though it is not the same as a native app. Offline lessons are not available.

Who it's for

Readlang is best for independent learners who want to read material they choose, look up vocabulary in context, and revisit saved terms. Its import options and transcript support broaden the kinds of material readers can bring to the workflow. It is a weaker fit for learners who need offline lessons, a fixed course path, or a free plan without daily lookup limits.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Multiple ways to bring in reading material—including pasted text, files, webpages, and articles or books—suit learners with their own sources.
• Pro: Contextual explanations, spaced-repetition flashcards, and Anki export connect reading lookups with ongoing vocabulary review.
• Pro: Transcript support extends the reading workflow to YouTube videos, including transcripts users upload and sync.
• Con: Free limits phrase translations to 10 per day and six words per phrase, and context explanations to 10 per day; regular readers may need Premium.
• Con: Readlang has no native mobile apps or offline lessons, which limits its fit for learners who depend on those options.
• Con: Premium Plus costs more than Premium and is most relevant to readers who need its 200 hours of audio storage, high-quality voices, or advanced AI model.

Alternatives

Choose Lute if you want a free, no-limits option installed locally; it supports Android, Linux, macOS, self-hosting, web, and Windows. Learning with Texts is another free choice, but it requires a modern browser and a local web and database server with PHP.

LingQ may suit learners who want its broader saved-word, imported-lesson, and audio-playlist workflow: its free plan allows 20 saved words and phrases, five imported lessons, and one audio playlist. For a self-hosted, open-source option supporting one user per server, consider LinguaCafe. OpenKoto is a free, open-source alternative under the Apache 2.0 license.

E-clair is an Android and iOS alternative with a free plan limited by collection count and monthly transcription of users’ own audio, while podcast episodes are handled more generously. jidoujisho is a free, open-source Android option for devices running Android 7.0 or later. Lector is worth considering for its free web plan, which includes 10 collections, 200 texts, 10 words and 10 phrases per day, and 1,000 AI glosses per month.

For more choices, browse Language Immersion Apps or Language learning apps.

Verdict

Readlang is a strong choice for self-directed learners who want to turn native reading and video transcripts into vocabulary practice. Its flexible sources, contextual explanations, and review options form a coherent reading-first workflow. Look elsewhere if offline lessons or native mobile apps are essential, or if daily lookup limits make the free plan too confining.