Compare reading apps

Lingo7 vs LingQ: which is better for reading books?

Both Lingo7 and LingQ let you read your own imported books in many languages. The difference is how you read: LingQ colour-codes words and you tap each unknown one, or read a sentence at a time, while Lingo7 shows the original and a full translation side by side, adds native-narrated audio, and includes a vocabulary trainer and speaking practice. LingQ has the bigger library and a web app; Lingo7 is calmer for reading long stretches.

Feature Lingo7 LingQ
Read your own books (upload) Yes Yes
Parallel side-by-side translation Yes No
Tap-a-word dictionary Yes Yes
Sentence translation Yes Yes
Audio narration synced to text Yes Yes
Vocabulary trainer (spaced repetition) Yes Yes
Speaking practice (AI conversation) Yes Limited
Offline reading Limited Yes
Languages 49 languages 50+ (some in beta)
Platforms iOS, Android iOS, Android, Web
Price Free + premium ~$10-15/mo
Free tier Yes, free to start Trial only (20 words, 5 imports)

As of July 2026. Verify current details on each app's store listing.

Choose Lingo7 if

  • You want a continuous side-by-side translation, so you rarely stop to tap
  • You want native audio, a vocabulary trainer and speaking practice in one app
  • You want a usable free start rather than a 20-word trial

Choose LingQ if

  • You want to track every word you know across everything you read
  • You need a full web app and browser importer for desktop reading
  • You import a lot of varied content, such as articles, video captions and podcasts

What LingQ does well

LingQ is built around comprehensible input and does it thoroughly. It imports full books and almost any other content, colour-codes every word by how well you know it, and carries that knowledge across your whole library, so your sense of progress is concrete. It has a proper web app, a browser importer, a large multi-language library and graded Mini Stories, plus read-while-listen with a karaoke highlight. For learners who enjoy tracking and mining vocabulary at scale, it is excellent.

How Lingo7 is different

Lingo7 optimises for actually reading. Instead of tapping each unknown word, you see the original and a full translation side by side, so you keep moving through the text; audio with sentence-synced highlighting lets you read and listen at once; and a tapped word still saves to a spaced-repetition trainer. Lingo7 also adds a Practice tab for AI conversation, and it is free to start rather than a 20-word trial. LingQ has the larger content library and a web app; Lingo7 is the calmer way to read a book end to end on your phone.

Read any book, in parallel, with audio

Lingo7 lets you read real books, ours or your own upload, with the original and a sentence-by-sentence translation side by side, native-narrated audio, and a tap to send new words to a spaced-repetition trainer. Free to start, in 49 languages.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lingo7 a good LingQ alternative?

Both Lingo7 and LingQ let you read your own imported books in many languages. The difference is how you read: LingQ colour-codes words and you tap each unknown one, or read a sentence at a time, while Lingo7 shows the original and a full translation side by side, adds native-narrated audio, and includes a vocabulary trainer and speaking practice. LingQ has the bigger library and a web app; Lingo7 is calmer for reading long stretches.

Does LingQ let you read your own books?

Yes, LingQ lets you import your own files and read them. LingQ is built around comprehensible input and does it thoroughly. It imports full books and almost any other content, colour-codes every word by how well you know it, and carries that knowledge across your whole library, so your sense of progress is concrete. It has a proper web app, a browser importer, a large multi-language library and graded Mini Stories, plus read-while-listen with a karaoke highlight. For learners who enjoy tracking and mining vocabulary at scale, it is excellent.

LingQ vs Lingo7: which has more languages?

Lingo7 supports 49 languages for reading. LingQ supports 50+ (some in beta). If your target language is outside the major European set, check both before you commit, since coverage is where these apps differ most.

How much do Lingo7 and LingQ cost?

Lingo7 is free to start, with an optional premium subscription. LingQ offers a free trial, then Premium at about $10 to $15 per month. Both let you try reading before you pay. Prices are current as of July 2026; check each store listing for your region.