Well-known apps like Rosetta Stone, Babbel or Duolingo offer no Icelandic courses, but there are other apps for learning Icelandic that are just as good or even better.
Now let's take a look at the apps, software and online courses that you can use to learn Icelandic. The biggest advantage of such learning apps is that they are much cheaper than traditional language courses.
Icelandic Basic Course
From 17 Minute Languages
Systems: Online Access (PC, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS)
Suitable for: Beginners and Advanced Learners, Students, Professionals
Content: 1300 words (basic course), 5200 words (complete course), grammar, verb conjugations, exercises
Prices: USD 29,95 (Basic Course), USD 97 (Complete Course)
Overall Value: 
The Icelandic Basic Course contains a vocabulary trainer for the basic Icelandic vocabulary (1300 words) with native-speaker audio, as well as grammar explanations and various exercises.
The vocabulary trainer works with a long-term memory method, in which the new vocabulary is checked at increasing intervals.
You can choose between text input, multiple choice or simply confirming whether you knew a word or not.
The exercises include text comprehension questions, filling in word gaps or just vocabulary lists where one side is covered.
The basic course corresponds to the official language levels A1 and A2 (explanation of CEFR language levels).
The Complete Course contains:
- Basic course for beginners (basic vocabulary with 1300 words)
- Intermediate course (1800 more words)
- Advanced course for experts (2100 words)
- Additional specialized vocabulary
- Covers the official CEFR language levels A1 to C2
There are 17 different languages you can use to learn Icelandic with this app.
Summary: Much cheaper and even better than the famous Rosetta Stone. There is a free demo version available and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Link: Icelandic Basic Course and Complete Course
uTalk Icelandic App
Alternative to Duolingo or Babbel
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online Version
Content: Icelandic vocabulary (2000 words), lessons and playful exercises
Prices:
USD 12 (1 month and all 160 languages)
USD 60 (12 months and all 160 languages)
Discount offer: USD 199 (Lifetime Access to all 160 Languages)
Overall Value:
The uTalk app teaches about 2000 Icelandic words and focuses primarily on playful exercises.
There are several exercises to choose from:
-
Read and listen to Icelandic words (with translation and photos)
-
Match the Icelandic word you heard to a photo
-
Speak a Icelandic word and compare the recording with the original
-
A memory game with pictures
-
Speak the Icelandic translation of an English word
The vocabulary is divided into 60 freely selectable topics. The special thing about the uTalk app is that you get access to
all 160 languages.
The interface of the app is well made and is similar to other apps like Babbel, Duolingo or Mondly.
Summary: Getting access to 160 languages is impressive and the scope (2000 words with native speaker audio and exercises) is also solid.
Link: uTalk Icelandic Language Course App
Glossika Icelandic App
Icelandic for Advanced Learners
Systems: iPhone App, Online Version
Suitable for: Intermediate and advanced learners
Content: Icelandic advanced exercises
Prices: USD 17 (1 month and 1 language), USD 31 (1 month and all 64 languages)
Overall Value: 
The Glossika app is for people who already have some basic proficiency in Icelandic or already know a similar language.
The app has an entry test to determine your Icelandic proficiency level. You can start from A1 to B2 (beginners and intermediate).
Glossika works with whole sentences instead of single Icelandic words. You can choose which topics you want to learn.
This app has intentionally no "gamification". The only exercises are reading, listening, typing the sentences and speaking into the microphone.
There are also no grammar explanations. You are supposed to understand Icelandic grammar from the context, like in Rosetta Stone.
You can try the complete app with all 64 languages for 7 days for free (without providing payment information).
Summary: Effective exercises for advanced learners, but somewhat higher price and not much variety.
Link: Glossika Icelandic Language Course App
Cudoo: Icelandic Course
Online Learning with Certificates
Systems: Online Access (PC, Mac, smartphones)
Content: Icelandic video lessons and quiz tests
Prices: USD 12.99 (one course), USD 24.99 (4-7 courses bundle)
Overall Value: 
Cudoo is a kind of online university that offers courses with certificates on different topics.
This includes language courses for 160 languages. These are all beginner courses (CEFR level A1 and A2).
For each language there are 1-10 courses and each course has 20-40 lessons.
The lessons each include a short video with new vocabulary and there are short quiz questions below the video.
Summary: The videos are well made, so especially for smaller languages these courses are a good start.
Link: Cudoo Online Icelandic Language Course
Memrise Icelandic App
App with User-Generated Lessons
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Icelandic lessons and vocabulary trainer with native speaker audio, grammar
Prices: USD 8,99 (1 month), USD 60 (12 months), USD 110 (unlimited)
Overall Value:
With the Memrise App you can learn over 90 languages.
This includes even very small languages - however, in such cases the language courses are often limited to just a few lessons.
One special feature of the Memrise learning app is the large number of lessons created by users (native speakers).
The quality of these lessons varies greatly though. For example, only the basic forms of verbs are usually taught, without the conjugations. Some languages also do not have an audio recording of the words at all.
Another good idea of the Memrise app are the user-generated tips and mnemonics for each word to help you memorize them.
Summary: User-generated lessons are a good idea. In practice, the quality of the lessons leaves a lot be desired.
Bluebird Icelandic App
Icelandic Lessons and Exercises
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Icelandic lessons and exercises with voice output and speech recognition
Prices: USD 9.99 (1 month), USD 100 (12 months), USD 200 (unlimited), USD 400 (163 languages)
Overall Value:
The Bluebird App offers 146 source languages and 163 target languages and dialects, including Icelandic.
The Icelandic language course in this app includes the following:
-
Daily video lessons at three difficulty levels.
-
Basic Icelandic vocabulary on several dozen topics
-
Common Icelandic verbs with conjugations
-
Analysis of your pronunciation (with speech recognition)
-
Tests: listening comprehension, filling in word gaps, quizzes
For Icelandic, there are about 500 video lessons, each 5 to 60 minutes long. For languages with other scripts, the words can also be displayed transliterated in the Western script.
The Bluebird App does not have grammar lessons. Instead, you are supposed to understand the grammar "implicitly" from the examples, same as in Rosetta Stone.
Summary: The video lessons and the interface require some getting used to, but the exercises are quite varied. Especially for smaller languages, this app is an acceptable alternative.
Mango Icelandic App
Includes Grammar
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online Version
Content: Icelandic lessons with native speaker audio, grammar, culture
Prices: USD 7.99 (1 month), USD 80 (1 year),
USD 18 (1 month and 70 languages), USD 180
(1 year and 70 languages)
Overall Value:
The Mango Languages App offers 70 languages, including Icelandic.
This app also has some grammar lessons and cultural explanations. The explanations in English are all recorded and well done.
However, the number of lessons for learning Icelandic is quite small, which means that this app is only suitable for absolute beginners.
There are no exercises, except for the repeated vocabulary tests.
You can also record your own pronunciation in the app and compare it with the recording of a native speaker.
Summary: Good quality, but not much vocabulary. Only for absolute Icelandic beginners.
Drops Icelandic App
Alternative to Babbel and Duolingo
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Icelandic lessons and exercises with native-speaker audio
Prices: USD 13.30 (1 month), USD 72 (12 months), USD 164 (unlimited)
Overall Value: 
The Language Drops App is most notable for having 47 target languages and 40 source languages, similar to Mondly.
You can learn about 3000 Icelandic words and phrases with this app. However, there are hardly any exercises, except for introducing a new word and matching the word to a picture.
You can choose from which topics you want to learn new words and at what skill level you want to learn (whether you know the language somewhat).
If you want to try the app for free for two weeks you have to provide your payment information and then cancel it.
The "deal" you get when you sign up for the free trial is more than 3 times as expensive as when you click "Get Premium" on the website (USD 38 per month instead of USD 13.30 per month).
Summary: No variety, no grammar and only 3000 words. Does not justify the higher price, even though you get access to all languages.
Pimsleur Icelandic Course
Beginner course similar to Rosetta Stone
Systems: PC and Mac (incl. Mobile App)
Suitabe for: Beginners, advanced, students, travel vocabulary
Content: Icelandic lessons with native-speaker audio and speech recognition
Price: USD 40 (initial lessons)
Overall Value:
The Pimsleur App is very similar to Rosetta Stone in that it does not give grammar explanations, verb conjugation tables, etc.
Instead, the Pimsleur method is supposed to let you learn the Icelandic language intuitively, just like your native language - by combining pictures, reading and speaking (speech recognition).
This Icelandic learning course for PCs and Macs also includes a mobile app for Android and iOS systems.
Pimsleur offers only initial Icelandic lessons for beginners and has no intermediate or advanced lessons.
Summary: The most expensive Icelandic beginners course, even though it is unlikely that learning with it is much better than with the cheaper apps.
Linguashop: Icelandic
Educational Software for Download
Systems: PC (Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP)
Content: Icelandic lessons with native speaker audio and speech recognition, grammar
Prices: USD 35 (second language for free)
Overall Value: 
The Linguashop educational software ("TeachMe") is available for over 90 languages, including Icelandic. It also includes an audio CD.
The native speaker audio and speech recognition are relatively good.
However, the interface of the learning software is quite chaotic and there are no exercises — only lessons where new vocabulary is presented.
It is also unclear how many words are included in this Icelandic learning program. There is no information about this on the website.
Some grammar lessons are included — however, these are basically just images with short texts.
Summary: Poor quality for a relatively low price. You get language courses for two languages when you buy, one as a free bonus.
Additional Ways To Learn Icelandic Online:
Colanguage: Find Skype teachers
Overall Value:
At Colanguage you can arrange face-to-face language lessons online via Skype with language teachers around the world (from $5-10 per hour).
In addition to using apps, it is definitely a good idea to also practice with native speakers in order to learn Icelandic properly.
Tandem: Find a language exchange partner
Overall Value:
Instead of hiring teachers, you can also find people who are interested in a free language exchange online via Skype.
It is completely free of charge, but you have to act as a language teacher for the other person half of the time.
Overview of the Icelandic Learning Apps:
| Learning App |
Subscrip-
tion? |
Price |
Systems |
Value |
17 Minutes
(Basics) |
No |
$29 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
17 Minutes
(Complete) | No | $97 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| uTalk | No | $199 | PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| uTalk | Yes
(1 month) | $12 | PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| uTalk | Yes
(12 months) | $60 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
Glossika
(only Icelandic) |
Yes
(1 month) |
$17 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
Glossika
(64 languages) |
Yes
(1 month) |
$31 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Memrise |
No |
$110 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Memrise |
Yes
(1 month) |
$9 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Memrise |
Yes
(12 months) |
$60 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
Cudoo
(one course) |
No |
$13 |
Online
Access |
|
Cudoo
(complete) |
No |
$25 |
Online
Access |
|
| Bluebird |
No |
$200 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Bluebird |
Yes
(1 month) |
$10 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Bluebird |
Yes
(12 months) |
$100 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Mango |
Yes
(1 month) |
$8 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Mango |
Yes
(12 months) |
$80 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Drops |
No |
$164 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Drops |
Yes
(1 month) |
$13 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Drops |
Yes
(12 months) |
$72 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
Pimsleur
(Basics) |
No |
$40 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Linguashop | No | $35 |
PC |
|
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