Well-known apps like Rosetta Stone, Babbel or Duolingo offer no Malaysian courses, but there are other apps for learning Malaysian 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 Malaysian. The biggest advantage of such learning apps is that they are much cheaper than traditional language courses.
Mondly Malaysian App
The Best Alternative to Duolingo
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online Version (PC and Mac)
Suitable for: Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced Learners, Students, Travel
Content: Malaysian vocabulary trainer (5000 words), playful exercises, grammar
Prices: Free (initial lessons), USD 9.99 (1 month and 1 language), USD 47.99 (12 months and access to all 41 languages)
Discount offer: USD 99 (Lifetime Access to all 41 Languages)
Overall Value: 
The Mondly App lets you learn the Malaysian language in a playful way with a series of interactive exercises.
This Malaysian learning program contains:
- Malaysian vocabulary trainer with 5000 words
- 50 topics and categories to choose from
- 2100 Malaysian lessons, including grammar
- Conversation trainer for common situations (speech recognition)
- There is even a virtual reality version of this learning app
Mondly has around 45 million users worldwide. This language course has the advantage of having 41 source languages and 41 target languages.
Summary: Mondly is very similar to the Babbel and Duolingo apps and even better in terms of quality. The cost-benefit ratio for the lifetime access to all 41 languages is unbeatable.
Link:
Mondly Malaysian App and Online Course
Malaysian 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 Malaysian Basic Course contains a vocabulary trainer for the basic Malaysian 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 Malaysian 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: Malaysian Basic Course and Complete Course
Ling Malaysian App
Playful Malaysian Learning
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Malaysian lessons with native speaker audio
Prices: USD 8.99 (1 month), USD 79 (12 months),
USD 149 (unlimited)
Overall Value: 
The Ling language learning app offers lessons for 60 languages and is quite similar to Duolingo or Babbel, which do not offer Malaysian courses.
Ling uses "gamified learning", which means learning the Malaysian language in a playful way.
There are mini-games, levels, experience points, as well as tests and exercises at the end of each lesson.
The vocabulary covers about 1000 Malaysian words and phrases, all with native speaker audio and pictures. Grammar is not included.
This app offers a test to determine your proficiency level in Malaysian.
Summary: Good ideas that make learning Malaysian more fun.
Link: Ling Malaysian Language Course App
Cudoo: Malaysian Course
Online Learning with Certificates
Systems: Online Access (PC, Mac, smartphones)
Content: Malaysian 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 Malaysian Language Course
Memrise Malaysian App
App with User-Generated Lessons
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Malaysian 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 Malaysian App
Malaysian Lessons and Exercises
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Malaysian 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 Malaysian.
The Malaysian language course in this app includes the following:
-
Daily video lessons at three difficulty levels.
-
Basic Malaysian vocabulary on several dozen topics
-
Common Malaysian verbs with conjugations
-
Analysis of your pronunciation (with speech recognition)
-
Tests: listening comprehension, filling in word gaps, quizzes
For Malaysian, 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 Malaysian App
Includes Grammar
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online Version
Content: Malaysian 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 Malaysian.
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 Malaysian 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 Malaysian beginners.
Lingo Malaysian App
Playful Malaysian Learning
Systems: Android and iPhone Apps, Online Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Malaysian lessons and exercises
Prices: USD 19.99 (1 month), USD 40 (3 months), USD 60 (6 months)
Overall Value: 
The Lingo Play App offers language courses for 70 languages. It offers "gamified learning", which means learning vocabulary in a playful way.
Each Malaysian lesson offers the following exercises:
-
Presentation of new words with translation and image
-
Decide whether a Malaysian word matches the image
-
Select one of four pictures that matches a word
-
Type in the Malaysian word for a picture
-
Correctly type in a spoken Malaysian word
In the full version this app offers up to 5000 Malaysian words. The interface of the app is similar to Babbel, Duolingo or Mondly.
There is also a multiplayer mode and competitions where you can test your Malaysian skills against other people.
Summary: Overpriced Malaysian course that does offer some good exercises, but is not better than other similar apps.
uTalk Malaysian App
Bland and Uninspired
Systems: Android App, iPhone App
Content: Malaysian lessons and exercises
Prices: 10,99 USD (1 month and 140 languages), USD 40 (1 language unlimited)
Overall Value:
The uTalk Malaysian Learning App for Android and iOS teaches about 2000 words (no grammar) and relies exclusively on playful exercises.
The 6 exercises are always the same: Memory games with pictures, matching the heard Malaysian word to a picture, etc.
Difficult Malaysian words or phrases can be stored in a phrasebook.
This app contains words and example sentences on 60 topics for 140 languages (with native speaker audio).
The monthly subscription provides access to all languages. Alternatively, this Malaysian app lets you buy unlimited access for individual languages.
Summary: 140 languages on offer sounds impressive, but the content is very limited. There is no grammar and the 6 exercises are rather repetitive.
Simya Malaysian App
Not really recommended
Systems: Android App, iPhone App
Content: Vocabulary trainer for Malaysian learning
Prices: USD 9,99 (1000 words), USD 59 (1000 words in 50 languages)
Overall Value:
The Simya App for Android and iOS is purely a vocabulary trainer for 50 languages, including Malaysian.
The free version contains 300 words and has very frequent "ad breaks". The paid version (without ads) also contains only 1000 words and phrases.
All the words have native speaker audio and you can use the app offline too.
Malaysian grammar and verb conjugations are not included in this app.
Summary: Not really worth it, as there are much better alternatives like Mondly, Rosetta Stone or even Duolingo.
Linguashop: Malaysian
Educational Software for Download
Systems: PC (Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP)
Content: Malaysian 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 Malaysian. 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 Malaysian 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 Malaysian 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 Malaysian 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 Malaysian 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 |
|
| Mondly | No | $99 | PC, Mac, Android, iOS | |
| Mondly | Yes
(1 month) | $10 | PC, Mac, Android, iOS | |
| Mondly | Yes
(12 months) | $48 | PC, Mac, Android, iOS | |
| Ling |
No |
$149 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Ling |
Yes
(1 month) |
$9 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Ling |
Yes
(12 months) |
$79 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
Cudoo
(one course) |
No |
$13 |
Online
Access |
|
Cudoo
(complete) |
No |
$25 |
Online
Access |
|
| 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 |
|
| 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 |
|
| Lingo Play |
Yes
(1 month) |
$20 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Lingo Play |
Yes
(6 months) |
$60 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| uTalk |
No |
$40 |
Android, iOS |
|
| uTalk | Yes
(1 month) | $11 |
Android, iOS |
|
Simya
(1 language) |
No |
$10 |
Android, iOS |
|
Simya
(50 languages) |
No |
$59 |
Android, iOS |
|
| Linguashop | No | $35 |
PC |
|
.png)
