Well-known apps like Rosetta Stone or Babbel offer no Swahili courses, but there are other apps for learning Swahili 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 Swahili. The biggest advantage of such learning apps is that they are much cheaper than traditional language courses.
Swahili 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 Swahili Basic Course contains a vocabulary trainer for the basic Swahili 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 Swahili 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: Swahili Basic Course and Complete Course
uTalk Swahili App
Alternative to Duolingo or Babbel
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online Version
Content: Swahili 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 Swahili words and focuses primarily on playful exercises.
There are several exercises to choose from:
-
Read and listen to Swahili words (with translation and photos)
-
Match the Swahili word you heard to a photo
-
Speak a Swahili word and compare the recording with the original
-
A memory game with pictures
-
Speak the Swahili 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 Swahili Language Course App
Ling Swahili App
Playful Swahili Learning
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Swahili 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 Swahili courses.
Ling uses "gamified learning", which means learning the Swahili 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 Swahili 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 Swahili.
Summary: Good ideas that make learning Swahili more fun.
Link: Ling Swahili Language Course App
Glossika Swahili App
Swahili for Advanced Learners
Systems: iPhone App, Online Version
Suitable for: Intermediate and advanced learners
Content: Swahili 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 Swahili or already know a similar language.
The app has an entry test to determine your Swahili proficiency level. You can start from A1 to B2 (beginners and intermediate).
Glossika works with whole sentences instead of single Swahili 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 Swahili 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 Swahili Language Course App
Duolingo Swahili App
Well-Known Language Learning App
Systems: Android App, iOS App, PC and Mac
Content: Exercises with native-speaker audio
Prices: Free (with ads), USD 12.99 (1 month), USD 60 (12 months)
Overall Value: 
The Duolingo App offers beginner language courses for 36 languages, including Swahili. Duolingo covers mostly the basics as well as some intermediate level Swahili vocabulary.
The major drawback of Duolingo (just like Rosetta Stone) is that there are no grammar explanations.
The vocabulary learning with Duolingo is "gamified", which means it is structured like a game with levels, experience points, achievements, etc.
The interface is relatively similar to the apps from Babbel and Mondly.
Summary: The vocabulary trainer and the exercises of the program are okay. However, it is not possible to learn Swahili grammar with this app.
Mango Swahili App
Includes Grammar
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online Version
Content: Swahili 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 Swahili.
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 Swahili 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 Swahili beginners.
Memrise Swahili App
App with User-Generated Lessons
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Swahili 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.
Drops Swahili App
Alternative to Babbel and Duolingo
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Swahili 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 Swahili 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.
Simya Swahili App
Not really recommended
Systems: Android App, iPhone App
Content: Vocabulary trainer for Swahili 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 Swahili.
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.
Swahili 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.
Pimsleur Swahili Course
Beginner course similar to Rosetta Stone
Systems: PC and Mac (incl. Mobile App)
Suitabe for: Beginners, advanced, students, travel vocabulary
Content: Swahili lessons with native-speaker audio and speech recognition
Price: USD 120 (basic course)
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 Swahili language intuitively, just like your native language - by combining pictures, reading and speaking (speech recognition).
This Swahili learning course for PCs and Macs also includes a mobile app for Android and iOS systems.
Pimsleur offers only initial Swahili lessons for beginners and has no intermediate or advanced lessons.
Summary: The most expensive Swahili beginners course, even though it is unlikely that learning with it is much better than with the cheaper apps.
Additional Ways To Learn Swahili 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 Swahili 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 Swahili 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 |
|
| 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 |
|
Glossika
(only Swahili) |
Yes
(1 month) |
$17 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
Glossika
(64 languages) |
Yes
(1 month) |
$31 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Duolingo |
Yes
(1 month) |
$13 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Duolingo |
Yes
(12 months) |
$60 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Mango |
Yes
(1 month) |
$8 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
| Mango |
Yes
(12 months) |
$80 |
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 |
|
| 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 |
|
Simya
(1 language) |
No |
$10 |
Android, iOS |
|
Simya
(50 languages) |
No |
$59 |
Android, iOS |
|
Pimsleur
(Basics) |
No |
$120 |
PC, Mac, Android, iOS |
|
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