Mondly Review: Worth it for Language Learning?

Mondly by Pearson is a great way to begin learning a new language. The truth is, as beginners, we need help understanding the structure, rules, and nuances of a foreign language. Great resources help significantly at this stage, similar to how we expect our parents to catch us if we fall when we take our first wobbly steps as babies.

If the learning is gamified, it’s even better, right? Add AR and VR elements to the mix, the experience becomes unforgettable. However, all that glitters is not gold. So, we will determine in this review if Mondly is worth it. Let’s dive into the details about Pearson’s Mondly and find if it could be your magic carpet ride to the land of language mastery.

Quick Summary: Mondly Review

Criteria	Mondly
Course Quality	3.5/5
Virtual Instructor	3.8/5
Support	3.2/5
Value for Money	4/5
Ease of Use	4.3/5
Overall Rating	3.7/5

Is Mondly Legit?

Mondly, formerly ATi Studios Mondly, was founded in 2014 to use technical innovations to make language learning fun, immersive, and interactive. After Pearson acquired the platform, its reach has grown and it’s accessible to millions of people. So, yes, Mondly is a trusty website you can use to level up your language skills.

How Does Mondly Work?

Mondly uses daily lessons filled with fun exercises to teach you a language. You can click and drag the given word to the correct translation, translate the given sentence, and indulge in speaking practice using the Mondly speech recognition system. However, these gamified elements aren’t what makes it stand apart from its competitors. 

It is the Mondly VR (Virtual Reality) and Mondly AR (Augmented Reality) features that really help this site work. You have to download separate apps for it, but boy are they worth it. The Mondly VR app aids immersive learning. You can practice checking into a hotel or ordering in a restaurant. 

That is, you interact with virtual characters. The catch? You also need to buy an Oculus VR headset. Suddenly, Mondly doesn’t seem so affordable, does it? However, the scenarios are realistic, and you get instant feedback. What mistakes did you make and how can you improve? So, it’s well worth the price.

The AR feature provides you with a virtual instructor. Using the AR app, you can view cats, drums, and even Saturn in your living room. It gets better; you can touch the cat to hear it meow or tap the guitar to make it play a song. You will never forget learning new words or phrases this way. 

To put it in a nutshell, this is how Mondly works: you learn common phrases to facilitate improved conversational skills, listen to native speakers, practice speaking with an AI, and finally, retain your knowledge with the help of the website’s spaced repetition techniques. There, done. Sounds straightforward, right?

Pros and Cons

How good is Mondly? Is it your one-stop solution for language learning? Perhaps, perhaps not. I know it’s maddening to hear that. But please refrain from punching me. Let me list the pros and cons of using this platform and you will understand my reasoning.

Variety of Languages

You can learn 41 languages using Mondly, including but not limited to Spanish, English, Dutch, German, Portuguese, French, Italian, Danish, Bulgarian, Turkish, Lithuanian, and Russian. Now, similar to any website that offers to teach a variety of languages, Mondly is better at teaching some languages better than the other. 

So, let’s take a look at what languages are its strong points. Mondly has fantastic content for learning English (British and American), Spanish, French, Portuguese (Brazilian and European), Italian, German, French, Mandarin, and Japanese. But a wide variety of languages alone can’t convince us of its usefulness. Let’s take a look at the other features.

Smart Features

Apart from the VR and AR app, the Mondly chatbot is the best smart feature of this site. The Mondly conversational practice is effective because of this. The conversations may not be as realistic as those in the VR scenarios, but they get the job done. You can always supplement your learning with the AR virtual instructor’s help.

Content Quality

Frankly, Mondly is an excellent choice for beginners. The content is quite good and the scenarios are interesting. That doesn’t mean it won’t work if you are an intermediate or advanced learner. 

You just need to understand how to use Mondly; use it as a supplementary resource, not a standalone one. Even though the content lacks depth as it is mainly focused on beginners, you will still find it useful to brush up on the fundamentals or for a quick refresher. 

The quick guides for past, present, and future tenses are great (you simply need to click on a word to see them). Your conversational skills will also remain sharp. And that’s the predominant reason for learning a new language, isn’t it?

Learning Experience & User Interface

The Mondly audio lessons and daily practice exercises are fun and casual. If you are looking for a website with structured classes suitable for serious learning, this site isn’t for you. As for the VR feature, the Mondly Quest 2 VR experience is stunning. The virtual environments ensure you see the rest of the world while chilling at your home. 

The immersive experience does wonders for your confidence. But, bear in mind that every Mondly VR review mentions the limited languages available compared to the website. Check what Mondly VR languages are available before opting to purchase anything.  

The AR feature is cool, but once you get used to it, you may not feel the same awe. The virtual instructor isn’t for everyone. Even I found it a little creepy at first; but, I eventually warmed up to it. The user interface is fabulous, and I had no trouble navigating it.

Unfortunately, a Mondly desktop version isn’t there; you simply have to make do with the Mondly web version. If you want to learn anytime, anywhere, use the Mondly app version. And before you ask, yes, Mondly Android and Mondly iOS versions exist. They have all the features the web version has.

Mondly Subscription Plans & Pricing

Mondly subscription options are expensive, which is to be expected due to the tech involved. The Mondly premium subscription has three types: monthly, yearly, and lifetime. The annual plan costs $47.99, whereas the monthly plan costs $9.99/month. You get full access to only one language if you opt for these plans.

The Mondly Lifetime Access plan (access to all 41 languages) costs $99 at the moment, as the flash sales are going on. That’s 95% off the original price. A separate Mondly family plan isn’t available, but if you subscribe to Mondly Premium, you get free access to Mondly Kids.

If you are wary of the Mondly deals, use the Mondly free trial (lasts 7 days) to determine whether Mondly suits you. You can cancel it anytime; however, you will be charged for the annual subscription plan if you forget to cancel it.

If you are wondering ‘Do I have to pay for Mondly?’, no, you can just use the free version. However, the free version doesn’t grant free access to Mondly VR or AR apps. Hey, you win some, you lose some. If immersive learning isn’t your cup of tea, don’t subscribe.

Mondly Coupon Code

You can use the following coupon codes to avail of discounts on Mondly’s various subscription plans: 

Plan	Discount Code	Discount
Annual Plan	aff20off	20%
Monthly Plan	aff20off	20%

Since the lifetime plan is heavily discounted currently, there are no active promo codes for it. What are you still doing here? Check out Mondly’s billing section. Go on, shoo!

Learning Community

Mondly doesn’t have any discussion or community forum you can use to interact directly with your fellow learners (oh, come on!). Therefore, this platform isn’t for you if you like sharing your learning journey with others and supporting each other throughout the ride. On the other hand, start learning immediately if you are happy with the other features it offers.

Customer Support

Mondly customer service, like most other language learning platforms, is occasionally helpful but mostly irritating. I don’t understand why any Mondly reviews or even a Mondly app review fails to mention this. Many users have complained that canceling subscriptions seems nearly impossible, something that appears to be a common problem on similar sites.

Though I am sure Mondly isn’t ‘stealing money’ like some reviews claim, prompt responses to those trying to cancel the subscriptions before they get auto-renewed would be greatly appreciated.

Some reviews seem to scream ‘Just take the time to go through emails requesting subscription cancellation, would you?’.

Their anger is justified, as this lack of response from Mondly support causes the users to be charged for a service they do not need anymore. Of course, once you are charged, you won’t get your money back. It would be against the Mondly refund policy to do so.

Who Should Use Mondly?

Mondly is a great choice if you like gamified and immersive learning. If you are someone who likes detailed explanations, comprehensive course structure, and in-depth content, turn around, walk away, and never look back. I am dead serious. Plenty of Mondly alternatives would work for you.

You will like using this website/app if you are a busy person, as it requires minimal time to complete lessons. You can learn during your commute to work or between shifts. They are that short yet useful. Is Mondly Premium worth it for you? It depends on how much you love learning in virtual environments.

Mondly Reviews from Other Users

Beginners love Mondly, it is glaringly obvious from their reviews. However, the intermediate and advanced-level learners are miffed that they don’t have much content to learn. (Dude, I want to use cool VR features to learn, too. How can I do that if your site has nothing for me to learn?) So, try the website with an open mind; continue using it if you like its features.

Final Verdict: Is Mondly Worth It?

Mondly is suitable for beginners. It does a great job of teaching you new languages and is more affordable than most platforms. I hope this Mondly review has conveyed as much. So, if you are a beginner and love immersive learning, go for it. Happy learning, my friends!

Mondly Alternatives

Not satisfied with Mondly? You can try these alternatives to learn a new language.

Mondly Vs Duolingo

The similarity between Duolingo and Mondly is obvious. Both have gamified elements. However, Duo has fantastic interactive characters, mastered gamification, a wider variety of languages, and most importantly, free to use. Yes, there are optional upgrades, but you will be fine even without opting for them. To know more, read my thoughts on mondly vs duolingo comparison.

Busuu Vs Mondly

Both platforms are great for beginners. So, what does Busuu have that Mondly doesn’t? It has a supportive community. I love using it and it feels appreciative when it personalizes lesson plans to suit my goals. Moreover, the speech recognition software is awesome. Sadly, it doesn’t have AR or VR elements (doesn’t stop me from preferring it) like Mondly.

Mondly Vs Babbel

Now, this is a tricky comparison. Mondly is great for casual learning. It is stress-free and has cool features. On the other hand, Babbel has more comprehensive content. It is suitable for intermediate learners, too, because of its structured lessons and focus on grammar. So, pick the one that fits your learning style.

Memrise Vs Mondly

The fun element in Memrise is a little lacking compared to Mondly. But, it has a free version and is better than Mondly for vocabulary building. The Membot is excellent for conversational practice. However, does it beat Mondly’s VR conversation practice? I don’t think so.

Mondly Vs Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is a pioneer of immersive learning. Therefore, it would be a crime to leave it out of the list of alternatives. Since Rosetta focuses on helping you learn a new language the same way you learned your native one, it is fascinating, to say the least. 

And the content is suitable for all levels, too. However, Mondly is the only platform that has incorporated VR and AR elements in its teaching process. That’s its selling point. So, what do you think? Are you leaning toward either one?

FAQs

1. Is Mondly as good as Duolingo?
No, Duolingo’s gamified learning approach is much better. However, Mondly provides more conversational practice than Duo.

2. Is Mondly completely free?
The free version doesn’t provide you with access to Mondly VR and AR apps or other learning resources. So, while you can access the content for free, no Mondly isn’t completely free. 

3. What are the disadvantages of Mondly?
Mondly targets beginners even though it claims to have content for all learner levels. Moreover, while it helps build your confidence, it doesn’t necessarily make you fluent in your target language. The conversations with the chatbot could use some improvement, too.