Best Memrise Alternative in 2026: Learn Languages Without Endless Flashcards

Memrise has been around since 2010. Millions of people have used it to learn vocabulary through flashcards and spaced repetition. It's a legitimate app with a loyal following.

So why did we build Erla?

Because memorizing words isn't the same as understanding a language. And we think that distinction matters more than most apps acknowledge.

This isn't a hit piece on Memrise. It's an honest look at two fundamentally different approaches to language learning — and which one might work better for you.

Memrise is built on a simple premise: if you see a word enough times, you'll remember it. Their spaced repetition system shows you vocabulary at optimal intervals to maximize retention. They've added video clips of native speakers to make it more engaging.

This approach works for building vocabulary lists. But here's the problem: knowing words in isolation doesn't mean you'll understand them in real speech.

Erla takes a different approach entirely. We're built on comprehension-first methodology — the idea that you need to understand language naturally, through listening and context, before you can produce it.

Think about how children learn their first language. They don't memorize flashcards. They listen. They absorb. They start understanding before they ever speak a word. That's what we're trying to replicate.

Memrise focuses on vocabulary acquisition through repetition. The core experience involves seeing a word or phrase, its translation, and sometimes a video clip of a native speaker saying it. You're tested on recall, and the algorithm adjusts based on what you get right or wrong.

What Memrise does well:

• Spaced repetition is scientifically proven for memorization
• Native speaker video clips add authenticity
• Large library of user-generated courses
• Good for building isolated vocabulary quickly

Where Memrise falls short:

• Vocabulary without context is hard to retain long-term
• Knowing individual words doesn't prepare you for real conversations
• The gamification can feel like busy work
• You're learning to translate, not to understand

Erla has two core modes: Listening and Reading. Both are designed around the same principle — understanding language in context, the way you'd naturally encounter it.

You hear native-like AI audio in real-life scenarios. Before you see anything, you guess the meaning. Then you reveal the text. Then the translation. Then you can explore the grammar if you want.

This "guess first, reveal later" approach trains your ear to process language naturally. You're not pattern-matching flashcards — you're actually listening and trying to understand.

Interactive short stories — fairy tales, fun facts, interesting topics in your target language. Tap any sentence to see the grammar breakdown and translation. Vocabulary builds naturally because you're encountering words in context, not on isolated cards.

What Erla does well:

• Trains real comprehension, not just recognition
• Context-based learning mirrors natural acquisition
• Listening mode develops your ear for the language
• No flashcard grinding or gamified streaks
• 22 languages with native-like AI audio

Where Erla is still growing:

• We're a newer app, so our content library is expanding
• No user-generated courses (we control quality instead)
• AI conversation partner coming soon but not here yet

Here's a simple test: What's your actual goal with language learning?

If you want to memorize vocabulary quickly for a test or to build a word bank, Memrise is designed for exactly that. Spaced repetition works for memorization.

If you want to actually understand when someone speaks to you — to follow a conversation, to watch a movie without subtitles, to feel like the language makes sense — that requires a different approach.

Memorization is a component of language learning. But it's not the whole thing. And we'd argue it's not even the most important part.

There's a reason we obsess over comprehension: if you don't understand, you won't speak. You won't write. Everything else depends on comprehension.

You can memorize 5,000 vocabulary words and still freeze when a native speaker talks to you at normal speed. Because you learned to recognize words on flashcards, not to process language as it's actually spoken.

This is why Erla's Listening Mode exists. It's not about memorizing — it's about training your brain to understand in real-time.

| Feature | Memrise | Erla |

|---------|---------|------|

| Core method | Flashcard memorization | Comprehension-first |

| Audio training | Video clips | Full listening scenarios |

| Reading practice | Limited | Interactive stories |

| Spaced repetition | Yes | Context-based instead |

| Gamification | Heavy | Minimal |

| Languages | 20+ | 22 |

| User-generated content | Yes | No (quality controlled) |

Memrise might be the better choice if you want to build vocabulary quickly for a specific purpose, like an upcoming trip or exam. If you like gamification and the motivation of streaks and points. If you want access to niche user-generated courses for specific topics.

Erla is built for people who want to actually understand their target language. If you're tired of flashcard grinding that doesn't translate to real comprehension. If you want to train your ear to process spoken language naturally. If you prefer learning through context and stories, not isolated word lists. If you have 5-10 minutes a day and want to make them count.

Memrise is a good vocabulary memorization tool. We're not here to pretend otherwise.

But if your goal is genuine comprehension — understanding a language as it's actually spoken, not just recognizing words on a screen — we think Erla offers something fundamentally different.

We built Erla because we believe understanding is everything. It's the foundation that makes speaking, reading, and writing possible. And it's the piece that flashcard apps often skip over.

Want to try a different approach? Download Erla and see how comprehension-first learning feels. It's free to start.