Fluentra vs Busuu for Learning English: How They Differ

Fluentra and Busuu both teach English in a planned order from A1 to C1, so either can work as your main course. Choose Busuu if you want feedback from other people, a certificate for each level or to study other languages too. Choose Fluentra if you're starting from zero and want beginner guidance in your own language, or if you want to check your level before creating any account.

A note on fairness: we make Fluentra, so we aren't neutral. We've stuck to things you can check. What we say about Busuu comes from its website and help centre, as they stood in November 2026. Plans change, so confirm the details before you pay.

The short comparison

Starting from zero: help in your own language

This is the biggest difference for true beginners. When you know almost no English, an instruction in English can be the first thing that stops you.

In Fluentra's Beginner English (A1), instructions, grammar explanations, word meanings and feedback appear in your choice of 20 languages. The English you read, hear and say stays in English, because that's what you're there to learn. You can try part of a real lesson in any of those languages with no account. This support is for A1. From A2 upwards, instructions and explanations are in English.

Busuu's help centre says it offers 15 interface languages, and warns that some courses might not be available in all of them. Before you commit, check that the English course works with your language.

Finding your level before you start

Starting at the wrong level is an easy way to lose interest. Fluentra's free level test takes about 12 to 15 minutes, needs no account and gives you an estimated CEFR level from A1 to C1, with a suggested course. It covers grammar and vocabulary, reading and listening. It doesn't test speaking or writing, and it isn't a certificate.

If you'd like to understand the scale itself, see our guide to CEFR levels or find out what B1 really means.

Lessons and how each one feels

Busuu describes its lessons as expert-designed and structured to build complete language skills, with guided practice for grammar and vocabulary. It offers 14 languages, which helps if you might want to study something else after English.

Fluentra does only English, for adults. Each lesson moves through new words and grammar, reading or listening, practice, speaking and a real-life task, with homework afterwards. You can tap a word in lesson text to see its translation and save it to My Words, and your saved words come back in daily practice.

Speaking and feedback

Busuu's biggest advantage is people. Its community lets fluent speakers give you feedback, which an automated tool can't fully replace. Its plans page also lists AI Conversations and speaking practice as exclusive to Premium Plus, so check which plan you'd need.

In Fluentra, you record your answer in every lesson, play it back and compare it with an example answer. If you tap Check my answer, your recording is sent for transcription so you can get feedback, and we don't keep the audio. There's no community and there are no live teachers. If you want a real person's reaction, add a tutor or a conversation partner. Our guide to practising speaking alone shows what you can do between those conversations.

Certificates

Busuu says you get a downloadable certificate when you finish a level, with the CEFR level shown on it, once you pass its end-of-level test. That can be a useful record of progress. It isn't the same as a recognised exam, so check what your school or employer accepts.

Fluentra gives you a certificate of completion when you finish every lesson of a course, with a link anyone can use to check it. It’s a Fluentra certificate, not an official qualification. If you need an official result, take a recognised exam.

Which one should you choose?

Busuu is likely the better fit if:

• You want feedback from other people inside the app.
• You like earning a certificate for each level.
• You'd like one subscription for more than one language.
• You want to install the app from an app store.

Fluentra is likely the better fit if:

• You're a complete beginner and want help in one of 20 languages at A1.
• You want to check your level before creating an account.
• You only need English, and you want a clear path through 24 lessons per level.
• You want to save words as you read and review them in daily practice.

You don't have to decide in theory. Try the first lessons of each with the same level of attention, then keep the one you actually go back to. For help building a routine around it, read how to learn English efficiently, or compare more options in the best English learning apps by goal.

If neither suits you, see Busuu alternatives for English learners, organised by what you're missing.