What LingQ does well, and where it wears you down
LingQ, built around Steve Kaufmann's method of learning through massive input, deserves real credit: it proved that reading and listening to content you actually want, with one-click lookups, works better for most learners than grammar drills. Its library is enormous, spanning courses, podcasts, and imported content in dozens of languages. That said, long-time users tend to bump into the same friction:
- It's not cheap. The full experience runs around $12.99 a month (less if you pay annually), which is a real commitment for a side project language.
- The interface is feature-dense. Known-word counts, LingQ statuses, coin rewards, forums and menus are all useful to someone, but the reading screen can feel cluttered when all you want to do is read.
- The design feels dated. LingQ has been around since 2007, and parts of the product show its age next to newer, minimalist tools.
- No modern scheduling algorithm. LingQ's own review system predates FSRS, so reviews aren't timed as precisely to your actual forgetting curve as they could be.
Same reading-first idea, less around it
Smisli borrows the part of LingQ's method that matters most: learn by reading real text and capturing the words you don't know as you go. You can paste in your own Swedish, or start from Smisli's built-in texts, tap a word to translate and save it, and move on. What's different is what happens next: reviews run on FSRS, the same modern algorithm current Anki setups use, and the interface stays out of your way, no status counters or gamified coins, just the text and the words you're keeping.
Words you meet inside real sentences stick better than words drilled from a bare list, because context gives memory something to hold on to.
Webb (2008), context and word learningSide by side
| LingQ | Smisli | |
|---|---|---|
| Content | Massive built-in library | Paste your own + built-in texts |
| Scheduler | Custom review system | FSRS, timed per word |
| Interface | Feature-dense | Minimal, editorial |
| Price | ~$12.99/month | Free to start |
| Mobile | Native app | Installable PWA, home screen |
LingQ's strength is depth: if you want a huge pre-built library across many languages and don't mind the price or the interface, it's still a serious tool. Smisli is the leaner version of the same idea, focused on Swedish, built around FSRS, and free to try before you decide it's worth paying for anything.
Who Smisli is for
Reach for Smisli if you like LingQ's reading-first philosophy but want a simpler screen, a modern scheduler, and no monthly bill until you're sure it's for you. If you specifically need LingQ's huge multi-language content catalog, that remains its strongest reason to stay.
New to reading-based learning? Start with how to learn Swedish, or see how many words you actually need.