What Readlang gets right, and where it falls short
Readlang deserves credit for popularizing reading-based vocabulary capture: paste in an article, click any word for an inline translation, and the word becomes a flashcard for later review. For years it's been a favorite among readers who wanted to learn a language from real material instead of a textbook. But the parts around that good idea have aged:
- The scheduler is basic. Readlang's review system is a simple spaced-repetition loop, not a modern algorithm that adapts interval-by-interval to how well you actually recall each word.
- No pronunciation audio. You save a word and its translation, but there's no built-in way to hear it said correctly, which matters a lot for a language with sounds and tones English doesn't have.
- Mobile is an afterthought. Readlang is fundamentally a browser tool. It's usable on a phone, but it wasn't designed for one, and it shows in the reading and review flow.
- Free tier is capped. Translations and saved words are limited per month unless you upgrade, which can interrupt a reading session right when you're in it.
Same idea, sharper execution
Smisli keeps the part of Readlang that actually works: you read real text, tap any word, and it becomes a card. What changes is the engine underneath. Reviews are scheduled with FSRS, the modern algorithm that times each review to the moment you're about to forget, rather than a fixed sequence of intervals. Every card gets native pronunciation audio and an AI-written example sentence automatically. And the whole thing is a mobile-first PWA: add it to your home screen and it opens instantly, no browser chrome, no pinch-zooming a desktop layout.
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
| Readlang | Smisli | |
|---|---|---|
| Reading approach | Real web pages & pasted text | Real text you choose |
| Scheduler | Basic spaced repetition | FSRS, timed per word |
| Audio | None | Native pronunciation, built in |
| Card creation | Tap a word to save it | Tap a word to save it |
| Mobile | Responsive web page | Installable PWA, home screen |
| Price | Free tier, capped; paid plan | Free to start |
This isn't a case of Readlang doing it wrong. It's a case of the idea being sound and the execution being ready for an update: same reading-first workflow, a scheduler that's actually current, and a phone experience built for a phone.
Who Smisli is for
If you already like Readlang's click-to-translate reading loop, Smisli will feel immediately familiar, with a scheduler and audio layer that catch it up to what modern spaced repetition can do. It's a good fit if you mostly read on your phone, want to hear words pronounced correctly, and don't want a monthly cap interrupting your reading.
New to this approach? Start with how to learn Swedish, or see what spaced repetition actually is.