LangKey vs LingQ: An Honest Comparison
LingQ solved a problem most learners underestimate: finding enough reading material at exactly your level. Its library of graded texts and podcasts, plus word-status tracking across everything you read, is the result of years of work. What it does not do is video — there is no Netflix, YouTube or Bilibili support. If your immersion happens while watching, this page explains where each tool fits.
| Feature | LangKey | LingQ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free core, open source | Subscription-based |
| YouTube / Netflix / TED | ||
| Bilibili | ||
| Read any web page you browse | Own library plus imports | |
| Large graded reading library | Extensive, levelled by difficulty | |
| Click-to-translate and word saving | ||
| Dictation / shadowing / AI conversation | ||
| Spaced repetition over saved words | Built-in SRS review | Word status tracking |
| Open source |
Where LingQ Still Wins
- A graded library built over years — texts and podcasts levelled by difficulty, which would take you months to assemble on your own.
- Word status tracking across everything you read gives a genuine sense of how much vocabulary you actually control.
- Mature mobile applications, so reading and listening continue easily away from the desktop.
- Strong support for less commonly taught languages, where curated graded material is otherwise hard to find.
Where LangKey Wins
- Video immersion is the point — YouTube, Bilibili, TED and Netflix all get dual subtitles, click-to-translate and practice modes, none of which LingQ offers.
- Free to start with the source open on GitHub, rather than requiring a subscription before the workflow becomes useful.
- Seven practice modes let you produce the language — dictation, shadowing, AI conversation — instead of only consuming it.
- Works on whatever you are already reading: any web article becomes study material without importing it anywhere first.
The Verdict
These two cover different halves of the same problem, and plenty of learners genuinely use both. If your study is mostly texts and podcasts, LingQ earns its subscription with a library that would take months to replicate, and its progress tracking is reassuring. If your immersion happens in front of video — YouTube, Bilibili, Netflix — LingQ simply does not participate, and LangKey gives you subtitles, word capture, SRS review and practice modes there for free. Start with whichever matches how you actually spend your study time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does LingQ support Netflix or YouTube?
No. LingQ is built around reading texts and listening to audio in its own library or imported material. It does not overlay subtitles on Netflix, YouTube or Bilibili, which is exactly the gap LangKey fills.
Can I use LingQ and LangKey together?
Yes, and many learners do. Reading and listening in LingQ builds breadth, while LangKey handles video immersion and active practice. Because LangKey imports and exports vocabulary freely, nothing gets trapped in one tool.
Is LingQ or LangKey better for beginners?
LingQ has the edge early on, because graded material lets you read from day one without drowning. LangKey becomes stronger as you start watching native video, since it turns that content into practice rather than just exposing you to it.
Does LangKey have its own reading library like LingQ?
No, and that is a real difference. LangKey turns whatever web article you are reading into study material instead of supplying one. If you want a curated, levelled library specifically, LingQ is the better fit.
Is LangKey really free where LingQ costs money?
Yes. The LangKey core — dual subtitles, click-to-translate, all 7 practice modes and SRS review — costs nothing on Chrome, Edge and Firefox, and the code is public on GitHub. LingQ operates on a subscription for full access to its library.