App Showcase: Memrise

What it does

Memrise is a language learning app designed to teach practical communication skills. It moves beyond simple flashcards by immersing users in real-world context. The app's methodology is built on three pillars: learning words relevant to daily life, watching videos of native speakers to understand authentic pronunciation and accents, and practicing conversations with an AI chatbot.

Where it shines

Memrise shines brightest when it combines its core learning components. The onboarding itself is a powerful demonstration, quickly moving from a personalization quiz (00:41) to an interactive demo. This demo seamlessly blends a video of a native speaker (00:53) with a practice conversation against an AI chatbot (01:21). This immediate, hands-on experience shows users the app's value proposition in action, rather than just describing it. Another strong point is the focus on practical scenarios, like the chatbot mission to check into a hotel, which grounds the learning in a relatable goal.

UX highlights

• Goal-Oriented Onboarding: The app starts by asking for the user's motivation, using this information to frame subsequent steps and even tailor its upgrade prompts (00:44).
• Structured Learning Paths: After the initial interaction, Memrise presents a clear weekly learning plan with quantified goals for vocabulary, listening, and speaking (01:58), giving users a tangible roadmap.
• Multi-Modal Learning: The app effectively combines video, audio, and text-based quizzes. The use of short clips of native speakers (02:46) makes learning feel authentic and engaging.
• Efficient Vocabulary Management: For users with some prior knowledge, the ability to "Mark all as known" (04:33) is a thoughtful touch that reduces friction and lets them focus on new material.
• Clear Progress Tracking: The main dashboard provides a simple overview of weekly progress across different skills, reinforcing the user's commitment and showing their advancement at a glance (02:32).

Monetization & growth

Monetization is thoughtfully integrated into the user journey. The app employs a freemium model with a clear PRO and Free tier comparison on its paywall (02:19). It presents three subscription options: Monthly, Annual, and Lifetime, with discounts highlighted to encourage longer commitments (02:11). A particularly effective tactic is the contextual upsell during onboarding (00:50), which links premium features directly to the user's stated goals. The paywall itself uses social proof, featuring a user testimonial and star rating to build trust and credibility (02:13).

Who it’s for

Memrise is for language learners who are looking for more than just vocabulary drills. Its ideal user is someone who wants to understand and be understood in real-life situations. The focus on native speaker videos and conversation practice makes it particularly well-suited for intermediate learners looking to improve their listening and speaking skills, or for motivated beginners who want to start with practical communication from day one.

Notes & opportunities

The app requires account creation very early in the onboarding process (00:14), which could be a point of friction for users who want to sample the experience first. While the interactive demo is excellent, it happens after sign-up. Testing a version where this demo precedes the account creation prompt could potentially improve conversion. Additionally, the main dashboard, while informative, presents multiple progress circles and options at once (02:32), which might feel slightly overwhelming for a brand new user. A more guided tour of the dashboard could help ease this transition.