UK language app users invest time & money but lack confidence

New research from Wall Street English highlights challenges faced by UK consumers using language apps, revealing a disconnect between time and financial investment versus confidence in language proficiency.

The survey indicates that the average UK language app user dedicates between 52 and 156 hours annually to their studies, paralleling the duration of a working month, yet many remain unsure about their ability to speak the new language effectively.

A significant proportion of users, approximately 46%, have spent money on these applications. Within this group, some invest up to GBP £1,200 each year, with 17% making one-off payments, while 29% spend up to GBP £100 monthly. Despite these expenditures, 55% of respondents do not feel an increase in their speaking confidence, and only 8% express feeling very confident in their linguistic abilities through app usage.

Wall Street English identifies several core reasons for this lack of confidence among its survey participants. Chief among these are insufficient opportunities for practice, limited vocabulary acquisition, and a pervasive fear of making mistakes. Additionally, users report struggling with understanding diverse accents and experiencing anxiety.

The survey further reveals that nearly one-third of app users have abandoned their language studies through these platforms, due to reasons including a shortage of visible progress, boredom, excessive notifications, and burnout. About 30% of those who ceased using the apps did so due to feelings of anxiety or being overwhelmed.

James Mc Gowan, CEO of Wall Street English, comments, "While language apps have made language learning more accessible, it's clear from the survey that users are not seeing the returns they expect from their usage of language apps. Many are investing serious amounts of time and money, and they are coming away either empty-handed or burnt out. There's a wider conversation to be had about the best way to learn languages, embracing hybrid models and with tried-and-tested learning methodologies."

He continues, "To prevent students from quitting, we need to value their time and avoid adding unnecessary stress and pressure to their busy lives, whether that's maintaining daily streaks or pestering them with reminders. It's important to be mindful of these factors when encouraging consistent learning, prioritising efficacy and well-being over gamified approaches to ensure that learners achieve real, tangible and sustainable progress."

Wall Street English emphasises that, while language apps remain popular and may serve as a useful initial step in language acquisition, they often fall short of building user confidence in speaking and may not suffice for most learners according to the survey data.

The survey was conducted by Pollfish, collecting responses from 1,000 UK language app users. Pollfish, owned by Prodege, holds major market research accreditations and is a Market Research Society member. Comprehensive survey results are available for interested parties.