Best Urdu Learning Apps for Kids: An Honest Comparison
First, the disclosure: we make one of the apps on this list, the free Kids Bolo Urdu app. Kids Bolo is our company. We are writing this anyway because we looked at the Urdu apps you'll find when you search, and the honest answer to which one is best is "it depends on your child." Many of the roundups on this topic are written by app companies too, and they don't always say so. We would rather tell you where each option fits, including where ours does not.
Second, a heads-up before you compare anything: Duolingo does not currently offer a course that teaches Urdu to English speakers, which can come as a surprise. The apps that do exist take very different approaches, so it helps to start with the problem you are solving: first exposure, daily practice, the script, or actual speaking.
At a glance
| App | Best for | Cost (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Kids Bolo | Kids in English speaking homes | Free, runs in the browser |
| Dinolingo | Young kids who respond to videos and songs | Family subscription with a 7 day free trial |
| Ling | Teens and adults learning on their own | Free lessons to start, then a subscription |
| Mango Languages | Parents and grandparents | Free through many US and Canadian public libraries |
| Simply Learn Urdu | A phrasebook on a parent's phone | Free to download, extra topics are paid |
| Qaida and alphabet apps | Learning the Urdu script, later on | Varies |
Kids Bolo
Ours, so judge accordingly. We are putting it first because it is the one we know best, not because it wins every category below. The Kids Bolo Urdu learning app is free, runs in the browser on any device with nothing to install, and teaches through flashcards with native speaker audio, mini games like Memory Match and Select the Object, and quizzes. Every word is shown in Roman Urdu (Urdu in English letters), English and the Urdu script, because it is built specifically for kids raised in English speaking homes. It also uses the same vocabulary as our books and live classes, so each piece reinforces the others.
What it is not: a complete standalone curriculum. We built the app as the daily practice layer of a bigger system. Our Roman Urdu books and Bolo Pen cover screen free time at home, and our live small group classes cover the part no app can do, which is real conversation with a real teacher. If you only ever use the free app, your child will pick up real vocabulary. If you want them to actually speak, the app alone will not get them there, and in our experience, no other app will either.
Dinolingo
Dinolingo is a subscription program for ages 2 to 12 that covers 50 languages, Urdu included, with cartoons, songs, games, quizzes, printable worksheets and stories organized into levels. It is a complete, structured library for a young child to sit down with, and if you have kids learning two different languages, one subscription covers both.
The tradeoffs come from the same place as the strengths. Urdu is one of 50 languages that share the same format, so the course is not designed around the diaspora experience, and it is mostly screen based. At the time of writing (October 2026), pricing is 199 US dollars a year or 19 US dollars a month for the whole family (up to six children), with a 7 day free trial. Good fit: younger kids who respond to video content, and families wanting a single structured library to hand over. Less good: parents trying to reduce screen time, and kids who need a person to talk to.
Ling
Ling is a polished, gamified lessons app in the Duolingo style, covering 60+ languages including a proper Urdu course with short lessons and quizzes. For a motivated teen or an adult brushing up, it is a good product.
It is not really a kids app, though. The pacing, interface and content assume an independent learner who will work through lessons on their own, which describes very few eight year olds. It does include speaking exercises, but like any lesson app, it has no real person to talk to. Pricing is subscription based, with some free lessons to start; check their site for current plans. Good fit: ages 13 and up, and you. Less good: young children.
Mango Languages
Mango teaches through recorded conversations: hear a phrase, see it broken down, repeat it. It has an Urdu course, and the best thing about it is the price. Many public libraries in the US and Canada give members free access, so it costs nothing to try beyond a library card.
The method is built for older learners rather than young children. Good fit: parents and grandparents improving their own Urdu for free. Less good: young kids.
Simply Learn Urdu
A phrasebook app: categories of common phrases with native audio recordings, a simple interface and flashcard style review. It is free to download with a few hundred phrases included, and extra topics are paid. As a pocket reference for travel phrases, or for a parent double checking pronunciation, it does its one job fine.
It is a reference rather than a curriculum. It is organized by topic instead of building step by step toward conversation, and it is not designed with children in mind. Good fit: a free supplement on a parent's phone. Less good: as a child's main tool.
Qaida and alphabet apps
Search any app store for Urdu and you will find a crowd of qaida apps teaching the Urdu alphabet and script. Some are decent at what they do. Just be clear about the order: the script is a second step. For a child who does not yet speak or understand Urdu, alphabet tracing is abstract work with little payoff, and in our experience it is a common place for diaspora families to start and then quit. Save these for after the language is alive.
So which one should you choose?
For a toddler or preschooler who loves videos, Dinolingo is the one we would point you to. For a teen or for yourself, Ling, or Mango free through your library. For the script, a qaida app, later rather than first. And for a child in an English speaking home who you want speaking Urdu, start with our free Urdu app for kids and the books, and add live classes when you are ready for conversation. That is the combination we built Kids Bolo around.
For more on making Urdu part of family life, read our parent guide to teaching Urdu to kids, or see every option in our guide to learning Urdu online.
Common questions
Does Duolingo have Urdu?
Not for English speakers. As of October 2026, Duolingo does not offer a course that teaches Urdu to English speakers. Dinolingo, Ling and Mango Languages all have Urdu courses.
Is there a free Urdu app for kids?
Yes. The Kids Bolo app is free and runs in the browser, with nothing to install. Simply Learn Urdu is free to download for phrases, and Mango Languages is free through many public libraries in the US and Canada, though it is built for older learners.
Can my child learn to speak Urdu from an app alone?
An app can build vocabulary, but speaking takes real conversation with a person. That is why we pair our free app with books at home and live classes.