I started using Memrise a while back, drawn by its reputation as a clever, flashcard-style app that uses spaced repetition. Over time, I found it excellent at one thing: helping me retain vocabulary, but not much more. After months of experimenting with different courses and features, here is what I have learned from my experience.
What I Loved About Memrise
1. Brilliant Vocabulary Retention
Memrise’s spaced repetition system is solid. It reminds you of words just as you are about to forget them, and for me, that led to real retention, especially when learning tricky vocabulary in languages like Japanese or German. The combination of visuals and repetition works incredibly well for remembering new words.
2. Native Speaker Content Feels Real
One of my favorite parts of Memrise is the short video clips featuring native speakers. Hearing real pronunciation, often with natural accents, made learning feel authentic. It helped improve my listening recognition and made vocabulary stick more effectively than robotic audio ever could.
3. Fun, Colorful Interface
Memrise uses a bright, game-like design that makes studying less intimidating. The interface feels modern and lively, which helped me stay motivated to keep practicing, even when reviews started piling up.
4. Lots of Course Options for Vocabulary
Memrise offers a wide range of official courses for over a dozen popular languages. I liked being able to choose from structured sets or go beyond that into niche vocabulary topics. Whether it is core beginner words or specialized phrases, the variety is impressive.
5. Community Courses for Niche Topics
Memrise used to shine thanks to its community-created courses. These opened up endless possibilities, from endangered languages to themed vocabulary sets. I found several excellent user-made decks that were far more targeted than anything official.
Where Memrise Fell Short for Me
1. Vocabulary Only, No Grammar Depth
Memrise helped me memorize hundreds of words, but when it came to forming sentences, I hit a wall. The app does not teach grammar rules or explain how the pieces of a language fit together. Without another resource, I could not move beyond basic comprehension.
2. Inconsistent Quality in Community Courses
The community courses are a double-edged sword. Some are amazing, but others have mistakes, mismatched translations, or outdated content. Without proper quality control, you never know what you are going to get.
3. Repetition Can Become Monotonous
Spaced repetition works, but doing it through Memrise can get tedious over time. After a while, I found myself zoning out during sessions. The lack of variation in lesson structure makes the experience feel mechanical.
4. Paid Version Is Not Cheap
Memrise offers a Pro plan with offline access, better stats, and extra features, but I did not feel like it justified the price. Most of the essentials are already available in the free version, and the premium perks did not significantly improve my progress.
5. Declining Support for Community Content
One frustrating change has been Memrise’s shift away from its community-driven approach. Many older courses are now harder to find, and the community features feel hidden compared to earlier versions of the app. It is disappointing because that openness used to be one of Memrise’s biggest strengths.
What Other Learners Say
Browsing forums and online discussions, I noticed that many learners have similar experiences. People praise Memrise for helping them learn vocabulary quickly but complain that it does not prepare them to use the language in real-life conversations.
One user summed it up perfectly:
“Memrise teaches me words, but it does not teach me how to connect them.”
Others mentioned frustration with ads in the free version and wished there were more structured grammar explanations.
When Memrise Worked for Me
I find Memrise most useful when:
- I need to build vocabulary quickly, especially at the beginner level
- I want to hear native speaker pronunciation and get familiar with natural accents
- I am supplementing another resource, like a grammar book or a speaking tutor
- I am looking for specialized or rare vocabulary that is not covered elsewhere
When It Did Not Suffice
Memrise was not enough when:
- I wanted to advance to intermediate or fluent levels
- I needed clear explanations of grammar and sentence structure
- I wanted more varied, interactive speaking practice
- I relied heavily on community content and struggled to find quality courses after updates
My Summary Table
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Excellent spaced-repetition for vocabulary | Weak or absent grammar instruction |
| Authentic native-speaker video and audio | Quality of user-generated courses is inconsistent |
| Fun, gamified interface | Can feel repetitive and monotonous |
| Wide range of official vocabulary courses | Paid plan feels expensive for the value it adds |
| Community-driven niche courses | Community tools are now less visible and harder to access |
Final Verdict
Memrise is an excellent vocabulary trainer, and in that role, it is one of the most effective apps I have used. Its spaced repetition system, native speaker videos, and wide range of courses make it a strong tool for beginners or anyone looking to quickly build their word bank.
But Memrise is not a full solution. Without grammar explanations, speaking practice, or structured lessons, it will not take you far on its own. I think of it as a supplement, a powerful one, but it works best when paired with other resources like textbooks, tutors, or immersion.
If your goal is to memorize a lot of vocabulary quickly and keep it in your long-term memory, Memrise is great. If you want conversational fluency, you will need more than this app.
