Is there a free LingQ alternative?

Yes. Lector is open source and free to self-host — run the Docker image on your own hardware and there's no subscription. It combines LingQ-style reading with cloze practice and Anki export. A managed Lector Cloud is also available from $5/mo if you'd rather not run a server.

Can I self-host a LingQ-style reader?

Lector is a self-hostable, LingQ-style reader: import EPUBs and articles, click any word to translate, track word states, and mine vocabulary — all running on your own hardware with your data in a local SQLite file.

How is Lector different from LingQ?

Both are reading-first. Lector is open source and self-hostable with no subscription, keeps your data on your server, adds frequency cloze practice and first-party Anki export, and lets you bring your own LLM. LingQ has a larger content library, one-click import from video and podcasts, native mobile apps, and more languages.

How much does LingQ cost?

As of July 2026, LingQ Premium is around $14.99/mo, or about $10/mo billed annually, with a limited free tier. Lector is free to self-host with no subscription, or from $5/mo on the managed cloud. Check LingQ's site for current pricing.

Comparison

Lector vs LingQ

Lector is a self-hosted, one-time-free alternative to LingQ: the same import-anything, click-to-translate reading workflow, plus frequency cloze and Anki export — but your library and progress live on your own hardware, with no subscription.

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Cloud is in beta · self-hosting is free forever

LingQ pioneered learning by reading imported content, and it's a polished, mature product with a big library and native apps. Lector takes the same reading-first idea and makes it self-hostable and open source, joins it with Clozemaster-style cloze and first-party Anki export, and lets you bring your own LLM. Here's an honest side-by-side.

At a glance

Feature by feature.

	Lector	LingQ
Price	Self-host free, or cloud from $5/mo	$14.99/mo, or ~$10/mo billed annually
Free tier	Full app, self-hosted	Limited: ~20 saved words, 5 imports
Reading imported content	EPUB, web articles, paste	EPUB, articles, video, browser-extension import
Click-to-translate	On-device dictionary + LLM	Yes, with a built-in dictionary
Word-state tracking	New / learning / known	Yes (its core mechanic)
Audio & listening	Text-to-speech (Google, optional)	Per-lesson audio + TTS on imports
Cloze / sentence practice	Frequency-ordered, with SRS	No dedicated cloze mode
Anki export	First-party AnkiConnect export	CSV / Anki-file export (emailed)
AI tutor & writing correction	LLM tutor + writing correction	Limited (Premium Plus AI add-ons)
Bring your own LLM	Yes — Claude or a local model	No
Data ownership	Your server (one SQLite file)	Cloud account (CSV/Anki export available)
Open source	Open source (AGPL-3.0)	Closed source
Languages	5 packs; reader works with any language	50+ (some in beta)
Mobile apps	Web (installable PWA)	Native iOS & Android apps

LingQ pricing and features as of July 2026; check LingQ for the latest. Comparison reflects our understanding at that date.

Where LingQ wins

What LingQ does better.

No tool is best at everything. Here's where LingQ genuinely has the edge — worth knowing before you choose.

A huge content library + one-click import

LingQ ships thousands of graded lessons with audio, and its browser extension imports from YouTube, Netflix, podcasts, ebooks, and any web page — you can start reading immediately without sourcing material.

Mature native apps

Well-rated iOS and Android apps (LingQ advertises ~4.7 stars) with offline lesson downloads and sync. Lector is a self-hostable web app (installable as a PWA) rather than a native app.

50+ languages

LingQ supports far more languages out of the box, including many beta ones. Lector's reader works with any language, but its frequency cloze packs currently cover five.

An established community

A large user base (LingQ claims 5M+ learners), shared user-imported lessons, and busy forums — a network a newer self-hosted tool can't match yet.

Where Lector wins

What Lector does better.

Free to self-host, no subscription

Run the Docker image on your own hardware for free forever, or use Lector Cloud from $5/mo. No recurring fee to keep reading your own library.

Your data, your server

Reading history, vocabulary, and progress live in a single SQLite file you control — no cloud account required, and backups are one file copy.

Reading + cloze + Anki, joined up

LingQ-style reading, Clozemaster-style frequency cloze, and first-party AnkiConnect export in one app — plus an LLM tutor and a writing journal.

Bring your own AI

Point translation and the tutor at the Claude API or a local model (Ollama, LM Studio) — your text stays on your hardware, and quality is your choice.

The short version

Who should pick which.

Choose LingQ

Pick LingQ if you want polished native mobile apps, a big ready-made library with one-click import from video and podcasts, or one of its 50+ languages — and a subscription is fine.

Choose Lector

Pick Lector if you want to own your data, avoid a subscription, and have reading, cloze, Anki export, and an LLM tutor in one self-hostable app.

Questions

Lector vs LingQ, answered.

See the method behind Lector, or browse the language guides.

Own your reading.

Open source to self-host for free, or on our cloud in a click. No subscription to keep your own library.

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