🇮🇱 Hebrew · checked 21 October 2026
Best apps to learn Hebrew by reading (2026)
3 apps whose own sites list Hebrew, and what each is good for.
At a glance
| App | Type | Hebrew | Audio | Free option | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ReadNative (ours) | Graded books | Yes — 3 books | No narration for Hebrew | Free first book | Beginners who want whole stories from A1 |
| LingQ | Library + import | Yes | Yes | Yes | importing and reading lots of varied content, with audio |
| Readlang | Read anything (web, uploads) | Not listed by name — check | Voices for words and phrases | Yes | reading real web pages with click-to-translate and flashcards |
| Clozemaster | Sentence drills | Yes (depends on your base language) | — | Yes | fill-in-the-blank vocabulary drills (not a reading app) |
The apps
ReadNative (ours)
Graded retellings of real stories that start at absolute beginner and get harder chapter by chapter. Tap a word for an English gloss with romanization, tap a sentence for its translation; words you meet are counted automatically. Hebrew books:
- Jonah (יונה) — A1–B1, 36 chapters, free
- Legends of King Solomon (אגדות שלמה המלך) — A1–A2, 16 chapters, Pro
- Joseph and His Brothers (יוסף ואחיו) — A2–B1, 18 chapters, Pro
Try it: the first lines of Jonah
זה כפר קטן.
This is a small village.
לכפר קוראים גת חפר.
The village is called Gat-Hefer.
הכפר בארץ ישראל.
The village is in the land of Israel.
בכפר יש בתים קטנים.
In the village there are small houses.
יש עצים ויש גינות.
There are trees and there are gardens.
בכפר גר איש.
In the village lives a man.
| Hebrew | Romanization | Gloss in the reader |
|---|---|---|
| זה | ze | this is |
| כפר | kfar | a village |
| קטן | katan | small |
| לכפר | lakfar | the village |
| קוראים | kor'im | is called |
| גת | gat | Gat |
| חפר | chefer | Hefer |
| הכפר | hakfar | the village |
| בארץ | be'erets | is in the land of |
| ישראל | yisra'el | Israel |
| בכפר | bakfar | in the village |
| יש | yesh | there are |
| בתים | batim | houses |
| קטנים | ktanim | small |
Read the whole of chapter 1 free →
Strong at: whole stories written for beginners, in a language few reading apps serve. Weaker at: variety beyond its 3 Hebrew books; no narration in Hebrew. Price model: first book free; Pro unlocks the rest and EPUB imports.
Your Hebrew reading path in ReadNative
Jonah יונה: ch. 1–12 ≈A1 (from פרק 1: גת חפר — Chapter 1: Gat-Hefer); ch. 13–24 ≈A2 (from פרק 13: קום, קרא אל אלוהיך! — Chapter Thirteen: Get Up, Call to Your God!); ch. 25–36 ≈B1 (from פרק 25: הקריאה — Chapter 25: The Proclamation).
Legends of King Solomon אגדות שלמה המלך: ch. 1–8 ≈A1 (from פרק 1: הדוכיפת על הגג — Chapter 1: The Hoopoe on the Roof); ch. 9–16 ≈A2 (from פרק 9: אשמדאי — Chapter 9: Ashmedai).
Joseph and His Brothers יוסף ואחיו: ch. 1–9 ≈A2 (from פרק 1: הבן האהוב — Chapter 1: The Beloved Son); ch. 10–18 ≈B1 (from פרק 10: שני חלומות — Chapter 10: Two Dreams).
Other apps that list Hebrew
LingQ — importing and reading lots of varied content, with audio. Hebrew is listed (lingq.com/en/learn-hebrew-online). ReadNative vs LingQ →
Readlang — reading real web pages with click-to-translate and flashcards. Says it covers 100+ languages; check yours. ReadNative vs Readlang →
Not a reading app, but useful alongside
Clozemaster — fill-in-the-blank vocabulary drills (not a reading app). Hebrew is listed (clozemaster.com). ReadNative vs Clozemaster →
What matters in a Hebrew reading app
Hebrew runs right to left and everyday text leaves out vowel marks (niqqud), so reading is partly recognising words you already know. A transliteration on tap and a lot of repetition in one story are what make unvocalised reading possible for a learner.
Questions
What is the best app to learn Hebrew by reading?
It depends on your level and what you want to read. For a complete beginner who wants a story written for their level, ReadNative’s Jonah starts at A1 and is free. To import and read your own Hebrew content with audio, LingQ supports Hebrew. If audio on everything matters most, look at LingQ.
Is there a free app to read Hebrew?
Yes: Jonah is free in ReadNative and readable here in your browser (38 chapters online); LingQ, Clozemaster also start free.
Should I learn to read with vowel marks?
Use them at the very start, but switch to unvocalised text early, because that's how Hebrew is written everywhere outside children's books and poetry.
Sources
Every statement about another app on this page comes from that app’s own website, checked on 21 October 2026. Features and plans change; check their sites for the latest.
- LingQ: lingq.com/en · lingq.com/en/learn-georgian-online
- Readlang: readlang.com · readlang.com/features
- Clozemaster: clozemaster.com
ReadNative facts: about ReadNative and the book catalog. We make ReadNative.
More Hebrew: learn Hebrew by reading · Hebrew graded readers · Hebrew short stories · how long it takes to learn Hebrew