We make Ziggy, so we're biased. We've described every app as fairly as we can and checked each one's features in November 2026. If something has changed, email support@ziggyasl.com and we'll update this page.
At a glance
| App | Best for | How it works | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ziggy | Beginners building a daily ASL habit | Subscription with a free trial | iOS, Android |
| Lingvano | A long structured course with camera practice | Subscription with a free trial; a few lessons free | iOS, Android, web |
| The ASL App | Deaf-made vocabulary, paid once | Free starter bundles; one-time purchase for the rest | iOS, Android |
| SignSchool | Learning for free | Free | Web, iOS, Android |
| Hands On ASL | Fingerspelling practice | Free with ads; small paid add-ons | iOS |
| Duolingo | — | No sign language course | — |
How we judged them
- Real video of real signers, with handshape, movement, and face all visible
- A clear path, so you always know what to learn next
- Review that brings signs back before you forget them
- Fits a few minutes a day
- A way to try it before you pay
1. Ziggy: best overall for beginners
Ziggy teaches ASL in short video lessons you can finish in a few minutes. Every sign is filmed with a real signer, not animation or illustrations, and our team includes certified ASL interpreters who sign our videos and check our signs. Your learning path picks up right where you left off, recognition drills and spaced review bring signs back at the right moment, and streaks, stars, and small celebrations make the habit easy to keep.
You can also study alongside the app for free on ziggyasl.com: a video dictionary of 700+ signs and phrases with notes on how each sign is made, plus beginner guides and a tool that fingerspells your name.
- Good: Real signers on every clip; Short lessons that fit a few minutes a day; Spaced review, flashcards, and quizzes; Free web dictionary, guides, and name tool
- Keep in mind: A subscription is required after the free trial; No camera feedback or live sessions; ASL only
- How it works: Subscription with a free trial · iOS, Android
2. Lingvano: best for a long structured course
Lingvano offers 600+ interactive lessons crafted and taught by Deaf teachers, with dialogues between Deaf signers, flashcards, a dictionary, and streaks. Its sign recognition feature uses your camera to check your fingerspelling, and it runs live group signing sessions led by Deaf tutors.
- Good: Large course taught by Deaf teachers; Camera feedback on fingerspelling; Live signing sessions with Deaf tutors; Also teaches British and Austrian Sign Language
- Keep in mind: Only a few lessons are free before a subscription is required; Some reviewers say they'd like harder quizzes
- How it works: Subscription with a free trial; a few lessons free · iOS, Android, web
Ziggy vs Lingvano, side by side
3. The ASL App: best Deaf-made one-time purchase
Made by Deaf people, The ASL App organizes 2,500+ signs and phrases into themed bundles, from the basics to dining, sports, and emergencies. It uses several signers, lets you drag on a video to control its speed, and has a favorites folder for signs you want to review.
- Good: Made by Deaf people; Big vocabulary in themed bundles; Free starter bundles, including the alphabet and numbers; One purchase unlocks everything
- Keep in mind: Self-guided bundles rather than a lesson path; You choose what to review, using a favorites folder
- How it works: Free starter bundles; one-time purchase for the rest · iOS, Android
Ziggy vs The ASL App, side by side
4. SignSchool: best free option
SignSchool is free on the web and on mobile, with a dictionary of thousands of signs from a range of signers, courses by topic, grammar notes, a fingerspelling game, and a Sign of the Day.
- Good: Free; Grammar explanations; Courses by topic
- Keep in mind: Less day-to-day structure than a guided app; No feedback on your own signing
- How it works: Free · Web, iOS, Android
5. Hands On ASL: best for fingerspelling
Hands On ASL teaches the alphabet with 3D hand models you can rotate and zoom, plus fingerspelling quizzes with words of different lengths and speeds.
- Good: See every letter from any angle; Quick, game-like practice
- Keep in mind: Fingerspelling only; Ads unless you pay to remove them
- How it works: Free with ads; small paid add-ons · iOS
What about Duolingo?
Duolingo does not offer American Sign Language or any other sign language. If you like Duolingo's short lessons and streaks, Ziggy is the closest match, built only for ASL. Does Duolingo have sign language?
App or class?
Both, if you can. An app is the easiest way to learn vocabulary and practice every day. A class or tutor, ideally with a Deaf teacher, gives you what no app can: live feedback on your own signing and real conversation. Most learners do best with daily app practice plus a weekly class, meetup, or Deaf community event.
How to choose
- A daily habit with a clear path: Ziggy
- The biggest structured course, with camera practice: Lingvano
- Pay once: The ASL App
- Nothing to spend yet: SignSchool, plus Ziggy's free dictionary and guides
- Just the alphabet: Hands On ASL, or our ASL alphabet guide