Memrise Review

Thursday, March 27th

2025 Russian Lesson Reviews

Memrise

• Priced $22.99 per month, $107.74 per year, or as low as $124.99 for lifetime
• Free features available
• Video and audio lessons with native speakers in authentic contexts
• Vocab library
• 30-day refund window
• App and desktop access

Founded by three individuals who crossed paths during their studies in neuroscience and psychology at Oxford, Memrise was born out of the trio's mutual fascination with human learning and their collective ambition for more effective language learning methods. With Ed's focus on memory techniques, leading him to become a Grandmaster of Memory, Greg's pursuit of a neuroscience PhD at Princeton, and Ben's practical testing of language acquisition theories in Qiqihar, a city nestled on the Sino-Siberian border, Memrise uses insights from these different disciplines to improve the process of learning a second language, especially Russian.

Sign up before you try lessons

To begin learning Russian with Memrise, simply click on the "Start Learning" button, which directs you to a page where you can choose your native language and the language you wish to learn (in this case, Russian) from a list of options. You will be asked to create an account using your email or social media credentials to continue. This means there are no preview lessons before signing up, but you can access material for free once you do. Memrise will ask you what your level of fluency is in Russian (and asks if you want to skip learning the alphabet) before you get started.

Simple first lesson

Once you're done with that you can immediately view your first lesson. You start with a listening exercise that goes over the word "No” in Russian. The video has a man saying "nyet” in different tones and inflections to help students get the hang of listening to natural speech patterns. You'll also be given a speaking exercise before you're asked to pay.

Many locked lessons, but detailed instruction

If you decide to stay on a free membership at Memrise, your Russian lessons will be limited. The program is broken down into "scenarios” which follow different topics. About half of those scenarios remain locked if you're a free member. The first scenario covers the Cyrillic alphabet, and then two scenarios (More Letters and Mastering Cyrillic) are locked. Then, your next free lesson is The Basics 1. The lesson does include some helpful information when teaching you vocab. For example, phrases or words that sound different depending on the gender the term is directed at or on the gender of the speaker will list those differences in the answers. This helps keep some of the guesswork out of why the word "Russian” is said differently in two similar examples.

Membership costs up to $249.99

If you decide to upgrade to premium, you can easily accelerate your progress by accessing the locked lessons, videos featuring native speakers, and chances for conversation practice. While the free version grants access to about half of the material, you'll encounter frequent advertisements during your learning sessions. Premium membership pricing varies, with options including $22.99 per month, $107.74 per year, or a lifetime membership priced at $124.99, subject to promotional offers available at the time. For instance, without a promotion, the lifetime membership can cost as much as $249.99.

May be too focused on vocab

Memrise utilizes the Spaced Repetition System (SRS), a tool designed to monitor your memory of specific words and phrases. Through this system, Memrise schedules review sessions based on your performance, prioritizing the lessons or words you find challenging. While Memrise effectively implements this system for Russian language learning, it doesn't address a key challenge in achieving fluency: Memrise's emphasis on vocabulary. Despite the importance of vocabulary, Russian language speakers and experts argue that Memrise's concentration on memorizing keywords and phrases alone may not lead to true fluency in the language, though it can help students looking to travel abroad and communicate in general terms.

30-day refund mentioned, but not guaranteed

To qualify for a refund, you'll need to reach out to Memrise within 30 days of beginning your subscription. Although Memrise doesn't explicitly promise a refund, they state that they will consider it if you contact them within this period. However, after the initial 30 days, the service becomes prepaid and non-refundable, regardless of the situation.

Mixed reviews raise red flags

Opinions on Memrise vary among students. For example, Trustpilot ratings paint a disappointing picture with an average of 2.2 stars. Students mention concerns such as locked lessons in the free membership, and a recent update that discontinued user-generated content on Memrise. On the other hand, ratings on mobile app platforms like the Apple Store and Google Play Store are much higher, averaging 4.8 and 4.5 stars, respectively. Feedback at these stores often focuses on the quality of language videos and the immersive learning provided, though most of the favorable reviews are related to Premium features.

Worth looking at for its lifetime license

At the end of the day, most students prefer something reliable. Memrise has too mixed a reputation to fall into that category. Even though it provides a lifetime access choice, Memrise has some drawbacks like an unclear refund policy and a more narrow focus on vocabulary or phrases you can learn quickly. For these reasons, it earns a moderate rating. However, it may still be worth it to investigate Memrise's lifetime membership option for Russian lessons if you prefer a course that doesn't require monthly payments.