Top Language-Inclusive Apps You Should Know About

New study reveals the most and least foreign language accessible apps

In 2021, we have apps for nearly every need—from booking a ride and ordering dinner to making new friends, all at our fingertips. But how many of these widely-used apps prioritize language inclusivity? Are they accessible to users around the globe, or do they predominantly cater to English speakers?

We conducted an in-depth analysis of the most popular apps in the UK and the US to identify those that excel in language inclusivity. Our findings highlight which apps are leading the way in embracing diverse languages and which ones need to enhance their offerings to thrive in our multicultural society.

YouTube is the most language-inclusive app in the UK and USA

YouTube is the 441st most popular app in the world and caters to a diverse audience, supporting 73 languages. This includes widely spoken languages like German, Hindi, and Korean, as well as lesser-known ones such as Laotian, Tamil, and Urdu.

Music streaming service Spotify also nears the top of the list, offering 58 languages on UK and USA apps.

The most language accessible apps: an index 

Our research indicates that popular apps tend to be more language-inclusive, especially as they age. This trend likely arises from the significant investment required to develop complex applications that offer a diverse range of language options.

Founded in 2005, YouTube stands out as the most inclusive language platform, boasting a staggering valuation of $500 billion. This immense financial backing enables it to invest heavily in providing a diverse array of languages for its global audience.

Launched in 2016, TikTok has quickly risen to become one of the most popular apps worldwide, boasting over three billion downloads and more than 80 million active monthly users. This surge in popularity has enabled TikTok to invest in expanding its language offerings, making the platform even more accessible and inclusive for a diverse global audience.

How language inclusive is TikTok?

TikTok ranks as the third most popular app in both the UK and the USA, but how well does it embrace inclusivity amid all the praise it receives?

TikTok is making strides in inclusivity by providing support for 32 languages in the UK and the USA, where it ranks 14th and 15th for language diversity, respectively. With its user base surpassing one billion and continually expanding, TikTok features a mix of widely spoken languages like Japanese, Arabic, and French, alongside less common ones such as Bengali, Filipino, and Javanese, which is native to an island in Indonesia.

Which travel app offers the most languages?

When it comes to travel apps in the UK, Uber stands out for its impressive language inclusivity, supporting a remarkable 37 languages, including Vietnamese, Slovak, and Japanese. Following closely is Bolt, which offers 34 languages. In contrast, the Trainline app falls short with just ten languages available, all of which are European.

Explore our sortable index for a comprehensive overview of UK apps. Here, you can easily see each app’s global popularity ranking, which reflects its position in the app store based on download figures.

Tinder is the most language-inclusive dating app in the USA

Tinder stands out as the most language-inclusive dating app in the USA, boasting an impressive 56 languages. This broad selection allows even more users to connect and swipe for potential matches. Notably, Tinder ranks as the third most multilingual app across all categories, just narrowly surpassing Gmail, which offers 55 languages.

The rising US dating app Hinge currently offers its services exclusively in English, which leaves 8.6% of the American population—those who aren’t fluent in the language—unable to access its features for finding love. This limitation highlights a significant barrier for many potential users seeking meaningful connections.

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View the complete data for American apps in our sortable index.

English is the most frequently supported language across popular apps

Unsurprisingly, English is the primary language featured on all of the top apps in the UK and USA, reflecting its status as the first language for the majority of the population.

French stands out as the most widely supported language after English, appearing in 78% of the top 50 popular apps in the UK. Following closely are German and Italian, both available in 76% of these apps. Additionally, Dutch, Polish, and simplified Chinese are commonly offered options, reflecting a diverse range of linguistic accessibility in the app market.

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French ranks as the second most accessible language option in the United States, appearing in 76% of the top 50 popular apps. Following closely is Spanish, available in 74% of these apps, which aligns with the fact that the US boasts over 41 million native Spanish speakers. Additionally, both Portuguese and German are featured in more than 70% of the apps, highlighting the diverse linguistic landscape of American app offerings.

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View the complete data for all languages in our sortable index.

The languages offered the least often are local or traditional dialects 

Bantu languages, which are spoken by approximately 240 million people across 27 African nations, are notably absent from the leading apps in the UK. Other languages, such as Kabyle, Hausa, Turkmen, and Uighur, also lack representation. Perhaps most surprising is the fact that none of the 50 most popular apps in the UK feature Welsh, despite its status as an official language in the country.

In the UK, the Austronesian language Tagalog is exclusively found on Instagram, while Uzbek, primarily spoken in Uzbekistan, can only be accessed through the food app Too Good To Go. Additionally, native Irish speakers have the option of using just WhatsApp among the 50 most popular apps in the country.

Methodology

We analyzed data from the top 50 free apps on the Apple App Store in the US and UK, as well as insights from the popular apps page across the UK, US, Spain, France, Italy, Australia, and Germany. Our goal was to identify which app offers the widest language support.

We’ve analyzed the supported languages for each app, breaking them down to determine the total number of languages across all 50 applications. By tallying the frequency of each language’s support, we can identify which language is the most widely supported overall.