Written by the team that makes Stemmy. We have tried to be fair. Every fact about Readlang below comes from Readlang's own website, forum and Chrome Web Store listing, checked on 11 October 2026, and is linked in the sources at the end.
How to read well on a lookup budget
Many reading tools cap free AI explanations, Readlang and Stemmy included. That is not all bad: a budget makes you choose which words matter. Here is a simple routine that works with any tool, or with a paper dictionary.
- Read the paragraph to the end first. Many unknown words become clear once you see the next sentence.
- Guess, then check. Say your guess before you look the word up. Even a wrong guess helps the answer stick.
- Spend lookups on words that block meaning. If you can follow the sentence without the word, mark it and move on.
- Spend them on words that repeat. A word you see three times in one report is a word your field uses.
- Keep the sentence. Write the word down with the sentence you found it in. The sentence is what helps you recognise the word next time.
- Review within a few days. A word you meet once and never see again tends to fade. A short review at growing intervals keeps it.
Our guide on how to remember new English words while reading online goes deeper into the last two steps.
What Readlang does
Readlang describes itself as a way to "learn a language reading what you love". As of 11 October 2026, its home page and its Chrome Web Store listing say you can:
- Click any word, or drag across a phrase, on a web page to translate it, using the Readlang Web Reader extension.
- Get flashcards and vocab lists made from the words you translate, and practise them whenever you like.
- Ask for AI context explanations of words and phrases.
- Upload your own texts, or right-click a page and import a plain-text version to read on readlang.com.
- Read in many languages. The home page lists Spanish, German, French, English, Italian and others, "+ 100 More Languages".
Readlang also works on phones. Its help forum shows how to add readlang.com to an iPhone, iPad or Android home screen (as of 11 October 2026). Stemmy is a Chrome extension only, so for phone reading, that is a real point in Readlang's favour.
As of 23 October 2026, the Readlang Web Reader listing shows 100,000 users and a 4.2 out of 5 rating from 221 ratings. It was last updated on 9 October 2026 and notes that it offers in-app purchases.
Readlang's free plan and prices
These figures come from Readlang's pricing page, as of 23 October 2026.
| Readlang plan | Price | Key limits |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Unlimited single-word translations. 10 phrase translations a day (up to 6 words each). 10 context explanations a day. Word highlighting for 200 words in total. Standard AI model. |
| Premium | $6 a month or $48 a year | Unlimited phrase translations (up to 12 words) and context explanations. High-quality voices for words and phrases. 10 hours of audio storage. 2 streak repairs a month. |
| Premium Plus | $15 a month or $120 a year | Everything in Premium, plus voices for whole texts, 200 hours of audio storage and Readlang's advanced AI model. |
The pricing page says Premium can be cancelled at any time, and one subscription covers all supported languages.
For a free user, the key detail is the daily allowance. Readlang's free plan gives 10 context explanations per day, and single-word translations are unlimited. The 200-word highlighting limit is a total, not a daily figure.
What Stemmy does
Stemmy is a free Chrome extension for people who read English at work and learners preparing for exams.
When you highlight a word, click the Stemmy button beside it or press Alt+Shift+D, the Ghost Card opens. It shows the meaning that fits the sentence you are reading, the word's roots (we call this WordDNA) and its pronunciation. Cloud audio plays when you press play, with browser speech as the fallback. AI features need a free account (Google Sign-In or email). Each account gets 150 free AI uses in total, once; Ghost Card lookups and cloud voice draw on them.
When you save a word, it goes into your Vocabulary Wallet with its meaning, the source sentence and the page link. You can search words, grouped into categories, in the side panel or the dashboard, and export or import the wallet as JSON.
Saved words come back in Reviews: short, resumable spaced-repetition sessions (FSRS) that cover only the words that are due. You rate each one Again, Hard, Good or Easy. Our vocabulary flashcards guide explains how the schedule works.
A few more features build on the wallet. X-Ray scans a difficult page and shows which words are worth learning. AI Stories writes short passages from the words in your review queue. Immersion (optional) shows your saved words again on pages you read, with one click back to the original text. Wallet Letters (optional) emails you up to three due words on the schedule you choose, with "I remembered / I forgot" links that update your reviews.
Free to install. No paid plan is offered today. Once the included uses are spent, your wallet, reviews, the toolbar badge and export keep working, and looking up a word you already saved stays free; new AI meanings wait for a future allowance. Questions: hello@stemmy.app.
Side by side
| Stemmy | Readlang | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Reading English: at work or for exams | Learning a new language by reading; 100+ languages |
| Lookup | Meaning that fits the sentence, roots and pronunciation (AI, free account needed) | Click-to-translate words and phrases; AI context explanations |
| Free allowance | 150 AI uses in total, once per account | Unlimited word translations; 10 phrase translations and 10 context explanations a day |
| Paid plans | None offered today | $6/month or $48/year; $15/month or $120/year |
| Saved words | Vocabulary Wallet with meaning, sentence and page link; categories and search | Flashcards and vocab lists from words you translate |
| Review | Spaced-repetition Reviews (FSRS) of due words | Flashcard practice |
| Word roots | WordDNA on every Ghost Card | Not described on its site or listing |
| Where it runs | Chrome; sync across signed-in Chrome browsers | Chrome extension; readlang.com, which can be added to an iPhone, iPad or Android home screen |
Which one should you choose?
Choose Readlang if you are learning Spanish, German or another language, and you want translations into a language you already know. Its free phrase and explanation limits are per day, it can be used on phones through readlang.com, and it lets you read uploaded texts in its own reader. If you read a lot of phrases, Premium removes the daily caps.
Choose Stemmy if English is the language you need, and you want to understand the exact sense a word has in a report, a contract or an exam passage. Stemmy keeps the sentence and the link with each word, shows its roots, and schedules reviews for you. No paid plan is offered today.
You can also use both: one for the language you are learning, one for the English you read at work. See also our guides to English words with meaning and root words and etymology.
Frequently asked questions
Is Readlang free?
Readlang has a free plan. As of 23 October 2026, its pricing page lists unlimited single-word translations and 10 context explanations a day for free users. Premium costs $6 a month or $48 a year.
Is Stemmy a free alternative to Readlang?
For English, yes. Stemmy is free to install and no paid plan is offered today. AI meanings need a free account (Google Sign-In or email), and each account gets 150 free AI uses in total, once. For other languages, Stemmy is not a replacement: it is built for English.
Does Stemmy translate words into my language?
Stemmy shows the English meaning that fits your sentence, with roots and pronunciation. For translations into another language, Readlang is built for that.
Do Stemmy's 150 AI uses reset every day?
No. They are a one-time total per account. Ghost Card lookups and cloud voice draw on them. Readlang's free plan, by contrast, gives 10 context explanations per day.
Does Stemmy work on my phone?
Stemmy is a Chrome extension and works in Chrome on your computer. Your wallet can sync across signed-in Chrome browsers. Readlang can be added to an iPhone, iPad or Android home screen from readlang.com, according to its help forum.
Where does Stemmy keep my words?
Your wallet, reviews and settings are stored in your browser. When you ask for a meaning, only the word and its sentence go to the AI provider. Read the full privacy page for details.
Sources
- Readlang pricing page: free plan limits, Premium and Premium Plus prices and features. Checked 11 October 2026.
- Readlang home page: click to translate, flashcards, AI context explanations, text uploads, "+ 100 More Languages", free and paid plans. Checked 11 October 2026.
- Readlang forum: installing on a phone home screen, linked from the site footer. Checked 11 October 2026.
- Readlang Web Reader on the Chrome Web Store: features, 100,000 users, 4.3 out of 5 from 221 ratings, updated 9 October 2026, offers in-app purchases. Checked 11 October 2026.