I often get questions from readers about the different learn French software packages. Every persons drive to learn French is unique, but there are several things most people seem to be looking for: a fun and interactive learning system, a fair price, and something that will get them SPEAKING French quickly. With these criteria in mind, I wanted to review two popular options for learning French – Rocket French and Rosetta Stone.

Let’s take a look at the two programs and see how they measures against the other on different levels.

Interactive Learning

Both courses offer lessons in interactive audio format. Rosetta Stone comes as a software you can install on your computer, as well as in an “Audio Companion” format of either CDs or MP3s. Since I had the lessons available on MP3, I could access them in the gym, on the bus, or anywhere else I had a few minutes to spare. The MP3 option was a great choice.

Rocket French lessons come in 31 audio CDs, complete with lesson transcripts that let you follow with your eyes whatever it is you’re hearing. You can also access the same audio material in MP3 format – which as I mentioned above, I found useful.

Another thing I liked about Rocket French was the games. They help you learn French without making it feel like you’re sitting in a classroom. The package includes three games to build vocabulary, grammar, and sentence construction skills. This helped bring the interactivity to another level.

Winner: Both packages offer interactive formats in MP3, which is great for a person like me who is on the go a lot. I would give a slight advantage to Rocket French here because of the games they offer.

Fair Price

Rosetta Stone French is offered in a number of different packages. Their most basic learn French software starts at $259. Their complete learn French package costs $549.

Rocket French is offered in two packages – the MP3-only version at $99 and the complete package for $299.

Winner: Rocket French was the clear winner in the pricing department. I opted for the MP3-only version of Rocket French and saved $159 as compared to the basic Rosetta Stone package.

Speaking French Quickly

Most people I’ve known who want to learn French are doing so in order to actually be able to speak French. In other words, they might appreciate the importance of things like grammar, but they are really considered with conversing with someone in French.

Understanding what a native speaker is saying, how they’re saying it, and getting a grasp of what they actually mean is important to give you the confidence to open your mouth and start speaking French.

Rocket French presents its lesson in a very French way – exactly like a real French conversation in France would go. You’ll learn what to say in common situations such as how to introduce yourself, greet others, ask questions, or ask for directions. As you go up the lessons, you retain previous learning because you need to draw on your store of stock knowledge to make progress with the present lessons. In other words, Rocket French lessons are not presented independently but chronologically, as part of an entire package. The lessons start small and simple and progress in difficulty as the learner advances in knowledge level.

Rosetta Stone’s French package will teach you French, but it will do so in a much slower way. It is also less focused on getting to speaking French right away. The pace of learning was quite frustrating at times, as I found myself being forced to learn terms I would never really use in the real world.

Winner: If learning French fast is a concern, I would recommend Rocket French. Rosetta Stone will teach you the same material, just a lot slower.

Overall Winner

Rocket French was the clear winner in the price and learning fast categories, and a narrow winner in the interactive learning category. Overall, if you want to learn French fast – I would strongly recommend Rocket French.