Panjabi Go and Ling both teach Punjabi in the Gurmukhi script, but they suit different learners. Ling covers more than 70 languages with short, game-style lessons. Panjabi Go teaches Panjabi alone, in depth, with 235 lessons, AI feedback on each sound and a growing library of audiobooks and stories. Pick Ling if you want many languages on one plan. Pick Panjabi Go if Panjabi is the language you care about.
Last checked: 15 October 2026. Prices are from each company's US website unless I say otherwise.
I built Panjabi Go, so keep that in mind as you read. I took every fact about Ling from Ling's own pages and its app store listings, and I link them at the end. Where Ling is the better choice, I say so.
How do Panjabi Go and Ling compare?
| Panjabi Go | Ling | |
|---|---|---|
| Languages | Panjabi | More than 70 |
| Script | Gurmukhi, from the 35 akhar | Gurmukhi |
| Course size | 235 lessons in 30 units, and a dictionary of more than 35,000 words | Not stated on Ling's Punjabi page |
| Stories and audiobooks | A growing library: 8 audiobook summaries and 10 short stories so far | Cultural stories, travel guides and news articles |
| Speaking practice | An AI Pronunciation Coach that checks each sound, and AI Voice Chat | Speaking exercises |
| AI features | AI Voice Chat, an AI Tutor, Ladoo (an AI study buddy), the AI Pronunciation Coach and a Translator that works with text, speech and photos | An AI chatbot for daily conversations |
| Writing practice | Typing in Gurmukhi, not handwriting | Finger tracing |
| 3D mouth videos | Yes | Not found on Ling's pages |
| Games | Letter Lightning, Sentence Shuffle, Who's Who, Word Catch | Games, flashcards, dialogues and role-play |
| Free option | 7-day free trial, no card | 7-day free trial, plus a free tier with limited lessons and ads |
| Monthly price | From $9.99 | $16.99 |
| Yearly price | From $99.90 | $89.99 |
| Lifetime plan | $800 | None listed |
| Platforms | iOS and Android, launching soon | iOS and Android |
What does Panjabi Go do differently?
Panjabi Go goes deep on one language. I grew up in the UK speaking Panjabi quite well, but English became my default at school. I learned Gurmukhi at Sunday school, and the reading got rusty. When I had kids, I worried that they would lose the language, so I built the app that I wanted for my own family.
- Gurmukhi from the first letter. You learn the 35 akhar, then laga matra and Muharni. I explain the alphabet in my guide to the 35 akhar.
- Feedback on each sound. The AI Pronunciation Coach listens to you and checks each sound in a word or a sentence. Lessons also teach the tones that Panjabi uses to tell some words apart, which I explain in Punjabi tones explained.
- 3D mouth videos. They show where your tongue and lips go for sounds that English does not have. You can see how this works in how Panjabi Go teaches pronunciation.
- Words for family life. Lessons cover family relations, akhaan (proverbs), the Nanakshahi calendar, and phrases for the gurdwara and weddings.
- A daily habit. Lessons are short, with spaced repetition, streaks, four games and AI Voice Chat.
- 235 lessons and a big dictionary. The lessons sit in 30 units, from the letters to guided dialogues and culture. The dictionary has more than 35,000 words.
- AI that talks with you. AI Voice Chat is a spoken conversation with a character called Jaspal Singh, at three levels, and it uses words from your own word list (the Wordbank). The AI Tutor answers your questions in text and suggests lessons. Ladoo, an AI study buddy, plans what you study next.
- A growing library of audiobooks and stories. There are 8 audiobook summaries of popular books, such as Atomic Habits and Why We Sleep, read in Panjabi. The Gurmukhi text follows the audio word by word, and you tap a word to see what it means. There are also 10 short stories set in Punjabi villages, told by several voices. More are on the way.
- More ways to practise. There are 48 everyday conversation scenarios. Panjabi Typing gives you a Gurmukhi keyboard, and it turns Panjabi typed in English letters into Gurmukhi.
When is Ling the better choice?
- You want more than one language. One Ling plan covers more than 70 languages. Panjabi Go teaches Panjabi and nothing else.
- You want the lowest yearly price. Ling's yearly plan is $89.99 on its US website. Panjabi Go's cheapest annual plan is $99.90.
- You want a free tier. Ling keeps some lessons free, with ads. Panjabi Go has a 7-day trial, then a paid plan.
- You want to practise writing letters with your finger. Ling has finger tracing for this.
- You want an app with a long record. The Ling app has 4.6 stars from about 16,000 ratings on the US App Store, and its Punjabi app on Google Play has more than 50,000 downloads. Panjabi Go is new.
When is Panjabi Go the better choice?
- You want Panjabi in depth. Every lesson, game and phrase is about Panjabi and Panjabi family life.
- You want audiobooks in Panjabi. You listen to book summaries and short stories, and the Gurmukhi text follows the audio word by word.
- You want more AI help than a chatbot. Panjabi Go has AI Voice Chat for spoken conversation, an AI Tutor, Ladoo and the AI Pronunciation Coach.
- You want to know if you sound right. The AI Pronunciation Coach checks each sound, and the 3D mouth videos show you how to fix it.
- You want a plan for the whole family. The Family Pack gives four people a Fluent seat each.
- You never want to pay again. Panjabi Go has a Lifetime plan. Ling does not list one.
How long will it take to speak Punjabi with either app?
Ling says that you can have basic conversations in 6 to 10 weeks at 10 minutes a day. My estimate is slower. Most adults can read Gurmukhi in 4-6 weeks, and a basic conversation takes six to twelve months of regular practice. I explain where those numbers come from in how long it takes to learn Punjabi.
How much do Panjabi Go and Ling cost?
Panjabi Go has three plans: Read, Speak and Fluent. They cost $9.99, $14.99 and $19.99 a month in the US, or £6.99, £9.99 and £14.99 in the UK. A year costs the same as 10 months, so annual plans start at $99.90. There is also a Lifetime plan at $800 (£600), and a Family Pack with four Fluent seats at $59.97 (£44.97) a month. You can compare them on the pricing page.
Ling costs $16.99 a month, $64.99 for six months or $89.99 a year on its US website. On the UK App Store, it lists £12.99 to £14.99 a month and £47.99 to £79.99 a year.
What can't Panjabi Go do?
- It has no web app. You learn on an iPhone or an Android phone.
- It has no offline mode, so you need an internet connection.
- One device can be signed in to an account at a time.
- It is for ages 13 and up.
- It teaches standard Panjabi in Gurmukhi. It does not teach the Shahmukhi script, which I compare in Gurmukhi vs Shahmukhi.
Most language apps don't teach Panjabi. We do, and so does Ling. If one language is your goal, start the free trial and see if the lessons suit you.
Sources
Questions people ask
Is Ling good for learning Punjabi?
Ling has a Punjabi course in the Gurmukhi script with flashcards, dialogues, role-play, games, finger tracing for writing, speaking exercises and an AI chatbot. It suits short daily sessions, and one subscription covers more than 70 languages.
Is Panjabi Go cheaper than Ling?
Month to month, Panjabi Go starts lower: $9.99 against Ling's $16.99 on its US website. For a full year, Ling costs less: $89.99 against $99.90 for Panjabi Go's cheapest annual plan.
Do Ling and Panjabi Go both teach Gurmukhi?
Yes, both use the Gurmukhi script. Panjabi Go starts from the 35 akhar, then laga matra and Muharni, with native-quality audio on every letter and word.
Can I try both apps before I pay?
Yes. Ling has a 7-day free trial and a free tier with limited lessons and ads. Panjabi Go has a 7-day free trial in the app, and you do not need a card to start it.
How many lessons does Panjabi Go have?
Panjabi Go has 235 lessons in 30 units, from the Gurmukhi letters to guided dialogues. It also has a dictionary of more than 35,000 words and a growing library of audiobook summaries and short stories.
