Language Reactor 2026: Pricing, Features & Linglass Comparison

The short answer: Language Reactor is free to start, and its Pro plan costs $5.95 a month or $39.95 a year. Linglass is a newer extension for YouTube, Netflix, iQIYI and Viki with apps for iOS and Android; its free plan includes dual subtitles, contextual translation, pronunciation with phonetic spelling and built-in flashcards, and Premium costs $7.99 a month or $59.99 a year. Language Reactor is the cheaper and more established tool; Linglass goes further on pronunciation, grammar and reviewing the words you save.

Language Reactor has been the go-to browser extension for learning languages from video since 2019 — it set the standard for dual subtitles on YouTube and Netflix. Linglass takes a different bet: it goes deeper on the learning loop — pronunciation, phonetics, AI grammar and a built-in spaced repetition system.

We built Linglass, so we're obviously biased. We'll do our best to be honest about where each tool wins.

Quick Comparison

Prices were checked on both sites on 10 September 2026.

Dual Subtitles on YouTube and Netflix

Both extensions show two subtitle tracks simultaneously — see our full guide to Netflix dual subtitles for how the feature works and the alternatives. This is the core feature that makes video-based language learning work.

Language Reactor has supported YouTube and Netflix since the rebrand from "Language Learning with Netflix" in 2021. Its UI is mature but reviewers describe it as "outdated, like early 2010s" — the player overlay hasn't changed much in years.

Linglass also works on YouTube and Netflix. On Netflix, the two language tracks almost always break subtitles into different chunks — lines start and end at different moments. That's why many extensions show one original line paired with two different translation lines back-to-back, or shift the translation behind the audio. Linglass takes each line in your translation track and locks it to whichever original line it overlaps with the most, time-wise. What you see on top always matches the translation below — nothing slides out of sync over the course of an episode.

Linglass's subtitle display is also more customizable — font size, color, opacity and position are all adjustable.

Winner: Linglass on platform coverage — it adds iQIYI and Viki on top of YouTube and Netflix, where Language Reactor stops at the two. Linglass also edges ahead on Netflix sync precision and visual customization.

Word Translation

When you click a word in the subtitles, both extensions show a translation. But the approach is fundamentally different.

Language Reactor uses a built-in dictionary. You get a definition, sometimes with examples. It's fast and reliable for common words. Machine translation (full-sentence translation in the popup) is a Pro-only feature — on the free plan you get dictionary lookups, not contextual translation.

Linglass uses contextual AI translation for every clicked word, on the free plan — it analyzes the full sentence to translate the word based on how it's actually used.

Why does this matter? Many English words change meaning depending on context. A dictionary gives you all possible translations and leaves you to figure out which one fits:

• "kind" in "She's a kind person" → "добрый" (adjective, character trait)
• "kind" in "What kind of music?" → "какой" (type, variety)
• "kind" in "That was kind of weird" → "как бы" (colloquial softener)

A dictionary shows all three meanings every time. Contextual translation shows only the one that applies in the sentence you're watching — which helps build correct associations from the start, rather than memorizing the wrong meaning and having to unlearn it later.

Winner: Linglass — contextual translation is free and resolves polysemy in-sentence.

Pronunciation and Phonetic Transcription

This is where the two extensions diverge significantly.

Language Reactor lets you replay any subtitle line to hear it again, and its dictionary shows basic phonetic transcription when you click a word. What it doesn't do is read a single clicked word aloud — to hear a word on its own, you have to catch it inside the line or use a separate tool.

Linglass plays back every clicked word out loud (text-to-speech) right inside the translation popup. Next to it you also see the phonetic spelling (IPA) — how the word actually sounds, before you even press play. Both the audio and the phonetics are free.

For Chinese specifically, Linglass also splits Chinese text into words (Chinese has no spaces between them) and plays each one back in a native voice — something LR's dictionary approach doesn't address with the same depth.

For learners who care about pronunciation — and you should, accent calcifies fast — hearing the actual sound is a significant advantage over reading transcription alone.

Winner: Linglass — built-in pronunciation for every word, free.

AI Grammar Explanation

Language Reactor has Lexa, an AI dictionary that explains words and phrases with a language model — a basic model on the free plan and a stronger one on Pro. It is built around the word you clicked rather than the structure of the whole sentence.

Linglass has AI grammar explanation: pick a subtitle line or select text, and the extension returns a breakdown — the construction's name, its CEFR/JLPT/HSK/TOPIK level, and a clause-by-clause walkthrough of how the sentence is put together. Useful when you can translate every word but can't quite explain why the sentence works. The free plan includes 5 explanations per month, and Premium raises the allowance.

Winner: Linglass — a structured, sentence-level breakdown rather than a word explanation.

Flashcards and Vocabulary Review

Saving words is easy in both extensions. The real question is what happens after.

Language Reactor saves words and phrases, highlights them wherever they come up again, and lets you review them in flashcards on its website or export them to Anki with images and audio. On the free plan you can save only inside PhrasePump — saving while you watch and the Anki export need Pro. If you already have an Anki workflow, this fits it well.

Linglass has a built-in FSRS — a modern spaced repetition algorithm that Anki itself has offered since 2023. It adapts to how your memory actually behaves with each specific word, and brings the word back for review right when you're about to forget it — not earlier (reviewing too often wastes your time), not later (if you've already forgotten, you're relearning from scratch).

The difference is that all of this happens in one place, on the free plan. When you save a word in Linglass, the extension captures:

• A screenshot of the video frame — the exact scene where you heard the word
• An audio clip of the phrase — the actual speaker's voice from the subtitle
• The full sentence with your word highlighted
• Translation and phonetic spelling
• A link back to the video with the exact timestamp

When you review later, you don't just see a word and its translation on a blank card. You see the scene, hear the original voice, and read the sentence — your brain reconnects with the moment you first encountered the word. This activates visual and auditory memory together, which significantly improves retention compared to text-only flashcards.

Winner: Linglass — rich-media flashcards with FSRS scheduling, built in and free; with Language Reactor, saving words while you watch needs Pro.

Where Language Reactor Wins

To be fair, LR has real advantages worth naming:

• A cheaper paid plan. Pro is $5.95 a month or $39.95 a year, against $7.99 and $59.99 for Linglass Premium.
• Speech recognition on Netflix (Pro). It can make subtitles from any audio track, including dubs, so a dubbed series gets text that matches what you hear.
• Aria, an AI chat partner. You can chat with it in the language you're learning; on Pro it remembers your earlier conversations.
• Anki export with images and audio (Pro). If your review already lives in Anki, saved words go straight there.
• Brand recognition since 2019. Most "how to learn from video" guides on the internet recommend LR by default. That's not a small thing.

The trade-off: machine translation, saving words while you watch and the stronger AI model all sit behind Pro.

Language Reactor Pricing and Features in 2026

Language Reactor pricing (2026): the free plan covers dual subtitles on YouTube and Netflix, dictionary lookups, a basic version of the Lexa AI dictionary, chat with Aria and the video catalog. Pro is $5.95 a month, $13.95 for three months or $39.95 a year (≈ $3.33 a month). It adds machine translation, saving words and phrases everywhere with Anki export, speech-recognition subtitles for any Netflix audio track, a stronger model for Lexa and memory for Aria. The checkout shows the price in your local currency, so the exact number can differ slightly.

Linglass pricing (2026): the free tier includes 15 contextual AI translations per day, unlimited saved words with flashcard review, audio playback and phonetics on every clicked word, plus 5 AI grammar explanations per month. Premium is $7.99 a month, or $59.99 a year ($5 a month) — it removes the daily translation limit, raises the grammar allowance and lifts the free plan's video-length cap on AI subtitles.

Comparing free plans: Language Reactor's free plan is generous on lookups and the catalog; Linglass's is generous on what you keep — saving words, flashcard review, audio and phonetics are all free, while LR keeps saving outside PhrasePump behind Pro.

Comparing paid plans: Language Reactor is cheaper on both cycles — $5.95 against $7.99 a month, and $39.95 against $59.99 a year. What LR Pro buys is machine translation, saving words while you watch, Anki export and speech recognition on Netflix; what Linglass Premium adds on top of its free plan is unlimited daily translation and more grammar explanations.

Who Should Choose What

Choose Language Reactor if:

• You want the cheapest paid plan
• You already have an Anki workflow and don't want to leave it
• You watch dubbed series on Netflix and want subtitles that match the dub (Pro)
• You'd like an AI chat partner in the language you're learning
• You want the most established, widely-recommended tool

Choose Linglass if:

• You watch YouTube and Netflix — or iQIYI and Viki — and want stable, drift-free dual subs
• You want to hear pronunciation for every word and see the phonetic spelling alongside it
• You want rich flashcards with screenshots and audio clips from the exact video moment
• You want built-in FSRS review without setting up Anki
• You prefer contextual AI translation over dictionary definitions
• You want AI grammar explanation for sentences you can read but don't fully understand
• You're learning Chinese and want proper word splitting, audio playback and phonetic spelling
• You want to keep learning on your phone, iPhone or Android

Try Linglass free →

Frequently asked questions

What is Language Reactor?

Language Reactor is a free browser extension for desktop Chrome and Edge, formerly called Language Learning with Netflix. It shows two subtitle tracks at once on YouTube and Netflix, looks words up in a dictionary as you watch, and adds a video catalog and Aria, an AI chat partner.

How much does Language Reactor cost?

The free plan costs nothing. Language Reactor Pro costs $5.95 a month, $13.95 for three months or $39.95 a year, as listed on 10 September 2026. The checkout shows the price in your local currency, so the exact number can differ slightly.

Is Language Reactor free?

Yes, the core is free: dual subtitles on YouTube and Netflix, dictionary lookups, a basic AI dictionary and chat with Aria. Machine translation, saving words outside PhrasePump, Anki export, speech-recognition subtitles on Netflix and the stronger AI model require Pro.

Does Language Reactor work on a phone or tablet?

No. It is a desktop browser extension with no iPhone, iPad or Android app, and browser extensions don't run inside the YouTube or Netflix mobile apps. Linglass has an app for iPhone, iPad and Android with dual subtitles for YouTube.

Is Linglass free?

Yes. The free plan includes dual subtitles, contextual translation of clicked words with a daily limit, pronunciation audio with phonetic spelling, and unlimited saved words with built-in flashcard review. Premium costs $7.99 a month or $59.99 a year and removes the daily translation limit.

Is Linglass better than Language Reactor?

It depends on what you need. Language Reactor is cheaper and more established, and its Pro plan adds machine translation, Anki export and speech-recognition subtitles on Netflix. Linglass is the better fit if you want to hear and review the words you save: pronunciation, phonetic spelling, saving and flashcards are free, it explains grammar sentence by sentence, it also works on iQIYI and Viki, and it has apps for iOS and Android.

The Bottom Line

Language Reactor is the established, widely-known option. Its free plan is genuinely generous, its Pro plan is cheaper, and for many casual learners it's all they need.

Linglass is newer and goes deeper on the learning loop. It doesn't have LR's brand recognition or its lower price — but it gives you free audio playback and phonetic spelling on every word, contextual AI translation that resolves polysemy, AI grammar explanation, and FSRS-powered flashcards with the screenshot + audio + sentence from the exact moment you saved the word.

Both extensions cover YouTube and Netflix, and both are free to start with. If you're not sure, install both and see which workflow you actually return to after a week. If you want a wider comparison across the whole category, see our Language Reactor alternatives roundup.