Our method · Last updated 27 October 2026
How we review
Every app, book, course and tutor for learning Irish (sometimes called Irish Gaelic) is judged against the same published rubric. We publish it here so you can check any ranking against it.
Our reviewers are Irish teachers. [Short description of the review team as a group, e.g. “They teach at primary, secondary and adult level.”] We describe them as a group, not by name.
9
criteria, the same for every resource
10 hours
minimum with every app and course before we score it
6 months
at most between re-checks of every review
The rubric
Nine criteria, weighted to a score out of 100
Each criterion is marked from 1 to 10. Teaching, accuracy, speaking and listening, and value carry the most weight, because they matter most to whether you actually learn.
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Teaching quality
15%
A 10 looks like: Clear progression, explains grammar and revisits material.
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Accuracy of the Irish
15%
A 10 looks like: Natural, correct Irish, checked by a fluent speaker.
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Speaking and listening
15%
A 10 looks like: Native-speaker audio, with chances to speak and get feedback.
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Price and value
15%
A 10 looks like: Honest pricing, a generous free tier, or strong value when paid.
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Beginner suitability
10%
A 10 looks like: A true beginner can start without help.
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Dialect coverage
10%
A 10 looks like: The dialect is labelled, with a choice of dialects or a clear standard.
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Depth
10%
A 10 looks like: Takes a learner well beyond the basics.
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Ease of use
5%
A 10 looks like: Works well on a phone, is accessible and uses no dark patterns.
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Engagement
5%
A 10 looks like: Streaks, leaderboards, competitions and other features that keep you practising.
How the score adds up
From marks to a score
Each criterion is worth its weight in points: 15, 10 or 5. A mark of 7 out of 10 on a 15-point criterion earns 10.5 points, and the points are added together. A resource marked 10 on every criterion would score 100.
This is the calculation for Mango Languages’ provisional score on our best apps for learning Irish page. Every score we publish can be checked the same way, because every review shows its marks.
Worked example: Mango Languages
- Teaching quality 7/10 × 15 = 10.5
- Accuracy of the Irish 7/10 × 15 = 10.5
- Speaking and listening 7/10 × 15 = 10.5
- Price and value 10/10 × 15 = 15
- Beginner suitability 8/10 × 10 = 8
- Dialect coverage 4/10 × 10 = 4
- Depth 5/10 × 10 = 5
- Ease of use 8/10 × 5 = 4
- Engagement 4/10 × 5 = 2
Score69.5/100
Testing rules
How we test
A score only means something if every resource earns it the same way. These rules apply to every review.
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At least 10 hours with every app and course
Each reviewer uses an app or course for at least 10 hours before scoring it, and reads every book in full.
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Prices checked within 30 days
Prices, features and availability are checked within 30 days before we publish, and the date checked is shown on the page.
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Re-checked every six months
Every review is re-checked at least every six months, or sooner when a product changes significantly.
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Ranked by learner, not just by score
Every ranked list also shows picks by learner type, so a resource with a lower overall score can still be the best fit for you.
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Facts cited, opinions marked
Facts are linked to their sources. Our opinions are marked as ours, for example “in our testing”.
In every review
What we always tell you
Who it suits
Every review ends with “best for” and “not ideal for” lines, written for six kinds of learner:
Adult beginners Returning learners Exam students (Junior Cycle and Leaving Cert) Parents of young learners Learners abroad Teachers
Which dialect it teaches
We label every resource and every example of Irish as Munster, Connacht or Ulster Irish, or An Caighdeán Oifigiúil (the official standard). When a maker doesn’t say, we tell you that too.
What it really costs
Prices are in euro, with US dollars and sterling where the maker shows them, plus the date we checked. Prices published only in dollars or sterling are converted at European Central Bank reference rates and marked ≈, because what you pay in the Irish App Store or Google Play can differ.
Strengths and limitations
We say where a resource shines and where it falls short. If a different resource would suit you better, we say so, whatever its score.
Provisional scores
When a score is marked provisional
Before our teachers have finished hands-on testing, we may publish provisional marks from desk research: the makers’ own information, app store listings and independent reporting, judged against this same rubric. Provisional scores are always labelled as provisional.
Our current app rankings are provisional. Tested marks will replace them once each app has had at least 10 hours of use.
No conflicts of interest
We’re a non-profit. We use no affiliate links, accept no sponsorship, and no company can pay to be reviewed, ranked or featured.
A reviewer who has worked for, been paid by or holds a stake in a resource never reviews or scores it. Free review copies are accepted only on the same terms for everyone, are disclosed in the review, and never guarantee coverage.
Read our independence policyCorrections
Prices change and resources get updated. Learners and companies can report an error, and every correction is dated on the page where it was made.
Report an errorChanges to this rubric
- 27 October 2026: Engagement added at 5%, for features that keep you practising, such as streaks, leaderboards and competitions. Its weight came from teaching quality, which went from 20% to 15%.