4.9 on the App Store & Google Play

Russian fluency starts after Duolingo

Built for learners who finished beginner courses and got stuck. Real stories, conversation practice, and a path to fluency that actually keeps going.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

iOS & Android · First 3 lessons free

Brand new to Russian? Start with First Steps →
Mishka app screenshot: interactive Russian grammar lesson Mishka app screenshot: learn Russian through stories
4.9★
App Store & Google Play
231+
Tutor-made stories
181
Grammar lessons
A0 to C1
CEFR levels covered

You've done the courses. You've got the streak. So why can't you have a real conversation?

You spent months on Duolingo. You can order coffee and count to a hundred. But when a real Russian speaker talks to you, it's like starting from zero.

That's because every app abandons you at A2. They cover the basics, then leave you on your own. You end up googling grammar tables and hoping something clicks.

Mishka picks up where they leave off. Built by an intermediate learner and co-founder Valeriia, a certified Russian language tutor (Moscow State Linguistic University, University of Vienna), specifically for the A2-to-fluency gap that everyone else ignores.

Everything the other apps forgot

Mishka reading a book

Story-Based Lessons

220+ stories from A1 to C1. Follow recurring characters through stories that get harder as you do. Real context, not random sentences.

Mishka studying grammar

Grammar That Sticks

430+ interactive grammar lessons across two courses, Grammar Overview and Grammar Mastery. Cases, aspect, and conjugation through pattern recognition, not tables.

Mishka having a conversation

Conversation Missions

400+ AI conversation missions. Practice real scenarios like ordering food, making friends, and navigating tricky situations, all in Russian.

Mishka holding flashcards

Smart Flashcards

Save any word from any lesson with one tap. Spaced repetition brings it back at the right time.

Mishka writing

Writing Practice

375 writing exercises. Translate sentences or write freely in Russian and get AI feedback on grammar, vocabulary, and style.

Mishka thinking

Culture & Slang

Lessons on баня, Масленица, real idioms, and modern slang. The Russian that actually comes up in conversation.

Start from zero, or go deep on grammar

Mishka giving a thumbs up
Absolute beginners

First Steps

Never studied Russian? First Steps takes you from the alphabet to reading your first real story, one short lesson at a time.

  • 12 units, 110 lessons that build real phrases: hello and thank you, introducing yourself, ordering at a café.
  • Learn every letter by its sound, recorded by Valeriia, our co-founder and certified Russian tutor.
  • Know a little already? A short placement test lets you skip ahead.
  • The course ends with Привет!, the first story in the main library, with full audio.
Your first two units are free.
Mishka wearing a crown
A1 to B2

Grammar Mastery

The parts of Russian everyone struggles with, drilled one topic at a time until they feel natural.

  • 36 tracks, 274 lessons on cases, aspect, verbs of motion, participles and more.
  • Every answer comes with a short explanation of why it's right.
  • Save any question to your own grammar deck and review it later.
  • Earn bronze, silver and gold as your best score climbs.
Plus 158 more lessons in the Grammar Overview, searchable by topic.

A look inside Mishka

Real screenshots from the app on iOS. Android looks just as cozy.

Home screen with daily streak, idiom of the day, and story lessons
Learn through stories
Interactive grammar question explaining the genitive case
Grammar that makes sense
AI conversation mission with real-time corrections and vocabulary tips
Practice real conversations
Culture lessons about Lake Baikal, matryoshka dolls, and Russian New Year
Culture, slang & idioms
Focus areas screen turning frequent mistakes into targeted practice
Learn from your mistakes
Flashcard practice and the Mishka home screen widget
Flashcards & home widget

Swipe or scroll to see more →

Loved by people actually learning Russian

4.9 on the App Store & Google Play
★★★★★
Incredibly good app

This app does an amazing job at meeting the needs of intermediate Russian language learners. The grammar lessons and quizzes are particularly well done. Having completed the entire DuoLingo Russian course, I have never once experienced targeted testing of word endings. Mishka does exactly this.

Knickolaz App Store
★★★★★
AMAZING

Much better than Duolingo. I've tried several Russian learning apps, but Mishka is the only one that is actually challenging me. I especially love that it goes beyond the basic Привет, как тебя зовут? lessons. There is an insane amount of material here.

Astrid Ale App Store
★★★★★

Genuinely amazed! This is my favorite app. I have been so disappointed in so many apps for so long, I didn't think an app could be made this well. They even balance well between beginner and advanced sentences. Mishka is the best app I've seen. I love it.

Gerald Gallenbeck Google Play
★★★★★
amazingg!!

This is like the best app i've ever used to help me learn russian, it's really helpful especially with the stories with the quizzes and how you can pick out individual words from them and study them later, really motivates me to be consistent with practising 🫶

belleunes. App Store
★★★★★
The Best

By far the best Russian learning app I've ever had the pleasure to encounter… Being able to learn the WHY and HOW of each case and see it in use is such a huge plus. I'm recommending this app to everyone I know who shows any interest in learning Russian.

App Store reviewer App Store
★★★★★

I wasted 2 years on Duolingo! I wish I had this app back then! It is amazingly structured! Мишка лучший!

Lobster Ascending Google Play
★★★★★
Next best language learning app

This app is totally revolutionary! It took the ideas of many other well-known language apps and then added necessary grammar and curriculum guides. It's totally adorable, user friendly, and seriously well-thought out.

ThatSkyFlame App Store
★★★★★
Affordable and helpful!

I've been using Duolingo for a couple years which really only got me so far. Saw an ad for this on Instagram and immediately loved it, it is very engaging and immersive, so many ways to learn and explains things well. Finally I can expand on my grammar 😂

Skelekin App Store
★★★★★

The best way to learn Russian for any level A1-B2. Real thought put into this app.

Matthias Mar Google Play
★★★★★
Effective and friendly app

It helps you learn grammatical concepts without overwhelming you. I love that you can listen to the stories at various speeds. Improvements are ongoing and the developer is routinely adding new features that keep the app interesting!

Rafael David González App Store
★★★★★
So useful!

I've been really loving learning russian with Mishka! It's very interactive, easy with lots of explanations of words etc, and has a way of learning that reminds me of elementary school, so 100% immersion!

tripliceluna App Store
★★★★★
From far the best app

I tried this app few days ago and the surprise is huge! It's not famous and it deserves to be because it's far better than any other russian learning app! The subscription is worth it, give it a try.

maelmou App Store
★★★★★
Fun and helpful

I really enjoy using Mishka to help me learn Russian. It is super easy to use, fun and challenging. I highly recommend this app to boost your Russian.

Zihua Joel App Store
★★★★★
Happy with the app

My son is bilingual and learns Russian with a Russian tutor. Mishka helps him practice vocabulary and grammar every day on the way to and from school. Very satisfied.

OVN-S App Store
★★★★★

Pleasantly surprised... I was looking for some Russian lessons and this is even better than Duolingo.

Stanislav Kubiš Google Play
★★★★★

Easily the most thorough Russian language learning app available. Particularly impressed with the grammar section.

Jake Google Play
★★★★★
Great app for intermediate learners!

This app has a lot of content and gives you a wide range of activities and exercises to learn more and apply your skills. If you've been learning Russian for a while, I think this app is very worthwhile!

bnec122 App Store
★★★★★
Perfect for learning and beginner friendly!

Better than Duolingo by a mile! Пока!!!

Sub to Philip_games App Store
★★★★★

Very nice! I encourage people to try this app. Can totally tell the developers spent a lot of time on this project. It's simple, clean, and full of content ❤️

Dmitrii Google Play
★★★★★

This is the best app that I have ever seen. I do recommend it to everyone who loves the Russian language.

Reza Goudarzi Google Play
★★★★☆

Good application to learn Russian. Good experience.

iam.f Google Play
★★★★★

You're a hero for making this app. I wish you health and luck!

Minh Nhật Lê Google Play
★★★★★
Learning Russia

Very easy to follow and learn to speak and understand Russian.

roomba one App Store
★★★★★

Legitimately such a good app. Adapts to your skills and I feel I'm making so much progress (day 3). It does "feel" seamless and is much better than doomscrolling in terms of getting "lost" in an app. Would 100% recommend.

Donnie Bao Google Play
★★★★★
Incredibly balanced and effective!

I've been chipping away at Russian on and off for years, and made some progress, but Mishka is a next-level tool for learning! The perfect balance of reading and listening to native speakers, customized spaced-repetition flash cards, fill-in-the-blank, matching, and a little bit of gamification.

drusa17 App Store
★★★★★
This app is amazing

Ive been learning russian for 2 years. This app is so much less gamified and mindless. Every word you don't know in a story can be clicked on and easily added to your flashcards. You get to effortlessly build a vocabulary list of words that are important to you.

vgggghgghhgggh App Store
★★★★★

I love Mishka. The depth of this app is very impressive, including dozens of lessons in grammar, dozens of stories, dozens of "missions", with each organized by difficulty. If you're serious about and/or need to improve your Russian skills, the paid subscription is a no brainer.

Michael Brennan Google Play
★★★★☆
Free mode with ads would be sooo cool

This app is so much better for learning Russian than Duolingo, but the free version doesn't take you very far. I would take ad breaks for a free mode of this app, it's sooo good.

E.Samto App Store
★★★★★
Perfect. Exactly what i was looking for!

I've tried apps like Duolingo, but even after testing into a higher level, the exercises never really helped me improve. Mishka is completely different. I also really like the explanations after exercises. Instead of just telling you whether something is right or wrong, they explain why. ❤️🐻

d.hdb App Store
★★★★★

This app is specifically designed for Russian and that makes a difference, it's not just a cookie cutter language app. I have been using it for a couple months and the developers have been adding new features and improvements all the time, I recommend it.

David Google Play
★★★★★
Great app for Russian learners

I think by far the best feature are the explanation bubbles that appear once you solve a sentence. They explain explicitly why the word is correct and how it fits in that context. So you are not just memorizing words by appearance but actually learning how sentences are built.

zimab123 App Store
★★★★★
Great app

I really like the stories: you can pick stories from different language levels, listen, read, play them slower, and press words to get the translation and add to your vocab flashcards. It's improving my listening a lot.

RJK7418654 App Store
★★★★★

The app is perfect, and the customer service is truly awesome! I ran into a quick issue while trying to set up my account, and the support team responded almost instantly. Knowing the developers are this responsive and helpful makes it even better.

Saeed Mahmoudi Google Play
★★★★☆

Good app for those intermediate and advanced learners who need more than basic apps can offer. Great use of AI in chats and missions and helpful grammar exercises. I gave up on Duolingo after a couple of weeks. This is far superior!

Mary Cooch Google Play
★★★★★

Mishka was created specifically for those wanting to learn Russian. Whether you are ordering something at a restaurant, getting to know your neighbors, or trying to calm an explosive experience at a government center, this app has really catered to letting you learn.

Alék Kypc Google Play
★★★★★

Hands down the best language learning app I've ever come across.

H M Google Play
★★★★★
Perfect

This is the perfect app for actually progressing in language learning, it's got everything you need.

ctaibat App Store
★★★★★
Excellent for improving my Russian

Wonderful learning experience. Very comprehensive in the way it teaches the Russian language. I especially like the inclusion of slang and idioms to help you speak like a real Russian. Nice job.

Nickname*Taken* App Store
★★★★★
Engaging way to learn Russian

Mishka helped me to improve my vocabulary and understanding of Russian on B1+ level. I especially like the engaging storytelling and the possibility to learn idioms in context.

Aliankaaaaaaa App Store
★★★★★

Very nice app. I really enjoyed that it's not just reading but understanding the text that you read through small assignments, and it also makes you practice grammar.

Zvezdana Veljkovic Google Play
★★★★★
A great tool for learning Russian

Everything is explained in a simple and clear way, and the exercises are interesting and not boring. I especially like that you can learn at your own pace and immediately see your progress.

maureenrari App Store
★★★★★
Mishka

The interface is very user-friendly and intuitive. I especially like how convenient it is for improving vocabulary. The app provides a great way to learn new words and practice them regularly, which really helps with memorization.

Константин Гуцицин App Store
★★★★★
Amazing

Increíble app. Very intuitive and more advanced than other apps in the market.

Alan Josevish App Store
★★★★★
A very helpful app for learning Russian

There's a good mix of exercises which keeps things interesting, and the grammar explanations are helpful. Overall, it's a solid app and great for beginners!!

arinakotik_ App Store
★★★★★
Mishka is great!

I really like the app, very easy to use. Also gathering honey is such a cool feature! It has different missions and stories that help to learn Russian in a fun way!

Dex Kim App Store

Real reviews from real users worldwide, lightly edited for length and typos. Read them all on the App Store and Google Play.

Mishka the bear waving

Meet Мишка

Mishka walks you through every lesson from A1 to C1. Built by a certified tutor. Tested with real learners. No filler, no fluff.

Frequently Asked Questions

What level of Russian do I need to use Mishka?

None. Mishka covers A1 through C1 on the CEFR scale and was built first for learners at A2 and above who feel stuck after a beginner course like Duolingo. If you are starting from zero, First Steps, our course for complete beginners, teaches the alphabet and your first phrases and ends with your first real story. A short placement test at the start shows you where to begin.

How is Mishka different from Duolingo for Russian?

Duolingo is excellent for beginners, but its Russian content stops progressing meaningfully after the A2 level. Mishka picks up where Duolingo leaves off, with 220+ story-based lessons that progress through B1, B2, and C1. Mishka also offers AI-powered conversation practice, in-depth grammar lessons on topics like Russian cases and verbal aspect, and writing exercises with personalized AI feedback.

Does Mishka teach Russian grammar and cases?

Yes. Mishka includes 430+ interactive grammar lessons covering all six Russian cases (nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, instrumental, prepositional), verbal aspect (perfective and imperfective), verbs of motion, conjugation patterns, conditionals, and more. Grammar is taught through pattern recognition and contextual exercises, not memorizing tables.

I’m a complete beginner. Can I use Mishka?

Yes. First Steps is a 12-unit course of 110 short lessons for people who have never studied Russian. You learn each letter by its sound, recorded by Valeriia, our co-founder and tutor, then build the phrases you would actually use: greetings, introducing yourself, ordering at a café. It ends with your first real Russian story, and from there you continue into the main A1 library. Your first two units are free.

What is Grammar Mastery?

Grammar Mastery is Mishka's deep-practice grammar course: 36 tracks and 274 lessons from A1 to B2. Each track takes one hard topic, like the accusative case, verbs of motion, aspect or participles, and drills it step by step. Every answer comes with a short explanation, you can save any question to your own review deck, and you earn bronze, silver and gold as your best score improves.

Can I practice speaking Russian with Mishka?

Yes. Mishka includes 400+ AI conversation missions where you practice real-world scenarios in Russian: ordering food, making friends, navigating cities, job interviews, and more. The AI adapts to your level and provides real-time corrections and feedback on your grammar and vocabulary.

Who created Mishka?

Mishka was built by its two co-founders: Valeriia, a certified Russian language tutor with a teaching certificate from Moscow State Linguistic University and a master's degree from the University of Vienna, and James, an intermediate Russian learner and developer. Valeriia creates the content; James makes sure it works from a student's perspective. Every lesson is tested with real intermediate learners. You can find Valeriia's own tutoring work at learnwithvaleriia.com.

Is Mishka free?

Mishka is free to download and the first 3 lessons are free at every level. In First Steps, the course for complete beginners, your first two units are free. Full access to all content requires a Mishka Pro subscription. Download on the iOS App Store or Google Play.

What is the intermediate Russian plateau?

The intermediate plateau is when Russian learners reach the A2 level and feel stuck. They can handle basic phrases but cannot follow real conversations or express complex thoughts. Most language apps stop producing meaningful content at this level. Mishka was built specifically to break through this plateau, providing structured progression from A2 through B1, B2, and up to C1.

Does Mishka work offline?

Yes. Most of Mishka's content, including stories, grammar lessons, and flashcards, works offline. AI-powered features like conversation practice and writing feedback require an internet connection.

Is Mishka available on Android?

Yes! Mishka is now available on Google Play.

Mishka celebrating

Stop plateauing. Start actually learning.

Rated 4.9 on the App Store and Google Play.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

iOS & Android · First 3 lessons free