Lector
Lector: A flexible immersion reader with strong imports, SRS, AI tools, and self-hosting. Ranked #3 of 25 in Language Immersion Apps by our editors (8.8/10); pricing: Free plan; best for budget learners wanting self-hosted control.
At a glance
- Editor score8.8 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forBudget learners wanting self-hosted control
- Free planYes
- Paid from$50/yr
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Imports EPUBs, articles, YouTube transcripts, pasted text, and podcasts
- Combines SRS, cloze practice, vocabulary tracking, and Anki sync
- Offers free open-source self-hosting with unlimited usage
Where it doesn't
- Platform coverage is limited to web and self-hosted access
- The Free plan limits imports, collections, and AI dictionary glosses
- Cloud Plus is required for the highest AI and transcription allowances
Our verdict on Lector
Lector is a language-learning reader for learners who want to study with their own books, articles, videos, and podcasts. It supports EPUB files, web articles, pasted text, YouTube transcripts, and podcast audio, then adds click-to-translate reading, vocabulary saving, frequency-ordered cloze practice, and spaced-repetition scheduling. With 24 language packs, two-way Anki synchronization, AI tutoring, journal-writing correction, and offline-first storage for reading and vocabulary, it is aimed at learners building a personalised immersion workflow rather than following a fixed course.
The free options make Lector accessible at two different levels. The Free plan costs $0 per month and includes up to 200 imported texts, 10 collections, 1,000 AI dictionary glosses per month, Anki sync, and free browser voices. Self-hosted access is also free forever, open source, supports unlimited usage, keeps data on the learner’s hardware, and allows bring-your-own LLM keys or a local model. For managed hosting, Cloud costs $5 per month or $50 per year and adds managed hosting, 5,000 managed AI requests per month, 10,000 AI dictionary glosses per month, podcast transcription, and email support. Cloud Plus costs $12 per month or $120 per year and raises the allowances while adding 15 hours of monthly podcast transcription, unlimited journal writing and library, and priority support.
Lector’s strongest distinction is the breadth of content it can turn into study material. Vocabulary mining, word-state tracking, cloze and multiple-choice or typing practice, offline-first storage, and integrations with Anki, Claude, Ollama, LM Studio, vLLM, OpenAI-compatible endpoints, and Google Cloud Text-to-Speech give it a configurable ecosystem. The trade-off is scope: access is listed for web and self-hosted environments, so it is less suitable for learners who want broader platform coverage. Pick Lector for control, authentic content, and flexible AI options; choose another tool if web or self-hosted access does not fit your study setup.
Your product? Our editors can test Lector in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Lector pricing
All 4 Lector plans and prices →
Lector fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $50/yr |
| Content formats | EPUB files, web articles, pasted text, YouTube captions/transcripts, podcasts |
| Learner levels | Not verified |
| Offline access | Yes |
| Transcripts or captions | Yes |
| Interactive practice | Yes |
| Supported languages | 24 languages |
| Money-back guarantee | 14 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 9 integrations: Anki, Anthropic Claude, Ollama, LM Studio, vLLM, OpenAI-compatible endpoints … |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | lector.dev |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Lector integrations
Lector lists 9 integrations on its own site.
- Anki
- Anthropic Claude
- Ollama
- LM Studio
- vLLM
- OpenAI-compatible endpoints
- Google Cloud Text-to-Speech
- Discord
- GitHub
Alternatives to Lector
- LingQA broad immersion platform for learners who want authentic content and structured vocabulary review.9.4
- OpenKotoA free, open-source immersion app for studying your own reading and media.8.9
- ReadlangA focused web reader for turning authentic content into vocabulary practice.8.6
Lector vs the competition
Compare Lector with any tool side by side →
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The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used Lector for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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