In a world where time is scarce and attention spans are shrinking, microlearning has emerged as the go-to method for continuous personal and professional development. Whether you’re a busy professional, a student juggling multiple responsibilities, or someone who loves learning on the go, microlearning apps are changing how we absorb knowledge.
But, with so many apps out there, which ones are truly worth your time? We’ve curated a list of the top 10 microlearning apps in 2025, evaluating them on content quality, usability, engagement, and value for learners.
Whether you’re into productivity hacks, business strategy, psychology, or just want to read more, this list, in no particular order, will help you find the perfect fit.
1. Skillshare: Creative Microlearning for Makers and Doers
Skillshare is a standout platform for creatives and entrepreneurs, offering a wide variety of short, project-based classes that make microlearning both inspiring and practical.
Key Features:
- Bite-Sized Lessons: Classes are broken down into short 5–10 minute videos that fit easily into your day.
- Huge Content Library: Thousands of classes across business, tech, design, and lifestyle topics.
- Community Engagement: Learners can share projects, join discussions, and even get feedback from instructors.
- Top Instructors: Courses are led by industry professionals, influencers, and experts in their fields.
Skillshare thrives on its practical, do-it-now approach. Instead of just absorbing information, you’re encouraged to create, share, and build something with each lesson. And because lessons are segmented and self-paced, it’s a great fit for learners who want to chip away at a new skill one coffee break at a time.
2. Duolingo: Microlearning a New Language
Duolingo is one of the most recognizable names in microlearning, especially when it comes to language acquisition. With its gamified lessons, playful interface, and bite-sized daily challenges, it makes learning a new language feel more like a game than a chore.
Why People Love It:
- Short, Daily Lessons: Most lessons take just 5–10 minutes to complete.
- Game Mechanics That Motivate: Streaks, XP points, leaderboards, and achievement badges keep you coming back.
- Wide Language Selection: Offers over 40 languages.
- Interactive Learning: Includes reading, writing, speaking, and listening components to build well-rounded skills.
Whether you’re preparing for a trip abroad or expanding your global fluency, Duolingo makes language learning approachable, fun, and consistent. Its microlearning model helps you retain vocabulary and grammar over time through spaced repetition and playful engagement.
3. Shortform: Microlearning With Book Summaries
At Shortform, we’re proud to be part of the microlearning space. Shortform has quickly become the go-to app for high-quality, in-depth book guides (calling them “summaries” doesn’t quite do them justice). Each Shortform guide is a meticulously crafted deep dive, offering not only a breakdown of the original content but also smart commentary, real-world applications, and thought-provoking exercises.
Why It Stands Out:
- Comprehensive and Concise: Shortform strikes the perfect balance—deep insights in digestible formats.
- New Content Weekly: Fresh content is added weekly, from book and podcast guides to hot-topic articles.
- Interactive Learning: Highlighting, note-taking, and exercises help reinforce learning.
- Take It Offline: You can take your learning on the go by downloading guides as PDFs.
What makes Shortform truly unique in the microlearning space is its blend of clarity, depth, and usability. It respects your time, but it doesn’t compromise on substance. Whether you’re catching up on non-fiction bestsellers, need advice on starting a business, or want to improve your habits, Shortform helps you absorb more, understand better, and apply faster.
You can try Shortform today with a 5-day free trial.
4. Udemy: On-Demand Learning With Micro Courses
Udemy is one of the world’s largest online learning platforms, offering video courses across virtually every topic imaginable. While it’s best known for full-length courses, many of its offerings are broken down into bite-sized video segments, making it an excellent microlearning option when used strategically.
Highlights:
- Massive Course Catalog: Whether you want to learn Python, boost your Excel skills, or dive into self-discipline techniques, there’s likely a course for it.
- Self-Paced Learning: All content is accessible on demand, so you can watch as little or as much as you want at a time.
- Micro Modules: Courses are typically divided into 3–10 minute video lessons, making it easy to squeeze in learning.
- One-Time Payment Model: Unlike subscription services, Udemy lets you purchase courses individually.
- Mobile App: Download lessons for offline viewing, so you can learn without internet access.
One of Udemy’s strengths is the variety of instructors and teaching styles, although this can also be a downside—course quality can vary, so it’s worth checking reviews and previewing lessons before buying. Still, for learners who enjoy choosing their own path and absorbing knowledge on their own schedule, Udemy offers powerful tools for microlearning that grow with your interests.
5. TED-Ed: Microlearn Anything Through Videos
TED-Ed is the educational arm of the TED brand, offering short, animated videos that explore big ideas. Each video is carefully crafted to distill complex topics into engaging, easy-to-understand lessons that spark curiosity and deeper thinking.
Why People Love It:
- Bite-Sized Learning: Most videos are under 10 minutes—ideal for quick learning sessions.
- Visually Engaging: High-quality animations bring abstract concepts to life.
- Expert-Led Content: Videos are created in collaboration with educators and subject-matter experts.
- Lesson Extensions: Many videos come with supplemental materials, quizzes, and discussion prompts for deeper exploration.
- Diverse Topics: Ranges from “Why Parrots Can Talk?” to “How an Igloo Keeps You Warm,” offering something for every interest.
TED-Ed is perfect for learners who want to explore ideas beyond the ordinary, especially in a format that feels more like entertainment than education. While it doesn’t offer the structured progression of a course or the interactivity of some apps, TED-Ed excels at delivering memorable, high-impact insights in a microlearning format that’s accessible to all ages.
6. Khan Academy: Microlearning That’s Always Free
Khan Academy is one of the most respected names in online education, offering an entirely free platform packed with microlearning content across a wide range of academic subjects. From foundational math and grammar to advanced science, economics, and SAT prep, Khan Academy delivers bite-sized lessons that are approachable, structured, and easy to digest.
Why Learners Love It:
- Short, Structured Lessons: Most videos are under 10 minutes and come with interactive exercises.
- Curriculum-Based Learning: Ideal for students, parents, and learners looking for guided progress.
- Expert Instruction: Lessons are clear, concise, and narrated by subject matter experts.
- Personalized Dashboards: Learners can track their progress, set goals, and get recommendations tailored to their level.
- Completely Free: No subscriptions or paywalls—Khan Academy is a nonprofit funded by donations.
Khan Academy may not have the gamification or social features of some newer apps, but its depth, clarity, and accessibility make it a gold standard in microlearning. It’s also one of the most inclusive platforms available, with translations in dozens of languages and accessibility features for all types of learners.
7. Coursera: University-Level Content in Micro Segments
Coursera brings world-class education to your fingertips by partnering with top universities and institutions like Stanford, Yale, Google, and IBM. While it’s often associated with full-length courses and professional certificates, Coursera also excels at modular, microlearning experiences—thanks to its segmented video lessons, interactive quizzes, and mobile-friendly platform.
Why It Stands Out:
- Academic Credibility: Learn from professors and professionals at the world’s leading universities and companies.
- Specializations & Certificates: You can take a single lesson or pursue full credentials.
- Career-Focused Paths: Offers skill-building tracks for high-demand fields like data science, marketing, UX design, and cybersecurity.
- Mobile Learning: Download videos for offline viewing and pick up right where you left off across devices.
While Coursera courses tend to be more formal and time-intensive than other microlearning apps, their lesson-based structure allows you to consume content in small, manageable doses. This makes it a bridge between casual learning and structured education.
8. Brilliant: Hands-On Microlearning for STEM Thinkers
Brilliant is a unique microlearning app that makes complex STEM subjects—like math, science, and computer science—interactive and intuitive. Instead of passively reading or listening, you’ll solve problems step by step, learning by doing.
Why People Love It:
- Interactive Lessons: Engaging, hands-on approach to learning.
- STEM-Focused Content: Perfect for sharpening technical skills.
- Self-Paced: Tackle bite-sized challenges on your own schedule.
- Motivational: Learning streaks help increase motivation and accountability.
Brilliant is ideal for curious minds who want to build real understanding in subjects that often feel intimidating. Whether you’re brushing up on algebra or diving into machine learning basics, Brilliant makes learning feel like an active adventure.
9. Brainscape: Microlearning Through Flashcards
Brainscape takes the time-tested method of flashcard learning and supercharges it with spaced repetition and adaptive algorithms. Ideal for learners who want to master facts, languages, and concepts efficiently, Brainscape helps you retain information over time by focusing your effort exactly where it’s needed most.
Why Learners Love It:
- Scientifically Proven Method: Uses cognitive science to schedule flashcards at optimal intervals.
- Highly Customizable: Create your own flashcard decks or choose from thousands of expert-verified sets.
- Quick Sessions, Big Impact: Sessions can be as short as 5 minutes—perfect for microlearning on a break or commute.
- Smart Analytics: Tracks your progress and confidence levels to tailor your study experience.
- Web & Mobile Access: Seamless syncing across devices so you can learn anytime, anywhere.
Brainscape focuses on active recall, which is one of the most effective techniques for cementing knowledge. It’s a powerful microlearning tool for memory-based mastery. If your goal is to learn quickly and retain for the long haul, Brainscape turns daily micro-sessions into long-term gains.
10. Elevate: Brain Training Meets Microlearning
Elevate is a brain-training app designed to boost core cognitive skills—like focus, processing speed, memory, math, and communication—through fun, interactive micro-games. Each session takes just a few minutes, making it perfect for daily mental workouts that fit easily into any schedule.
Why It Stands Out:
- Personalized Training Plans: The app adapts to your strengths and weaknesses, so each session is tailored to what you need most.
- Game-Based Learning: Lessons come in the form of quick, engaging challenges that feel more like puzzles than traditional study.
- Wide Range of Skills: Covers practical skills like reading comprehension, grammar, writing clarity, mental math, and more.
- Progress Tracking: Detailed analytics show how your skills improve over time and how you stack up against other users.
- Short & Effective: Most exercises take one to three minutes, making it easy to fit into your routine.
Elevate excels at building the mental agility you need to process, retain, and apply information. If you’re looking for a microlearning app that sharpens your mind in just minutes a day, Elevate offers an enjoyable and effective path to daily improvement.
Final Thoughts
Each of the microlearning apps in this list brings something unique to the table, from creative inspiration and habit-building to academic mastery and professional development. The best one for you ultimately depends on your goals, your learning style, and the time you have available. So explore a few, experiment with formats, and find the microlearning approach that keeps you curious, consistent, and moving forward.
If you’re interested in trying Shortform for your microlearning needs, you can sign up for a 5-day free trial.
