Auslearn vs Auslan Tutor 2
Both apps teach Auslan and only Auslan, but they do different jobs. Auslan Tutor 2 is a video library you look signs up in and grow one pack at a time. Auslearn is a set of lessons you work through in order, with review built in. We make Auslearn, so read the recommendation with that in mind.
Key points
- Auslearn and Auslan Tutor 2 both teach Auslan only, and both run on iOS and Android.
- Auslan Tutor 2 is made by NextSense. It is free to download with a free Key Signs 1 pack of more than 100 signs; extra topic packs cost $1.99 to $4.99 each on the Australian App Store.
- Auslan Tutor 2 is organised as a searchable sign library, while Auslearn is organised as a sequence of lessons with quizzes and review.
- Neither app replaces a class taught by a Deaf teacher; both are best used for practice and reference between classes.
Before you compare apps
No app is the best way to learn Auslan. Classes taught by Deaf teachers are, because only a person can correct your signing and pass on the culture the language belongs to. Every app on this page, Auslearn included, is a supplement: it solves the problem of staying consistent between classes. If you have not looked at classes yet, start with our guide to Auslan courses and classes in Australia.
How we compared the apps
Included: Consumer apps currently available to Australian learners on iOS and Android that offer Auslan lessons or structured sign practice.
Not included: ASL-only apps, websites, standalone classes and products that are no longer available.
We compared language coverage, access model, platforms, curriculum or library, teaching format. Official Australian app-store listings and vendor product pages. This is a source-based feature comparison, not a hands-on review.
Side by side
| Feature | AuslearnOur app | Auslan Tutor 2NextSense |
|---|---|---|
| Sign languages taught | Auslan only | Auslan only |
| Access | Free to download, 3 free units, Auslearn Pro for the rest | Free download and Key Signs 1 pack; extra packs $1.99–$4.99 each on the App Store |
| Platforms | iOS and Android | iOS and Android |
| Content | 12 units, 61 lessons | Key Signs 1 (100+ signs) free, plus paid topic packs |
| Finding a sign | Searchable dictionary, 250+ signs | Search by English keyword, handshape or body location |
| Built around | Sequenced lessons, quizzes and review | Looking up and studying individual signs |
Published features checked on 24 September 2026. This comparison is based on official product pages and Australian app-store listings, not hands-on testing. Apps can change their pricing and course contents without notice, so confirm current details before you buy.
A library versus a lesson path
Auslan Tutor 2 is built for finding and studying individual signs. Its store listing describes searching by English keyword, handshape or body location, and video you can loop, slow down and switch to show variants of a sign. Signs are grouped into packs by topic, and the listing says it features Deaf teacher Shirley Lui, the 2020 Deaf Australian of the Year.
Auslearn is built for working through in order. Its 12 units are split into short lessons, followed by quizzes and reviews that bring back signs you have already met. There is a searchable dictionary too, but it is not the main part of the app.
So the question is what you need between classes. If your teacher sets the order and you want somewhere to check a sign you half remember, a library fits. If you want an app to decide what to practise next, a lesson path fits.
What each one costs
Auslan Tutor 2 is free to download and includes the Key Signs 1 pack, which has more than 100 commonly used signs. The rest of the library is sold as separate packs, such as Key Signs 2 to 4, Baby Signs, Describing Words, and Health, Body and Fitness. On the Australian App Store they cost between $1.99 and $4.99 each when we checked.
Auslearn is free to download and includes 3 free beginner units. Auslearn Pro unlocks the remaining 9 units and premium features. So Auslan Tutor 2 lets you pay for only the topics you want, while Auslearn charges one subscription for everything.
What they have in common
Both teach Auslan only, so neither will teach you American Sign Language by mistake. That is a real risk with general sign language apps. Both show signs on video rather than in diagrams, which matters because Auslan carries meaning in movement and facial expression as well as handshape.
They also have the same limit. Neither can watch you sign and tell you what you got wrong, and neither can teach you to follow a real conversation. That comes from a Deaf teacher and from signing with the Deaf community.
Which one should you pick?
Auslan Tutor 2
Choose Auslan Tutor 2 if you want a reference library to look signs up in, with video you can loop and slow down, and you would rather buy only the topic packs you need, such as Baby Signs or Behaviour & Social Skills.
Main trade-off: Only the Key Signs 1 pack is free. The rest of the library is sold as separate packs, organised by topic rather than as a sequenced lesson path.
Auslearn
Choose Auslearn if you want a set order to learn in, with quizzes and review that bring back signs you have already met, to keep practice going between classes.
Main trade-off: Unlocking everything past the three free units needs an Auslearn Pro subscription, rather than paying once for individual packs.
Try Auslearn's 3 free units before deciding
Download Auslearn on iOS or Android and use the beginner units without subscribing. Auslearn Pro is optional if you want the remaining units and premium features.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Auslan Tutor 2 free?
- Partly. Auslan Tutor 2 is free to download and includes the Key Signs 1 pack, which has more than 100 commonly used signs. Further packs, such as Key Signs 2 to 4, Baby Signs and Describing Words, are paid. When we checked the Australian App Store in September 2026 they cost between $1.99 and $4.99 each.
- Who makes Auslan Tutor 2?
- Auslan Tutor 2 was developed by NextSense, the organisation formerly known as the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, which is the developer name shown on the App Store. Its store listing says it features Deaf teacher Shirley Lui, the 2020 Deaf Australian of the Year.
- Can I use Auslearn and Auslan Tutor 2 together?
- Yes. Both teach Auslan, so you will not mix sign languages. The combination can make sense because they do different jobs: one gives you a lesson order and review, the other is a library for looking up individual signs.
- Should I use an app instead of taking an Auslan class?
- No. Classes taught by Deaf teachers are the best way to learn Auslan, because only a person can correct your signing and pass on the culture the language belongs to. Apps are most useful for keeping practice consistent between classes.
Sources and verification
Each source is labelled with the claims it supports. Store availability, prices and features can change after the checked date.
- Auslearn — App Store: iOS availability and app access.
- Auslearn — Google Play: Android availability and app access.
- Auslearn — Auslearn product guide: curriculum, library size and practice features.
- Auslan Tutor 2 — NextSense product page: product overview and NextSense as developer.
- Auslan Tutor 2 — Google Play listing: Android availability, free Key Signs 1 pack, search and video features, and the Deaf teacher featured.
- Auslan Tutor 2 — App Store listing: iOS availability, paid pack names and Australian prices, and developer.
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