Cheers to everyone who has shared. I feel like I’ve tried a million different apps, websites, methods etc. but very few of them really stick in the sense that going back to them day after to day is something that I actually look forward to, rather than being something that I have to force myself to do.
Having said that the no. 1 resource I have used (as a beginner) that has been great, in terms of both “stickiness” and actually teaching me something is Michel Thomas, which is an audio program, kind of like Pimsleur but way better. Put it this way, I studied Chinese at university in Taiwan for six months and still had no idea of the tones. Nailed it in about 30 minutes of Michel Thomas. It probably depends very much on your own individual learning style but for me this is far and away the best, at least for conversation/listening comprehension (no reading or writing).
I’m kind of going on about it because my guess is for some reason it’s not as well known as stuff like Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur and some of the other methods, but I think it really should be.
And to echo a previous poster, if you’re creative and willing to do a little digging then you might be able to get your hands on it at something less than full price.