Duolingo is one of the most popular language-learning apps, but it’s not the perfect fit for everyone. Whether you're looking for more in-depth grammar lessons, real-life conversations, or a different learning style, there are plenty of other great apps to explore. In this blog, we’ll introduce some excellent Duolingo alternatives that offer unique features, from structured courses and AI-powered tutors to immersive experiences with native speakers. No matter your learning goals—casual practice, travel prep, or fluency—there’s an app for you. Let’s dive in!
Duolingo is a language-learning app that offers gamified lessons to help users learn new languages through interactive exercises. It is one of the most popular language-learning platforms, known for its free, fun, and engaging approach.
If you're looking for Duolingo alternatives, here are 10 great language-learning apps with different features and approaches:
Babbel is a premium language-learning app designed for practical, real-world communication. Unlike Duolingo’s gamified approach, Babbel offers structured lessons created by linguists, focusing on grammar, vocabulary, and conversational skills. The lessons are interactive and progressive, helping users build confidence through dialogue-based exercises. Babbel also personalizes learning paths based on proficiency levels and offers speech recognition for pronunciation practice. While it’s a paid app, many users find its quality content and structured curriculum more effective for serious learning. Ideal for beginners to intermediate learners, Babbel is a great choice if you want a well-rounded language-learning experience.
Rosetta Stone is a premium language-learning platform known for its immersion-based approach, which mimics the way we naturally learn languages. Instead of relying on translations, it teaches through pictures, audio, and context, helping learners think in the new language rather than translating from their native tongue. The app focuses on listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with a strong emphasis on pronunciation using its TruAccent speech recognition technology. With courses in over 25 languages, Rosetta Stone is ideal for learners who want a structured, intuitive, and long-term learning experience.
Memrise is a language-learning app that focuses on vocabulary building and real-life communication through a mix of spaced repetition, interactive exercises, and video clips featuring native speakers. Unlike Duolingo, which emphasizes gamified lessons, Memrise helps learners absorb new words and phrases by using science-backed memory techniques. The app’s Learn with Locals feature provides authentic pronunciation and cultural context, making it a great choice for those who want to improve listening skills and conversational fluency. With courses in over 20 languages, Memrise is ideal for beginners and intermediate learners looking for an engaging and effective way to expand their vocabulary.
Busuu is a comprehensive language-learning app that combines structured courses with AI-driven study plans and real interactions with native speakers. It offers 12 languages, covering vocabulary, grammar, and conversation skills through interactive exercises. One standout feature is its community-based learning, where users can submit writing or speaking exercises and receive feedback from fluent speakers. The app also provides offline mode, personalized review sessions, and official McGraw-Hill certification for completed courses. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced learner, Busuu adapts to your needs, making it a great alternative to Duolingo for a more engaging and interactive learning experience.
Pimsleur is a language-learning program that focuses on audio-based learning to help users develop conversational fluency. Unlike gamified apps like Duolingo, Pimsleur uses scientifically backed spaced repetition and recall techniques to reinforce learning through listening and speaking exercises. The method emphasizes gradual immersion, starting with common words and phrases and progressively building more complex sentences. Each lesson is about 30 minutes long, making it ideal for learners who prefer hands-free learning, such as during commutes or workouts. Pimsleur is especially effective for those who want to improve their pronunciation and listening comprehension, as it trains the brain to think and respond in the target language naturally.
Mondly is a language-learning app that focuses on interactive and immersive learning using innovative technology. It offers lessons in 40+ languages and uses chatbots, speech recognition, and augmented reality (AR) to make learning more engaging. Unlike traditional apps, Mondly emphasizes practical conversations and real-life scenarios, making it great for travelers and casual learners. The app also includes daily lessons, quizzes, and grammar insights, catering to both beginners and intermediate learners. With its gamified approach and VR/AR experiences, Mondly stands out as a fun and modern alternative to Duolingo.
LingoDeer is a language-learning app designed for learners who want a structured and grammar-focused approach, especially for Asian languages like Japanese, Korean, and Chinese. Unlike Duolingo, which emphasizes vocabulary and gamification, LingoDeer provides detailed grammar explanations, sentence structure breakdowns, and in-depth lessons tailored to each language. It also offers offline learning, interactive exercises, and AI-driven review sessions to reinforce knowledge. While it supports European languages too, it truly shines in teaching complex writing systems and pronunciation rules, making it an excellent choice for serious learners who want a solid foundation in their target language.
Clozemaster is a unique language-learning app designed for intermediate and advanced learners who want to expand their vocabulary and improve sentence comprehension. Unlike traditional apps that focus on basic words and phrases, Clozemaster uses cloze tests—fill-in-the-blank exercises—to teach words in context. It leverages spaced repetition to reinforce learning and help users remember new words over time. With thousands of sentences sourced from real-world content, learners get practical exposure to grammar, sentence structure, and idioms. The app supports over 60 languages and offers both multiple-choice and text-input modes, making it a great alternative for those who have outgrown beginner-friendly apps like Duolingo.
HelloTalk is a unique language-learning app that connects users with native speakers around the world for real-life conversation practice. Unlike traditional apps that rely on structured lessons, HelloTalk focuses on language exchange, allowing you to chat via text, voice messages, and even video calls with fluent speakers of your target language. The app includes built-in translation, correction, and pronunciation tools, making it easier to communicate and learn naturally. With over 150 languages supported and a global community of millions, HelloTalk is perfect for learners who want to improve their speaking skills, understand cultural nuances, and gain confidence through real conversations.
Anki is a powerful flashcard-based learning tool that uses spaced repetition to help users retain information efficiently. Originally designed for language learners, it has become popular among students, professionals, and even medical students for memorizing vast amounts of information. Unlike traditional flashcards, Anki optimizes learning by prioritizing difficult cards and spacing reviews based on how well you remember them. Users can create custom decks or download pre-made ones covering various topics, from vocabulary and grammar to science and history.
Duolingo is a popular and accessible language-learning tool, it may not suit everyone's learning style or needs. The alternatives listed here each offer unique features that cater to different aspects of language acquisition, from immersive grammar-focused platforms like Babbel and Rosetta Stone, to more interactive and community-driven options like Busuu and HelloTalk. Whether you prefer a structured curriculum, a more casual approach, or advanced tools like spaced repetition, there's a language-learning platform out there to help you reach your goals. It's important to explore and choose the app that aligns best with your learning preferences, level, and objectives, ensuring a rewarding and effective language-learning journey..
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