Duolingo

Gamified daily lessons in 40+ languages; great for habit-building, weak beyond A2.

AppsFreemiumBeginnerA1–A2Any language

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What it actually is

The free tier is genuinely usable (ads plus a limited 'hearts' system); Super removes both for about $96/yr. Its real value is streak-driven consistency for absolute beginners, and the smaller courses are thin machine-assisted content rather than the polished Spanish or French trees. Treat it as a warm-up habit, not a curriculum — nobody reaches conversational fluency on Duolingo alone.

Who it suits

Someone starting a language from zero who needs a daily habit more than a method, and who has five to fifteen minutes a day rather than an hour. It also works as low-stakes review of vocabulary you are learning properly elsewhere, especially in the big courses like Spanish or French.

Who should skip it

Skip it as your main tool if you want to hold a real conversation within a year: sessions are short, output is mostly tapping and translating single sentences, and grammar is rarely explained. Streak pressure can also turn study into protecting a number instead of learning, so if you notice you are doing the easiest lesson just to keep the streak alive, it has stopped helping.

What it costs

Free with ads and limits; Super (and Super Family for up to 6 accounts) offers a 1-week free trial. The website shows no price before sign-up; the US App Store lists Super purchases from $9.99 to $119.99 (USD) without naming the term of each, so check the price in the app for your country.

Checked 29 Sept 2026 on the official pricing page. Prices change and can differ by country.

How it compares

  • Babbel

    Pick Babbel instead if you want each lesson to explain the grammar and build toward real dialogues rather than isolated sentences.

  • Language Transfer

    Pick Language Transfer instead if you want to understand how a language is built and start forming your own sentences, for free.

  • Anki

    Pick Anki instead if what you mainly need is remembering vocabulary long-term and you are willing to set up your own cards.

  • Pimsleur

    Pick Pimsleur instead if your goal is speaking out loud from day one and you can study by ear on a commute.

What it covers

  • Vocabulary
  • Grammar
  • Reading
  • Listening

Learners who used it

From field notes — real posts we read and linked. What they say is their account, not our finding.

Official links

Similar tools

  • Anki

    The gold-standard spaced-repetition flashcard app with community decks for every language.

  • Babbel

    Structured dialogue-based courses in 13 languages, built by actual linguists.

  • Busuu

    Structured CEFR courses with written corrections from native speakers.

  • HelloTalk

    Text, call and correct with native speakers in a language-exchange feed.

  • Memrise

    Vocabulary drills backed by clips of native speakers saying the phrase.

  • Pimsleur

    Audio-only spaced-recall courses that drill speaking from lesson one.

Sources

Prices and features above come from these pages, read on 29 Sept 2026. The judgements are ours.