List of Best Duolingo Alternatives to Learn New Languages
What is Duolingo:
Duolingo is a popular language-learning platform that uses gamification to make learning a new language fun and interactive. The app offers courses in more than 40 languages, with exercises that focus on reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Users progress through various topics by completing lessons and earn experience points (XP) for each activity completed Duolingo League.
Here are some of the top Duolingo alternatives:
There are several other language-learning platforms available that can serve as alternatives to Duolingo. Each has its own style, so the best one for you depends on your learning style and preferences.
Rosetta Stone:
One of the most well-known language-learning software, Rosetta Stone offers an immersive approach to learning a new language. It provides comprehensive lessons in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Rosetta Stone offers an immersive approach to language learning, with a strong emphasis on pronunciation. It can be a great alternative for learners who want a comprehensive program that covers all language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Rosetta App Download: Rosetta Stone App Store . Rosetta Stone Google Play store
Babbel:
Babbel provides lessons designed by language experts and focuses on conversation skills. Unlike Duolingo, Babbel is a paid service, but many users find it more in-depth and structured.
Babbel provides comprehensive, structured lessons that focus on grammar and conversation skills. Unlike Duolingo, Babbel is a paid service but many users find it offers more in-depth learning, making it a good alternative
Download Babbel App: Babel Google Play Store and Babbel on Ios.
Memrise:
Memrise uses spaced repetition and mnemonic techniques to help users learn languages. It also offers videos of native speakers, which can help with understanding real-world language use.
Memrise also uses spaced repetition, but includes video clips from native speakers to teach languages. This can be a good alternative to duolingo for those looking for a more video-oriented learning experience.
Download Memrise App: Memrise Google Play Store and Memrise on Ios.
Busuu:
Busuu’s lessons include reading, writing, speaking, and listening exercises. It also has a feature that allows users to get feedback from native speakers.
Busuu offers a structured curriculum with lessons designed by language experts. It focuses on grammar, vocabulary, and conversation skills. It also has a feature that allows users to get feedback from native speakers, making it a more interactive alternative to Duolingo.
Download Busuu App: Google Play Store and Busuu on Ios.
Pimsleur:
Pimsleur focuses on listening and speaking skills, using a call-and-response technique. It’s a good choice for auditory learners.
Pimsleur focuses on listening and speaking skills, and its lessons are more in-depth than Duolingo’s. It uses a unique call-and-response method which makes it a good alternative to duolingo for auditory learners.
Download App: Google Play Store and on Ios.
Clozemaster:
Clozemaster platform uses cloze tests (fill-in-the-blank questions) to teach languages. It’s a great choice for those who already have some basic knowledge of a language and want to improve their vocabulary.
Clozemaster helps users improve vocabulary and reading comprehension by using cloze tests (fill-in-the-blank questions). This can serve as an alternative to Duolingo for those who want to focus on building vocabulary and reading skills.
Download App: Google Play Store and on Apple Ios.
Anki:
While not strictly a language-learning app, Anki is a powerful flashcard system that uses spaced repetition. Users can create their own decks or download decks shared by others.
Anki is a flashcard system that uses spaced repetition to help users memorize information. It can be a great Duolingo alternative for those looking for a more customizable learning experience, as users can create their own flashcards.
Download App: Google Play Store and on Apple Ios.
HelloTalk:
HelloTalk is a language exchange app that connects users with native speakers of the language they’re learning. You can chat with them via text, voice, or video calls.
Similar to Tandem, HelloTalk is a language exchange app that pairs you with native speakers for text, voice, or video conversations. It’s a good Duolingo alternative for those seeking more speaking and listening practice.
Download App: HelloTalk Google play store , Ios store
LingQ:
LingQ teaches languages through immersion by letting users read and listen to content in the language they’re learning. It has a huge library of lessons in different languages.
LingQ teaches languages through immersion, using texts and audio files from native speakers. If you’re looking for an alternative that emphasizes learning from real-world content, LingQ could be a good fit.
Download App: Google Play Store Apple Ios
Tandem:
Tandem is another language exchange app that allows you to connect with native speakers. It also offers tutoring services from certified language teachers.
Tandem is a language exchange app that connects users with native speakers of the language they’re learning. It emphasizes real conversation and cultural exchange, making it a good alternative to Duolingo for those who want to practice speaking and listening skills.
Download Tandem App: Google Play Store and Tanden on Apple Ios
Why should you look for Duolingo alternatives?
Teaching Style:
Duolingo’s teaching style is game-like and centers around completing short exercises to earn points. Some learners might prefer a more traditional, structured lesson format that other platforms offer.
Focus on Grammar:
Duolingo’s grammar instruction isn’t as explicit as some other platforms. If you’re someone who prefers to have grammar rules clearly explained, you might seek an alternative.
Conversation Skills:
Duolingo’s focus is mostly on reading and writing. If you’re interested in improving your speaking and listening skills, a platform that offers conversation practice with native speakers might be a better choice.
Advanced Learning:
Duolingo is great for beginners and intermediate learners, but advanced learners might find the content too simple. Other platforms might offer more advanced content.
Range of Languages:
While Duolingo offers a broad range of languages, some less commonly studied languages are not included. If you’re interested in a less common language, you might need to seek an alternative platform.
There are lots of languages that are not yet (or probably won’t be) available on Duolingo. To name a few:
- Cantonese
- Lithuanian
- Albanian
- Icelandic
- Afrikaans
- Farsi
- Croatian
- Mongolian
Paid Features:
Some features on Duolingo, like offline access and an ad-free experience, require a subscription. If you’re seeking these features for free, other platforms might be more appealing.
Cultural Context:
Duolingo focuses more on language mechanics than cultural context. If understanding the culture related to the language is important for you, other platforms might be a better fit.
Remember, the best way to learn a language varies by individual. It might be useful to try out several of these platforms and see which one suits your learning style the best.
Last Words for Duolingo Alternatives
While Duolingo is a popular and effective tool for language learning, it might not suit everyone’s learning style or meet all learning objectives. Its gamified, bite-sized lessons are great for beginners and for fitting language learning into a busy schedule, but its focus on reading and writing over listening and speaking, along with its less explicit approach to grammar, might leave some learners wanting more.
The alternatives to Duolingo mentioned above, such as Rosetta Stone, Babbel, Memrise, Pimsleur, LingQ, Clozemaster, HelloTalk, Anki, Busuu, and Tandem, all offer unique methods and approaches to language learning that can complement or even replace Duolingo for some learners. From the immersive learning approach of Rosetta Stone and LingQ, to the conversation-focused platforms like Tandem and HelloTalk, or the customizable and vocabulary-intensive platforms like Anki and Clozemaster, there’s likely an alternative that suits your specific language learning needs and goals.
