Duolingo alternatives: 7 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Duolingo: little explicit grammar teaching, and hard to reach advanced levels with it alone. We ranked 7 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Duolingo, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Babbel currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	Babbel	Paid	No	Web, iOS, Android	3 of 3	66.5
2	Busuu	Free plan + paid	No	Web, iOS, Android	3 of 3	62.6
3	Memrise	Free plan + paid	No	Web, iOS, Android	3 of 3	59.6
4	Speak	Paid	No	iOS, Android, Web	4 of 4	57.2
5	LingoDeer	Free plan + paid	No	Web, iOS, Android	4 of 4	55.3
6	Anki	Open source	Yes	Windows, macOS, Linux +3	5 of 5	53.6
7	Language Transfer	Free	No	Web, iOS, Android	3 of 3	52.3

1. BabbelTop pick
Best for: Adults who want structured, practical lessons with clear grammar explanations
PaidWeb, iOS, Android
66.5
score / 100
Why switch from Duolingo
More structured lessons with clear grammar explanations for adult learners.
Pros
Clear grammar explanations in each lesson
Courses built for each language pair
Optional live classes with teachers
Cons
Fewer languages than Duolingo
Only a taster is free
Live classes cost extra
Visit Babbel Compare with Duolingo Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.3100
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Babbel a good Duolingo alternative?
Verified facts
3 of 3 verified
Subscriptions sold
Over 25 million
Checked Oct 25, 2026about.babbel.com(opens source in a new tab)
Course size
60,000 lessons across 14 languages
Checked Oct 25, 2026about.babbel.com(opens source in a new tab)
Founded
2007
Checked Oct 25, 2026about.babbel.com(opens source in a new tab)
2. Busuu
Best for: Learners who want structured levels and real people correcting their writing and speaking
Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android
62.6
score / 100
Why switch from Duolingo
Similar short lessons plus feedback on your writing and speaking from native speakers.
Pros
Native speakers correct your exercises
Courses mapped to CEFR levels
Offline learning with Premium
Cons
Free tier is quite limited
Correction quality varies
Fewer languages than the biggest apps
Visit Busuu Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.387
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Busuu a good Duolingo alternative?
Verified facts
3 of 3 verified
Learners
120 million+
Checked Oct 25, 2026busuu.com(opens source in a new tab)
Offline learning
Yes
Checked Oct 25, 2026busuu.com(opens source in a new tab)
Business customers
Includes Puma and L'Oréal
Checked Oct 25, 2026busuu.com(opens source in a new tab)
3. Memrise
Best for: Learners who want to hear and copy how native speakers really talk
Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android
59.6
score / 100
Why switch from Duolingo
Learn from videos of real native speakers instead of synthetic voices.
Pros
Real native-speaker video for every phrase
Record yourself and compare pronunciation
Spaced review helps vocabulary stick
Cons
Little grammar teaching
Community courses are no longer in the main app
Best features need the paid plan
Visit Memrise Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.377
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Memrise a good Duolingo alternative?
Verified facts
3 of 3 verified
Free tier
Yes, paid plan adds features
Checked Oct 25, 2026memrise.com(opens source in a new tab)
Native-speaker videos
Thousands of short clips
Checked Oct 25, 2026memrise.com(opens source in a new tab)
AI practice
Private AI conversation practice
Checked Oct 25, 2026memrise.com(opens source in a new tab)
4. Speak
Best for: Learners who want frequent, private speaking practice with an AI tutor
PaidiOS, Android, Web
57.2
score / 100
Why switch from Duolingo
AI conversation practice for learners who want to actually talk.
Pros
Lots of speaking practice from day one
Instant feedback on pronunciation and grammar
Low-pressure practice without a human audience
Cons
Only a handful of languages
Subscription required after the trial
AI feedback can miss nuance
Visit Speak Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.369
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Speak a good Duolingo alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Free trial
7 days
Checked Oct 25, 2026speak.com(opens source in a new tab)
Pricing
Paid subscription after trial
Checked Oct 25, 2026speak.com(opens source in a new tab)
Languages
Korean, Japanese, French, Spanish, Italian, English, Chinese
Checked Oct 25, 2026speak.com(opens source in a new tab)
Downloads
15M+
Checked Oct 25, 2026speak.com(opens source in a new tab)
5. LingoDeer
Best for: Beginners in Japanese, Korean or Chinese who want clear grammar explanations
Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android
55.3
score / 100
Why switch from Duolingo
Grammar-focused courses, especially strong for Japanese, Korean and Chinese.
Pros
Clear grammar notes in every lesson
Native-speaker audio throughout
Multi-year one-time payment options
Cons
Content tops out around lower-intermediate
Most of the course is behind the paywall
Smaller community than Duolingo
Visit LingoDeer Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.363
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is LingoDeer a good Duolingo alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Monthly price
US$14.99
Checked Oct 25, 2026lingodeer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Annual price
US$95.99 (discounted)
Checked Oct 25, 2026lingodeer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Curriculum
Grammar-based, written by teachers
Checked Oct 25, 2026lingodeer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Audio
Native-speaker voices
Checked Oct 25, 2026lingodeer.com(opens source in a new tab)
6. Anki
Best for: Self-directed learners who want free, customisable spaced-repetition flashcards
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
53.6
score / 100
Why switch from Duolingo
Free spaced-repetition flashcards to build vocabulary on your own terms.
Pros
Free and open source on desktop and Android
Highly customisable cards and scheduling
Large library of shared decks and add-ons
Cons
Dated interface and steep learning curve
Official iOS app is paid
You must build or choose decks yourself
Visit Anki Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.357
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Anki a good Duolingo alternative?
Verified facts
5 of 5 verified
Sync
Free AnkiWeb sync
Checked Oct 25, 2026apps.ankiweb.net(opens source in a new tab)
Desktop price
Free on Windows, Mac and Linux
Checked Oct 25, 2026apps.ankiweb.net(opens source in a new tab)
Android app
AnkiDroid, free
Checked Oct 25, 2026apps.ankiweb.net(opens source in a new tab)
iOS app
AnkiMobile, paid, funds development
Checked Oct 25, 2026apps.ankiweb.net(opens source in a new tab)
Deck size
Handles 100,000+ cards
Checked Oct 25, 2026apps.ankiweb.net(opens source in a new tab)
7. Language Transfer
Best for: Self-learners who want to understand how a language works before memorising it
FreeWeb, iOS, Android
52.3
score / 100
Why switch from Duolingo
Free audio courses that teach you to think through how a language works.
Pros
Completely free with no ads or sign-up
Explains structure so you can build sentences
Great for listening on the go
Cons
Audio only
Limited vocabulary and reading practice
Course length varies by language
Visit Language Transfer Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.353
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Language Transfer a good Duolingo alternative?
Verified facts
3 of 3 verified
Price
Free, runs on donations
Checked Oct 25, 2026languagetransfer.org(opens source in a new tab)
Privacy
No adverts, sign-ups or data selling
Checked Oct 25, 2026languagetransfer.org(opens source in a new tab)
Supporting it
Patreon and PayPal donations
Checked Oct 25, 2026languagetransfer.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best Duolingo alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Best Duolingo alternative for most people

Babbel

More structured lessons with clear grammar explanations for adult learners.