Duolingo review 2027
The habit-forming free app with 40+ languages; great for daily practice, thin on grammar
Is the Duolingo Worth It?
Best free language app. Duolingo is the app most people will still be using in six months, which counts for a lot. It scored lowest on the test because it gamifies recognition more than production and explains little. Use it daily and learn grammar somewhere else.
Duolingo Pros & Cons
- Free tier covers the whole course
- Streaks and leagues built a daily habit better than any other app
- 40+ languages including Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Hindi
- Best apps and widgets in the test
- Grammar is rarely explained; lowest A1 score of the mainstream apps
- Ads and the hearts system interrupt free users
- Speaking practice is minimal without Max
What problem does Duolingo solve, and who is it for?
Duolingo is the app most people will still be using in six months, which counts for a lot. That is the useful fact here: the free tier covers the whole course, and streaks and leagues built a daily habit better than any other app in the test. It scored lowest on the A1 test because it gamifies recognition more than production and explains little. Use it daily and learn grammar somewhere else.
It is still right for daily habit and vocabulary, free. The 40+ languages include Japanese, Korean, Arabic and Hindi, and it has the best apps and widgets in the test. If your goal is a five-minute daily routine rather than a grammar course, that is the benefit it delivers.
How did it score in our test?
Duolingo finished on 7.8 out of 10, fifth of the eight apps tested. The score comes from five weighted criteria.
- Teaching method — 18 of 30. This measures speaking practice, grammar explanation, spaced repetition and real dialogue, and what the 30 days actually built. Duolingo lost the most points here.
- Measured result — 15 of 25. Score on the same A1 placement test after 30 days: 58%.
- Languages & depth — 15 of 15. How many languages, and how far the course goes. Duolingo offers 40 languages and takes you to A2–B1 in major languages.
- Value — 20 of 20. Price per month on the annual plan and whether a free tier is usable. The free tier is usable, and Super is $6.99/mo on the annual plan.
- Experience — 10 of 10. Apps, offline mode, speech recognition and live tutoring options. Speech recognition is included; offline lessons are Super only; there are no live tutors.
What does Duolingo do best?
The free tier covers the whole course, which no other app in this comparison matches at that level. Streaks and leagues built a daily habit better than any other app in the test, and the apps and widgets were the best in the test. The language count is 40+, including Japanese, Korean, Arabic and Hindi, and the course reaches A2–B1 in major languages. Speech recognition is present, and offline lessons are available on Super.
How does it compare with the other apps we tested?
Babbel scored 8.6 and costs from $8.95/mo on the annual plan, with a Lifetime option at $299 list. Babbel covers 14 languages, gives the first lesson of each course free, includes speech recognition and offline lessons, and takes you to B2 in major languages; it also offers live tutors through Babbel Live at extra cost. Duolingo is ahead on languages and on the free tier, behind on measured result and grammar explanation.
italki also scored 8.6, with tutors setting prices typically at $8–$30 per hour and lessons from $10. It covers 150 languages, has no free tier beyond discounted trial lessons, and its live tutors are the whole product. Duolingo is ahead on price and free access, behind on speaking practice and on reaching any level you choose.
Pimsleur scored 8.0 at $19.95/mo for one language or $20.95/mo for all languages, with a 7-day trial. It covers 51 languages, includes Voice Coach speech recognition and offline lessons, and takes you to B1. Duolingo is ahead on price and free tier, behind on speaking from the first minute and on pronunciation work.
Busuu scored 7.9, with Premium from $6.95/mo on the annual plan and a free tier. It covers 14 languages, includes speech recognition and offline lessons, reaches B2, and offers Busuu Live at extra cost. Duolingo is ahead on languages and free access, behind on CEFR structure and community correction.
Rosetta Stone scored 7.8 at 12 months for $126 or Lifetime all languages at $199 list. It covers 25 languages, has the best speech recognition in the test with TruAccent, includes offline lessons, reaches B1, and offers a tutoring add-on. Duolingo is ahead on free access and language count, behind on speech recognition and immersion.
| Duolingo | Babbel | Pimsleur | italki | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our score | 7.8 | 8.6 | 8.0 | 8.6 |
| Languages | 40+ | 14 | 51 | 150+ |
| Price | Free; Super $6.99/mo annual; Max $29.99/mo | From $8.95/mo on the annual plan; Lifetime $299 list | $19.95/mo one language; $20.95/mo all languages; 7-day trial | Tutors set prices; typically $8–$30 per hour |
| Free tier | Yes | First lesson of each course | Trial | No (trial lessons discounted) |
| Live tutors | No | Yes (Babbel Live, extra) | No | Yes — the whole product |
| Speech recognition | Yes | Yes | Yes (Voice Coach) | Human |
| Offline lessons | Super only | Yes | Yes | No |
| Takes you to | A2–B1 (major languages) | B2 (major languages) | B1 | Any |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, web | iOS, Android, web | iOS, Android, web, Alexa | iOS, Android, web |
Where does Duolingo fall short?
Measured result: 58% on the A1 test, the lowest of the mainstream apps. Grammar is rarely explained. Ads and the hearts system interrupt free users. Speaking practice is minimal without Max, which costs $29.99/mo. There are no live tutors, and offline lessons are Super only.
Is Duolingo worth the price?
Free, with Super at $6.99/mo on the annual plan and Max at $29.99/mo. The free tier is usable and covers the whole course, so the paid tiers buy convenience and extra practice rather than access.
Who should buy Duolingo?
It is still right for daily habit and vocabulary, free. If you want a routine you will actually keep, and you are willing to learn grammar somewhere else, it does that job. If you need grammar explained or speaking practice from day one, the higher-scoring apps above are the better fit.
Duolingo at a Glance
Rubric v1: Teaching method 30 · Measured result 25 · Languages & depth 15 · Value 20 · Experience 10. Score = Σ ÷ 10, locked Sep 11, 2026. How we rank.
Where to buy — prices checked Sep 11, 2026
Duolingo specifications
Where it loses
Measured result — 58% on the A1 test.
Still the right pick for
Daily habit and vocabulary, free.
What owners say
No reader ratings yet. This block fills in from real submissions only — we never write, buy or generate reader reviews, and none of them touch the editor score.
Every submission is read by a person before it appears. Reader opinion is published separately and never changes our score.