Duolingo Alternatives: 6 Apps for What It Doesn't Teach

The best Duolingo alternatives each fix one thing Duolingo leaves out. Pick Speak if you want to actually speak, Babbel if you want grammar explained in a real course, Busuu or HelloTalk if you want real people to correct you or chat with you, and Memrise if you want to hear how locals really talk. Most let you start for free, so you can try one alongside your Duolingo streak.

Why people look for Duolingo alternatives

DuolingoView app ›

Duolingo is where a lot of people start, and for good reason. Lessons take a few minutes, every course is free, and the daily streak turns learning into a habit. If you're a complete beginner with a few spare minutes a day, it does that job well.

After a while, though, many learners hit the same walls:

• You can tap the right answers, but you freeze when you have to talk. Short game-like lessons build recognition faster than they build confident speech.
• You want to know why. Duolingo shows you patterns, but some people learn better when the grammar is spelled out.
• You want a real person. An app can tell you an answer is wrong. It can't tell you how you actually sound to someone who speaks the language.
• The free plan gets in the way. It has ads and a hearts limit that can cut a session short, and offline lessons need the paid plan.

None of these mean Duolingo is a bad app. They mean you may need a different tool for the next step. Each of the Duolingo alternatives below fixes one of those problems, and we say which.

What to look for in a language learning app

Before you switch, it helps to decide what you're missing. Three questions narrow it down fast.

Do you want a course or practice? A course takes you step by step through a language. Practice apps assume you know some basics and give you more time speaking, listening or chatting. Many people do best with one of each.

How much is free? Some of these apps give you a few lessons to try, others are free to use with an optional upgrade. We say which, and the app page next to each one shows today's price.

Will you use it offline? If you learn on a commute or a flight, check whether lessons can be downloaded.

Babbel: when you want grammar explained

BabbelView app ›

Babbel feels more like a course than a game. Lessons are made for speakers of your own language, so explanations come in a language you already know, and the phrases are ones people actually use for travel, work and daily life. Its own site says you get grammar tips as you read, write and listen, which is exactly what many Duolingo users miss.

You also practice speaking out loud with an AI conversation partner, and speech recognition helps with pronunciation. Lessons can be downloaded and used offline.

The catch is the free part. Only the first lesson of each course is free, and the rest needs a subscription. Also note that which courses you can take depends on your native language.

Who it suits: learners who want structure and want to understand the rules, especially before a trip. Try the first lesson free, then see the app page for today's price.

Speak: when you want to actually speak

Speak · $83.99/yrView app ›

If your problem is freezing up when it's time to talk, Speak goes straight at it. It gets you talking from the first day. You learn useful phrases from a teacher on video, repeat them out loud, then have practice conversations where an AI tutor listens, answers back and gives you feedback on your pronunciation and grammar.

Because the whole app is built around speaking out loud, you'll want a quiet spot. It covers fewer languages than most apps here, so check that yours is on the app page before you commit. It doesn't work offline, and there are no ads.

The free part is small: a few lessons to try it, with most lessons behind the paid membership.

Who it suits: anyone who wants to get confident speaking and doesn't enjoy textbooks. Try a few lessons free, then see the app page for today's price.

Busuu: when you want a real person to check your work

BusuuView app ›

Busuu mixes short structured lessons with a community of speakers. You write or record answers to exercises, and people who speak the language well correct them. That kind of feedback is hard to get from any automated app, and it's a good fix if you've been wondering whether your sentences actually sound right.

The lessons themselves go step by step from beginner to advanced, with grammar and vocabulary practice built in. That makes it a good fit if you're studying toward a goal, like an exam or a move. Some lessons work offline.

Some lessons in each course are free, and a subscription unlocks the rest.

Who it suits: learners who want real feedback and steady progress. Start with the free lessons, then see the app page for today's price.

Memrise: when you want to hear how people really talk

Memrise · Free or $61.99/yrView app ›

Memrise teaches words and phrases with short videos of locals speaking naturally. Instead of a voice reading a textbook sentence, you hear real people say real things, which trains your ear for the speed and accents you'll actually meet. There's also role-play to practice speaking for real situations, like work or making friends.

It works for beginners and for intermediate learners who understand more on paper than by ear. Some content works offline.

Like Duolingo, the free plan has ads, and it limits how many lessons you can take. Memrise Pro unlocks everything and removes the ads.

Who it suits: learners who want better listening and a feel for everyday speech. Free with limits, so see the app page for today's price of Pro.

HelloTalk: when you want to talk with real people

HelloTalk · Free or $79.99/yrView app ›

HelloTalk isn't a course at all. It's a language exchange. You get matched with people who speak the language you're learning and want to learn yours, then chat by text, voice messages or calls. Built-in translation and corrections help when you get stuck, and there are live rooms you can join.

That's the most direct fix for wanting real people. It's also the least predictable. You're talking with strangers, so quality varies, and you'll need an account. It works best once you have some basics, which is why it pairs well with a course app.

It's free to download and use, with an optional VIP upgrade, and it shows ads. It doesn't work offline, since the whole point is talking to people.

Who it suits: intermediate learners who want real conversation practice and maybe some friends abroad. Free to use, and the app page has the latest details.

Drops: when you just need more words

DropsView app ›

Drops does one thing: vocabulary. Each word comes with a simple picture, and you learn by swiping and matching in quick, game-like sessions. It's also a friendly way to learn to read a new alphabet, like Korean or Arabic.

It doesn't teach grammar, so it won't replace a course. It's a good add-on when you know how sentences work but keep running out of words.

The free plan gives you a few minutes of play a day. Drops Premium removes the limit, with a free trial to start.

Who it suits: visual learners who have five spare minutes and want their vocabulary to grow. Free with a daily limit, so see the app page for today's price.

Duolingo alternatives, compared

Here's how the alternatives line up side by side:

Which Duolingo alternative fits your goal

Think about what's missing from your Duolingo routine, then follow that.

If you want to actually speak

Pick Speak. Every lesson gets you talking out loud, with an AI tutor that answers back.

If you want grammar explained

Pick Babbel for a structured course with grammar tips along the way, or Busuu if you also want people to correct your exercises.

If you want real people

Pick HelloTalk to chat with native speakers, or Busuu for corrections inside a structured course.

If your listening is the weak spot

Pick Memrise. Videos of real native speakers train your ear in a way textbook audio can't.

If you just need more vocabulary

Pick Drops for quick picture-based word games you can fit into any break.

You don't have to quit Duolingo to try one of these. Many learners keep their streak and add one app that covers what Duolingo doesn't. Not sure which? Find a language app for your goal, or browse all the language apps we cover.

Keep deciding: Find a language app for speaking, Duolingo on Squapp, Speak on Squapp.