What is replacing Duolingo?

To replace Duolingo, try apps like Babbel, Busuu, or Memrise for structured lessons or community feedback, LingoDeer for Asian languages, or Pimsleur for audio-focused learning, with options like Mango Languages often free via libraries, or Anki/LingQ for personalized study, focusing on whether you need conversation, grammar, or vocabulary.

Is there a replacement for Duolingo?

Mondly is also one of the top Duolingo alternatives when it comes to pricing: for a one-time fee of about $120, you gain lifetime access to 41 languages—no subscription, no hidden costs. And of course, it's entirely ad-free. Plus, you get the Mondly Kids app at no extra charge!

Why are people getting rid of Duolingo?

Duolingo provokes dislike for a mix of pedagogical, business, design, and social-reputation reasons. The objections fall into consistent categories that explain why learners, teachers, and language enthusiasts often criticize the app.

What is the #1 language learning app?

There's no single "#1" language app, as the best choice depends on your goals (e.g., casual learning vs. fluency), but Duolingo is the most popular for beginners due to its free access and gamified approach, while Babbel offers structured lessons for practical conversation, and AI-focused apps like Langua and Speak provide realistic dialogue practice. For immersion, LingQ is praised for advanced learners, while Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone are strong for foundational learning, and apps like iTalki connect you with native tutors for real practice. 

Who is replacing Duolingo?

Busuu. If you're looking for a more full-fledged Duolingo alternative, then Busuu is a free option that supports a wide range of languages. One of the big benefits of the app is that it doesn't limit how much you can learn per day or penalize you for mistakes.

Duolingo Isn't 'Free' Anymore — Lily Told Me Why

Why is Duolingo pushing LGBTQ?

Duolingo includes LGBTQ+ characters and themes in its lessons because it's committed to reflecting the diversity of its global audience, normalizing LGBTQ+ identities as part of everyday life, and promoting inclusivity through representation, with characters like Bea and Oscar showing diverse orientations without sensationalism, though this has led to investigations in countries like Russia where such content is restricted.
 

What is Duolingo's biggest competitor?

Duolingo's biggest competitors in the language learning app space are Babbel, Rosetta Stone, Busuu, and Memrise, with Babbel often cited for its practical, grammar-focused lessons versus Duolingo's game-like approach, while Rosetta Stone focuses on immersion, and Busuu and Memrise offer unique community or video-based learning. Other strong contenders include Lingodeer, Drops, and Mango Languages, depending on specific learning goals. 

Why do people say not to use Duolingo?

In the translation exercises (which are the bulk of what Duolingo is about), the software is programmed to only accept one right answer. This is problematic as most languages have many ways of saying the same thing. Students who input an answer that is right but not recognised on Duolingo may think they are wrong.

How does the FBI learn languages quickly?

The FBI learns languages quickly through highly intensive, immersive programs at institutions like the Defense Language Institute (DLI) or the State Department's Foreign Service Institute (FSI), combining many hours of daily classes, homework, and cultural activities with advanced technology and real-world scenarios to build rapid proficiency in speaking, reading, and listening, often focusing on specific mission-critical languages. 

What's the best app to learn a language fluently?

Do language learning apps include speaking practice?

• Talkpal: Real-time AI conversation — best for conversational skills.
• Rosetta Stone: Speech recognition for pronunciation practice.
• Busuu: Speaking exercises reviewed by native speakers.
• Babbel: Voice recognition for specific lessons.

Why is Duolingo falling?

Duolingo's stock is falling due to investor concerns over a strategic shift prioritizing user growth over near-term profits, increased investment in AI, and recent leadership changes (like a CFO transition) that create uncertainty, despite strong user metrics. Investors fear margin pressure, while some users also point to potential content quality issues from AI integration and general burnout from app mechanics.
 

What will happen if we delete Duolingo?

When you delete your account and erase your personal data, you will lose your learning progress and achievements. Once completed, deletion cannot be undone. This deletion can take up to 30 days. Note: Deleting your account will NOT cancel an existing Super Duolingo subscription.

Is Oscar from Duolingo LGBTQ?

Yes, Oscar from Duolingo is officially confirmed to be gay (homosexual) and is one of Duolingo's three established LGBTQ+ characters, along with Lin (lesbian/genderqueer) and Bea (bisexual). Duolingo's blog and wiki confirm these identities, showing Oscar is interested in men, making him a positive representation of queer characters in the app's stories. 

Is Busuu better than Duolingo?

Neither Busuu nor Duolingo is definitively "better"—they serve different strengths: Duolingo excels at habit-building, gamified vocabulary, and breadth, while Busuu offers more structured lessons with comprehensive grammar, native speaker feedback (community), and better preparation for real-world writing and speaking by focusing on production. Choose Duolingo for fun, consistency, and basics, and Busuu for deeper structure, context, and actual conversational skills, especially with its unique community correction feature. 

What is the best online language learning platform?

• Best Free Language App. Duolingo. ...
• Best for Multilinguists. Babbel. ...
• Best for Group Classes. Lingoda. ...
• Best for Sign Language. Sign It ASL. ...
• Best for Instructor-Led Videos. Fluenz. ...
• Best Paid App for Beginners. Rosetta Stone. ...
• Best for Audio-Based Learning. Pimsleur. ...
• Best for Hard-to-Find Languages. Transparent Language Online.

Is anyone else having trouble with Duolingo?

User reports show no current problems at Duolingo.

What is the #1 hardest language?

There's no single "hardest" language, but for English speakers, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, and Japanese are consistently ranked at the top due to their vastly different writing systems (characters/logograms, right-to-left script) and tonal or complex structures, with Mandarin often cited as #1 for its characters and tones, while Hungarian and Polish are noted for extreme grammar cases, making them contenders too.
 

Who can speak 42 languages fluently?

The person known for speaking 42 languages fluently is Powell Alexander Janulus, a Canadian polyglot who set the Guinness World Record in 1985 for his fluency in that number of languages, passing rigorous two-hour conversational tests in each, though he's studied many more and claimed proficiency in up to 64. He worked as a court interpreter, leveraging his extensive language skills, and learned languages through consistent practice, listening to broadcasts, and reading. 

Do people with higher IQ learn languages faster?

The evidence suggests that high IQ can support language learning in several key areas—pattern recognition, working memory, processing speed, and metalinguistic awareness—often leading to quicker uptake of grammar and vocabulary, better processing of input, and more efficient use of explicit instruction.

Why are people canceling Duolingo?

As it leans deeper into AI, the soul of the platform—the human connection behind language—is getting lost. Language learning isn't just about memorizing words. It's about connecting with people. And until Duolingo can get back to that core, many users will keep saying: “No thanks, Duo and I am one of them.

What did Duolingo CEO say?

Duolingo CEO admits his controversial AI memo 'did not give enough context' and insists the company never laid off full-time employees. Billionaire Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn has a message for his employees: He doesn't want to lay them off.

What is Duolingo's weak word?

Re: New feature on Duolingo: weak word

Theoretically, these are words that haven't popped up lately in your course, so the algorithm recommends giving them another look to make sure you still remember them.

What app is better than Duolingo?

No single app is universally "better," but alternatives like Babbel, Busuu, Memrise, and Pimsleur often surpass Duolingo for deeper learning by focusing on real conversation, grammar, and native speaker audio, catering to different learning styles beyond Duolingo's fun but sometimes shallow gamification. 

Who uses Duolingo the most?

Duolingo is mostly used in the United States, with 144,152,500 users leaving in the U.S. amounting to 25.07% of the total Duolingo Users around the world. The distribution of Duolingo users by gender is 49.91% male and 50.09% female. More than 1000+ people work at Duolingo according to their official LinkedIn page.

What languages are coming to Duolingo 2025?

2025-11-15:

German, Italian, and Portuguese seem to be next, likely launching at the end of December. Finally, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean are planned for release in January 2026, or February at the latest.