Side-by-side

Compare language-learning apps

Pick up to four apps and compare scores, features, pros, and cons.

Select apps to compare
App
Anki
Duolingo
Overall score
79
88
TaglineUgly, free, and unbeatableThe habit machine
Best for
Exam & academicWork & business
Travel-ready basicsFamily conversation
Use-case fit
6
6
Level fit & AI tutor
Beginner
Intermediate
Fluent
No AI tutor
Beginner
Intermediate
Fluent
AI tutor
VerdictNot a course, an engine. Every learner heading for an exam or a large vocabulary should be running it in the background of whatever else they use.The best place to start and the worst place to finish. Use it to build a daily habit and a first thousand words, then graduate to something with real conversation.
Pros
  • The most effective retention tool in existence, at any price
  • Free on Android, desktop and web; shared decks for every language
  • Fully offline and syncs across devices
  • Free tier is genuinely usable — no other app comes close
  • Streaks and daily goals build the habit that actually drives progress
  • Max adds AI roleplay and per-answer explanations
Cons
  • Interface is genuinely unfriendly
  • You must build or curate decks yourself
  • No lessons, grammar, speaking or listening practice
  • Weak above intermediate — courses thin out fast at B2+
  • Sentences can be artificial and rarely teach connected speech
  • Grammar is inferred rather than taught unless you pay for Max
Full reviewRead review →Read review →
Quick takeaway

Anki leads this comparison with an overall score of 79. It is strongest for Exam & academic and Work & business. Duolingo is the closest alternative at 88. Choose Anki if the most effective retention tool in existence, at any price; pick Duolingo if free tier is genuinely usable — no other app comes close.