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Compare language-learning apps

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

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App	Busuu	Duolingo
Overall score	85	88
Tagline	A course with native speakers attached	The habit machine
Best for	Exam & academicWork & businessConversation fluency	Travel-ready basicsFamily conversation
Use-case fit	8	6
Level fit & AI tutor	Beginner Intermediate Fluent AI tutor	Beginner Intermediate Fluent AI tutor
Verdict	The best pick when the goal is a measurable level — a certificate, a university requirement, or a visa language condition.	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	Explicit CEFR levels, so you always know where you stand Native-speaker community corrections on your own writing Official McGraw Hill certificates on completion	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	Free tier is quite restricted Community feedback quality varies by language Only 14 languages	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 review	Read review →	Read review →

Quick takeaway

Busuu leads this comparison with an overall score of 85. It is strongest for Exam & academic and Work & business. Duolingo is the closest alternative at 88. Choose Busuu if explicit cefr levels, so you always know where you stand; pick Duolingo if free tier is genuinely usable — no other app comes close.