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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	Memrise	Duolingo
Overall score	80	88
Tagline	Video clips of actual natives	The habit machine
Best for	Travel-ready basicsConversation fluency	Travel-ready basicsFamily conversation
Use-case fit	7	6
Level fit & AI tutor	Beginner Intermediate Fluent AI tutor	Beginner Intermediate Fluent AI tutor
Verdict	The best vocabulary and listening supplement in the category — but pair it with a course app that teaches grammar.	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	Native-speaker video clips train your ear for real speech Spaced repetition is well tuned and low-friction MemBot gives unlimited low-pressure chat practice	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	Grammar instruction is minimal Removed user-created courses that many long-time users relied on Course depth varies a lot between 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

Memrise leads this comparison with an overall score of 80. It is strongest for Travel-ready basics and Conversation fluency. Duolingo is the closest alternative at 88. Choose Memrise if native-speaker video clips train your ear for real speech; pick Duolingo if free tier is genuinely usable — no other app comes close.