Learning a language is one of the most rewarding things you can do, and apps make it easier than ever to start. Still, the "best" app depends on how you like to learn and what you want to achieve. Here's how Duolingo, Babbel and Rosetta Stone compare.
Duolingo: practice that feels like play
Duolingo turns lessons into short games, complete with points, streaks and friendly reminders. Its main courses are free, which makes it a great way to see whether you enjoy a language before investing more time.
- Best for: beginners, vocabulary building and daily motivation.
- Bear in mind: grammar isn't explained in much depth.
Babbel: conversations you'll use
Babbel focuses on practical dialogues for real situations, like ordering food, booking a hotel or meeting colleagues. Short grammar notes appear as you go, and review sessions bring back words you're likely to forget.
- Best for: adults who want to speak confidently, quickly.
- Bear in mind: it's a paid subscription after the free trial.
Rosetta Stone: learn like a native speaker
Rosetta Stone teaches through immersion, pairing words with pictures rather than translations. Its speech recognition gives feedback on pronunciation, helping you sound more natural.
- Best for: learners focused on listening, speaking and accent.
- Bear in mind: progress can feel slower at the start.
Side-by-side comparison
| Duolingo | Babbel | Rosetta Stone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching style | Gamified drills | Real-world dialogues | Immersion |
| Grammar | Minimal | Clearly explained | Learned in context |
| Pronunciation | Basic | Basic | Detailed feedback |
| Getting started | Free | Free trial | Free trial |
Tips to keep going
- Pick a daily time and protect it, even if it's only ten minutes.
- Wear headphones to catch the details of pronunciation.
- Repeat every phrase out loud.
- Review earlier lessons each week.
- Watch, listen to or read something in your new language once you know the basics.