Duolingo: Language Lessons vs its rivals

Side-by-side comparison against Duolingo: Language Lessons's closest competitors — identity, store metrics, ratings & sentiment, and strategic intel.

	Duolingo: Language Lessons This App	Babbel - Learn Languages Nemesis	Rosetta Stone: Learn Languages Contender	Memrise: Speak a New Language Contender	Busuu: Language Learning Contender	Yousician: Your Music Teacher Peer	Khan Academy Peer	Chess - Play & Learn Peer	LingoDeer - Learn Languages New Kid	Speak - Learn English New Kid
Core Identity
Developer	Duolingo	Babbel	Rosetta Stone	Memrise	Busuu Limited	Yousician Ltd	Khan Academy	Chess.com	LingoDeer	Speakeasy Labs
Category	Education	-	-	-	Education	Education	-	Games	-	-
Platform	Android, iOS	-	-	-	iOS	iOS, Android	-	iOS	-	-
Store Metrics
Rating	4.7 / 5	-	-	-	4.7 / 5	4.6 / 5	-	4.8 / 5	-	-
Ratings Count	5,143,666	-	-	-	97,556	135,480	-	725,449	-	-
Price	Free	-	-	-	Free	Free	-	Free	-	-
Release Date	Nov 13, 2012	-	-	-	Sep 21, 2010	Feb 26, 2015	-	Oct 29, 2009	-	-
Last Updated	May 5, 2026	-	-	-	Apr 12, 2026	Apr 20, 2026	-	Apr 14, 2026	-	-
Sentiment & Reviews
Sentiment	positive	-	-	-	-	mixed	-	mixed	-	-
Score	75/100	-	-	-	-	45/100	-	45/100	-	-
Praises	Gamified language learning structure keeps users motivated to maintain daily study streaks over long periods	-	-	-	-	Structured learning paths provide effective skill development for absolute beginners starting their guitar journey	-	Educational Value Game Variety and Features	-	-
Complaints	Recent energy system changes restrict lesson access and frustrate users who prefer the previous health-based model	-	-	-	-	Aggressive paywall implementation restricts access to core lessons and songs previously available for free	-	Excessive Advertising Aggressive Monetization Cheating and Fairness Concerns	-	-
Requests	Reversion to the previous health-based system to allow for more flexible and uninterrupted daily study sessions	-	-	-	-	Expanded song library including more rock and metal tracks to increase variety for advanced players	-	-	-	-
Strategic Intel
Strengths	Gamified streak mechanics drive industry-leading DAU/MAU ratios Multi-subject expansion increases total session time per user Brand recognition sustains organic install velocity	-	-	-	Unique peer-to-peer community feedback loop Official certification through McGraw Hill/Chegg partnership High user rating (4.7) and strong brand authority	Multi-instrument ecosystem increases lifetime value Gamified progression drives daily habit formation	-	Massive network effect (250M+ players) ensuring instant matchmaking Exclusive partnerships with top-tier grandmasters and influencers Industry-leading library of 500k+ puzzles and educational content	-	-
Weaknesses	Energy-gating mechanism triggers high-frequency user frustration Technical regressions on tablet devices erode daily streak reliability Aggressive monetization prompts create friction for advanced learners	-	-	-	Limited language catalog (14 languages) compared to rivals Absence of integrated live human-led classes Less aggressive gamification may lead to lower DAU compared to Duolingo	Audio detection errors cause false negatives Subscription management complaints drive churn High annual cost vs perceived value	-	Intrusive ad frequency causing significant user friction Perceived high barrier to entry for premium features Declining sentiment trend regarding monetization transparency	-	-
Pricing	freemium	-	-	-	subscription	subscription	-	freemium	-	-
Momentum	Active	-	-	-	Steady	Active	-	-	-	-
Update Cadence	5 versions, 1 majors/6mo, ~11d avg	-	-	-	1 versions, 1 majors/6mo	5 versions, ~9d avg	-	-	-	-

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