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Duolingo vs Rosetta Stone: which should you pick?
A free game-like app against a paid, immersion-based method.
At a glance
| Feature | Duolingoduolingo.com | Rosetta Stonerosettastone.com |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Cost model | Free with ads; optional Super and Max plans | Subscription (1 or 12 months) |
| Free to try | Yes, the courses themselves are free | Check Rosetta Stone’s current offer |
| How you learn | Short, game-like lessons; a Practice Hub for reviewing mistakes | Immersion: pictures and native-speaker audio, no translation |
| Languages (as each service states) | See Duolingo’s course list | 25, all included in a membership |
Checked on 30 October 2026 against each product’s own website. Prices, plans and features change often: confirm on the official sites.
How they differ
- Cost: Duolingo’s courses are free, with ads. Rosetta Stone is a paid membership.
- Method: Rosetta Stone avoids translation, teaching from pictures and native-speaker audio. Duolingo uses short, game-like lessons.
- Range: a Rosetta Stone membership includes all 25 of its languages. Duolingo’s list is on its site.
Which one for you?
Choose Duolingo if…
- You want to try a language without paying.
Choose Rosetta Stone if…
- You want to learn without translation, from images and sound.
These suggestions are our opinion. The comparison table is from the sources listed.
Where our apps fit
We build four small language apps, so we are not neutral here. You can try each one without signing up.