Duolingo is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.1. Duolingo wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Busuu on 1.
Beginners who want a fun, low-pressure daily habit in a new language
Learners who want structured, level-based courses with real feedback
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Duolingo | Busuu |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning | Learning |
| Category rank | #3 of 12 | #9 of 12 |
| Developer | Duolingo | Busuu Limited |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Duolingo better than Busuu?
Duolingo is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.1. Duolingo wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Busuu on 1.
Which is cheaper, Duolingo or Busuu?
Duolingo: Free with ads and Energy limits; Super and Max subscriptions remove them. Busuu: Free lessons with ads; Premium and Premium Plus are priced by region and plan length. On value for money, Duolingo scores higher.
Do Duolingo and Busuu work on the same devices?
Yes, both run on iPhone & iPad, Android, Web.
Which is more private, Duolingo or Busuu?
Busuu scores higher on privacy (6.4/10). App Store label: identifiers and usage data may be used to track you; purchases, rough location, contact info, recordings and other content can be linked to you. Google Play says no data is shared.
Strengths and weaknesses
Duolingo
- Free tier covers full courses, not just a sample
- Short lessons fit into any spare five minutes
- Habit features really do keep you practicing daily
- Open-ended speaking practice mostly sits behind paid plans
- Free version has ads and an Energy limit on practice
- Its App Store privacy label lists heavy cross-app tracking
Duolingo is the easiest way to build a daily language habit. Lessons take a few minutes, streaks and leagues keep you coming back, and the free tier covers whole courses. It teaches math, music and chess too. The catch: it is better at recognition than real conversation, free users get ads and an Energy cap, and it tracks a lot. Start here, then add a speaking app or tutor when you want fluency.
Full Duolingo review
Busuu
- Structured lessons that explain the grammar
- Real people check your writing and speaking
- Courses go all the way up to advanced levels
- The free plan is limited and shows ads
- The best speaking tools need Premium Plus
- Only 14 languages
Busuu feels more like a real course than a game. Lessons follow clear levels from beginner up to advanced, and fluent speakers in the Busuu community can check your writing and speaking. A Study Plan fits lessons around your week, Smart Review gathers the words and grammar you've learned for practice, and Premium Plus adds AI conversation practice. It covers 14 languages. The free plan is limited and shows ads, and prices vary a lot.
Full Busuu review
