Khan Academy vs Duolingo
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
Khan Academy is the better app overall, scoring 9.2 to 9.0. Khan Academy wins on 2 of the 5 scores, Duolingo on 3.
Students, parents and adults who want free, structured school-level lessons
Beginners who want a fun, low-pressure daily habit in a new language
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Khan Academy | Duolingo |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning | Learning |
| Category rank | #1 of 8 | #2 of 8 |
| Developer | Khan Academy | Duolingo |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Strengths and weaknesses
Khan Academy
- Core lessons and practice are free, with no ads
- Practice adapts to what you have and haven't mastered
- Excellent for school math, from basics to calculus
- School-style format can drag for adult learners
- Arts and humanities coverage is thinner than math and science
Khan Academy is the best free learning resource you can install. Clear videos and mastery-based practice cover math from arithmetic to calculus, plus science, economics, grammar and computing. It is run by a nonprofit, so there are no ads and no core lessons behind a paywall. The catch is a school-like format that can feel dry for adults. Get it for yourself or your kids.
Full Khan Academy review
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
- Limited open-ended speaking practice outside the Max plan
- Free version has ads and caps how much you can practice
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 now teaches math, music and chess too. The catch: it is better at recognition than real conversation, and free users see ads. Start here, then add a speaking app or tutor when you want fluency.
Full Duolingo review
