Duolingo is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.0. Duolingo wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Memrise on 1.
Beginners who want a fun, low-pressure daily habit in a new language
Learners who want to understand and speak everyday language
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Duolingo | Memrise |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning | Learning |
| Category rank | #3 of 12 | #10 of 12 |
| Developer | Duolingo | Memrise Limited |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Duolingo better than Memrise?
Duolingo is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.0. Duolingo wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Memrise on 1.
Which is cheaper, Duolingo or Memrise?
Duolingo: Free with ads and Energy limits; Super and Max subscriptions remove them. Memrise: Free with ads; Pro listed at $61.99 a year or $329.99 lifetime in the US App Store. On value for money, Duolingo scores higher.
Do Duolingo and Memrise work on the same devices?
Yes, both run on iPhone & iPad, Android, Web.
Which is more private, Duolingo or Memrise?
Memrise scores higher on privacy (6.8/10). App Store label: identifiers may be used to track you; contact info, your content, IDs and usage data are linked to you. Google Play says device IDs may be shared with third parties.
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
Memrise
- Real people speaking real, everyday language
- AI chat partner for speaking practice
- An Editors' Choice app on the App Store
- The free plan is limited and shows ads
- No offline mode
- Community courses were moved out of the app
Memrise teaches the language people actually speak. Lessons are built around short videos of native speakers in everyday situations, and then you practice talking with MemBot, its AI chat partner. Official courses cover the popular languages, and newer extras add exam prep and stories. The free plan is limited and shows ads, there's no offline mode, and the old community courses no longer live in the app.
Full Memrise review
