Duolingo vs Rosetta Stone: I Tried Both Apps to Learn in 2024

Back in 2016, when I was learning my third language, I found myself in a situation many language learners face: I couldn't afford private classes. 

During my research phase, I discovered Rosetta Stone and Duolingo as affordable alternatives to tutoring. 

However, as my learning pace accelerated, I quickly outgrew these two apps. I was training to participate in a public speaking competition in my target language, and I needed to find effective ways to achieve fluency—and do so fast.

Rosetta Stone played a crucial role in my early stages of learning, helping me get my hands dirty and introducing me to basic conversational skills. But as I progressed, I found that group classes were the key to improving my language abilities and ultimately becoming fluent.

As someone who has used both Duolingo and Rosetta Stone extensively, I can confidently say that while both are language-learning apps, they are quite different. 

Rosetta Stone's content seems more geared toward helping beginners expose themselves to new languages, while Duolingo feels more like a game designed for toddlers.

However, this doesn't mean you should dismiss Duolingo entirely. It’s important to try both apps and make your own decision based on your learning style and goals. 

That's why I'm writing this in-depth comparison of Duolingo vs. Rosetta Stone, even though comparing the two is a bit like comparing apples and oranges.

In this piece, we'll examine the teaching methodologies, content, and core philosophies of both apps. We'll also introduce a third alternative you may not have considered, especially if you're learning French. 

By the end of this article, you'll have a clearer understanding of which app, if any, might be the best fit for your language-learning journey.

Duolingo vs Rosetta Stone: TL/DR

Duolingo vs. Rosetta Stone: What does each language learning app do?

It's understandable why you’d want to compare Duolingo and Rosetta Stone when deciding on a language learning app. 

At first glance, the price difference is striking: Duolingo is generally free, although their premium offering, Duolingo Max (which integrates AI and provides explanations for your input and output), costs $168/year if paid upfront. 

On the other hand, Rosetta Stone's lifetime subscription, which includes access to 25 languages, is priced at $199.

The temptation to choose based on cost alone is real. 

However, to make an informed decision, it’s essential to look beyond the price tag and understand what each app offers and what sets them apart. 

Let’s begin by examining Duolingo, the app that has gained popularity for being free.

Duolingo is fun and free, but at what cost?

Duolingo offers a gamified language-learning experience at no cost to the user. 

The way it works is that they have challenges for each stage, and as you progress through, you hit streaks, which become a great incentive to keep on practicing. 

However, it’s important to explain how Duolingo's free language learning solution works.

Behind the scenes, you, the user, are unknowingly helping to train the company’s machine-learning algorithms. 

They used to sell the data generated by millions of users to big data companies, turning Duolingo's user base into the company’s workforce.

It seems, though, that they stopped doing this and are now maximizing their efforts on ads for free users.

Duolingo heavily relies on translation exercises and gamification to keep users engaged. 

The app generates random phrases for users to translate, such as "The cat is wearing a hat" or "The elephant is driving a car." 

While these phrases may be amusing, they do not follow a structured learning path and fail to prepare learners for real-life conversations.

Hence, you may be a streak king in the Duolingo app, but in real life, you might be unable to hold a simple two-minute conversation. Or, at best, end up with the typical "I can understand when people speak, but struggle to speak myself" problem.

This video perfectly explains the overall sentiment about Duolingo.

Rosetta Stone is like the one-eyed man in the kingdom of the blind, but is it worth your investment?

Rosetta Stone takes a different approach to language learning compared to Duolingo. The RS program aims to immerse users in their target language through a combination of images, text, and sound without relying on translation or explicit grammar explanations. 

Basically, you’re presented with a series of images and sentences, which you must match and repeat to progress through the lessons.

While Rosetta Stone's method seems more effective than Duolingo's gamified and translation-heavy approach, it's important to remember that Rosetta Stone is like the one-eyed man in the kingdom of the blind. 

In other words, if your only options are Duolingo and Rosetta Stone, the latter is undoubtedly a better choice, but it's still not the most effective way to learn a language.

Rosetta Stone does offer more relevant phrases and content compared to Duolingo's often bizarre and disconnected sentences. However, RS falls short when it comes to providing cultural context and nuance. 

In most cases, you, the users, are presented with images and sentences to repeat, but there is little to no explanation of the appropriate contexts and scenarios in which to use them. 

In language learning, understanding cultural nuances and context is crucial. It's what distinguishes a friendly joke like "What an idiot!" among friends from an insult when used in a professional setting or with strangers.

Ultimately, if you had to choose between Duolingo and Rosetta Stone, the latter would likely yield better results in terms of speaking ability. 

However, it's important to recognize that Rosetta Stone's method still has its limitations, particularly when it comes to developing a deep understanding of the language's cultural aspects and nuances.

As a result, you may struggle to engage in natural, fluid conversations with native speakers.

Here’s another video that portrays that sentiment about Rosetta Stone.

Rosetta Stone vs Duolingo: Comparing their language teaching method

To be honest, comparing Duolingo to Rosetta is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. The teaching methodology used in each app is different and caters to different use cases. Here’s how.

Can you really learn a language by relying on Duolingo’s gamification and translation content?

Picture this. 👇👇👇

You've been using Duolingo religiously for months, maybe even years. You've maintained an impressive streak, earned countless virtual rewards, and feel like you've made some serious progress. 

But then, when you find yourself in a real-world situation where you need to speak the language, you freeze up. You struggle to form even the most basic sentences, and you realize that all those hours spent on the app haven't quite prepared you for authentic communication. 

Sadly, that’s what most Duolingo users go through.

The truth is, while Duolingo's gamification and translation exercises keep you engaged and motivated, they don't necessarily set you up for success in real-world language use. 

Sure, it's fun to earn points and compete with friends, but at the end of the day, are you actually learning how to communicate effectively in your target language?

One of the biggest problems with Duolingo's approach is that it often presents words and phrases out of context. 

You find yourself translating nonsensical sentences like "The cat is wearing a hat" or "The elephant is driving a car." While these might make you chuckle, they don't really reflect how native speakers actually use the language in real life. 

Without understanding the cultural nuances and context behind the words you're learning, it's tough to apply them in a meaningful way.

Another issue is that Duolingo's translation exercises can get you stuck in a cycle of mental translation. Instead of learning to think directly in the language, you're constantly translating from your native tongue. 

This habit can be hard to break, and it slows you down when you're trying to have a real conversation. For example, you might find yourself mentally translating every word, instead of being able to respond naturally and spontaneously.

Now, don’t get me wrong—Duolingo’s gamification can be a great motivator. It feels good to see your points rack up and your streak grow longer. 

But it’s important to remember that these virtual rewards don’t necessarily equate to real language proficiency. Just because you’re a Duolingo superstar doesn’t mean you’ll be able to hold your own in a real conversation with a native speaker.

So, if you plan to rely solely on Duolingo, it would be better to change your plan sooner rather than later. 

The key is to recognize that Duolingo is just one tool in your language-learning toolkit. To truly achieve fluency, you'll need to seek out other resources and opportunities for authentic practice. 

This could mean finding a language exchange partner, taking a class with a real teacher, or immersing yourself in the language through movies, music, and books.

At the end of the day, learning a language is about so much more than just memorizing words and phrases. It's about understanding the culture, the context, and the way native speakers actually communicate. 

Can you really learn a language by relying solely on Rosetta Stone’s culturally inaccurate content?

While Rosetta Stone is a good step up from Duolingo in terms of content quality and avoiding translation, it still suffers from a similar problem: a lack of contextual explanation. 

One of the biggest issues with Rosetta Stone is its one-size-fits-all approach to language learning. Regardless of the language you're studying, you’ll notice a distinctly Westernized perspective in the way the content is presented. 

For example, let’s say you’re learning Farsi (Persian) with Rosetta Stone. Persian culture is vastly different from Japanese or Korean culture, but the way Rosetta Stone portrays these languages and their associated cultures often feels like a mirror of American or Western norms.

On the flip side, when Rosetta Stone does attempt to showcase cultural elements, it sometimes misses the mark by either exaggerating or diluting real-life customs and practices. 

For instance, in a Japanese lesson, you see a character bowing deeply to greet another person, even in a casual setting. 

While bowing is indeed an important part of Japanese etiquette, the way it's portrayed in Rosetta Stone might lead you to believe that you should always bow deeply, regardless of the context. 

In reality, the depth and duration of a bow can vary greatly depending on the situation and the relationship between the people involved.

So, what's the result of relying solely on Rosetta Stone's culturally inaccurate content? 

Well, you might develop a decent grasp of vocabulary and sentence structure, but when it comes to real-world interactions, you risk coming across as unintentionally rude or overly formal. 

Without a proper understanding of the cultural nuances and social norms associated with the language, you might unknowingly offend or confuse native speakers, even if your intentions are good.

In some cases, your speech patterns even give away the fact that you’ve learned the language through a program like Rosetta Stone. Native speakers will pick up on your "textbook" way of speaking, which signals that you have a limited understanding of the language's cultural context. 

This can be especially problematic in situations where cultural sensitivity and awareness are crucial, such as business negotiations or social gatherings.

To truly master a language, you need to go beyond just memorizing words and phrases. You need to immerse yourself in the culture, understand the social norms, and learn how native speakers actually communicate in various contexts. 

Where do Duolingo and Rosetta Stone fail most language learners? And why language learning apps don’t prepare you for real-life conversations?

One of the biggest pitfalls of language learning apps like Duolingo and Rosetta Stone is that they often give users a false sense of progress and momentum. 

These apps have successfully created a culture of instant gratification, where you become more focused on earning XP, points, and maintaining streaks than on actually achieving proficiency in your target language. 

As a result, you feel like you're making significant strides within the app, racking up virtual achievements left and right, but when it comes to real-life conversations, you struggle to form even basic sentences.

It's important to remember that the ultimate goal of language learning should be proficiency – the ability to effectively communicate and understand the language in authentic situations. 

However, the way most language learning apps are designed makes it challenging, if not impossible, to truly build fluency. 

The majority of the learning takes place in isolation, with users interacting solely with the app itself rather than engaging in meaningful, real-world conversations.

This raises the question: can you really develop fluency without actively speaking with others? 

One of the most common complaints from people who use Duolingo or Rosetta Stone is, "But I don't have anyone I can practice with." And therein lies the problem. 

To truly master a language, you need to practice in real life, using idiomatic expressions and adages in their proper context, and receiving feedback and corrections from native speakers. Unfortunately, most language learning apps fall short of providing these elements.

This is where language schools that prioritize tutoring and human-to-human interactions have an advantage over apps. 

By emphasizing the importance of conversations and providing opportunities for learners to engage with native speakers, these programs create an environment that fosters genuine language acquisition and fluency.

Another significant issue with apps like Duolingo and Rosetta Stone is their heavy reliance on rote memorization techniques. 

These apps often bombard you with a plethora of vocabulary and grammar rules, treating you like sponges meant to absorb vast amounts of information. 

However, without sufficient opportunities to practice and apply what you've learned, you WILL often struggle to retain this knowledge. 

The principle behind this approach is flawed: while input is certainly important, it's the output—the actual use of the language—that solidifies learning and builds lasting fluency.

When you’re consistently exposed to new words and phrases without the chance to use them in meaningful contexts, your memory inevitably begins to falter. 

This becomes painfully apparent when you find yourself in a real conversation, desperately trying to recall the vocabulary you've spent hours studying, only to find that your mind goes blank. 

Duolingo or Rosetta Stone: When does it make sense to use each?

Despite the limitations and drawbacks discussed throughout this article, it's important to recognize that Rosetta Stone and Duolingo can be helpful in certain scenarios. 

In fact, when used efficiently and at the right stage of the language learning journey, these apps can provide valuable benefits to learners.

Dulingo and Rosetta Stone work best if you’re an absolute beginner getting initial exposure

If you are just starting out with a new language, getting initial exposure is super important. 

Rosetta Stone's emphasis on pronunciation and visual learning will help you develop a basic understanding of how words and phrases sound in their target language. 

For example, you can associate images with the corresponding words, which can aid in vocabulary retention and recall.

Similarly, Duolingo's bite-sized lessons and gamified approach can help beginners build a foundational vocabulary. 

The app's repetition and regular exposure to new words can help you gradually familiarize yourself with the language. 

Moreover, the slower pace of these apps can be beneficial, as your beginner's ears may not yet be accustomed to the speed and complexity of native speech. 

Rosetta Stone and Duolingo work best when used as a supplement to, not replacement for, real practice

While Rosetta Stone and Duolingo should not be considered standalone solutions for language learning, they can be valuable supplements when combined with immersion and other methods, such as tutoring or real-world practice. 

The key is to use these apps as complementary tools rather than relying on them as the sole means of learning.

For instance, you can use Duolingo to build your vocabulary and reinforce grammar concepts, while also regularly engaging in conversation practice with a tutor or language exchange partner. 

By applying the knowledge gained from the app in real-life situations, you can solidify your understanding and develop practical communication skills. 

Similarly, Rosetta Stone's audio lessons can serve as a useful supplement to immersive experiences, such as watching films or listening to podcasts in the target language, helping you refine your pronunciation and listening comprehension.

Both Duolingo’s gamification and Rosetta Stone's milestone-based lessons can help with initial habit formation

One area where apps like Duolingo and Rosetta Stone excel is in their ability to foster daily learning and engagement habits in learners. 

The gamification elements, such as earning points, unlocking achievements, and maintaining streaks, can be powerful motivators for you, especially in the early stages of your language-learning journey. 

By engaging with the app for just a few minutes each day, you can establish a consistent study habit, which is crucial for making steady progress and achieving fluency in the long run.

For example, a learner who commits to completing one Duolingo lesson every morning before work or school is more likely to stay on track and maintain their language learning momentum. 

The app's reminder notifications and streak-tracking features can help keep you accountable and motivated to show up for your daily practice. 

Over time, these small, consistent efforts can compound, leading to significant improvements in vocabulary retention and overall language proficiency.

Duolingo vs Rosetta vs Get French Classes: A third alternative you haven’t thought of for your French learning journey

If you're learning French , there's a third alternative to Duolingo and Rosetta Stone that you might not have considered: Get French Classes. 

Yes, that’s us.

We use an innovative approach to language learning that solves many of the most common and pressing problems language learners face, offering a structured, immersive, and affordable way to achieve fluency.

One of the biggest challenges learners encounter is the cost of private tutoring. Becoming a fluent French speaker can take hundreds of hours, and paying a tutor $45 to $90 for each hour of private lessons quickly adds up. 

On the other side, language immersion trips, while highly effective, are also expensive and require learners to leave their home country for months at a time. 

And, cheap alternatives like Duolingo or Rosetta Stone, which focus on gamification and vocabulary memorization, often fail to prepare learners for real-life conversations.

Another common struggle is finding someone to practice speaking with regularly. Even if you've acquired a substantial vocabulary through apps or memorization, it's challenging to apply that knowledge in real-life conversations without a practice partner. 

Tutoring platforms like Lingoda, Preply, and iTalki can connect you with French tutors, but they don't provide a structured learning path, leaving you to decide what you want to learn and build your curriculum.

Get French Classes addresses these pain points head-on. Our method is designed to help you take your French skills from zero to fluent by focusing on three key areas:

• Building daily French speaking habits through bite-sized, 5-minute video lessons and assignments that fit easily into busy schedules.

• Providing immersive, real-life scenarios through 45-minute private French classes with experienced tutors.

• Fostering fluency through practice with learning pods – groups of six learners who engage in discussions, debates, and conversations to build their skills together.

When you purchase one of our courses ($307), you gain access to a comprehensive learning package that includes 50+ video lessons, 100+ assignments, 6 hours of private French classes, 6 hours of group classes, and a supportive community of fellow French learners. 

Here are some of our tutors:

Our approach offers structured learning designed to take you from one level to the next, ensuring steady progress and the development of practical language skills.

Compared to other language learning options, Get French Classes stands out in several key ways:

• Our courses are designed to fit even the busiest of schedules, with short daily lessons and flexible class times.

• We provide a structured, immersive learning path, so you never have to worry about where to start or what to learn next.

• Our group classes and learning pods ensure you always have someone to practice with, eliminating the common complaint of not having a conversation partner.

• Our courses are affordable, so you don't have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on private tutoring to make progress.

• We emphasize real-life situations and practical language use, so you'll never find yourself understanding native speakers but unable to respond.

On top of these benefits, Get French Classes sets itself apart by focusing on context-based learning rather than rote memorization and translation. 

In French, as in any language, context is everything. Simply memorizing vocabulary without understanding how to use it in real situations is ineffective. 

Our lessons and classes are designed to help you navigate authentic French conversations and cultural nuances, ensuring you develop the skills and confidence needed to communicate effectively with native speakers.

For instance, each course is focused on one specific real-life situation, such as, at the bakery, at the supermarket, at the office, etc.

So, if you're serious about learning French and want a structured, immersive, and affordable alternative to Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, and expensive private tutoring, consider giving Get French Classes a try. 

Here's a comparison table that highlights the key differences between Get French Classes, Rosetta Stone, and Duolingo, emphasizing the unique features and benefits offered by Get French Classes:

Here's what some of our learners have to say:

Don’t prioritize a false sense of progress over actual, real-life language proficiency

Ultimately, the goal of language learning should be achieving fluency, not accumulating XPs or maintaining streaks. In this sense, Rosetta Stone emerges as the winner in the Duolingo vs Rosetta Stone battle. 

But, and this is a big "but," that's only if these two are your sole options.

If you’re learning French and your goal is to:

• Learn with a structured curriculum that takes you from beginner to advanced

• Study with context and real-life scenarios to ensure practical applicability

• Practice with other learners while building up your fluency in a supportive environment

• Be part of a community where people keep you accountable and motivated

• Receive personalized attention and feedback from experienced tutors

Then Get French Classes is hands down your best option. 

Our comprehensive program is designed to address the shortcomings of apps like Duolingo and Rosetta Stone, providing you with the tools, support, and immersive experience needed to achieve genuine French proficiency. 

So, before settling for a false sense of progress, consider investing in a language learning solution that prioritizes real-world results.