Duolingo is a partly free language-learning app for beginner and intermediate learners (A1–B1). The easiest free habit for week one; plan what comes after it.
Checked October 2026 on the official site ·
About Duolingo
Duolingo is the free, game-style app that teaches French in bite-sized lessons covering reading, writing, listening and speaking, and every course on it is free. Paid plans remove ads and add extras. It suits a complete beginner who needs a daily habit and a painless first few hundred words. It does not get you to conversation: the sentences are short and recorded for learners, and most people who finish the tree still cannot follow two French people talking.
How it compares
| App | Price | Levels | Real-speed audio | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duolingo | Free; Super from $9.99/mo or $79.99/yrchecked 2026-10-06 (US App Store) | A1–B1 | No | The easiest free habit for week one; plan what comes after it. |
| Busuu | Free tier; Premium €4.83/mo billed €57.99/yr (standard €116.28); Premium Plus €5.83/mo billed €69.90/yr (standard €142.80)checked 2026-10-09 (busuu.com/products, shown from Germany) | A1–B2 | No | A solid A1 to B2 path with a usable free tier. |
| Babbel | From €8.99/mo on the 12-month plan (€107.88 a year; €215.88 at the monthly rate); lifetime €299.99; first lesson freechecked 2026-10-09 (babbel.com/prices, shown from Germany) | A1–C1 | No | The most course-like app; a good spine for A1 to B1, light on real listening. |
| Memrise | Free plan; Pro $61.99/yr or $329.99 lifetime; monthly plan $24.99checked 2026-10-09 (US App Store in-app purchases) | A1–B1 | Yes | Native-speaker clips for beginners; a supplement, not a course. |
Prices as shown on the official site on the date given; they vary by country and change often.
Guides
- Is Duolingo free? What the free version gives you (2026)
- Duolingo French: how far it takes you, honestly
- How much is Duolingo? Super and Max prices (2026)
- Duolingo energy and hearts: how to keep learning without the limits
- Is Duolingo effective? What it teaches and what it skips
- How to get a Duolingo refund
- How to cancel Duolingo Super
- Duolingo alternatives (free and paid)
- Free tool: what your Duolingo score means (CEFR level and finish date)
Compared with
Listed in
Further reading
A longer guide on this topic from French with Amélie: read the guide.
