Anki vs Duolingo at a glance
| Anki | Duolingo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free on desktop, web and Android; iPhone app (AnkiMobile) $24.99 oncechecked 2026-10-06 (US App Store) | Free; Super from $9.99/mo or $79.99/yrchecked 2026-10-06 (US App Store) |
| Levels | A1–C2 (beginner to advanced) | A1–B1 (beginner and intermediate) |
| Free to use | Yes, at least in part | Yes, at least in part |
| Real-speed audio | No | No |
| Transcripts or subtitles | Not a feature | Not a feature |
| Taught in | English | English |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Web | iOS, Android, Web |
| Best for | The best free memory tool at any level; bring your own material. | The easiest free habit for week one; plan what comes after it. |
Prices as shown on the official site on the date given; they vary by country and change often.
Which is better for beginners?
Duolingo. It actually teaches you French: bite-sized lessons covering reading, writing, listening and speaking, with every course free. Anki teaches nothing by itself; you need cards from somewhere, and it is fiddly to set up.
Which is better for vocabulary?
Anki, once you have words to learn. It uses spaced repetition to show each card just before you would forget it, and it handles thousands of cards at any level. Duolingo teaches words inside short sentences, which is good for a start but slower to build a large vocabulary.
Which is cheaper?
Both are free for most people. Every Duolingo course is free, and its paid plans only remove ads and add extras. Anki is free on computers, the web and Android; AnkiMobile for iPhone costs a one-off $24.99.
Which takes you further?
Anki keeps working at any level, because you bring the French. Duolingo realistically covers A1 to B1, and most people who finish it still cannot follow two French people talking.
Which is easier to use?
Duolingo, by far. You open it and start a lesson. Anki is plain and powerful, and many people find it ugly and fiddly to set up, so start with a few cards a day from your lessons until the habit sticks.
Can you use both?
Yes, and it is a strong free pair: Duolingo for the daily lesson, Anki for the words you want to keep, including ones you meet outside the app.
What neither does
Neither trains your ear for French at real speed or gives you a person to talk to. Duolingo's audio is recorded for learners, and Anki only plays what you put on your cards. Add real listening and some speaking practice.
How it compares
| App | Price | Levels | Real-speed audio | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anki | Free on desktop, web and Android; iPhone app (AnkiMobile) $24.99 oncechecked 2026-10-06 (US App Store) | A1–C2 | No | The best free memory tool at any level; bring your own material. |
| 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. |
Prices as shown on the official site on the date given; they vary by country and change often.
Read more
The full listings: Anki (app) and Duolingo (app). More like these: Free language learning apps.
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)
- Is Anki free? (iPhone vs everything else)
- 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
- Anki for French: decks worth using
- Duolingo vs Pimsleur vs Rosetta Stone (2026)
- Duolingo vs Praktika vs Speak (2026)