Duolingo vs Pimsleur vs Rosetta Stone (2026)

Duolingo is the best place to start because it is free; Pimsleur is best for getting basic speaking into your head by ear, for example on a commute; Rosetta Stone suits a visual learner who wants immersion with almost no English and is willing to pay. All three stop around B1.

Checked October 2026 · Duolingo price: Free; Super from $9.99/mo or $79.99/yr (checked 2026-10-06 (US App Store))

Quick answers

Price

Duolingo: every course is free; Super is $9.99 a month or $79.99 a year on the US App Store, checked 6 October 2026.

Pimsleur: first lesson free, then All Access at $20.99 a month or $164.99 a year on the US App Store (checked 6 October 2026), or $150 per one-off level on pimsleur.com (checked 9 October 2026).

Rosetta Stone: free trial of the app, then €19.99 a month or €159 a year, checked 9 October 2026 from Germany.

Method

Duolingo teaches in bite-sized, game-style lessons that cover reading, writing, listening and speaking, with a streak to bring you back each day. Pimsleur is audio-first: 30-minute lessons where you listen, repeat and answer out loud before you see any text, with a hands-free mode for driving and offline listening. Rosetta Stone teaches by immersion from the first lesson: pictures, words and speech recognition, with very little English and no grammar explanations.

How far each takes you

All three realistically cover A1 to B1. Duolingo leaves most people able to read simple sentences but not follow native speakers; Pimsleur leaves you speaking clearly with a small vocabulary; Rosetta Stone leaves you recognising patterns with little grammar explained. Plan your next step before you finish.

Which should you choose?

If you are not sure you will stick with a language, start on Duolingo. Try it free for a few weeks before paying for anything.

If you have a commute or a daily walk, choose Pimsleur. Every lesson makes you answer out loud before you see any text.

If you learn well by spotting patterns in pictures and want no English, choose Rosetta Stone.

If you want a pair, Pimsleur in the car and Duolingo on your phone for reading and spelling complement each other. Rosetta Stone and Duolingo mostly repeat the same ground.

What none of them does

All three use clean audio built for learners, none plays native speakers at real speed, and none explains grammar in depth or gives you a person to talk to. Add real listening early and a weekly conversation once you can say a few sentences. The two-way pages go deeper: Duolingo vs Pimsleur, Duolingo vs Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur vs Rosetta Stone. For one language in detail, see Duolingo for French, Pimsleur for French and Rosetta Stone for French.

Who it's for

Duolingo: anyone who wants a free habit first. Pimsleur: commuters who learn by ear. Rosetta Stone: visual learners who enjoy immersion with almost no English.

Who it's not for

Learners who want grammar explained clearly, anyone past B1, and anyone expecting one of these to get them following native speakers at normal speed.

Questions

Which is best: Duolingo, Pimsleur or Rosetta Stone?

Duolingo to start for free, Pimsleur to speak by ear, Rosetta Stone for immersion. None takes you past about B1.

Which is cheapest?

Duolingo, which is free. Rosetta Stone was €159 a year from Germany (checked 9 October 2026) and Pimsleur All Access $164.99 a year on the US App Store (checked 6 October 2026).

Which gets me speaking soonest?

Pimsleur. Every lesson makes you answer out loud before you see any text. Rosetta Stone uses speech recognition from the first lesson, on words and short sentences; Duolingo's speaking is a small part of each lesson.