Apps › Guides › Duolingo alternatives
Duolingo alternatives for French
The best Duolingo alternatives for French are Busuu or Babbel for a more serious course, Lingopie, LingQ or FluentU for real listening, and Lingoda or italki for speaking with a teacher.
Choose by what Duolingo is not giving you. If you want the same game-style format, see apps like Duolingo instead.
Checked October 2026 · 11 listed
Ranked, our picks first
BusuuChecked Oct 2026A solid A1 to B2 path with a usable free tier.
Free tiergrammarvocabularyspeaking
BabbelChecked Oct 2026The most course-like app; a good spine for A1 to B1, light on real listening.
Paidgrammarvocabularyspeaking
LingopieChecked Oct 2026Good for B1 and up who will really watch; not a course.
Free tierlisteningvocabulary
LingQChecked Oct 2026Huge amounts of real French with text and audio; a tool, not a course.
Free tierlisteningvocabulary
PimsleurChecked Oct 2026Best for speaking from day one on a commute; thin on vocabulary.
Paidlisteningspeaking
FluentUChecked Oct 2026Real French video with clickable subtitles and quizzes; paid after the trial.
Paidlisteningvocabulary
LingodaChecked Oct 2026Real classes on a timetable; costly per minute of speaking.
Paidspeakingtutorsgrammar
GymglishChecked Oct 2026A witty 10-minute daily lesson that adapts to your mistakes, in five languages; paid.
Paidgrammarvocabulary
News in Slow FrenchChecked Oct 2026Weekly news read slowly with transcripts; structured, but not real speed.
Paidlistening
FrantastiqueChecked Oct 2026A witty 10-minute daily lesson that adapts to your mistakes; paid.
Paidgrammarvocabulary
SpeakChecked Oct 2026Lots of out-loud speaking practice with an AI tutor; paid after a 7-day trial.
Paidspeaking
How we rank
We rank apps by who they genuinely suit, what they cost, and how much they help with the skill learners neglect most: understanding real spoken French. Every price and fact was checked on the product's own site or app store listing on the date shown; where a price is not published we say so and what is free. Nobody pays to be listed or ranked, and there are no affiliate links. More about this site.
Questions
What is a good alternative to Duolingo for French?
Busuu if you want a structured course with CEFR levels and a free tier; Babbel if you prefer a paid course with clearer grammar. For listening, Lingopie, LingQ or FluentU.
Is there anything better than Duolingo for listening?
Yes. Lingopie and FluentU use real French TV and video with interactive subtitles, and LingQ uses real podcasts and articles with text. Duolingo's audio is short and recorded for learners.
Is there a Duolingo alternative with real teachers?
Lingoda runs live group classes on a timetable, and italki or Preply let you book one-to-one tutors who set their own prices.