Mondly vs Duolingo 2025: The Ultimate Comparison (Pros & Cons)

 
Mondly logo

Mondly

duolingo logo

Duolingo

Best For

Best for immersive, real-life conversation learning with AR/VR and career-specific courses.

Best for free, gamified language learning with strong grammar lessons and daily practice.

Price

$9.9

$0

Features

Real-life conversations
AR/VR learning features
Voice recognition tools

100% free version
Gamified learning experience
Strong grammar foundation

Pros

Multiple language options
Easy-to-use interface
Supports grammar learning

Fun progress tracking
Interactive speaking exercises
Works offline (premium)

Cons

Limited free content

Repetitive lesson structure

Learning a new language is exciting, but choosing the right app can be tricky. Two big names in the game are Mondly and Duolingo.

I’ve tried both, and while they share the same goal, their approaches are very different. Duolingo makes language learning feel like a fun game, while Mondly focuses on real-world conversations with speech recognition.

So, which one actually helps you learn faster? Which one is worth your time?

In this Mondly vs Duolingo comparison, I’ll break down Why To Choose Them One By One!

Mondly Vs Duolingo 2025 – An Overview

Mondly Overview

Mondly has been in the market for about 6 years and offers a wide range of 39 languages for users to learn. In contrast, Duolingo has been around for 9 years and provides 40 languages to master.

Mondly

Duolingo and Mondly are the two leading competitors in the language learning field, both featuring a speech recognition tool.

Since Duolingo entered the market before Mondly, the real question is: Which platform should you choose to start learning a foreign language from scratch—Mondly or Duolingo?


Duolingo Overview

Duolingo is a well-established competitor in the language learning arena, while Mondly is emerging as a challenger. Duolingo Both Duolingo and Mondly are apps that make learning a language enjoyable through gamification, giving users the experience of playing a game rather than studying.

They also feature speech recognition, similar to Mondly’s capabilities. While Mondly and Duolingo may appear similar, they cater to different types of learners.

 Why You Should Choose Mondly?

1. Natural Language and Practical Vocabulary

Mondly - Language

Mondly excels in teaching real-life, practical sentences that can be used in everyday conversations.

Unlike Duolingo, which sometimes presents odd or unnatural phrases, Mondly ensures that its translations are accurate and contextually appropriate.

This makes it a better choice for those who want to quickly learn useful phrases for travel, business, or daily interactions.

2. Immersive Learning with AR & VR Features

Mondly stands out with its Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) tools, which create realistic, interactive environments where you can practice conversations.

You can talk to a CGI chatbot, place animated objects in your surroundings, and practice dialogues in simulated real-world situations like a restaurant or airport.

These features enhance speaking skills in a way that traditional apps cannot.

3. Career-Specific Language Courses

Unlike Duolingo, Mondly offers job-specific courses for fields like marketing, healthcare, finance, and customer service.

This makes it an excellent choice for professionals who need language skills for work.

4. Engaging and Well-Designed User Interface

Engaging and Well-Designed User Interface

Mondly’s visually appealing interface makes learning enjoyable. It provides a map-based system to track progress and organizes lessons based on real-life situations like shopping, dining, or travel.

5. Speech Recognition and Speaking Practice

Mondly’s speech recognition technology helps users practice pronunciation and speaking fluency.

While Duolingo includes speaking exercises, Mondly’s conversational approach and chatbot provide a more natural speaking experience.

6. Large Language Selection

Mondly - Large Language Selection

Mondly offers 41 languages and allows learners to use any language as a base, meaning you can learn French using Spanish instead of English. This flexibility makes it great for multilingual learners.


Why You Should Choose Duolingo?

1. Completely Free Learning Model

Duolingo is one of the only language-learning apps that offers full access for free.

While there is a paid version (Super Duolingo) for an ad-free experience and offline learning, the free version still provides everything you need to learn a language.

2. Strong Grammar Foundation

Duolingo - Strong Grammar Foundation

Unlike Mondly, which focuses more on conversational phrases, Duolingo teaches grammar from the beginning.

It introduces basic sentence structures first, then moves on to adjectives, verbs, tenses, and sentence formation. This makes Duolingo the better choice for learners who want a strong grammar foundation.

3. Fun and Gamified Learning Experience

Duolingo turns language learning into a game, making it more engaging and motivating.

Users earn experience points (XP), complete daily challenges, and compete with friends on leaderboards. The app’s interactive animations and rewards system make learning fun and addictive.

4. Variety of Practice Drills

Duolingo - Variety of Practice Drills

Each lesson includes multiple types of exercises, such as listening, translation, matching words, and pronunciation tests.

This diverse learning approach helps reinforce vocabulary and grammar in different ways, keeping lessons interesting.

5. Large Language Selection, Including Fictional Languages

Duolingo offers over 40 languages, including fictional ones like Klingon, Valyrian, and Navajo. It also provides courses for non-English speakers, making it one of the most accessible language apps worldwide.

6. Repetition for Better Retention

Duolingo - Repetition for Better Retention

If you answer a question incorrectly, Duolingo repeats the question later to reinforce learning.

This spaced repetition system helps with long-term memory and ensures users don’t forget what they’ve learned.

Pricing and Subscription Options: Mondly vs Duolingo

Mondly Pricing

Mondly has a free version with limited lessons, but most features require a paid subscription. Pricing options:

  • $9.99 per month for one language
  • $47.99 per year for one language
  • Lifetime access: Often around $100, but varies with discounts

Duolingo Pricing

Duolingo is completely free, but users can upgrade to Super Duolingo, which offers:

  • Free Plan: $0 per month or year
  • Super Plan: $12.99 per month or $59.99 per year
  • Super Family Plan: $9.99 per month or $119.99 per year (up to six users)
  • Duolingo English Test: $65

Super Duolingo removes ads, allows offline access, and provides unlimited lesson attempts.

Mondly vs. Duolingo: Key Comparisons

Feature Mondly Duolingo Better Option
User Interface Visually appealing, interactive, structured learning path Gamified, colorful, engaging but less structured Mondly
Teaching Method Focuses on real-life conversations and practical phrases Grammar-based, teaches sentence structure first Mondly
Languages Offered 41 languages 40+ languages, including fictional ones Tie
Speaking Practice Voice recognition, chatbot, immersive AR/VR practice Tests pronunciation and speaking from the start Mondly
Grammar Focus Less grammar-focused Strong grammar foundation Duolingo
AR & VR Features Yes, includes interactive AR/VR learning No AR/VR features Mondly
Career-Specific Courses Yes, tailored for business professionals No career-specific lessons Mondly
Offline Learning Available in the paid version Available in Super Duolingo Tie
Free Version Limited access, frequent payment prompts Full access to ads Duolingo
Premium Pricing Cheaper monthly cost, lifetime plan available Higher monthly cost, family plan available Mondly for affordability

Mondly vs Duolingo — My Opinion

I have a slight preference for Mondly because of its anime feature. This doesn’t mean that Duolingo is lacking, but I genuinely believe Mondly deserves more recognition than it has received.

Mondly - Testimonials

This is just my personal opinion, so I strongly suggest trying both platforms. Doing so will help you understand why I lean towards Mondly.

Regarding the question of “Which is better?” it ultimately depends on your individual requirements.

FAQs

Can you say that Mondly is better than Duolingo?

In my opinion, it won't be correct to say one of them is better than the other. I think in this way because they independently may lack 1 or 2 features but they collectively give a very good result.

Which one of them is a better option for a casual user?

As Duolingo educates you on the most basic level with a very game-like interface, I think you should go for it if you are a casual user. It is also free of cost so you don't need to think much before giving it a shot.

Which of them is more suitable to learn with a more practical approach?

Actually, both of them quite have a practical approach towards teaching but if I am asked, I would suggest Mondly over Duolingo for learning relevant and useful content.

Do they have any provision of conducting tests?

Yes, they definitely have this provision. While Mondly offers weekly quizzes and monthly challenges, Duolingo comes with a leaderboard feature wherein you can compete with other language learners.

Quick Links

Conclusion: Mondly Vs Duolingo 2025 | Should You Go For It?

Duolingo and Mondly are both excellent language-learning apps.

Mondly features a more mature and modern user interface, while Duolingo offers a playful and creative learning experience. Together, they create an enjoyable environment for learners.

Both apps are suitable for users of all age groups, from children to adults, making language learning accessible for everyone.

When it comes to pricing, Duolingo may be a more affordable option for some users. However, if you seek a deeper understanding of the language, Mondly would be the better choice for you.

Kashish Babber
This author is verified on BloggersIdeas.com

Kashish is a B.Com graduate, who is currently following her passion to learn and write about SEO and blogging. With every new Google algorithm update she dives in the details. She's always eager to learn and loves to explore every twist and turn of Google's algorithm updates, getting into the nitty-gritty to understand how they work. Her enthusiasm for these topics' can be seen through in her writing, making her insights both informative and engaging for anyone interested in the ever-evolving landscape of search engine optimization and the art of blogging.

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2 thoughts on “Mondly vs Duolingo 2025: The Ultimate Comparison (Pros & Cons)”

  1. Mondly Vs Duolingo is a perfect comparison and it is debatable when it comes to choose one of them. I got to know about Mondly by this comparison so thanks for this.

    Reply
  2. Thanks Shubs for this Mondly Vs Duolingo comparison. I wanted to learn French but couldn’t decide from where to learn it now its clear to me which one I should choose.

    Reply

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