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 |
100% free version |
Pros |
Multiple language options |
|
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
Why You Should Choose Mondly?
1. Natural Language and Practical Vocabulary

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

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 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

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

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

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.
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 |
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.
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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.
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.
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.