# ASL Dictionary vs Duolingo

The clearest difference is price: Duolingo at Free against ASL Dictionary's $4.99. Duolingo also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (5.5M vs 1.3K). ASL Dictionary's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 28) and ads (none vs shown). On rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Duolingo is free to download; ASL Dictionary costs $4.99 up front. Duolingo sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. ASL Dictionary asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for ASL Dictionary against 4.7 for Duolingo. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Duolingo has 5.5M ratings behind it against 1.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of ASL Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 65% of Duolingo's.

ASL Dictionary ships an update every 5 months, Duolingo weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ASL Dictionary | Duolingo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asl-dictionary/id353574642/reviews) | [4.7 (5.5M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/duolingo-language-lessons/id570060128/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.3K | **5.5M** |
| Positive reviews | **82.1% of reviews** | 64.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | #78 | **#1** |
| Size | 154 MB | 489 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Software Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/425694308) | [Duolingo, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/570060151) |

## What reviewers say

### ASL Dictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asl-dictionary/id353574642)

**Currently charting:** #78 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

This app provides a comprehensive video dictionary for American Sign Language, featuring over 5,200 signed words, phrases, and idioms. It allows users to translate English into ASL, covering the alphabet, numbers, and common expressions. The educational tool is designed for learning sign language through visual instruction.

**Highlights:** Over 5,200 signed words, English to ASL translation, Alphabet and numerical system, Common English phrases and idioms, Finger spelled alphabet, Offline access to all videos, Dark Mode

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for learning ASL
- 🚀 Easy to use and navigate
- 💡 Useful for communicating with deaf/hard of hearing individuals
- 🔍 Extensive word/sign database
- ⏱️ Slow motion and loop features helpful for learning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Some signs are outdated or incorrect
- 🔍 Limited selection of common phrases and basic conversational signs
- 🔍 Video quality and clarity could be improved
- 🔍 Lack of explanations/instructions on how to properly perform signs
- 🐛 App crashes or stops working after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Some videos stop playing or don't load properly
- Loop feature not working consistently
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add more common phrases and conversational signs
- Provide written explanations and instructions for signs
- Improve video quality and clarity
- Add bookmarking/favorites feature to save frequently used signs
- Implement a search function to quickly find specific signs


### Duolingo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/duolingo-language-lessons/id570060128)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Education, #1 Top Grossing · Education, #29 Top Grossing, #62 Top Free (US App Store)

Learn languages, math, music, and chess through fun, bite-sized lessons. Build vocabulary, grammar, and real-world skills with a science-based methodology. Track progress and stay motivated with a global community.

**Highlights:** Bite-sized language lessons, Speaking, reading, listening, writing practice, Math skills development, Music reading and playing, Chess strategy and gameplay, Progress tracking and rewards

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Super Duolingo | $9.99 | per month |
| Super Duolingo | $12.99 | per month |
| Super Duolingo | $12.99 | per month |
| Super Duolingo | $59.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $79.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $83.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $83.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $95.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $119.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $119.99 | per year |
| Chest of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Barrel of Gems (1200) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Gems (1200) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cart of Gems (3000) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Barrel of Gems (3000) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Cart of Gems (6500) | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Fun and entertaining learning experience
- 🎉 Motivating streak and league features
- 🎨 Cute and engaging animations
- 📚 Effective for learning vocabulary and basics
- 🤖 Useful AI-powered features like voice lessons

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Issues with voice recognition and pronunciation feedback
- 🤑 Aggressive monetization tactics and paywall for key features
- 🤯 Frustrating heart/health system that penalizes mistakes
- 🤔 Lack of grammar explanations and focus on just memorizing phrases
- 🤷‍♀️ Inconsistent app experience across platforms

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing or crashing during lessons
- Incorrect translations or answers marked wrong
- Inconsistent behavior of certain features like leagues

**Requested features**

- Add more languages, especially less common ones
- Improve grammar lessons and explanations
- Allow more flexibility in navigating the course content
- Provide better feedback and corrections for mistakes
- Sync progress and features consistently across app and web


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ASL Dictionary free?

ASL Dictionary costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Duolingo free?

Duolingo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ASL Dictionary or Duolingo?

ASL Dictionary and Duolingo are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.3K and 5.5M ratings respectively.

### Do ASL Dictionary or Duolingo have ads?

Duolingo shows ads; ASL Dictionary does not.

### Which is updated more often, ASL Dictionary or Duolingo?

ASL Dictionary ships an update every 5 months, and Duolingo weekly. Most recently, ASL Dictionary was updated on September 22, 2026 and Duolingo on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, ASL Dictionary or Duolingo?

ASL Dictionary currently peaks at #78 in the App Store charts, and Duolingo at #1. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*