# Learn Russian (Hello vs Duolingo

The clearest difference is rating: Duolingo at 4.7 against Learn Russian (Hello's 4.2. Duolingo also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (5.5M vs 12). Learn Russian (Hello's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Learn Russian (Hello sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Duolingo sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Duolingo holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Duolingo has 5.5M ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 65% and 65% positive.

Learn Russian (Hello ships an update every 3 months, Duolingo weekly. The most recent releases landed on June 22, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Learn Russian (Hello | Duolingo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-russian-hello-hello/id426902605/reviews) | **[4.7 (5.5M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/duolingo-language-lessons/id570060128/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **5.5M** |
| Positive reviews | **64.7% of reviews** | 64.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#1** |
| Size | 147 MB | 489 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hello-Hello LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/371655433) | [Duolingo, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/570060151) |

## What reviewers say

### Learn Russian (Hello

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-russian-hello-hello/id426902605)

Master Russian with a research-based methodology developed with language professionals. Engage in conversational lessons, build vocabulary with interactive flashcards, and practice pronunciation and writing. Learn offline, anytime, anywhere, with a user-friendly interface.

**Highlights:** Research-based methodology, 30 conversational lessons, Interactive flashcards, Pronunciation and writing practice, Offline learning, User-friendly interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lesson 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lesson 3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lesson 4 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lesson 5 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lesson 6 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lesson 11 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lesson 12 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lesson 24 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lesson 7 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Complete Course | $19.99 | one-time |


### Duolingo

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

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Education, #1 Top Grossing · Education, #27 Top Grossing, #70 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 Learn Russian (Hello free?

Learn Russian (Hello is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Duolingo free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Learn Russian (Hello or Duolingo?

Duolingo is rated higher. Learn Russian (Hello averages 4.2 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Duolingo averages 4.7 from 5.5M ratings.

### Do Learn Russian (Hello or Duolingo have ads?

Duolingo shows ads; Learn Russian (Hello does not.

### Which is updated more often, Learn Russian (Hello or Duolingo?

Learn Russian (Hello ships an update every 3 months, and Duolingo weekly. Most recently, Learn Russian (Hello was updated on June 22, 2026 and Duolingo on September 25, 2026.

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