# phase6 vs Duolingo

The clearest difference is ads: phase6 at none against Duolingo's shown. phase6 also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 65%). Duolingo's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly) and ratings volume (5.6M vs 206). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. phase6 sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 3 months and Duolingo sells 10 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 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Duolingo has 5.6M ratings behind it against 206, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of phase6's written reviews are positive against 65% of Duolingo's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

phase6 ships an update monthly, Duolingo every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | phase6 | Duolingo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (206 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phase6-practice-vocabulary/id441493173/reviews) | **[4.7 (5.6M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/duolingo-learn-languages/id570060128/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 206 | **5.6M** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 64.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#1** |
| Size | 143 MB | 499 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [phase-6 GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/441493176) | [Duolingo, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/570060151) |

## What reviewers say

### phase6

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phase6-practice-vocabulary/id441493173)

This app helps students master vocabulary and grammar for German language learning. It aligns with textbooks and uses a science-based spaced repetition system for long-term retention. Track progress and improve grades with engaging exercises and personalized feedback.

**Highlights:** 1,400+ textbook-aligned vocabulary sets, Spaced repetition system for long-term memory, Grammar trainer with AI feedback, Progress tracking and learning statistics, Cross-device compatibility (desktop, smartphone, tablet), Ad-free learning environment

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| phase6 Premium (Sync, Reports) | $6.99 | per 3 months |
| phase6 cloud (12 Monate) | $9.99 | per year |
| phase6 Silber (12 months) | $24.99 | per year |
| Silber (1 Jahr) | $26.49 | per year |
| Gold (1 Jahr) | $31.99 | per year |
| À plus! Nouvelle édition Audio | $9.99 | one-time |
| Klett Découvertes Série jaune | $9.99 | one-time |
| Klett Découvertes Série Jaune Band 2 (Audio) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Apúntate 1 Spanisch Schulbuch | $9.99 | one-time |


### Duolingo

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

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Grossing · Education, #2 Top Free · Education, #26 Top Grossing, #89 Top Free (US App Store)

Master new languages, chess, and math with fun, bite-sized lessons. This popular education app uses game-like challenges and expert-designed methods to build vocabulary, grammar, and strategic skills. Track your progress and compete with a global community.

**Highlights:** Bite-sized language lessons, Learn chess strategy and play matches, Interactive math courses, Music reading and playing, Progress tracking and achievements, Competitive leaderboards

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Super Duolingo | $9.99 | per month |
| Super Duolingo | $12.99 | per month |
| Super Duolingo | $79.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $83.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $95.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $119.99 | per year |
| Chest of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Barrel of Gems (1200) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cart 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 phase6 free?

phase6 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, phase6 or Duolingo?

Duolingo is rated higher. phase6 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 206 ratings, while Duolingo averages 4.7 from 5.6M ratings.

### Do phase6 or Duolingo have ads?

Duolingo shows ads; phase6 does not.

### Which is updated more often, phase6 or Duolingo?

phase6 ships an update monthly, and Duolingo every 5 days. Most recently, phase6 was updated on November 13, 2026 and Duolingo on November 14, 2026.

---

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