# Duolingo vs Japanese Language Learning

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Duolingo at 65% against Japanese Language Learning's 0%. Duolingo also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). Japanese Language Learning's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Duolingo sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Japanese Language Learning sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Duolingo holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Duolingo has 5.5M ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Duolingo's written reviews are positive against 0% of Japanese Language Learning's.

Duolingo ships an update every 5 days, Japanese Language Learning every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Duolingo | Japanese Language Learning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5.5M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/duolingo-learn-languages/id570060128/reviews)** | [4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-language-learning/id1499901409/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.5M** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **64.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 490 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Duolingo, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/570060151) | [AppFlux Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1882687293) |

## What reviewers say

### Duolingo

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

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Education, #1 Top Grossing · Education, #26 Top Grossing, #77 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


### Japanese Language Learning

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-language-learning/id1499901409)

This tool aids in learning Japanese with flashcards, audio pronunciation, and vocabulary tests. It offers structured levels and a matching game to reinforce learning for beginners. Save favorite words for later review and track your progress with regular practice.

**Highlights:** Japanese flashcards with translations and examples, Audio pronunciation for words, Save favorite words for review, Vocabulary progress tests, Matching game for retention, 29 structured learning levels

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $6.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Premium | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Duolingo free?

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

### Is Japanese Language Learning free?

Japanese Language Learning is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Duolingo or Japanese Language Learning?

Duolingo is rated higher. Duolingo averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5.5M ratings, while Japanese Language Learning averages 4.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do Duolingo or Japanese Language Learning have ads?

Both Duolingo and Japanese Language Learning show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Duolingo or Japanese Language Learning?

Duolingo ships an update every 5 days, and Japanese Language Learning every 4 months. Most recently, Duolingo was updated on October 28, 2026 and Japanese Language Learning on October 24, 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.*