# Duolingo vs Words

The clearest difference is ads: Words at none against Duolingo's shown. Words also leads on iOS requirement (12.4 vs 17.0). Duolingo's advantage is ratings volume (5.6M vs 47) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, rating, 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 Words sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Duolingo against 4.6 for Words. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Duolingo has 5.6M ratings behind it against 47, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 65% of Duolingo's written reviews are positive against 50% of Words's.

Duolingo ships an update every 5 days, Words every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Duolingo | Words |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5.6M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/duolingo-learn-languages/id570060128/reviews)** | [4.6 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/words-language-flashcards/id1530034734/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.6M** | 47 |
| Positive reviews | **64.7% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 490 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Duolingo, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/570060151) | [Declan Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/932750266) |

## 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, #29 Top Grossing, #90 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


### Words

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/words-language-flashcards/id1530034734)

Master vocabulary in 14 languages with flashcards and interactive exercises. Features native speaker audio and a structured learning list to reinforce memorization. Ideal for on-the-go language learning.

**Highlights:** 14 languages supported, Thousands of words per language, Native speaker audio, Flashcard review, Multiple choice exercises, Spelling exercises, Listening exercises

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hebrew: 1 month subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Korean: 1 month subscription | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Russian: 1 month subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Italian: 1 year subscription | $47.99 | per year |
| Hebrew: 1 year subscription | $47.99 | per year |
| Korean: 1 year subscription | $47.99 | per year |
| Ingles Lifetime Purchase | $4.99 | one-time |
| French Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Chinese Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| German Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Hebrew Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Italian Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Russian Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Brazilian Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Korean Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Traditional Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Japanese Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Spanish Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Greek Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Duolingo free?

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

### Is Words free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Duolingo or Words?

Duolingo is rated higher. Duolingo averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5.6M ratings, while Words averages 4.6 from 47 ratings.

### Do Duolingo or Words have ads?

Duolingo shows ads; Words does not.

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

Duolingo ships an update every 5 days, and Words every 2 weeks. Most recently, Duolingo was updated on November 1, 2026 and Words 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.*