# Duolingo vs Learn Spanish for Beginners

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Duolingo at 5.5M against Learn Spanish for Beginners's 34K. Duolingo also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks) and chart position (#1 vs unranked). Learn Spanish for Beginners's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Duolingo sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Learn Spanish for Beginners sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. 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 4.7 for Learn Spanish for Beginners. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Duolingo has 5.5M ratings behind it against 34K, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Duolingo ships an update every 6 days, Learn Spanish for Beginners every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Duolingo | Learn Spanish for Beginners |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5.5M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/duolingo-learn-languages/id570060128/reviews)** | [4.7 (34K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-spanish-for-beginners/id601738437/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.5M** | 34K |
| Positive reviews | — | 84.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 491 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Duolingo, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/570060151) | [Appcano LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1626754199) |

## What reviewers say

### Duolingo

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

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Grossing · Education, #2 Top Free · Education, #28 Top Grossing, #78 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


### Learn Spanish for Beginners

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-spanish-for-beginners/id601738437)

Master Spanish with this comprehensive educational app designed for beginners. Practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing to build vocabulary and grammar. Includes a free translator and offline access.

**Highlights:** 100% Free Spanish Learning, 100% Offline Access, No Account Needed, Free Spanish Translator, Game-like Lessons, Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing Practice

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All Features | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlock All Features | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and learn
- 🚀 Comprehensive and in-depth content
- 💡 Helpful for beginners and advanced learners
- 👍 Great for practicing pronunciation and listening
- 👍 Detailed grammar and theory explanations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sound issues and low volume
- 🐛 Pronunciation can be difficult to understand
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes or freezes
- 🔋 Ads can be disruptive during lessons

**Reported bugs**

- Sound not working for some users
- Inability to click on certain elements

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced vocabulary and conversation practice
- Improve audio quality and clarity of pronunciation
- Implement a slow mode or repeat function for audio
- Offer a premium version to remove ads


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Duolingo free?

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

### Is Learn Spanish for Beginners free?

Learn Spanish for Beginners is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Duolingo or Learn Spanish for Beginners?

Duolingo is rated higher. Duolingo averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5.5M ratings, while Learn Spanish for Beginners averages 4.7 from 34K ratings.

### Do Duolingo or Learn Spanish for Beginners have ads?

Both Duolingo and Learn Spanish for Beginners show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Duolingo or Learn Spanish for Beginners?

Duolingo ships an update every 6 days, and Learn Spanish for Beginners every 3 weeks. Most recently, Duolingo was updated on October 24, 2026 and Learn Spanish for Beginners 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.*