# Duolingo vs Words

The clearest difference is ads: Words at none against Duolingo's shown. Duolingo's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (5.5M vs 1.1K). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 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 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Duolingo has 5.5M ratings behind it against 1.1K, 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 50% of Words's.

Duolingo ships an update weekly, Words every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Duolingo | Words |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5.5M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/duolingo-language-lessons/id570060128/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/words-learn-languages-fast/id636486459/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.5M** | 1.1K |
| Positive reviews | **64.6% of reviews** | 49.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 489 MB | 103 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 17.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Duolingo](https://appshunter.io/developer/570060151) | [Andrey Lebedev](https://appshunter.io/developer/636486462) |

## What reviewers say

### Duolingo

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

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Education, #1 Top Grossing · Education, #26 Top Grossing, #61 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-learn-languages-fast/id636486459)

Master English and German with engaging exercises and personalized training. Learn new words in just 20 minutes a day, track your progress, and study offline or on the go.

**Highlights:** 10 unique exercises, Ready-made & custom lessons, Built-in dictionary, Accurate pronunciations, Smart learning algorithm, Offline mode, Hands-free mode

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Plus | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium (English) | $13.99 | per month |
| Premium (English) | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Plus | $24.99 | per year |
| Premium (German) | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium (English) | $39.99 | per 3 months |
| Premium Plus | $47.99 | per year |
| Premium (German) | $79.99 | per year |
| Premium (English) | $79.99 | per year |
| Premium (English) | $79.99 | per year |
| Premium Plus | $95.99 | per year |
| Premium Plus | $129.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐️ Highly effective vocabulary learning app
- 👍 Engaging and varied learning techniques
- 💪 Impressive learning progress and results
- 📚 Flexible and customizable learning experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Offline mode issues with premium features
- 🗣 Outdated dictionary with many archaic words
- 🖼️ Lack of image support for words
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and change settings

**Reported bugs**

- Premium features disappear during offline use
- Inability to restore purchases after updates

**Requested features**

- Add image generation for all words
- Improve offline mode functionality
- Expand dictionary with more modern vocabulary
- Enhance customization and personalization options


## 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 5.5M ratings, while Words averages 4.5 from 1.1K 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 weekly, and Words every 2 months. Most recently, Duolingo was updated on September 24, 2026 and Words on September 22, 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.*