A disclosure up front: we make Qlango, so this comparison is written by one side. We've tried to give Duolingo its due, and every Duolingo fact below was checked on Duolingo's own website, help centre, blog and app store listings in October and November 2026.
The short answer. Duolingo is the better pick if you want a free, game-like daily habit in one of the big languages. Qlango is the better pick if your language isn't on Duolingo, if you want to learn from your own native language rather than from English, or if you want a course organised by CEFR level with a fixed spaced-repetition schedule.
Qlango vs Duolingo at a glance
| Qlango | Duolingo | |
|---|---|---|
| Languages | 80 languages in 81 courses | 287 courses, counting every pair of the language you learn and the one you learn from |
| Learn from | The language you choose, including your native one | Depends on the course; the widest choice is from English |
| Course levels | CEFR A1 to C2, with C2 in 12 courses | Up to B2 in its nine biggest courses (since April 2026) |
| How words come back | Each lesson returns after 1, 2, 4 and 8 days, then once more | Personalised practice and review chosen by the app |
| Free version | Free to start, no account needed | Free, with ads and a limit: hearts or, for some learners, energy |
| Paid plans | Monthly, Yearly, or Forever: one payment that never renews | Super and Max subscriptions, plus a Family plan |
| AI help | An AI teacher that answers your grammar and vocabulary questions, unlimited in Premium | Explain My Answer, plus Video Call and Roleplay in some plans |
Languages: the biggest difference
This is where the two apps differ most. We read Duolingo's full course catalogue on 1 November 2026: of the 80 languages Qlango teaches, 41 have no Duolingo course for English speakers, and for 39 of them Duolingo has no course at all.
Among them are Tatar, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Uyghur; Basque, Galician and Frisian; Croatian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian and Bulgarian; Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian; Albanian, Georgian, Armenian and Persian; and Hausa, Shona, Xhosa and Yoruba. Catalan is on Duolingo only for Spanish speakers, and Cantonese only for Mandarin speakers.
The full list, with the levels Qlango offers for each, is on our page about languages Duolingo doesn't teach.
For the big languages both apps teach, the difference is in how far the course goes and how it's built, which the rest of this page covers.
How each app teaches
Duolingo is built around a single learning path of short lessons, with streaks, XP and leagues to keep you coming back. Stories and DuoRadio add reading and listening practice. It is very good at getting people to show up every day, and many learners say the game can become the goal: it's possible to protect a long streak with the easiest lesson available.
Qlango is built around CEFR levels. Each course is split into themes and lessons, and every lesson comes back on a fixed schedule: one day after you finish it, then after two days, four days, eight days and eight days again, at rising difficulty. A lesson turns red when it's due, so you always know what to repeat. If you need a hint for an example, it's added to the harder questions later, so the words you struggle with get the most practice. Games, chat with other learners and an AI teacher sit on top of the course.
Free versions compared
Duolingo is free to use. Free learners see ads and work within a limit: hearts that you lose on mistakes or, for some learners, an energy meter. Super Duolingo removes the ads and the limit, and you can try it free first.
Qlango is free to download and you can start your first lesson without creating an account. Premium unlocks unlimited lessons and hints, the AI teacher, offline lessons, detailed statistics and an ad-free experience.
Paid plans compared
Duolingo sells Super and Max as subscriptions, plus a Family plan. It doesn't publish a single price list: prices depend on your country and appear after you sign in or in the app stores. AI features such as Video Call have been part of Max, and Duolingo has said it is bringing Video Call to Super subscribers too.
Qlango Premium comes as a Monthly or Yearly plan, or as Forever: one payment, nothing renews, and every language is included, including ones we add later. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee if you complete five lessons a day and aren't happy with your progress. Current prices for your country are on our pricing page.
Who should choose Duolingo
- You want a free, playful habit and you're learning one of the big languages.
- Streaks, leagues and friends competing keep you motivated.
- You're a complete beginner trying out several languages before committing to one.
Who should choose Qlango
- Your language isn't on Duolingo, or not from your native language.
- You want a course that follows the CEFR levels, and in 12 languages goes all the way to C2.
- You want a fixed repetition schedule that tells you exactly which lesson to repeat and when.
- You'd rather pay once than keep a subscription running.
Can you use both?
Yes, and plenty of learners do. A common split is Duolingo for a quick daily habit in one language and Qlango for a second language Duolingo doesn't teach, or for working through the CEFR levels in a language you're serious about.
FAQ
Is Qlango free like Duolingo?
Qlango is free to download and free to start, without an account. Premium removes the limits and adds the AI teacher, offline lessons and statistics.
Does Qlango teach more languages than Duolingo?
Yes. Qlango teaches 80 languages, and 41 of them have no Duolingo course for English speakers, including Tatar, Kazakh, Basque, Shona, Latvian and Croatian (checked November 2026).
Which app goes further?
In the courses where it's available, Qlango goes up to C2, the top CEFR level. Duolingo's nine biggest courses go up to B2, since April 2026.
Can I learn from my native language?
In Qlango, yes: you choose the language you learn from, and it can be your native language or another language you want to strengthen. On Duolingo, the courses on offer depend on the language you learn from.
If your language is on our list, Qlango is free to start, and the first lesson takes a few minutes. You can also read our full Duolingo review and the list of Duolingo alternatives.
