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Language App Comparison Tool

Compare different language learning apps side by side to find the best fit for your learning style and goals. Add up to 3 apps to see detailed feature comparisons.

Comparing 3 Apps

Duolingo logo

Duolingo

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NativShark logo

NativShark

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Basic Info

Cost
Free, Subscription
One Time Purchase
Subscription
TL;DR
Duolingo is a fun, beginner-friendly language app with gamified lessons and many language options. It is best used to build vocabulary and a consistent study habit.
italki connects you with thousands of language tutors for personalized online lessons. You can choose tutors based on price, schedule, and teaching style, making it a flexible way to get real speaking practice.
A comprehensive and opinionated platform for learning Japanese that integrates input and reviews. The strict path may not suit all learning styles.

Description

Description

Duolingo is arguably the most recognized language learning app, known for its game-like interface that makes starting a new language feel fun and accessible. Through points, streaks, and leaderboards, it excels at motivating users to build a consistent daily practice habit. The bite-sized lessons are ideal for learning vocabulary and basic sentence structures on the go. However, the platform offers weak explicit grammar explanations and limited opportunities for real speaking practice, meaning its content can feel shallow for those aiming to move beyond a beginner level. It serves best as an engaging starting point or a vocabulary-building supplement.

italki is a leading platform for connecting language learners with human tutors for personalized 1-on-1 lessons. It functions as a marketplace, offering a vast selection of professional teachers with structured lesson plans and community tutors for informal conversation practice. With its pay-per-lesson model, users have the flexibility to book sessions that fit their schedule and budget. italki is one of the most effective ways to get dedicated speaking practice and tailored feedback, bridging the gap between passive learning and active, confident communication.

NativShark offers a systematic, all-in-one curriculum primarily for Japanese. The methodology is built around comprehensible input, immersion, and a built-in spaced repetition system (SRS) to ensure retention. It guides the user through a long-term, linear path designed to build a deep understanding from the ground up. Its main limitations are its focus on a single language and a rigid structure that offers little flexibility, and it prioritizes input skills heavily over early speaking practice.

Features

Key Features
Gameified, Vocabulary Builder, Microlearning, Bite Sized Lessons, Adaptive, Community
Tutor Platform, Communicative Approach, Speaking Practice, Language Exchange, Community, Comprehensive
Comprehensive, Structured Course, Comprehensible Input, Immersion, Spaced Repetition, Reading Comprehension

Limitations

Known Issues
Limited Speaking Practice, Weak Grammar Explanation, Overly Gameified, Shallow Content
Poor Offline Mode
Small Language Selection, Limited Speaking Practice, Rigid Curriculum

Core Methodology & Pedagogy

Comprehensible Input
Immersion
Communicative Approach

Content & Material Type

Structured Course
Gameified
Spaced Repetition

Primary Skill Focus

Vocabulary Builder
Speaking Practice
Reading Comprehension

Interaction & Technology

Community
Tutor Platform
Language Exchange
Adaptive

Learning Context & Style

Microlearning
Bite Sized Lessons
Comprehensive
Duolingo vs. italki vs. NativShark Comparison | LanguageApps.info | LanguageApps.info