Language is a magical tool that allows us to integrate into this beautiful world by allowing us to listen and be heard, understand and be understood, and connect people from all over the world. So learning a language is a very practical thing to do, but where should we begin, and which platform should we use when there are countless language learning apps available?
Memrise and Duolingo are currently at the forefront of language learning apps, demonstrating their influence and appeal to language learners. While Memrise is well-known for its origins in the United Kingdom, Duolingo was founded in the United States.
- Memrise was founded in 2010, and it has quickly grown to nearly 60 million users across 189 countries.
- Duolingo, founded in 2009, is one of the largest language-learning platforms, with over 500 million users.
Are you now in the midst of deciding which app is best for you? This article is unquestionably for you.
In this article, we will discuss the similarities and differences between Memrise and Duolingo, the benefits and drawbacks of the two apps, and which premium plan is recommended for upgrading to give you a clear picture of these two massive apps.
Table of Contents
Similarities
Mobile learning
Memrise and Duolingo are both convenient, you can download them to your smartphone or laptop to learn languages anytime or anywhere with a network connection.
Memrise
Duolingo
Learning Reminders
They both provide reminders to remind you to learn according to your preferred schedule. A short notification similar to this will appear on your phone to remind you that it is study time.
Memrise
Duolingo
Multiple Courses at Once
Both apps allow you to learn as many languages as you want at once just by simply clicking the button “+” in Duolingo or “+ Learn another course” in Memrise.
Memrise
Duolingo
Differences
Lesson arrangement
Free subscribers to Memrise can access only “Words and Phrases,” which are grouped according to topics for each lesson.
Memrise
Duolingo divides the lessons into units, each of which contains a variety of topics.
Duolingo
Audio or video for pronunciation?
When it comes to vocabulary, Memrise displays the word not only on characters and translations, but also on videos of people pronouncing the word. While Duolingo only displays the character itself with an audio recording.
Memrise
Duolingo
Multiple choices or combine letters?
For the purpose of reviewing new words, Duolingo will ask you to choose the correct answers in a multiple choice structure. Memrise, on the other hand, not only displays multiple choice but also gives you the letters of the words and ask you to type the correct words heard in the video.
Memrise
Duolingo
Memrise reviews new words by presenting you with letters separately and asking you to match them to a corresponding word.
Simply click on the character you believe is the correct answer to the question in Duolingo.
Concentrate on Vocabulary or Grammar?
Memrise focuses on expanding learners’ vocabulary and short phrases, whereas Duolingo also aims to improve learners’ comprehension of proper grammar.
Memrise
Duolingo
Memrise asks you to select the definition of the given word.
Duolingo asks you to rearrange the corresponding sentences based on the words given
Determining your level in advance
In addition, Duolingo has a feature that Memrise does not have. Before adding a new course, Duolingo will ask you to take a test to determine your language level. If this is not your first time learning the language, you can select “Already know some (the language referred to)” and after completing the test, Duolingo will assess your level and direct you to the unit in which you are proficient.
Duolingo
Advantages and Disadvantages
| Comparison | Memrise | Duolingo |
|---|---|---|
| Advantages | Best for new vocabulary memorization | Helps learners construct sentences |
| Native speakers pronuncation videos | Provides grammar tips each lesson | |
| Scan function (camera recognizes things and displays the name of that thing in the language learned) | More languages courses than Memrise | |
| Courses level increases in ascending order | Grammar and vocabulary exercises are combined to train response and keep the lessons interesting | |
| Spaced repetition system is used | Achievements (gems reward) to motivate learners | |
| Disadvantages | Less languages courses than that of Duolingo | Audio recording only |
| Exercises are repetitive | Robotic audio recording and not stable | |
| Focuses mostly on Vocabulary | Sentences are not practical and useful enough | |
| Not suitable for those pursuits the advanced level | Must finish all the easy lessons to unlock the harder level lessons |
Comparison of Both Premium Plan
| Comparison | Memrise Pro | Duolingo Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Monthly Plan: USD 8.99 / month | Monthly Plan: USD 12.99 / month |
| Annual Plan: USD 3.33 / month | Annual Plan: USD 6.99 / month | |
| Lifetime Plan: USD 119.99 once | ||
| The difference between free and paid version | Full access to all language courses, courses download to learn offline, sync across all your devices and 30000 native speakers video clips | Ads Removing, Mastery Quiz, Personalized Practice, Unlimited Legendary and Unlimited Hearts |
Duolingo Plus, in my opinion, does not provide significantly more functionality than the free version. Memrise, on the other hand, has a substantial difference in content upgrading, which is more valuable. If I had to choose which one to upgrade, I’d go with Memrise Pro.
Other Platforms besides Duolingo and Memrise
Busuu
If you’re looking for a language learning app that’s similar to Duolingo or Memrise, Busuu is a good option.
The difference about Busuu is that it also provides a video, such as a dialogue between two native speakers, and then asks you questions. It’s also have the community tab where you can ask for feedbacks from native speakers all over the world. Lessons in Busuu are well-organized, divided into different with clear introduction before each lesson.
AmazingTalker
Unlike the previous resources, AmazingTalker is an online tutoring site where you can select a suitable course and adjust the class time to fit your schedule. Lessons are tailored to your level, and courses are led by native speakers.
Preply
Preply is also a tutoring website that offers online language learning courses. With a variety of languages courses and thousands of available tutors, I think you will find a course that suits you.
Final Conclusion
Language learners can benefit from Memrise and Duolingo in distinct ways. Two applications serve different purposes and have different target audiences. Memrise is ideal for people who prefer to focus on expanding their word list and phrases. Duolingo features grammar explanations in efforts to support you improve your writing skills. Each has different strengths and weaknesses, and you can benefit from using both at the same time.
These two apps, in my opinion, are excellent places to begin learning a language. Nevertheless, in order to achieve language fluency, you should seek out additional resources, such as physical courses and online courses taught by native teachers/tutors. These apps, however, are still helpful in determining whether a language is suitable for you to learn.
