Mondly vs. Duolingo: Which is the Best English Course?

It's amazing how many tools there are for learning English from the comfort of your own home. Mondly and Duolingo are two well-known apps that promise to help you master the language in no time, but do they really work?

Both offer a similar service, giving you the opportunity to learn different languages and achieve your goals. However, before choosing one, it's important to know how they work and what their advantages and disadvantages are.

Comparative table between Mondly, Duolingo, and Papora.

Mondly vs Duolingo: A Detailed Comparison

The best English courses are those that apply modern teaching methods, keeping students motivated while ensuring effective learning. Their content should be original and centered on the core pillars of the language.

📌 They must offer flexible schedules so you can study at your own pace, without external pressure.

📌 And ideally, they should be affordable, giving you access to quality learning without becoming a financial burden.

Mondly:

Created in 2014, this is a learning platform that has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. Its service consists of offering various apps for learning English, although they also have 40 other languages available.

You can access the company's content through any device at any time of day. The course promises that you will learn quickly thanks to its constant vocabulary exercises and content designed by native experts in learning. 

Teaching Methods for English

Mondly is designed to create an immersive learning experience, using innovative tools like augmented reality and virtual reality to make lessons more engaging and modern.

Overall, the platform leverages technology to keep learners motivated. Its lessons emphasize vocabulary and listening comprehension, featuring real-life conversation recordings to help you improve both fluency and pronunciation.

Pricing and plans

You don't need to pay anything to download the main Mondly app. Most of its content is free and you can access it from any device. However, apps such as Mondly VR and Mondly AR do have a cost.

If you want to have the entire English study plan available in this course, you must pay a monthly fee of $10 USD. This is a reasonable price, although there are other more comprehensive options that we will evaluate later.

Advantages and disadvantages

✅ One of the best things about this course is its content, which covers everyday topics, as well as its quick lessons, which are great for constant practice.

❌ The problem with the platform is that it neglects to teach grammar, which can limit your progress with English. They have also received complaints about poor customer service, especially if you want to cancel your subscription.

Duolingo: 

Now let’s take a look at what Duolingo offers. Launched in 2011, this app is available on both Android and iOS and features more than 40 languages, including German, French, Italian, Spanish, and of course, English.

Duolingo’s method is based on short lessons of 10 to 15 exercises where you practice writing sentences, recognizing word meanings, or working on pronunciation. Each level takes only a few minutes to complete, although you’ll need an internet connection to access them.

Approach to Teaching English

It's an appealing option for learning English vocabulary. The app's methodology is based on constant repetition to ensure that new knowledge lasts longer.

This is combined with everyday topics such as family, travel, studying, movies, and more, highlighting that in each lesson you learn a little about sentence construction in different verb tenses.

Pricing and plans

Duolingo can be used for free, but with certain limitations. The free version includes ads and gives you a limited number of “lives,” which are lost whenever you make mistakes during a lesson.

To overcome these restrictions, you can upgrade to Super Duolingo, which costs $12.99 per month. This plan offers unlimited lives, removes ads, and allows you to download lessons to study offline.

Advantages and disadvantages

✅ Duolingo has a wide vocabulary base. Its system is very simple and intuitive, and the short lessons fit easily into your daily routine.

❌ However, the app often repeats the same exercises, which can become monotonous over time. In addition, the audios are computer-generated, so you don’t get exposure to the natural sound of the language.

❌ Another drawback is that many users find the constant reminders through notifications and emails intrusive if they don’t log in regularly.

📌 Interested in another comparison? Check out our article on Busuu vs Duolingo.

What do users think of Mondly and Duolingo?

Let's now look at some of the opinions users have about both courses. This is the ideal way to find out which one has the best method for learning English or whether it is worth using their services.

Many Mondly users have complained that its content is only for beginners, as this user demonstrates:

Users generally find the app effective, but many point out that its grammar teaching system could be improved.

With Duolingo, users seem to have issues with its constant updates, which are not always useful:

Some users feel the app is useful for boosting their English vocabulary, but note that vocabulary alone isn’t enough to fully learn a new language.

Conclusion

Which is the best app? The answer to this question depends on your needs and goals. We have already looked at the features of each app: Mondly aims to create an immersive environment for you to study in, while Duolingo teaches you through repetition.

• If you want to improve your communication and pronunciation skills, the first app may be a good option.
• If you need to increase your vocabulary, Duolingo is good for that.

❌ The problem is that neither option will help you reach an advanced level of English, as they function more as a supplement.

📌 If you are interested in an analysis of another course, don't miss our article on how good Master English is.

Hey! We've saved the best option for last: Papora

We know that you may not be convinced by either of the two applications we presented above. If that's the case, don't worry, here we are going to recommend an online course that offers a much more comprehensive service.

✅ Papora is a platform created by native teachers so you can learn from basic English at A1 to the most advanced levels such as C1.

✅ Its content provides you with the right tools to master all the pillars of the language, i.e. writing, reading, listening, and pronunciation.

✅ They take real-life situations into account.

✅ You get access to unlimited classes where you speak from day one and a course with over 500 lessons.

Frequently asked questions about Mondly and Duolingo