Pick Duolingo for a free, game-like course in 40+ languages, on Android, the web, or iOS 17. Pick Smort to talk about any topic in its one plan, keep the words from each chat as flashcards, or bring your Anki decks.
Publisher disclosure: Smort publishes this page and is one of the two apps in it. We say where Duolingo is the better pick. Smort’s status: Private beta. It requires an iPhone with iOS 26 or later.
Smort vs Duolingo, side by side
How each app gets you talking, what you keep, and how you review it.
| Topic | Duolingo | Smort |
|---|---|---|
| How you talk | Speaking exercises in lessons from day one. In selected courses, Max adds Video Call with Lily and Falstaff, and Roleplay with Duolingo characters. | Live Voice Chat on a topic you pick or type, with captions and translations. Tap Help me or ask Smort to slow down. Up to 100 minutes a month. |
| Languages for English speakers | 40+ languages, from Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese to Irish, Welsh, and Hawaiian. Duolingo also teaches Math, Music, and Chess. | Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin, French, German, and more. |
| Feedback when you speak | Speaking and pronunciation practice in lessons. Explain My Answer, free for everyone, explains your mistakes. Max adds feedback after each Video Call. | Checks what you said, not your accent. Kana or kanji both count in Japanese. Simplified and traditional characters count as the same word in Mandarin. |
| What you keep after a chat | Max subscribers can review their Video Call and Roleplay sessions in the Practice tab. | Pick up to 10 words. Smort drafts the flashcards, and you edit them before you save. |
| How you review | The free Practice tab reviews your mistakes, suggested words, speaking, and listening. Flashcard exercises in the top 8 languages have you say each translation from memory. | Say or type each card from memory before you see the answer. Spaced repetition brings it back when it’s due. |
| Your own material | Lessons come from Duolingo’s courses. The Practice tab’s Words option suggests words to study. | Make cards from a topic, your notes, or a screenshot. Import Anki .apkg decks. |
| Price | Every course is free. Super removes ads and adds Unlimited Energy, with a 14-day free trial. Max adds Video Call and Roleplay. Check prices in the app. | Subscription required: $7.99/month or $79.99/year (USD). One plan, with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. |
| Devices | iPhone and iPad with iOS 17 or later, Android, and the web. | iPhone with iOS 26 or later. |
When Duolingo is the better pick
- You want to learn for free
- Every Duolingo course is free. The Practice tab and Explain My Answer are free for everyone too.
- You like learning as a game
- Streaks, rewards, and Leaderboards give you a reason to come back every day.
- You learn a less common language
- Duolingo teaches 40+ languages, including Irish, Welsh, and Hawaiian.
- You use Android, the web, or an older iPhone
- Duolingo runs on iOS 17, Android, and the web. Smort needs an iPhone with iOS 26.
When Smort is the better pick
- You want conversation in every plan
- Voice Chat comes with Smort’s one plan, up to 100 minutes a month. On Duolingo, Video Call and Roleplay need Max.
- You forget words after the chat
- Keep up to 10 words from each Voice Chat as flashcards, then say them from memory until they stick.
- You have Anki decks or your own notes
- Import an .apkg, or make cards from a topic, your notes, or a screenshot. Duolingo’s lessons come from its own courses.
- You learn Japanese or Mandarin
- Answer in kana or kanji. Simplified and traditional characters count as the same word.
Methodology and sources
Criteria: How each app gets you talking, what you keep afterward, how you review, your own material, price, and devices. Duolingo facts come from its own pages, and Smort facts from its App Store description.
What we did not do: We didn’t score either app. Duolingo changes often, so check its own pages for the latest.
Primary sources: Duolingo websiteDuolingo on the US App StoreDuolingo Max announcementDuolingo Video CallDuolingo Video Call with FalstaffHow Duolingo teaches speakingDuolingo Practice tabDuolingo 2025 highlights