Duolingo Super costs $12.99/mo.
These cost $0.
4 free alternatives to Duolingo Super, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.
Duolingo Super vs Free Alternatives Matrix
Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $12.99/mo
| Alternative | Type | License | Where It Runs | Stars | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anki | open source | AGPL-3.0+ | Local or hosted | ★ 30k | Duolingo Super vs Anki → |
| AnkiDroid | open source | GPL-3.0+ | Local or hosted | ★ 11k | Duolingo Super vs AnkiDroid → |
| Moodle | open source | GPL-3.0+ | Local or hosted | ★ 7.3k | Duolingo Super vs Moodle → |
| FreeLingo | open source | AGPL-3.0 | Local or hosted | ★ 62 | Duolingo Super vs FreeLingo → |
The picks
4 open source · ranked by fit
- 01
Anki
open sourceAGPL-3.0+Local or hosted30kaug 2026Build a small language deck with audio, images, typed answers and excellent spaced repetition; no cartoon guilt trips.
The catch vs Duolingo SuperAnki has no supplied course, game loop, social competition or polished pronunciation exercises; the user authors or imports the deck.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopwebone-click install
- install
- Use the Windows installer, macOS DMG or official Linux launcher
- your data
- Local profile files including collection.anki2, collection.media and backups; exports use .apkg/.colpkg, with optional AnkiWeb sync
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 02
AnkiDroid
open sourceGPL-3.0+Local or hosted11kaug 2026A full Android Anki client for authored language decks, pronunciation recordings and offline review.
The catch vs Duolingo SuperAnkiDroid has no supplied gamified course or social progression, and it is an Android client rather than a cross-platform lesson service.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- mobileone-click install
- install
- Install from Google Play or F-Droid, or sideload the official APK
- your data
- An Anki collection and media on the Android device, with .apkg import/export and optional AnkiWeb sync
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 03
Moodle
open sourceGPL-3.0+Local or hosted7.3kaug 2026Can run your own sequenced lessons, quizzes and progress tracking, though nobody will mistake it for a game.
The catch vs Duolingo SuperMoodle has no game-quality language curriculum, streak loop or adaptive exercise polish and is vastly heavier to administer.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- mobilewebself-hostedself-host, real ops
- install
- Upload the PHP release to a web server, create a database and moodledata directory, then complete the browser installer
- setup
- PHP and database requirements, protected writable storage, cron, SMTP, backups and upgrades are all the operator's responsibility
- your data
- Courses, users, grades and settings in SQL; uploaded files in the separate moodledata directory
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 04
FreeLingo
open sourceAGPL-3.0Local or hosted62aug 2026A Duolingo-shaped course runner with CEFR lessons, voice exercises and spaced review; self-hosting is the price of unlimited use.
The catch vs Duolingo SuperFreeLingo's course quality, gamification, social features and editorial maturity are far behind Duolingo, while serious self-hosted voice practice requires substantial infrastructure.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hostedself-host, real ops
- install
- Use the hosted service, or run Docker Compose with PostgreSQL 16, Redis 7 and the configured AI/speech services
- setup
- Self-hosting needs Docker plus an Ollama model or API keys; production voice also needs HTTPS, WebSocket proxying and either GPU-backed local models or paid APIs
- engines
- Ollama, OpenAI, Anthropic or DeepSeek for language generation; Kokoro or OpenAI TTS; faster-whisper or OpenAI Whisper for speech recognition
- your data
- Self-hosted data in PostgreSQL, transient state in Redis, and generated/cached MP3 files; managed accounts live in FreeLingo's cloud
- checked
- 2026-08-10
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers · Duolingo Super open-source replacements
What is the best free alternative to Duolingo Super?+
The top free alternative to Duolingo Super is Anki (open source, AGPL-3.0+). Build a small language deck with audio, images, typed answers and excellent spaced repetition; no cartoon guilt trips. Other popular Duolingo Super replacements include AnkiDroid, Moodle, FreeLingo.
Can I self-host a free replacement for Duolingo Super?+
Yes. Of the 4 free alternatives to Duolingo Super, 4 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Anki (AGPL-3.0+), AnkiDroid (GPL-3.0+), Moodle (GPL-3.0+), FreeLingo (AGPL-3.0).
How much does switching from Duolingo Super to a free alternative save?+
Duolingo Super starts at $12.99/month per seat ($156/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Anki saves $779 per year in software subscription fees.
Should I vibe-code or build my own Duolingo Super clone from scratch?+
Our build verdict for Duolingo Super is NOT REALLY (use a free alternative, save the tokens). A consolation build is possible, but the paid product's decisive value sits outside a solo rebuild. For Duolingo Super, build a small user-authored language practice deck with spaced repetition and pronunciation recording. The hard boundary is massive curriculum, adaptive models, content, social loops, mobile polish, and brand, plus content, pedagogy, and network.
What is the catch when switching from Duolingo Super to Anki?+
Anki has no supplied course, game loop, social competition or polished pronunciation exercises; the user authors or imports the deck.
