Both Lingodeer and Duolingo are popular language learning apps to help you learn different languages and will help you without ever having to attend an in-person class.
This convenience is why both of the platforms have been able to gain such a following and level of popularity.
Lingodeer began with its focus on learning Asian languages specifically, but since then it has approached other languages to cover more niches.
If you are interested in a language learning app like one of these, but you do not know which will be better for you, then keep reading to see the features, strengths, and weaknesses of Lingodeer vs Duolingo!
Quick Summary
While both of these platforms are great services which you will be able to get plenty of use from, Lingodeer will be a better online language learning app than Duolingo is.
This is because learning common Asian languages like Korean, and learning Japanese, is incredibly convenient in English.
The structure of the course has a form which we have found more enjoyable than the one used on Duolingo and it has been shown to be more effective.
However, there are still reasons why you may prefer to use Duolingo, so for the rest of this article we will go over the unique features that are offered by each of these services so you can feel confident in your decision when you choose which one is best for you!
Lingodeer Overview
The lessons which are used on Lingodeer are split into different categories which are simple to understand like numbers, family, or food.
These include words which will have their pronunciation attached, and this is a focus of what you are learning with pronunciation being an aspect which is emphasized.
You will get explanations of rules and the exceptions to these rules will be made clear.
The focus on pronunciation is part of what makes it preferable to Duolingo, and this is important since reading, and hearing a language is one thing, but if you do not know how it is supposed to sound your skill will be limited.
Lingodeer makes the process of learning to speak simple and the content which is included will be different depending on the language learning you have chosen which stops use of the platform from being repetitive.
Some of the courses which are on Lingodeer will use stories at the end of lessons to put your lesson into practice.
The lessons you learn are put into units which include 2 to 5 lessons each as well as learn grammar rules lessons which are labeled as learning tip. There are courses included suitable for both beginners to more experienced linguists.
You are also given the option to skip levels if you can prove that you are already experienced with the fundamentals of the language learning.
Duolingo Overview
Duolingo has a more functional approach when it comes to teaching language and there is an understanding of what people are trying to do with the language skills they are learning.
Part of the reason why the platform is so popular is that it will set goals for learning the language courses like learning how to do specific tasks with the language you are learning.
The lessons taught on Duolingo are split into different levels. For example, the basics are taught in the first level and once this is done you will move on to grammar instruction.
Duolingo at its basic level is free but you can also upgrade to the premium version for $6.99 monthly. This offers plenty of perks with more grammar instruction and vocabulary included as the main bonus.
Another great feature of Duolingo is the personalized learning which will adapt to change to your style of learning.
There is also a grading system which is instant letting you know quickly if you have made any mistakes. There are also challenges included which will help you test just how far you have come with your learning.
There is also audio listening which will help you understand how new words are pronounced, but this is not as much of a focus as it is on Lingodeer. The exercises being merged together helps give Duolingo a good cohesive feel.
If you have a specific goal with what you want to learn from language apps, this practical side of learning languages is great on Duolingo.
Languages Offered
Languages Offered On Lingodeer
As mentioned in the introduction, the languages offered on Lingodeer originally were just Asian, however there is now much more choice available all of the following language courses are taught in English with the choices available including: Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Vietnamese.
As you can tell by the selection of languages available, Lingodeer has a clear focus on Asian languages, however, the newer range of European languages which are offered are still of a high quality.
While Lingodeer also has the option to learn languages in English like Duolingo, it also offers the option of learning a language in a language other than English.
For example, if you want, you can get your Japanese course taught to you in German if this is your preference.
This makes Lingodeer a much more accessible option compared to other language learning apps which do not offer this feature.
Languages Offered On Duolingo
Compared to Lingodeer, Duolingo offers a much wider array of languages with 35 currently on offer including all the standard options which you would expect.
However, there are some things you should keep in mind if you are planning to use Duolingo which depend on which language you are planning to learn.
If you are learning a language courses which is offered on Lingodeer, there will be much more decision making needed, but there is a good chance that a language courses you want to learn is only offered on Duolingo.
Teaching Approach
Teaching Approach On Lingodeer
When it comes to the style of teaching Lingodeer will offer features like learning the alphabet and other common activities and skills which are sometimes not considered by apps like Duolingo, which instead teach you how to make new words instead of teaching the alphabet right away.
Teaching Approach On Duolingo
For Duolingo there is a focus on wanting a more balanced approach when it comes to learning a new language.
The style of teaching on Duolingo is called ‘implicit learning’ where you will need to get a strong foundation of knowledge as well as knowing the rules of the specific language you are learning.
This makes it easy for Duolingo users to work out the patterns themselves and not have to explicitly be told everything.
One specific feature of Duolingo which we appreciated with Duolingo is the option you get when you open up the app is asking how much time you intend to spend learning the language to make the course as condensed or relaxed as possible.
By doing this Duolingo makes the learning more like a game which is a very popular structure to use at the moment and it will help keep the interest in learning the language much more than standard structures.
By making learning fun, you can see why Duolingo has become such a popular option.
Duolingo is specifically designed to want to hold your attention for as long as possible to make sure you will cover as much of the curriculum as possible.
Learning Tips And Grammar
Learning Tips And Grammar On Lingodeer
Lingodeer uses a tree which will encourage you, especially if you are a beginner to learning languages and will provide tips as well as notes which can be used in exercises to further aid you in your learning.
By focusing on grammatical patterns you will be able to have a much more enjoyable learning experience.
The level of grammatical language taught in Lingodeer is a lot more useful when it comes to actually learning a language from the beginning.
You will also get flashcards to help you with your vocabulary and grammar rules.
Learning Tips And Grammar On Duolingo
While Duolingo does make an effort to teach grammar lessons as well, it is not done to extend to which it is done on Lingodeer.
On Duolingo you will not get access to specific tips or notes within the app which will help you with learning the new language and if you want access to these you will need to use the website on a browser instead.
Some of these tips are also not phrased amazingly which can make them quite difficult to comprehend and not the most useful for what they should be used for.
With this lack of grammatical explanations, and the complete lack of them within the app, you can see why so many people cite grammar as the reason why they choose Lingodeer over Duolingo.
Lessons
Lessons On Lingodeer
While there are a lot of significant differences between Lingodeer and Duolingo, when it comes to having a different approach with how they teach lessons, there is not a massive difference.
It can be recognized that there is just a little bit more variety when using Lingodeer than you will find in Duolingo and you will get more varied activities like matching words and photos as well as speaking skills and testing pronunciation amongst others.
Some of these activities are offered by Duolingo, but not as much variety.
Lessons On Duolingo
While you are doing activities on Duolingo you get given the option to click on words if you need specific help with that word and this makes it easy to get a quick reminder and not get demoralized.
The lessons on Duolingo will be split into 5 different exercises and every time you manage to complete a level you will be upgraded.
The main issue we have with Duolingo is the heart life system which can make using the app unnecessarily stressful instead of motivating
Pricing Structure
Lingodeer Pricing
Lingodeer features a free version, but you can get a paid version of the app which will cost you $11.99 a month which will give you more benefits like being able to do your courses offline which is great if you are travelling, as well as more consistent support and more language insights.
If you do not want to pay monthly, there are also options to get a lifetime payment as well which is great if you plan to learn multiple languages.
Duolingo Pricing
Duolingo has a significantly lower monthly cost at only $6.99 for the premium version, and it also has a free version which is very popular.
The premium version of Duolingo also offers offline lessons, but it will also provide more grammar and vocabulary as well.
In comparison to Lingodeer, the benefits of the premium are a little lower, however, this is reflected in the cost.
Pros And Cons
Now you know the main features and differences between Lingodeer and Duolingo, let’s go over the pros and cons of each so you can fully understand where each stands out and where they lack.
Lingodeer Pros
- Provides plenty of fun exercises which will make understanding the new language you want to learn fun and easy
- The amount of focus placed on grammar is impressive and makes learning the foundations easy
- The audio used is clear and focuses on pronunciation
- There are a lot of tips and notes which are useful between lessons
- Teaching the alphabet at the beginning is a good idea for foundational skills
- Focuses on Asian languages
- Good overviews given on each course
Lingodeer Cons
- The ordering and organization between different courses is sometimes awkward and occasionally teaches difficult material too early
- Much more selective language selection than that offered on Duolingo
- Not as much focus on oral activities
Duolingo Pros
- Offers a much wider array of languages to learn
- Free version very useable and uses repetition well
- Multiple exercises offered which focus on speaking, writing, and listening all with good quality audio
- Layout of app very user friendly
- Use lots of pictures which makes learning easier
- You can repeat exercises as often as you want to help emphasize specific lessons.
- Less expensive premium version
Duolingo Cons
- Not a sufficient focus on grammatical skills which makes it feel lacking in comparison, bad for learning these foundational skills
- Does not provide sufficient information on how the course works at the beginning
- Occasionally does not focus on realistic scenarios with language
- Does not place alphabetic teaching at the beginning which can be a little awkward when it comes to learning the foundational skills.
Where They Can Improve
While both of these apps have some great features and are worth putting some time into, neither of them are perfect and both have room for improvement.
Because of this, we wanted to clearly lay out all the faults these apps have and how much they influence the overall experience so you know what you are getting into.
Lingodeer
We have mentioned this a few times throughout this comparison, but Lingodeer can be a little stressful for beginners and there is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to learning how to use this application.
There are some phrases which are more appropriate for more experienced users which are included earlier on in the experience which makes the overall organization feel a little off.
However, it is worth remembering that this app is regularly maintained and there are changes being made to fix changes like this, so just because an issue may affect you briefly, steps are made to improve the service regularly.
The other main weakness of Lingodeer is that there needs to be a little more focus on refining and developing oral communication skills and speaking skills as this feels like a bit of an oversight.
Speaking the language is arguably one of the most important aspects of learning from a language app and if you are not practicing this much on the app, it is something you will have to compensate for outside of the app.
Duolingo
Duolingo also has some significant room for improvement, with one of the most important being improving the notes and tips which are available to make them more convenient as well as relevant to make them a more cohesive element of the overall product.
We also want to see more focus on the grammar of learning a language as this is why apps like Lingodeer can seem much better in comparison.
The start of the courses on Duolingo can also feel a little rushed and can make starting a language feel much more intimidating than it should.
Conclusion
Hopefully this comparison has made it easier for you to make your decision between Lingodeer and Duolingo, and hopefully you can tell that both of these apps are great and have their own unique strengths and weaknesses.
While neither of these apps are perfect, you will find Lingodeer better if you are learning an Asia language, or if you are looking to get a better foundational knowledge to build upon, but you will find Duolingo a superior choice if it offers a language not offered elsewhere, or if you are looking for a more practical application.
