A Duolingo alternative, for vocabulary
Duolingo and KoKo do different jobs. Duolingo gives you a whole language course, in short lessons. KoKo deals with words only, and goes further on that point. KoKo is our app; this page says where Duolingo does better, and many people gain from using both.
What Duolingo does very well
Duolingo trains the whole language: sentences to translate, listening, pronunciation, grammar through practice. The path is guided from day one, lessons are short, and the game makes you want to come back. The app runs on iPhone, on Android and in the browser, and most of it is free, with ads.
What KoKo does differently
In KoKo, you choose what you learn: 38 topics, from the human body to finance, and +6,000 words sorted into three levels. Each word you have learned comes back six times, at intervals that grow from one day to four months, and you type it in full. No ads, no account to create, and everything works offline.
KoKo and Duolingo at a glance
| Criterion | Duolingo | KoKo |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | iPhone, Android, browser | iPhone |
| Content | A guided course, lesson after lesson | Ready-made lists: +6,000 words, 38 topics |
| What you learn | A whole language: sentences, listening, grammar | The vocabulary of 19 languages |
| Reviews | Recall exercises along the course | Spaced repetition, six reviews set in advance |
| Without paying | Most of it, with ads | One topic out of 38; the rest by subscription |
| Ads | In the free version | None |
Stay with Duolingo if…
- you are a beginner and want a full course, guided step by step;
- you want to work on listening, pronunciation and grammar;
- you want to learn without paying;
- you learn on Android or on a computer.
Try KoKo if…
- you get by with the grammar and it is the words you are missing;
- you want to choose your topics: work, travel, health;
- you want to be able to write the words, not just recognise them;
- you want to add real vocabulary work to Duolingo.
