Pimsleur vs Duolingo: Which Platform Should you Choose in 2024?

One of the most important things in the present world is to learn a second language. Initially learning the language was very difficult and was only dependent on tutors and books. But with current innovations, there are a lot of platforms that help you to learn a new language. Two social platforms that will help you learn a new language are Pimsleur and Duolingo. If you are also confused about which is the right platform for you then, here we will guide you to understand the full comparison between Pimsleur vs Duolingo.

Quick Takeaways

• Here is a short comparison between Duolingo and Pimsleur-

Features	Duolingo	Pimsleur
Number of languages	More than 40	More than 50
Grammatical explanations	Very less	Minimal
Pricing	$9.99 per month to $12.99 per month	$19.95 per month or $20.95 per month
Length of lessons	5-10 Minutes	10-30 Minutes
Placement test	Available	Not available

However, you must read the end so that you get a better understanding of the difference between Pimsleur vs Duolingo.

What is Duolingo?

You can learn a language on your own with the help of Duolingo which is an online language-learning platform that uses a gamified method. It is a platform where you may practice your language skills with various exercises like matching the words or filling in the blanks. Additionally, this platform has special features like leagues, XP scores, Duolingo gems, etc. Because of the gamified approach of this platform, every lesson includes a range of game-like activities. Over 50 million people are in the Duolingo community, and 71 million of those users are active each month. The statistics of the numbers show how reliable the platform is.

What is Pimsleur?

With just one lesson, the Pimsleur platform may help you start speaking a new language. You may learn languages anywhere, at any time, in only 30 minutes of using it. There are 51 languages on this platform and is used by around 1 million people which is huge. The platform follows the audio-based lessons approach that will help you to learn the language more easily. 

Related: Pimsleur vs Rosetta Stone: Which One to Choose?

Pimsleur vs Duolingo: What are the key differences?

Following are the basic differences between both of the platforms-

1. Number of languages

The first thing that you must consider while choosing the platform is to know how many languages you get on the platform. If we talk about Duolingo there are around 40 languages available on the platform. For these 40 languages, there are more than 100 courses available on the platform. Whereas if we talk about Pimsleur, the number of languages available on this platform is more than 50. Which means that it has more languages than the Duolingo platform. Some of the common languages that you will find on both of the platforms are German, French, Spanish, Greek, etc.

2. Pricing 

The next main feature that will help you to choose the required platform is by comparing the cost of the platforms. The biggest difference between both platforms is the availability of the free version. Pimsleur platform is the app that provides you with a subscription-based platform. If you are using this platform you will have to pay $19.95 per month or $20.95 per month, to get all the courses on the platform. You can also get a lifetime Subscription on this platform if you are at the first level of any language for $150.

If you are at 2 levels or five levels then you will have to pay $300 or $575 respectively. This platform offers a seven-day free trial where you can test the features you get on this platform. On the other hand, if we talk about Duolingo, the platform provides free as well as the paid subscription method. If you want to try the free version you must remember that there are a lot of ads in between the exercises. However, to get rid of them you will have to take the subscription plan which is known as Super Duolingo.

There are generally two types of subscription plans that you get on this platform- individual as well as family plans. The cost that you will be paying will depend upon the type of plan you have taken and the duration of it. It can be $9.99 per month to $12.99 per month. Of course, Pimsleur is more expensive than Duolingo, but still, you must not waste your money on Duolingo. The main reason behind this is that the learning features of Duolingo in the free as well as paid versions are similar to each other. Using money on Pimsleur will help you more in learning the language.

3. Course structure

Duolingo courses are created in such a manner that you will see that there are different units in each of the language courses. These units are arranged in a manner that you can start from the basics and get the intermediate level of the language. In all the units you will see various lessons which are designed to keep you engaged with the content. All the exercises in the lessons are based on different games and will help you to learn the language easily. There are a lot of exercises that will help you to learn the language.

On the other hand, if we talk about Pimsleur, the main focus is to get you to speak right from the start. This platform follows the audio-based learning method which helps you to focus on teaching how to speak different words in a particular language. The lessons on this platform are structured properly and you will have to complete each of the lessons before going to the next one. On this platform, you will be getting lessons between a duration of 10 to 30 minutes.

These lessons also include voice notes of native speakers. You will also get cultural notes on this platform which will help you to understand the history of the language. Whereas, if we talk about Duolingo, the lessons on the platform are just between 5 to 10 minutes. This means that you will not have to spend a lot of time practicing the language.

4. Placement test

A placement test is a test that helps you to understand at which level of language you are and places you at the right skill for you. Duolingo is a platform that offers placement tests so that you can skip the easiest skills. On the other hand, if we talk about Pimsleur, there is no such placement test on it. However, if you are finding some lessons here then you can mark them done instead of listening to the full 30-minute lesson. Another thing that you can do on this platform is to take the voice coach test in the challenge mode.

5. Grammatical explanations

If you are a person who loves to learn with grammatical explanations then you will like Duolingo more than the Pimsleur. However, an important point that you must remember is that both platforms have fewer grammatical explanations. It means that if you want to enjoy grammatical explanations then you must try to focus on some other platforms like Busuu or Lingodeer. If we talk about Duolingo you will be getting these grammatical explanations on the desktop version.  

Pimsleur vs Duolingo: Which platform should you choose?

If you are a person who is tight on the budget then Duolingo is a perfect place for you. It is because, unlike Pimsleur, you will be getting a free version which will help you to learn the language freely. Further, if you want to learn more languages then you may like Pimsleur much. Also, if you are interested in developing your speaking skills then choosing Pimsleur is a better option.

It is because this platform follows the audio-based learning method which helps to develop the speaking skills of the language. Further, the lessons on Duolingo are of just 5 to 10 minutes whereas on Pimsleur, they are about 10-30 minutes long. However, if you are a person who wants to learn with engaging content then Duolingo is what you need.

What are the benefits and Drawbacks of using the Pimsluer platform?

Following are the benefits and drawbacks of the Pimsleur platform-

Pros

• The platform follows the audio-based approach which helps you to develop your speaking skills in the language.
• The app is designed in such a way that the interface is too easy and friendly to use.
• All the lessons are not in a passive manual and they consistently prompt you to produce the language you have chosen to learn.
• All the audio lessons on this platform are by the native speakers which means that you get a detailed understanding of how it looks like to communicate with the native speaker.

Cons

• The biggest drawback of using this platform is that there are no grammatical explanations at all. It means that if you want to learn the language with more explanations then you may not enjoy this platform much.
• As it follows the audio-based lessons, they may get boring after some time.
• You will not get much-written aspects of the language which may make it difficult for you to understand how to write up the language.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of using Duolingo?

Following are the benefits and drawbacks of using Duolingo-

Pros

• The lessons follow the gamified approach that helps in keeping the user engaged with the lessons.
• Also, the lessons are too short that is only 5 to 10 minutes which makes it much easier to complete them.
• This platform is highly motivating as there are some features like streak score which helps you to understand how many days you have used the platform.

It has a free version that helps learners who are on a tight budget.

Cons

• The biggest drawback of this platform is that it does not have many grammatical explanations.
• There is a heart system when you use the platform on the mobile app. Due to this system, you only get five chances to make mistakes when you are practicing.

Conclusion

Duolingo is the ideal platform for you if you’re someone with a tight budget. This is because, in contrast to Pimsleur, you will receive a free version that will allow you to study the language at your own pace. Moreover, Pimsleur can be a great fit for you if you wish to learn more languages. Additionally, it is a superior choice if you want to improve your speaking abilities.

This is due to the fact that this platform uses an audio-based learning approach that promotes proficiency in speaking. Additionally, the lessons on Pimsleur last between 10 and 30 minutes, but only 5 to 10 minutes on Duolingo. But if you’re the kind of person who prefers to learn through engaging content then Duolingo is a perfect choice for you.

FAQs