Comparison
Glauda vs Duolingo: when each one fits.
They aren't competing for the same job.
If you've been on Duolingo for a while and feel like you can recognize a lot of words but can't actually speak the language, you're not alone. That gap is the whole reason we built Glauda. This page explains what Duolingo is great for, what it isn't, and where Glauda picks up. We try to be honest about both.
Duolingo
Vocabulary, written grammar, and the daily-habit ritual. Good for getting from zero to a base.
Glauda
Speaking out loud, in real conversation, under no interruption. Built for the part that comes after the base.
What Duolingo does well.
We start here because it's true, and because pretending otherwise wouldn't help you decide.
Onboarding from zero is excellent
If you've never seen a word of the target language, Duolingo's first fifty hours are some of the best entry-level instruction available anywhere. The mascot, the bite-sized units, the cheerful repetition all genuinely work for absolute beginners.
Vocabulary acquisition through spaced repetition
Behind the cartoon, Duolingo runs a serious spaced-repetition engine. It will quietly drill you on yesterday's words tomorrow and next week, which is a real way to build long-term retention. It's the part of the product that does the most work.
Free tier with no real friction
You can use Duolingo for free for years and learn a lot. Super and Max are nice-to-have, not essential. That's a remarkable thing to pull off as a business and it makes Duolingo the right place to start for anyone unsure if they'll stick with a language.
40+ languages, including small ones
Glauda supports eight. Duolingo supports forty-something, including languages where there's almost no other commercial option (Hawaiian, Welsh, Latin, Klingon). If you're learning one of those, Duolingo isn't a competitor; it's the only game in town.
Where Glauda picks up.
The work Duolingo can't really do, by design.
Speaking, in real time, without interruption
Duolingo's speaking practice is recording one word at a time into a microphone and being told if it sounded close enough. That isn't really speaking practice; it's pronunciation practice for individual words. Glauda is the whole conversation, with pauses, hesitation, and stumbling forward.
A partner that waits
Real conversations have long pauses where you find the next word. Real human partners (and most voice apps) get uncomfortable in those pauses and either fill them or switch to English. Glauda waits. You tap once to start, take all the time you need, and tap again when you're done.
Scenarios, topics, and custom situations
Practice ordering coffee in Madrid, doing a job interview in Berlin, having dinner with friends in Rome, or any specific situation you describe in your own words. Duolingo's units are language-progression-shaped; Glauda's scenarios are conversation-shaped.
Levels you can move between freely
Pick A1 if you want very simple sentences and slow speech. Pick C2 if you want full native cadence with idiom and irony. Move between them as needed. No unlocking, no streak protection, no path you have to follow in order.
Side by side, honestly.
We try to describe each side as that side would describe itself. If anything here is wrong, email support@glauda.com and we'll fix it.
| Feature | Duolingo | Glauda |
|---|---|---|
| Real speaking practice | Limited to single words | The whole product |
| Conversational pauses | Not supported | Required by design |
| Custom topics | No | Yes, any situation you describe |
| Streak / gamification | Heavy | None, by design |
| CEFR levels | Approximate | A1 to C2, with HSK and TOPIK aliases |
| Native voice | Yes, good quality | Yes (gpt-realtime voice) |
| Vocabulary drills | Core feature | Not provided (use both) |
| Grammar exercises | Yes, structured | Implicit through conversation |
| Languages offered | 40+ | 8 |
| Free tier | Free with ads, generous | 20-minute lifetime trial |
| Paid tier | Super ~$7-13/mo, Max ~$30/mo | Pro €8.99/mo, Polyglot €14.99/mo |
| Best for | Building a base from zero | Getting from base to fluency |
Should you use both?
Honestly, yes for most people. They do different jobs. Duolingo's daily ten minutes builds the recognition base. Glauda's twice-weekly twenty minutes builds production on top. The combined cost (Duolingo Super plus Glauda Pro) is still much less than a single hour with a private tutor, and you get something neither can give you alone.
Common questions.
Should I cancel Duolingo and just use Glauda?
Probably not. They do different things. Duolingo is the recognition layer, Glauda is the production layer. If you're already past Duolingo's plateau (you recognize most words but can't speak them) then Glauda alone might be enough. If you're still building your vocabulary, keep Duolingo for the drills.
Is Glauda cheaper than Duolingo Super?
Roughly the same. Duolingo Super is $7-13/mo depending on region. Glauda Pro is €8.99/mo, Polyglot €14.99/mo. Honestly, price isn't the right axis to compare on; they're different products.
Why doesn't Glauda have a streak?
Because streaks measure whether you opened an app, not whether you got better. We've written a longer post about this. The short version: streak mechanics borrowed from gambling work great for retention metrics and badly for actual learning.
Can Glauda teach me a new language from zero?
It can, but it isn't optimized for that. Glauda's A1 level works for true beginners, but you'll probably enjoy Duolingo's first fifty hours more than Glauda's first fifty hours. Come to Glauda when you can roughly understand a paragraph but freeze speaking a sentence.
Does Glauda have lessons?
No. There are no structured lessons, no "Unit 3: past tense." The structure comes from picking a scenario (café, job interview, dinner with friends) or describing your own topic. Conversations are the unit.
Which languages does Glauda support that Duolingo also supports?
All eight of Glauda's languages overlap with Duolingo: Spanish, English, Italian, French, German, Dutch, Mandarin, Korean. If you're learning one of these, you can use both. If you're learning something more niche (Welsh, Hawaiian, Latin) Glauda doesn't help yet.
Try the speaking half. Free.
20 minutes, no credit card. Keep your Duolingo streak going on the side; we won't judge.
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