Duolingo is best for language learners seeking a free, gamified, and personalized experience. MasterClass is better suited for individuals looking to learn from experts in creative and professional fields through structured video lessons and community engagement, but requires a paid subscription.
| Attribute | Duolingo | MasterClass |
|---|---|---|
| Price and Subscription Options | Freemium model with free ad-supported features and optional premium subscriptions (Super Duolingo, Duolingo Max) for ad-free access and additional features. | Standard: $120 USD annually ($10/month), Plus: $180 USD annually ($15/month), Premium: $240 USD annually ($20/month). All plans are billed annually. |
| Variety of Languages/Subjects Offered | Offers courses in 43 languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Welsh, Irish, Navajo, and constructed languages like Klingon. Also offers courses on music, math, and chess. | Courses across 13 categories including cooking, writing, business, photography, film, music, and more. |
| Learning Structure and Curriculum Design | Structured with a skill tree, progressing from basic to advanced topics. Each skill focuses on specific language aspects. Lessons are bite-sized and follow a single 'path' system. | Each class includes around 20 video lessons, averaging about 10 minutes each. Classes also include workbooks, assignments, and activities. MasterClass has added Sessions, offering a more structured learning format. |
| Interactive Exercises and Gamification | Employs gamification with XP, levels, streaks, virtual currency (lingots), leaderboards, and 'Adventures'. Includes listening exercises, flashcards, multiple-choice questions, and translation tasks. | Interactive elements such as Q&A sessions and quizzes. |
| Personalized Learning Paths and Adaptive Difficulty | AI algorithms tailor lessons to individual proficiency levels, adjusting content and difficulty based on performance. Machine learning helps prioritize course updates. Exercises are presented in a unique order for each learner. | Offers a selector to recommend classes based on your interests. Designed to cater to learners at all levels. Classes feature bite-sized lessons. |
| Offline Accessibility | Not available | Plus and Premium members can download lessons for offline viewing on iOS and Android devices. The Standard plan does not allow downloads. |
| Progress Tracking and Performance Analytics | Offers tools to monitor learning achievements, such as XP, streaks, achievements, a 'Duolingo Score', vocabulary growth tracking, and insights into study time distribution. | General progress tracking is implied, but specific details on analytics are not available. |
| Community Features and Social Interaction | Encourages user-generated content and peer-to-peer interaction. Includes social features to connect with friends, compete on leaderboards, join clubs, and participate in Friends Quests. | Community forums for discussions. You can join discussions, ask questions, share thoughts, and get feedback. |
| Instructor Quality and Expertise | Courses are created by language experts. | Instructors are experts and celebrities in their respective fields. |
| Content Updates and New Material | Courses are regularly updated with new content. In April 2025, Duolingo launched 148 new language courses. | New classes and sessions are added monthly. |
| User Interface and User Experience | Prioritizes simplicity and intuitiveness with a clean layout, intuitive iconography, animations, and responsive design. | User-friendly interface. The platform's structure is intuitive. |
| Integration with Other Educational Tools | Not available | Information on direct integration with other tools is not available. |