Duolingo Super alternatives: 5 open-source picks
Duolingo Super costs $12.99/mo — $155.88 a year. These 5 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Anki, AnkiDroid and Moodle. All 5 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
Build a small language deck with audio, images, typed answers and excellent spaced repetition; no cartoon guilt trips.
licenseAGPL-3.0+
runsyour machine or their cloud
installUse the Windows installer, macOS DMG or official Linux launcher
dataLocal profile files including collection.anki2, collection.media and backups; exports use .apkg/.colpkg, with optional AnkiWeb sync
setup✓ installs clean
the catch vs Duolingo SuperAnki has no supplied course, game loop, social competition or polished pronunciation exercises; the user authors or imports the deck.
facts verified 2026-08-10
A full Android Anki client for authored language decks, pronunciation recordings and offline review.
licenseGPL-3.0+
runsyour machine or their cloud
installInstall from Google Play or F-Droid, or sideload the official APK
dataAn Anki collection and media on the Android device, with .apkg import/export and optional AnkiWeb sync
setup✓ installs clean
the catch vs Duolingo SuperAnkiDroid has no supplied gamified course or social progression, and it is an Android client rather than a cross-platform lesson service.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Can run your own sequenced lessons, quizzes and progress tracking, though nobody will mistake it for a game.
licenseGPL-3.0+
runsyour machine or their cloud
installUpload the PHP release to a web server, create a database and moodledata directory, then complete the browser installer
dataCourses, users, grades and settings in SQL; uploaded files in the separate moodledata directory
the catch vs Duolingo SuperMoodle has no game-quality language curriculum, streak loop or adaptive exercise polish and is vastly heavier to administer.
setupPHP and database requirements, protected writable storage, cron, SMTP, backups and upgrades are all the operator's responsibility
facts verified 2026-08-10
A Duolingo-shaped course runner with CEFR lessons, voice exercises and spaced review; self-hosting is the price of unlimited use.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installUse the hosted service, or run Docker Compose with PostgreSQL 16, Redis 7 and the configured AI/speech services
enginesOllama, OpenAI, Anthropic or DeepSeek for language generation; Kokoro or OpenAI TTS; faster-whisper or OpenAI Whisper for speech recognition
dataSelf-hosted data in PostgreSQL, transient state in Redis, and generated/cached MP3 files; managed accounts live in FreeLingo's cloud
the catch vs Duolingo SuperFreeLingo's course quality, gamification, social features and editorial maturity are far behind Duolingo, while serious self-hosted voice practice requires substantial infrastructure.
setupSelf-hosting needs Docker plus an Ollama model or API keys; production voice also needs HTTPS, WebSocket proxying and either GPU-backed local models or paid APIs
facts verified 2026-08-10
Community-driven language learning platform with open courses — the Duolingo you can host and extend yourself.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Anki · LibreLingo
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
how to choose a Duolingo Super alternative
Easiest to get running
Anki — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Anki, with 29,600 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 5, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
Works on your phone
AnkiDroid has a mobile app.
Needs real ops to self-host
Moodle and FreeLingo are capable but expect someone to run a server, updates and backups. Budget for that before choosing one.
what you give up by leaving Duolingo Super
- massive curriculum, adaptive models, content, social loops, mobile polish, and brand
- licensed course catalog
- expert curriculum
- human feedback
- large learner network and certification
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Duolingo Super alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anki | AGPL-3.0+ | one-click install | web, macos, windows, linux | 29,600 | 2026-08 |
| AnkiDroid | GPL-3.0+ | one-click install | android | 11,499 | 2026-08 |
| Moodle | GPL-3.0+ | self-host, real ops | web, ios, android, self-hosted | 7,300 | 2026-08 |
| FreeLingo | AGPL-3.0 | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 62 | 2026-08 |
| LibreLingo | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 2,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for Duolingo Super
People still pay for Duolingo Super because the learning loop is buildable, while trusted curriculum, instructors, feedback, credentials, and community are not. The recurring cost buys curriculum quality, assessment validity, content rights, spaced-repetition tuning, speech models, sync, moderation, and support, not just the visible interface. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $155.88 a year.
questions about switching from Duolingo Super
Is there an open-source alternative to Duolingo Super?
Yes: Anki, AnkiDroid, Moodle and 2 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Duolingo Super?
Our verdict is YES. Anki (30k stars), AnkiDroid (11k stars), Moodle (7k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Duolingo Super — self-host in one command and stop paying $12.99/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/duolingo-super.
What is the easiest open-source Duolingo Super alternative to set up?
Anki — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Duolingo Super alternative?
By GitHub stars, Anki (29,600). AnkiDroid is next with 11,499.
