The best Duolingo alternatives in 2026
Love Duolingo's daily game but want it for more than languages? Here are the best alternatives, honestly ranked by what each is actually best at. No app wins every row, so we say plainly who each one is for.
1. Tomo
The Duolingo daily game, pointed at any topic you can type. Levels, streaks, and quick quizzes for history, science, hobbies, anything, five minutes a day until it sticks. AI builds the course in minutes; you pick the voice and depth. Free during early access.
2. Brilliant
Best for: Interactive math & scienceThe best interactive lessons for math, science, and CS. STEM only and paid, but excellent at what it does.
Tomo vs Brilliant3. Khan Academy
Best for: Free school subjectsA free, rigorous library of school subjects, especially math. Video-led and curriculum-shaped.
Tomo vs Khan Academy4. Memrise
Best for: More language immersionThe closest in spirit for languages, with native-speaker video and conversation practice. Languages only.
Tomo vs Memrise5. Quizlet
Best for: Flashcards & test prepFast flashcards and a huge library of study sets. Great for cramming a test, less for deep understanding.
Tomo vs Quizlet6. Anki
Best for: Hardcore memorizationThe most powerful spaced-repetition tool for long-term memory. Free and unbeatable for retention, but you build every card.
Tomo vs Anki7. Coursera
Best for: Credentials & degreesUniversity courses, certificates, and degrees. The pick when you need an accredited credential, not a daily habit.
Tomo vs Coursera8. ChatGPT
Best for: Ad-hoc tutoringAn endlessly flexible tutor for any question. Brilliant for explanations, but no structure, no course, no daily habit.
Tomo vs ChatGPTQuestions
What is the best Duolingo alternative?
It depends what you want to learn. For any topic beyond languages with the same daily game loop, Tomo. For interactive math and science, Brilliant. For free school subjects, Khan Academy. For another language, Memrise.
Is there a Duolingo for subjects other than languages?
Yes. Tomo applies the Duolingo daily-game loop (levels, streaks, quizzes, five minutes a day) to any topic you can type, from Roman history to quantum physics. It's free during early access.
Are there free Duolingo alternatives?
Yes. Khan Academy is free, Anki is free and open source, and Tomo is free during early access. Brilliant, Quizlet Plus, and Coursera certificates are paid.
What is the closest app to Duolingo?
For the same gamified daily-habit feel applied to any topic, Tomo. For languages specifically, Memrise is the closest in spirit, with its own native-speaker video twist.
The daily game, for everything.
Keep Duolingo for your languages. Get Tomo for everything else you're curious about.