Here’s how many language learners see it: Duolingo is a fun little game to play when you’re bored, while Bunpo is where you go when you actually want to study.
It’s a blunt take, and while a bit oversimplified, there’s some truth to it. Duolingo can work, especially if you use it with clear goals in mind. But after testing both apps myself, I get why many learners end up feeling stuck.
Duolingo is colorful, habit-forming, and kind of addictive, and it’s come a long way in recent years with a more structured learning path and AI-powered explanations via Duolingo Max. But for many learners, especially those craving grammar clarity or a more traditional study format, it can still feel a bit light on depth.
That’s where Bunpo stands out. It’s less gamified, but more intentional, especially when it comes to grammar and review. It’s like the flashcard-wielding older sibling with a clean interface and clear grammar points. Should you go with the crowd-pleasing green owl or the underdog grammar guru?
Let’s break down the features, pricing, teaching style, and language options to figure out which app is actually worth your time.
What Is Bunpo?
Bunpo is a grammar-focused language-learning app that was originally created to help one friend learn Japanese.
Founder Yuki Yamamoto built it from scratch while still in university, and what started as a side project quickly grew into a global tool used in 177 countries with over 3 million downloads.
Launched in 2019, Bunpo offers clean, structured lessons that focus on grammar, sentence construction, and vocabulary. The content is delivered in a no-frills, no-ads interface that’s friendly for self-learners.
While it was originally built for Japanese, it now includes nine language courses, including Korean, Spanish, and French.
It’s minimalist, mobile-first, and ideal for grammar nerds or anyone who wants to go beyond Duolingo-style tapping and swiping.
When I tested Bunpo’s Spanish course, what stood out immediately was the clean, minimalistic design. While Duolingo’s flashy interface excites my inner child, Bunpo speaks to the adult me who wants a quiet, focused space to actually learn.
It’s not just a quiz app. I love that each lesson begins with real explanations, examples, and only then do you dive into exercises like typing what you hear, matching pairs, and pronunciation drills. It feels more like a tutor, less like a trivia game.
What Is Duolingo?
As of 2025, Duolingo has over 950 million total downloads, more than 103 million monthly active users, and brings in hundreds of millions in revenue each year. Its newest premium tier, Duolingo Max, uses AI features like “Explain My Answer” and “Roleplay” to simulate real conversations and offer deeper feedback, a serious upgrade if you want more than just streaks and gems.
Bottom line? Duolingo is fun, fast, and free (if you can handle the ads).
But is it enough for serious learners? That depends on how you use it.
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Bunpo vs Duolingo: Which Languages Can You Learn?
There is a huge difference in the number of languages you can learn on Duolingo vs Bunpo, and it might be a dealbreaker depending on what you want to study.
Quick takeaway: Duolingo offers 40+ language courses, while Bunpo has just nine.
Bunpo Languages
Bunpo is a lot more focused in terms of language offerings. Originally built for learning Japanese, it’s since expanded to include:
- Korean
- Spanish (European)
- French
- German
- Mandarin Chinese
- Italian
- Portuguese (Portugal)
- English
While the list is short, each course is packed with grammar explanations, structured lessons, and audio support. If you’re specifically interested in Japanese vocabulary and kanji, Bunpo’s creators also offer a companion app called Lirer, though it requires a separate subscription and doesn’t sync progress between the two.
Duolingo Languages
Duolingo offers a total of 42 language courses, and one of the biggest perks is that you can learn from multiple source languages (not just English).
That said, not all courses are available in every base language. For example, English speakers can access 39 languages, while speakers of Korean, Thai, or Greek may only see English as a learning option.
The app covers major global languages, lesser-known regional tongues, and even two fictional ones: Klingon (Star Trek) and High Valyrian (Game of Thrones).
You’ll also find endangered and Indigenous languages like Hawaiian, Navajo, and Scottish Gaelic, depending on your source language.
Some of the most popular languages on Duolingo include:
- Spanish
- French
- German
- Japanese
- Italian
- Korean
- Portuguese (Brazilian)
- Chinese (Mandarin)
- Russian
- Hindi
- Arabic
- Turkish
In April 2025, Duolingo also rolled out 148 new AI-generated courses to expand access for non-English speakers, meaning more learners can now study languages like Portuguese from French or Arabic from Hindi. This is a big leap for multilingual learners, even though the quality of the courses is a topic for hot debate at the moment.
How Effective Are Duolingo’s Language Courses?
A Price Comparison: Bunpo vs Duolingo
Let’s talk money, because while both apps have free versions, what you actually get at each pricing tier varies a lot.
In summary: Duolingo runs on a freemium model with increasingly layered subscription options, while Bunpo has a straightforward pricing structure (and no ads, even in the free version).
Bunpo’s Pricing
Bunpo’s pricing is refreshingly simple—at first glance. The app gives you free access to early beginner content, but you’ll need to subscribe to Bunpo Plus or Bunpo Platinum to unlock full course access and premium tools.
Here’s the breakdown of Bunpo’s pricing:
- Bunpo Plus
- Monthly: $19.99
- Yearly: $49.99
- Lifetime: $69.99 (one-time payment)
Unlocks all grammar courses across all supported languages
Includes personalized review, priority support, and the “Snap” tool for scanning multiple-choice questions
Bunpo Platinum
- Monthly: $39.99
- Yearly: $149.99
Includes everything from Plus, plus advanced AI features like AI-powered tutor and “Explain My Answer,” AI roleplay for conversations, and AI voice calls and translation tools
Duolingo’s Pricing
Duolingo’s base version is 100% free, and if you don’t mind a few pop-up ads and heart limits, you could technically use the app forever without paying a cent (and learn all the 40+ languages if your heart desires).
But for most learners, the premium options are where things get more useful:
Super Duolingo:
- Removes ads
- Offers unlimited hearts and personalized practice
Price:
- $12.99 per month or
- $59.99 per year for an individual plan
- Family plan: $119.88 per year for up to 6 users
Duolingo Max (available in select countries):
- Includes everything from Super
Adds AI-powered features, like - Explain My Answer, Voice Call, and Roleplay
Price:
- $29.99 per month or $167.99 per year for an individual plan
- Family plan: $239.99 per year for up to 6 users
There’s also a 7 or 14-day free trial (depending on where you live) for Super or Max, depending on availability in your region.
Teaching Approaches of Bunpo vs Duolingo
While both Duolingo and Bunpo aim to make language learning accessible, their teaching styles are fundamentally different.
Key differences: Duolingo leans all the way into gamification, with XP, hearts, leagues, and animated owls cheering you on. Bunpo also uses some gamified elements, like XP, review challenges, leagues, and streaks, but its core focus stays rooted in academic structure and grammar-first learning. It’s more “study desk” than “arcade.”
Bunpo
The AI features aren’t just flashy extras; they’re genuinely helpful. I especially liked the Voice Call, where you speak with an AI partner and get a summary at the end.
There are also challenges in the Dialogue section, like introducing yourself or ordering food, which makes the learning feel more practical and less abstract.
If you’re the type who needs to understand the why—not just memorize the what—Bunpo’s structure will be your happy place.
Duolingo
Duolingo is designed to make you come back every day, and it does that by turning language learning into a game. You learn through a structured “path” of bite-sized lessons that build reading, listening, and translation skills.
There’s some speaking practice too, though feedback is limited unless you upgrade to Duolingo Max. And even then, it’s not the same as talking to a tutor or native.
With Max, you get “Explain My Answer,” which breaks down grammar and vocab mistakes in real time, plus “Roleplay,” where you chat with an AI character to simulate conversation.
It’s not a grammar deep-dive, but it’s great for building habits and basic comprehension, especially for beginners.
What Special Features Do Bunpo and Duolingo Have?
Duolingo and Bunpo come with their own sets of bells and whistles, but they serve different goals.
In short: Duolingo’s features are all about habit formation and daily engagement, while Bunpo leans hard into AI-powered grammar and conversation support.
Bunpo
Bunpo shares some of Duolingo’s gamified features: streaks, leagues, goal setting, and reminders to study. But they are more in the background of the app so you can focus on learning your target language.
And while Bunpo might look simple, under the hood, it’s packed with serious tools:
- Snap to take a photo of a grammar or vocab question and get a full explanation
- AI Tutor offers personalized lessons crafted around your goals
- Dialogue & Roleplay so you can chat with AI in real-time using past grammar points
- Voice Calls to speak directly with an AI conversation partner
- Conversation Translator for instant real-time voice translation
- Explain My Answer, which is just like Duolingo Max but built into the exercises
Duolingo
Duolingo’s special sauce is its gamified system: streaks, leagues, XP, achievements, and friend leaderboards. You get bite-sized practice sessions with animations, sound effects, and motivational nudges from the owl and his friends. There’s also a story mode for some languages, mini-challenges, and “legendary” levels for review.
Upgrade to Duolingo Max, and things get more interesting:
- Explain My Answer with AI-powered grammar breakdowns
- Roleplay, which is interactive, scenario-based chats with AI characters
- Personalized practice based on your weak spots (included in Super Duolingo
Who’s the Target Audience of Bunpo and Duolingo?
While there’s some overlap between Duolingo and Bunpo language learners, the core audiences and their learning goals tend to look pretty different.
TLDR: Duolingo is ideal for casual learners or curious dabblers, while Bunpo is more suited to focused study. That said, a lot of learners (myself included) find that using both apps together works surprisingly well.
Bunpo
It’s especially great for:
- Grammar-focused learners
- Japanese language students (from beginner to JLPT N1)
- Adults who want clean explanations
- Learners who prefer studying on mobile
- People interested in AI-powered speaking practice
Duolingo
It’s especially great for:
- Absolute beginners
- Casual learners or language dabblers
- People who want to build a daily habit, not necessarily a study routine
- Families with kids
- Anyone learning popular languages like Spanish, French, Japanese, or Korean, fictional ones like Klingon, or a few endangered ones like Navajo
- Learners who like to toggle between studying on desktop and mobile
Bunpo: Pros and Cons
PROs
- Lessons start with an explanation and examples, and you can ask questions throughout ( I found the built-in “Explain My Answer” tool super helpful when I got something wrong mid-exercise), before diving into some exercises
- Crystal-clear grammar explanations from N5 to N1 (for Japanese)
- No ads, even in the free version
- Easily jump to lessons or levels that interest you
- Inclusive content (e.g., lessons that explain gender-neutral or nonbinary forms)
- Calm, minimalistic design helps you focus (unlike Duolingo’s sometimes overwhelming gamification)
- Built-in SRS review system
- AI features like “Explain My Answer,” Roleplay, and Voice Calls
- Snap tool and AI Tutor make it easy to ask questions or study on the fly
- Very affordable Lifetime Plus plan
CONs
- Only nine languages available
- English is the only base language
- No web/desktop version; it’s mobile-only
- Mostly focused on grammar, so it’s great for structure but not ideal as a stand-alone app if you also want strong speaking, writing, or cultural components
- Lifetime Plus users can’t access Platinum features without paying extra
- Complementary Lirer app (for Japanese vocab) requires a separate login and subscription
Duolingo: Pros and Cons
PROs
- Free to use with optional upgrades
- Huge variety of languages (including endangered and fictional ones)
- Gamified experience keeps you coming back
- Easy to use and accessible for all ages
- Great for building a daily habit
- New AI features (Duolingo Max) add more depth
- Need to follow the language tree, but you can skip ahead if you do a placement test or quiz
- Available as an Android and iOS app and web/desktop version
CONs
- Every “lesson” is like a little quiz to test your knowledge
- Limited grammar explanations (unless you pay for Max)
- Repetition without context can lead to shallow understanding
- Speaking exercises offer little feedback unless you’re using Max
- Too gamified, so if you’re not careful, you may think you’re learning more than you actually are
- Ads are annoying in the free version
- No Lifetime plan
Important Aspects to Consider When Choosing Duolingo or Bunpo
Still torn between the green owl and the grammar geek? Here are a few key things to think about before you commit:
If you’re learning for fun, travel, or daily exposure, Duolingo’s bite-sized lessons and game mechanics might be all you need. But if you’re aiming for JLPT certification (for Japanese), deeper understanding, or structured grammar review, Bunpo is the more serious choice.
My Final Verdict: Which Language-Learning App Is Best for Me?
If you want a fun, free way to build a language habit, Duolingo is hard to beat. If you’re serious about grammar, exam prep, or actually understanding how the language works, Bunpo is the better bet.
But honestly? The magic is in using both.
Duolingo keeps you consistent and Bunpo keeps you sharp. Together, they cover both ends of the language-learning spectrum, and that’s how real progress happens.
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Disclaimer: I select and review independently. If you buy through affiliate links, I may earn commissions that help support my testing at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.
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