Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur are two very different language-learning tools, and like me, you may also wonder which one will teach you a new language in the easiest and quickest way.
I’m a polyglot (I speak 8 languages) and a language app tester. I’ve been reviewing Italian and Turkish and dabbling in Spanish, and my aim is to see what language-learning platforms do the best job.
I had to compare Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone, but the process felt like comparing apples to oranges. Both are fruits (language-learning solutions), yet so different in how they teach, the languages on offer, and pricing structure.
Here’s my comprehensive review of Pimsleur vs Rosetta Stone so you can easily decide which app will work the best for you.
What Is Pimsleur?
Pimsleur was originally created in 1963 when Dr Paul Pimsleur identified a need for self-instructional materials to help people learn a new language.
The first Pimsleur course was Modern Greek, followed by French, German, and Spanish in 1967.
Consumers could only benefit from these language courses in 1980.
Pimsleur distinguishes itself in the language learning app space by focusing predominantly on oral language skills, using a unique auditory-based method that emphasizes listening and speaking over reading and writing.
Its approach, based on graduated interval recall, audio lessons, and conversational practice, aims to develop language proficiency in a way that simulates natural language acquisition, making it particularly effective for learners focused on verbal communication skills.
The company is part of Simon & Schuster, and it released digital versions of some of its language courses in 2005. Pimsleur released its mobile app for Android and iOS devices in 2018.
Here are a few key stats about Pimsleur:
The company’s headquarters are in Concord, MA, USA.
1.3+ million people checked out the website in February 2024. (similarweb)
Most of Pimsleur’s web traffic comes from the USA, the UK, Canada, Czech Republic, and Australia.
More than 1 million people have downloaded the Android version of the mobile app.
PROs
- Offers over 50 language courses
- Focuses on enhancing speaking and listening skills
- Flexible subscription and purchasing options
- 7-day free trial available with the All Access subscription
CONs
- Not suitable for upper-intermediate or advanced learners
- Dull language material
- No emphasis on developing writing skills
- Not easy to use interface
How Does Pimsleur Teach a New Language?
Pimsleur teaches any new language according to the Pimsleur Method that its founder devised. The app teaches you in such a way that you don’t feel overwhelmed or confused because of information overload.
The Pimsleur Method teaches you via:
Learning organically
Teaching you core vocabulary first
Using the principle of anticipation
Graduated interval recall ensuring what you learn sticks in your memory
Who Benefits the Most with Pimsleur?
Like most other language-learning tools, beginner learners will learn the most with Pimsleur’s language courses. These students should be teens and adults since the course content isn’t “little” human-friendly.
While Pimsleur has various interactive activities to test your knowledge, its core lessons are taught via audio. So if you are visually impaired or learn better by listening, Pimsleur might be ideal for you.
What Is Rosetta Stone?
Rosetta Stone was created in 1992 and uses immersive language-learning methods. The app is recommended by various colleges and universities, the U.S. military, the medical community, and companies.
It’s part of IXL Learning, a company that aims to change people’s lives via the power of education.
Rosetta Stone stands out among language learning apps with its immersive, intuitive approach that entirely eschews translation, teaching through dynamic, context-based imagery and audio. This unique method, aimed at mimicking the way one learns their first language, focuses heavily on developing a natural understanding and instinct for the language, particularly emphasizing pronunciation with its advanced speech-recognition technology.
Here are a few key stats about Rosetta Stone:
Rosetta Stone’s headquarters are situated in Arlington, VA, USA.
In February 2024, more than 2.9 million people visited the website.
Most of the website traffic comes from the USA, Ecuador, the UK, Morocco, and Dominican Republic.
More than 10 million Android users have downloaded the app from Google Play.
PROs
- Interactive lessons with various resources
- Phrasebooks for practical travel language
- Immersive language learning method
- Comprehensive approach
CONs
- Limited grammar explanations
- Pricey subscriptions, additional costs for live lessons
- No free trial, but a 30-day money-back guarantee
- Requires more time investment
How Does Rosetta Stone Teach a New Language?
All of Rosetta Stone’s language courses and how they are taught are backed by research and science. Using the Dynamic Immersion method, the tool aims to immerse you in the target language so you can learn how you learned your native tongue.
In essence, you don’t learn via translation. You read and hear words and phrases and see images, and then you have to figure out what the terms mean.
Who Benefits the Most with Rosetta Stone?
Beginner students will benefit the most when they use Rosetta Stone to learn a new language. However, intermediate students can also use the platform to review language skills they previously learned.
Pimsleur vs Rosetta Stone: Which Languages Can You Learn?
Of the two apps, Pimsleur gives you many more language-learning options with 50+ courses, while Rosetta Stone offers 25 language courses.
Here’s a breakdown of the similarities and differences between the languages available on Rosetta Stone vs Pimsleur:
Languages | Pimsleur | Rosetta Stone |
Albanian | Yes | No |
Arabic | Yes – Eastern, Egyptian, & Modern Standard | Yes |
Armenian | Yes – Eastern & Western | No |
Chinese | Yes – Cantonese & Mandarin | Yes – Mandarin |
Croatian | Yes | No |
Czech | Yes | No |
Danish | Yes | No |
Dutch | Yes | Yes |
English | Yes – American | Yes – British & American |
Finnish | Yes | No |
French | Yes | Yes |
German | Yes | Yes |
Greek | Yes | Yes |
Haitian Creole | Yes | No |
Hebrew | Yes | Yes |
Hindi | Yes | Yes |
Hungarian | Yes | No |
Icelandic | Yes | No |
Indonesian | Yes | No |
Irish | Yes | Yes |
Italian | Yes | Yes |
Japanese | Yes | Yes |
Korean | Yes | Yes |
Latin | No | Yes |
Lithuanian | Yes | No |
Norwegian | Yes | No |
Ojibwe | Yes | No |
Pashto | Yes | No |
Persian | Yes – Dari & Farsi | Yes – Farsi |
Polish | Yes | Yes |
Punjabi | Yes | No |
Portuguese | Yes – European & Brazilian | Yes – Brazilian |
Romanian | Yes | No |
Russian | Yes | Yes |
Spanish | Yes – Spain-Castilian & Latin American | Yes – Spain & Latin American |
Swahili | Yes | No |
Swedish | Yes | Yes |
Swiss German | Yes | No |
Tagalog | Yes | Yes |
Thai | Yes | No |
Turkish | Yes | Yes |
Twi | Yes | No |
Ukrainian | Yes | No |
Urdu | Yes | No |
Vietnamese | Yes | Yes |
Pimsleur’s English course is available to those who natively speak these 14 languages:
- Arabic
- Cantonese
- Farsi
- French
- German
- Haitian
- Hindi
- Italian
- Korean
- Mandarin
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
- Vietnamese
Price Comparison: Pimsleur vs Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone’s pricing structure is a lot less complicated than Pimsleur’s, and it’s cheaper too compared to Pimsleur Premium and Audio Only.
Let’s have a look:
Pimsleur
Pimsleur doesn’t have much of a free trial. In fact, you get one audio lesson for free, which ain’t much to give you a taste of how the platform can help you learn a language.
If you want to give Pimsleur a try, there are various pricing options.
Pimsleur All Access
This is a subscription-based option, and you have access to all 50+ language courses.
You get a 7-day free trial.
The cost for Pimsleur All Access is US$20.95 per month or US$164.95 per annum.
Pimsleur Premium
This is a package-based option, and you can learn one language only.
Pay US$575 for a course with 5 levels.
Or buy a level (with 30 lessons) for US$150.
- Pimsleur Audio Only
Also a package-based option, where you can listen to the core audio lessons only. There are no interactive flashcards, reading lessons, games, and more.
You can only learn one language.
Pay US$119.95 for a level with 16 hours of audio learning, or buy a course with 5 levels for US$550.
Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone doesn’t offer a free trial so you can’t test out the app before signing up, sharing payment info, and paying. However, if you don’t like how the app teaches you a new language, contact the customer service team within 30 days and request a refund.
There are 3 subscription options for Rosetta Stone:
US$47.97 for a 3-month subscription (once-off payment)
US$126.00 for a 12-month subscription (once-off payment)
US$399 for the Lifetime subscription (once-off payment, undiscounted)
You can also do live classes and get one-on-one coaching on Rosetta Stone, but the company isn’t upfront about the costs.
What I could find was that there’s a limited one-time offer where you pay US$29.99 + tax for 2 live group classes.
Pimsleur's Pros and Cons
Pros
- More than 50 language courses to choose from.
- Can listen to the audio lesson while cleaning, driving, exercising, or shopping.
- Focuses on developing and improving your speaking and listening skills.
- Great news if you don’t like grammar – Pimsleur doesn’t overwhelm you with details of language usage.
- Decide whether you want to subscribe, buy levels of a course or the whole course, or opt for the audio version only. Get a 7-day free trial with Pimsleur’s subscription option, All Access.
Cons
- Invest at least 30 minutes just to complete the core audio lesson, and then you may also want to do the interactive flashcards, games, and more, adding more time to get through a lesson.
- You won’t learn a ton of words per lesson, possibly making Pimsleur not worth your time if you want to and can learn more than 8+ terms in a lesson.
- If you aren’t an auditory learner, it can be murder trying to get through the core lessons and understand and retain what Pimsleur wants to teach you.
- Not ideal for upper-intermediate or advanced students.
- The language material is dull, and if you get bored, will you continue with your language studies?
- There’s benefit to following a structure to learn, but with Pimsleur, you can complete lessons however you want, which isn’t ideal for every student.
- You won’t develop your writing skills.
- Not the most user-friendly platform, and finding information is quite challenging.
Rosetta Stone's Pros and Cons
Pros
- The lessons are interactive, so you won’t get bored. And there are loads of resources, like the videos, audio companion, interactive stories, and alphabet info to help you learn the new language.
- You can also sign up for the live lessons.
- Native speakers record all the audio, so you get used to what natives sound like when they speak.
- The Phrasebooks can help you when you travel, while you learn via the lessons.
- Learn to speak, listen, read, and write.
- The immersive language approach may be the best way for you to learn the target language.
Cons
- No free trial so you need to subscribe to check out the platform. Thought, there is a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- You don’t get a lot of grammar explanations, which can make it challenging to learn. Plus, some of us learn via immersion, memorization, and translation, but since Rosetta Stone only focuses on immersion, you may not learn optimally.
- The subscriptions are pricey, and you have to pay extra for live lessons and one-on-one tutoring.
- There’s a slight learning curve to using the platform – like with Pimsleur.
- You also need to invest more time to learn on Rosetta Stone.
Verdict: Which Language Learning App Is the Best?
Every language-learning solution has its pros and cons, and ultimately, only you can decide which app works the best for you. Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone have many success stories, but Rosetta Stone is the more popular app and one that’s highly valued.
If you love learning tons of languages and like to learn mostly by listening to the lessons, then Pimsleur is your app.
But if you prefer to learn via immersion, work on all your language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing), and have the option of live classes and tutoring, then Rosetta Stone’s the one for you.
Remember to supplement your learning with other materials to get the most out of learning a new language.
Happy learning!
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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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