Duolingo
Khan Academy (Khanmigo)
| Feature | Duolingo | Khan Academy (Khanmigo) |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $9.99/mo | Free / from $4/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Best For | language-learners, students, travelers, beginners | k-12-students, educators, parents, self-learners |
| Founded | 2011 | 2008 |
| Lessons | ✓ | ✗ |
| Stories | ✓ | ✗ |
| Podcasts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ai Chat | ✓ | ✗ |
| Leaderboards | ✓ | ✗ |
| Streaks | ✓ | ✗ |
| Placement Tests | ✓ | ✗ |
| Video Lessons | ✗ | ✓ |
| Practice Exercises | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai Tutor | ✗ | ✓ |
| Progress Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Teacher Tools | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mastery System | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Duolingo Pros
- Completely free core experience
- Gamification makes learning addictive
- AI conversation practice
- 40+ language courses
✗ Duolingo Cons
- Limited for advanced learners
- Ads on free tier
- Grammar explanations can be minimal
✓ Khan Academy (Khanmigo) Pros
- Free core content
- AI tutor
- Comprehensive curriculum
- Progress tracking
✗ Khan Academy (Khanmigo) Cons
- AI tutor costs extra
- Limited advanced topics
- Interface dated
The Verdict
Duolingo is built for language learners and students, with a focus on lessons and stories. Khan Academy (Khanmigo) targets k 12 students and educators and leads with video-lessons and practice-exercises.
On pricing, Khan Academy (Khanmigo) is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $4/mo compared to $9.99/mo for Duolingo. That $5.99/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Duolingo offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Khan Academy (Khanmigo) takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.