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LingoDeer vs Rosetta Stone
Our detailed comparison of the language learning apps from Rosetta Stone and LingoDeer
Chances are you’ve heard of Rosetta Stone long before you landed on this article. The company has been around since the early 1990’s, and its brand is almost synonymous with language learning at this point. LingoDeer, on the other hand, was only launched a few years ago, and generally has much less name recognition. Since then, however, they’ve made some big waves in the industry with a unique approach. In this article, we compare and contrast the two programs, so you can figure out which one is better for your specific needs.
Given that this is a lengthy, detailed comparison, we’ve included jump-to links above for your convenience.
Video Review: Must-Know Points About These Two Apps
In the above video, team member John covers our side-by-side comparison of these two language programs in an overview fashion. Please keep reading for more detail.
To begin, let’s briefly discuss pricing between these two programs. Though LingoDeer actually offers a free plan, as you might imagine, it’s pretty limited. In my opinion, it’s much more like a free trial than a real plan.
In order to access the full version of LingoDeer, you have to upgrade to their Premium plan, which costs $15 per month (if you subscribe on a month-by-month basis), $40 for three months, $160 for 12 months, or $300 for a lifetime subscription.
Rosetta Stone, on the other hand, offers just three different subscription plans: a 3-month subscription, a 12-month subscription, and a lifetime plan. Though their full retail MSRP is generally priced a little higher on the website, you can almost always find the monthly subscription plans for $8 to $12 per month, and the lifetime plan (which includes access to all Rosetta Stone languages) for around $200.
Thus, stepping back and comparing the two apps, Rosetta Stone is the more affordable option. You’ll likely save a couple dollars per month by going with them, and $100 if you want a lifetime plan. Not huge amounts, but maybe enough to make a difference. Keep in mind, Rosetta Stone offers a free trial too.
Why Rosetta Stone Is Better Than LingoDeer
Next, let’s cover the major reasons to choose each program over the other—or in other words, where each app has unique advantages. And let’s start with the reasons to use Rosetta Stone over LingoDeer.
TruAccent Speech Tool
The first reason to use Rosetta Stone is the company’s TruAccent speech recognition technology. Now, right off the bat, it’s important to note that no speech recognition software is perfect (at least, I am yet to find one that is), so conversing with or getting feedback from actual fluent speakers is always preferred.
But as far as automating the process goes, I have to admit that Rosetta Stone’s tech is one of the best speech tools I’ve tested. It’s right up there with Rocket Languages, Pimsleur and Babbel. It’s quick, accurate, and very user-friendly.
Rosetta Stone speaking exercise
In contrast, LingoDeer’s software sometimes gave me some issues during verbal practice exercises. Sometimes it would take me several attempts to get their software to accept my answer, even though I knew I was pronouncing the word or phrase correctly.
Plus, their system seems to have some issues with numbers as well. So bottom line, I give the win to Rosetta Stone when it comes to speaking exercisesand getting feedback on your pronunciation.
Great Fit For Visual Learners
Another important advantage for Rosetta Stone is that it’s tailor made for visual learners. Nearly every single one of the Rosetta Stone practice exercises include images. You’re constantly matching images to spoken or written phrases, and even the speaking-based drills are built on visuals. Plus, Rosetta Stone also offers a library of on-demand videos.
Therefore, if you’re the type of person who learns best through associating new words and phrases with images and pictures, then Rosetta Stone should be right up your alley. It’s the program for visual learners in my mind.
Rosetta Stone is great for visual learners
To be fair, some of the LingoDeer drills and exercises incorporate visuals as well, but it’s far less frequent as compared to Rosetta Stone.
Immersive Learning Experience
One other reason that I really like Rosetta Stone is that it relies on the concept of immersion. You’ll notice throughout your course that there is very little use of English directions and translations—and this is deliberate.
Rosetta Stone purposefully tries to imitate the natural learning process as closely as possible. When you were a toddler just starting to learn English, you didn’t have a mother language to fall back on as you learned—you were forced to learn English. It’s the same with Rosetta Stone and your new language.
Rather than make their lessons easy to complete and allow you to lean on English, their goal instead is to help you naturally acquire the target language through visual signals, inference, and repetition. And although this may be a bit more frustrating at times because it is challenging, I think it’s an extremely effective learning framework.
Bonus Learning Tools
Finally, the last noteworthy thing worth calling out is all of the bonus resources and tools that Rosetta Stone offers its users. Among these, you get on-demand video lessons, phrasebooks, stories, live lessons, live coaching, and downloadable audio companions for when you’re on the go.
These features make the Rosetta Stone program feel very well-rounded. They offer much more than just a collection of lessons.
Rosetta Stone bonus resources
Of all the features listed above though, the stories and live lessons are my favorite. I really like the stories because they’re just a fun way to break up the standard Rosetta lessons, and the live lessons are plain helpful, especially when I’m feeling social.
They’re a great way to communicate with other learners, practice my pronunciation with a real person, and pick up interesting tidbits from experienced teachers.
Now that we’ve covered Rosetta Stone’s big wins, let’s get to the major reasons to go with LingoDeer.
Detailed Grammar Instruction
The foremost reason to use LingoDeer is their grammar instruction and explanations. In my opinion, this is a major strength of the LingoDeer program. Here’s how it works.
If at any point during a lesson you are having trouble grasping a certain topic (or just need help understanding the reasoning behind a certain answer), you can click the light bulb symbol on page and a pop-up will appear which includes clear explanations and examples of the grammar rules and principles that are pertinent to that particular lesson.
It’s pretty awesome to be honest. LingoDeer definitely goes the extra mile to ensure you grasp the foundations of grammar as you progress through their language courses.
Typical LingoDeer exercise
That being said, it is worth noting that grammar instruction is a sensitive subject in the world of language learning. Many linguists believe that detailed grammar instruction can actually hinder learning during the early stages of language acquisition. From a theory perspective, it just depends on which side of the fence you sit on.
Regardless of differing opinions though, if you want thorough coverage of grammar, then LingoDeer is an excellent option. Their detailed explanations are very understandable and actionable.
HD Audio Recordings
Another reason to go with LingoDeer is if you are an auditory learner. LingoDeer does a fantastic job with the audio clips that they leverage throughout lessons.
Not only are they crisp and clear, but it’s also evident they’re recorded by actual native speakers (and not a computer), which is a major plus. Not all language apps do this. For example, Duolingo’s recordings can sound choppy and digitized, so Lingodeer gets a big two thumbs up in that respect.
LingoDeer audio drill
That being said, I do need to note here that even though the Rosetta Stone lessons take a much more visual approach, they also offer downloadable audio companions for auditory learners, which are pretty useful in their own right. They are condensed audio summaries of the main Rosetta lessons, and I did like those.
Personalized Courses
Finally, I like that LingoDeer does not take a one-size-fits-all approach to designing their language courses like Rosetta Stone does. Instead, they actually customize their courses for each individual language.
Essentially, rather than building language content around a predestined template and generic topics, LingoDeer actually personalizes each lesson with the distinct objects, places, and activities that are culturally relevant to that particular language. It’s pretty cool and I have to give LingoDeer credit for that.
After using and testing out each of these language apps for a while, I personally prefer Rosetta Stone to LingoDeer—and by a pretty good margin.
LingoDeer does score points in a couple key areas (like grammar and audio clips), but ultimately, I think Rosetta Stone just offers the more complete and effective language course. I like their immersive approach to learning, as well as all of the visual elements that they incorporate into lessons. Plus, their speech recognition technology is top-notch and all the extra resources and tools that Rosetta Stone offers are truly useful. That’s why I give them the win.
FAQ
What is the difference between LingoDeer and Rosetta Stone?
Learning framework and lesson format are the biggest differences between LingoDeer and Rosetta Stone. The LingoDeer lessons rely on audio recordings from fluent speakers and detailed grammar instruction, while the Rosetta Stone lessons take a more immersive, visual approach.
Which is better, LingoDeer or Rosetta Stone?
After testing each program, our team believes Rosetta Stone offers the more complete and effective language courses from top to bottom. We prefer Rosetta Stone’s graphic-heavy, immersion-based app.
Is LingoDeer cheaper than Rosetta Stone?
No, Rosetta Stone offers the more affordable subscription options in comparison to the various LingoDeer premium plans.
