Learning apps in the US: what users like, what they complain about, and who each is for (2026)

Reviews of learning apps fall into two groups. Language apps — Duolingo, Babbel, Busuu — get hundreds of recent reviews, and most of them compare the three with each other. Course platforms — Coursera, Udemy, Skillshare, Codecademy, DataCamp — get far fewer, and the recent ones lean heavily toward complaints about billing and the mobile apps.

This page sums up what users wrote in App Store reviews from April to October 2026, next to what each service’s US pages say. Prices are on each service’s page on this site and in the learning category.

The short version

• Duolingo keeps people coming back every day, and its free plan’s limits and ads are what they complain about — even in five-star reviews.
• Babbel and Busuu are where Duolingo users go when they want explanations: many reviews of both say exactly that.
• Coursera’s courses and certificates are praised; cancelling after a trial and app bugs are the main complaints.
• Udemy’s recent reviews are dominated by app problems — purchased courses not showing, videos not playing — and several reviewers say the website works better.
• Skillshare’s few recent complaints are mostly about the annual renewal charge.

Language apps

[Duolingo](/prenumeratos/duolingo-super)

For you if you want a daily habit: streaks, friend streaks and reminders are what many reviewers credit for keeping them going, and it’s popular with beginners and families with children. Every lesson is free; Super removes ads and the limit that stops free users after mistakes — Duolingo’s US page calls it Unlimited Hearts, while reviewers describe an energy system. Super Family covers up to six people, and Max adds AI Roleplay and Video Call. New subscribers get a 1-week free trial.

Not for you if you plan to stay free and ads or that limit bother you — they’re the most common complaints by far. Reviewers also find Super Family and Max expensive.

What reviewers complain about: the energy limit on the free plan (many reviews), ads after lessons (many), the price of Family and Max (several), too many notifications (several), repetitive phrases and strict answer checking (several).

[Babbel](/prenumeratos/babbel)

For you if you want to understand why a sentence works: many reviewers who switched from Duolingo say Babbel explains grammar and context without game pressure, and many describe real conversations on trips to Italy, Spain or France. Babbel is ad-free and every plan includes all 14 languages. In the US you can pay for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months, buy Lifetime once, or share a Group Plan with up to six people; several reviewers call Lifetime worth it.

Not for you if you want to learn for free: only the first lesson of each course is free to try.

What reviewers complain about: how little is free (several), not enough review of past material (several), mistakes and contradictions in lessons (several), lessons too long for a short break (a few), pronunciation checks that accept wrong answers (a few).

[Busuu](/prenumeratos/busuu)

For you if you want corrections from native speakers: many reviewers praise the community that corrects written and spoken answers, many prefer it to Duolingo, and several say they switched after Duolingo’s free-plan changes. Premium adds grammar and vocabulary review, speaking assessments, no ads and certificates; Premium Plus adds AI conversations and pronunciation practice. Both come as 1 month or 12 months.

Not for you if you’re buying Premium Plus mainly for AI conversation practice — it’s the most common complaint — or your language isn’t among the ones it teaches.

What reviewers complain about: the AI conversation feature (several), the number of languages (several), too steep a jump after the first level (several), ads on the free plan (a few).

Course platforms

[Coursera](/prenumeratos/coursera)

For you if you want courses and certificates from universities and companies: many reviewers praise them, and several like learning on the phone between other things. Coursera Plus covers thousands of courses from 350+ universities and companies; the monthly plan starts with a 7-day free trial and can be cancelled any time, and the annual plan has a 14-day money-back guarantee instead.

Not for you if you’ll start a trial and forget about it: cancelling and charges after the trial are among the most common complaints in recent reviews.

Recent written Coursera reviews are much more negative than its 4.8-star overall rating.

What reviewers complain about: cancelling, charges and refunds (many), mobile app bugs such as videos not loading (many), courses no longer free to audit (a few), peer-graded assignments and dated courses (a few).

[Udemy](/prenumeratos/udemy)

For you if you buy single courses to keep for life, or want the Personal Plan with 28,000+ top courses, practice tests and coding exercises, billed monthly or annually.

Not for you if you’ll learn mostly in the iPhone app: recent reviews are dominated by app problems, and several reviewers say the website works where the app doesn’t.

Most recent written Udemy reviews are one-star, against a 4.7-star overall rating, so read this as the list of app problems people report.

What reviewers complain about: purchased courses or the subscription not showing in the app (many), videos and audio not playing (many), downloads failing (several), ads before lessons in paid courses (several), support stuck in a loop (several).

[Skillshare](/prenumeratos/skillshare)

For you if you want creative classes with a project in each — illustration, design, photography, writing — and offline viewing in the app.

Not for you if you’re not sure you’ll use it for a year: the subscription renews automatically after the free trial, and the largest group of recent complaints is about being charged for the yearly renewal and not getting a refund.

What reviewers complain about: renewal charges and refunds (the largest group), price for the value (a few), the app showing “offline” or freezing (a few).

Codecademy and DataCamp

Both have too few recent reviews to show a pattern — 13 for Codecademy and 6 for DataCamp. A few Codecademy reviewers note that its app is for practice and review rather than writing code. Codecademy has a free Basic plan with limited courses, and Plus and Pro can be tried for free; DataCamp’s free Basic plan includes the first chapter of every course.

Before you subscribe

• Try the free version for a week with your own routine. With Duolingo you’ll see the free-plan limit quickly; with Babbel you’ll know after the free first lesson whether the teaching style suits you.
• Write down when a trial ends — Coursera’s monthly trial is 7 days — and how you’ll cancel.
• Check what renews. Skillshare renews automatically after the trial; on yearly plans, that means a full year’s charge.
• If the app misbehaves, try the website. Udemy reviewers in particular say their courses were there.

All of them side by side, with current prices, are in the learning category.