Memrise vs Rosetta Stone

by Gralio Mar 14, 2025

Memrise and Rosetta Stone are both popular language learning software, but they cater to different learning styles and preferences. Memrise offers a more gamified and mobile-first experience with a wider range of languages, while Rosetta Stone emphasizes immersive learning with a structured curriculum and offline access. Consider your learning style, preferred features, and budget when choosing between the two.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 169 reviews and 60 websites, saving 1 hour, 26 minutes of reading.

Memrise

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Rosetta Stone

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About

Memrise is a language learning app designed to be a fun and effective alternative to traditional textbook methods. It offers over 20 language courses created by experts, focusing on real-life language used by native speakers. The app uses a variety of memory techniques and personalized learning plans to help users learn quickly and retain information. It includes features like pronunciation practice, review sessions, and offline learning. Memrise emphasizes learning useful words and phrases and provides immersion through native speaker audio and video.

Rosetta Stone is a popular language learning software that has been around for over 30 years. It uses a method called "Dynamic Immersion" to teach you new languages in a way that feels natural and engaging. The software includes interactive activities, audio from native speakers, and personalized feedback on your pronunciation. Rosetta Stone offers solutions for individuals, businesses, and schools. Its focus is to help users gain the confidence to speak, read and write in their new language so they can have real-world conversations.

Summary

Main difference

Memrise is better for individual learners who prefer a gamified and mobile-first approach with a wider selection of languages. Rosetta Stone is better for businesses and individuals who prefer immersive learning with a structured curriculum and offline access, prioritizing conversational skills.

Relative strengths of Memrise (compared to Rosetta Stone)

Wider language selection: Memrise offers courses in more languages than Rosetta Stone, catering to a broader range of learners.
Gamified learning experience: Memrise uses game mechanics and interactive exercises, making learning more engaging and fun, which can be particularly motivating for individual learners.
Mobile-first approach: Memrise's mobile app offers seamless learning on the go, while Rosetta Stone's mobile app has received criticism for its functionality and user experience.

Relative weaknesses of Memrise (compared to Rosetta Stone)

Limited grammar focus: Memrise emphasizes vocabulary acquisition over grammar instruction, which may not suit learners who prioritize structured language learning.
Inconsistent course quality: User reviews indicate that the quality of courses on Memrise can vary, which might be a drawback for learners seeking a consistently high standard.
Limited offline functionality: While Memrise offers some offline access, it primarily relies on an internet connection, which can be inconvenient for learners in areas with limited connectivity.

Who should use Memrise VS. Rosetta Stone

Memrise is a fun, engaging language learning app ideal for individuals seeking to expand their language skills for travel, cultural immersion, or personal enrichment. Users love the gamified approach and variety of language courses. However, some find the grammar instruction limited and the premium version pricey.

Rosetta Stone is a language learning software using "Dynamic Immersion" with interactive activities and native speaker audio. Users praise the immersive experience and personalized feedback but criticize customer support and software bugs. Suitable for individuals, businesses, and schools seeking conversational fluency.

Ideal for individuals and small teams.
Suitable for personal use, travel, and cultural exchange.

Best for medium to large enterprises (101+ employees).
Ideal for Education, IT, and Professional Services.

Memrise and Rosetta Stone features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Interactive learning exercises

Supported

Memrise offers interactive exercises, multimedia content, and uses spaced repetition for enhanced learning.

Supported

Rosetta Stone offers interactive exercises and activities with audio from native speakers.
Spaced repetition learning

Supported

Memrise uses spaced repetition to schedule reviews at increasing intervals, optimizing memorization.

Supported

Rosetta Stone uses spaced repetition as a core part of its teaching methodology.
AI language learning partners

Supported

Memrise offers AI-powered conversation partner MemBot for personalized language learning.

Supported

Rosetta Stone offers AI-powered partners for interactive conversational practice and personalized feedback.
Offline Content Access

Partially supported

Memrise offers limited offline access via browser extensions, but not directly in the app.

Supported

Rosetta Stone's mobile app allows users to download lessons for offline access.
Quiz progress saving

Partially supported

Quiz progress saving is supported but resuming is not explicitly confirmed.

Unknown

Quiz progress saving is not mentioned in the provided sources.
Discussion forums

Not supported

Memrise does not offer built-in discussion forums.

Not supported

Rosetta Stone does not appear to have discussion forums.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

+0.6

Rather positive sentiment

-1

Strongly negative sentiment
Customer Service

No data

-1

Strongly negative sentiment
Ease of Use

+1

Strongly positive sentiment

-0.2

Neutral sentiment
Reliability and Performance

No data

-0.67

Rather negative sentiment
Ease of Implementation

No data

No data
Scalability

No data

No data

Memrise and Rosetta Stone Pricing

Memrise offers a free plan with limited features. The Pro plan includes ad-free access, all lessons, AI Buddies (in select languages), sentence builder, grammar assistance, conjugation practice, role-play, and culture tips.

Plans

User sentiment

Rather positive

+0.6

See full Pricing page

No data

User sentiment

Strongly negative

-1

See full Pricing page

Memrise and Rosetta Stone review insights

129 reviews analysed from

Users love

Fun and engaging learning experience.
Gamified courses and progress tracking.
Wide variety of language courses.
Mobile app allows learning on the go.
User-friendly interface.

Immersive learning experience with audio from native speakers.
Personalized feedback on pronunciation helps improve speaking skills.
Interactive activities and games make learning engaging.
Self-paced learning allows for flexibility and convenience.
Structured lessons provide a clear progression of learning.

Users dislike

Limited grammar focus, mainly vocabulary.
Inconsistent course quality.
Requires internet connection.
Limited offline functionality.
Premium version is expensive.

Lifetime subscriptions are not honored, requiring repurchase with software updates.
Customer support is unresponsive and unhelpful regarding payment and access issues.
Software has bugs, including microphone and speech recognition problems.
The mobile app has poor graphics and usability issues.
Lack of English translations and unclear directions can be frustrating.

Memrise and Rosetta Stone Ratings

G2

4.6/5

(22)
Glassdoor

4.1/5

(40)

G2

4.2/5

(107)
TrustPilot

3.1/5

(40)

Company health

Employee growth

9% decrease in the last year

6% decrease in the last year

Web traffic

20% decrease in the last quarter

67% increase in the last quarter

Financing

March 2018 - $22M

September 2005 - $0

How does Rosetta Stone's "Dynamic Immersion" compare to Memrise's gamified approach?

Rosetta Stone's "Dynamic Immersion" focuses on intuitive language acquisition through exposure to visual and auditory content, mimicking natural language learning. In contrast, Memrise uses a gamified approach with interactive exercises, points, and rewards to motivate learners and enhance memory retention. While both aim for practical language skills, Rosetta Stone leans towards a more immersive, intuitive experience, while Memrise emphasizes engagement and memorization through game mechanics.

Which product offers more robust offline learning functionality for travel?

Rosetta Stone offers more robust offline learning functionality. While Memrise mentions offline learning, user reviews specifically cite limited offline functionality as a drawback. Rosetta Stone, conversely, explicitly highlights offline content access as a key feature of their mobile app, suggesting a more developed offline mode.

What are the advantages of Memrise?

Memrise offers a more fun and engaging learning experience through gamified courses and interactive exercises, making it more appealing for learners who prefer a less traditional approach. It also boasts a wider variety of language courses and a user-friendly mobile app, allowing for convenient learning on the go. While both offer pronunciation practice, Memrise emphasizes learning practical vocabulary and phrases for real-life conversations.

What are the disadvantages of Memrise?

Memrise's disadvantages include a limited focus on grammar, inconsistent course quality across different languages, the requirement of an internet connection for most features, limited offline functionality, and a relatively expensive premium version. Some users also find the gamified approach less effective for serious language acquisition.

Alternatives to Memrise and Rosetta Stone

Duolingo

Duolingo is a popular language learning software offering a free, gamified approach to learning new languages. It provides bite-sized lessons designed to build vocabulary and grammar skills in a fun and engaging way. Duolingo incorporates game-like features, progress tracking, and personalized learning paths to keep users motivated. While primarily known for its consumer app, Duolingo also offers resources for schools and a separate app focused on teaching children literacy.

Disprz

Disprz is a learning and skilling platform used by companies to train and develop their employees. It offers various tools, including a learning management system (LMS) to deliver training, a learning experience platform (LXP) to help employees develop new skills, and a frontline enablement solution (FLE) designed for training employees in customer-facing roles. Disprz focuses on providing a personalized learning experience, tracking employee progress, and measuring the effectiveness of training programs.

DrivEd

DrivEd is a Learning Management System (LMS) designed for businesses and educators to create online courses, manage training programs, and track student progress. Features include gamification, progress tracking, quizzes, customizable branding, and integrations with popular tools. DrivEd aims to make learning engaging and efficient for various sectors like language learning, cybersecurity training, and employee onboarding. It is suitable for companies of all sizes and offers a free trial.

Babbel for Business

Babbel for Business provides online language learning for employees at companies of all sizes. It offers courses in 14 languages, covering both professional and everyday communication skills. Babbel for Business aims to make employees more confident communicators, whether interacting with international colleagues, serving diverse customers, or navigating safety protocols in different languages. Learners can progress through self-paced lessons and personalized content.

TalentLMS

TalentLMS is a cloud-based training platform designed to make online learning easy and accessible for mid-sized companies. It offers a user-friendly interface for building courses, tracking progress, and measuring results, without requiring technical expertise. You can create your own training materials or choose from a library of ready-made courses. TalentLMS integrates with popular business tools and offers customer support to help you get started.

Busuu

Busuu for Business is a language learning platform designed for employee training. It offers courses in 12 languages, customizable content, and progress tracking tools. Busuu allows companies to create structured language programs and monitor their effectiveness.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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