Rocket Languages vs Rosetta Stone: which to choose, and what each costs
Prices checked 12 Oct 2026; Rosetta Stone's on 6 Oct 2026 · How we check
Rocket Languages if you want to pay once rather than subscribe.
Rosetta Stone if you want every language for one price.
| Question | Rocket Languages | Rosetta Stone |
|---|---|---|
| A year costs | $149.95 once | $159 a year for all 25 languages, or $19.99 month to month |
| A lesson is | Audio lessons built on conversations, with language and culture lessons and voice-recognition drills alongside. | Pictures and audio with no translation at all, and your pronunciation scored. |
| Try it | A free trial, then a 60-day money-back guarantee on purchases. | A 7-day free trial in the app, and a 14-day money-back guarantee when you buy on its site. |
| App Store rating, 10 Oct 2026 | 4.6 out of 5 from 2,472 ratings | 4.6 out of 5 from 1,918 ratings |
| Google Play rating, 11 Oct 2026 | 4.7 out of 5 from 3,762 ratings | 4.6 out of 5 from 406,024 ratings |
How a lesson works in each
Both are course apps, so a lesson has the same shape
Side by side
| Compare | Rocket Languages | Rosetta Stone |
|---|---|---|
| CEFR levels | A1 to B2 (by course) | — |
| A year costs | $149.95 once | $159 a year for all 25 languages, or $19.99 month to month |
| What it is | Course app: Audio lessons, language and culture lessons and voice-recognition practice, bought once per level | Course app: Immersion-style lessons without translation, with speech scoring |
| Per month at annual billing | — | $13.25/mo ($159 a year) |
| Monthly plan | — | $19.99 |
| Lifetime plan | $99.95 to $449.85 once, for one language's course; the price depends on the language and how many levels you buy | No lifetime plan |
| Free tier | A free trial; the page does not say what it includes or for how long. | Free sample lessons on its site and a one-time 7-day free trial in the app; no lasting free plan. |
| Languages offered | 13 | 25 |
| Speech recognition | Yes | Yes |
| Live tutoring | No | Coaching sessions with a Rosetta Stone certified tutor. |
| Offline mode | Yes · audio lessons download in the app; voice recognition needs a connection | Yes |
| Placement test | — | — |
| Refund or trial | A free trial; 60-day money-back guarantee on purchases. | A one-time 7-day free trial in the app. Bought from Rosetta Stone: a 14-day money-back guarantee, refunded by its Memberships team by email or phone. App Store purchases go through Apple; a retailer's follow that retailer's policy. |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web | iOS, Android |
| Company | Libros Media Limited | Rosetta Stone LLC (a division of IXL Learning) |
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Rocket Languages
Course app
In our comparison: strongest on teaching depth and trial and refund terms, weakest on the free tier.
$149.95 once one language's course or first level, in 11 of its 13 languages; American Sign Language and English $99.95
Audio lessons, language and culture lessons and voice-recognition practice, bought once per level. Speech recognition scores your pronunciation.
Rosetta Stone
Course app
In our comparison: strongest on trial and refund terms and the number of languages, weakest on the free tier.
$159 a year $13.25 a month, billed yearly$19.99 on the monthly plan
Immersion-style lessons without translation, with speech scoring. Live tutoring sold beside the app (Tutoring).
Rocket Languages is a course app and Rosetta Stone is one too. Both teach French, Spanish, Chinese, German and 8 more languages.
Which to choose
You want to learn more than one language
Rosetta Stone
One plan covers all of Rosetta Stone's 25 languages: $159 a year. On Rocket Languages, each language is bought on its own.
You would rather pay once than subscribe
Rocket Languages
Rocket Languages can be bought once and kept: $99.95 to $449.85 once, for one language's course; the price depends on the language and how many levels you buy. Rosetta Stone's paid plans are subscriptions.
You want to practise speaking
Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone: Live tutoring is sold beside the app, and speech recognition scores how you say words. Rocket Languages: Speech recognition scores how you say words.
You want to know what level a course takes you to
Rocket Languages
Rocket Languages states CEFR levels A1 to B2 (by course: Spanish, French, German and Italian A1 to B2). Rosetta Stone doesn't state CEFR levels for its courses. A stated level is what the lessons cover, not a level you are promised.
Where they really differ
- Price: Rocket Languages: $149.95 once. Rosetta Stone: $159 a year for all 25 languages, or $19.99 month to month.
- A lesson: Rocket Languages: Audio lessons built on conversations, with language and culture lessons and voice-recognition drills alongside. Rosetta Stone: Pictures and audio with no translation at all, and your pronunciation scored.
- A real person: Rocket Languages has no live tutors. Rosetta Stone sells live tutoring alongside the app.
- Levels: Rocket Languages states a CEFR range for each course, up to B2. Rosetta Stone doesn't state CEFR levels.
- Trying it: Rocket Languages: A free trial, then a 60-day money-back guarantee on purchases. Rosetta Stone: A 7-day free trial in the app, and a 14-day money-back guarantee when you buy on its site.
- Both: Listen to you speak and work offline.
Plans and prices
Rocket Languages
| Plan | Billing | Price | Per month | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocket Sign LanguageComplete courseOne-time payment with lifetime access; 96 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $99.95 | one-time | American Sign Language, beginner to intermediate |
| Rocket EnglishComplete courseOne-time payment with lifetime access; 132 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $99.95 | one-time | English, beginner to intermediate |
| Rocket Spanish Level 1Level 1One-time payment with lifetime access; 138 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $149.95 | one-time | Spanish, Level 1 |
| Rocket French Level 1Level 1One-time payment with lifetime access; 138 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $149.95 | one-time | French, Level 1 |
| Rocket Italian Level 1Level 1One-time payment with lifetime access; 134 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $149.95 | one-time | Italian, Level 1 |
| Rocket German Level 1Level 1One-time payment with lifetime access; 136 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $149.95 | one-time | German, Level 1 |
| Rocket Japanese Level 1Level 1One-time payment with lifetime access; 175 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $149.95 | one-time | Japanese, Level 1 |
| Rocket Chinese Level 1Level 1One-time payment with lifetime access; 156 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $149.95 | one-time | Chinese, Level 1 |
| Rocket KoreanComplete courseOne-time payment with lifetime access; 156 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $149.95 | one-time | Korean, beginner to intermediate |
| Rocket Russian Level 1Level 1One-time payment with lifetime access; 146 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $149.95 | one-time | Russian, Level 1 |
| Rocket ArabicComplete courseOne-time payment with lifetime access; 155 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $149.95 | one-time | Arabic, beginner to intermediate |
| Rocket HindiComplete courseOne-time payment with lifetime access; 151 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $149.95 | one-time | Hindi, beginner to intermediate |
| Rocket PortugueseComplete courseOne-time payment with lifetime access; 138 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $149.95 | one-time | Portuguese, beginner to intermediate |
| Rocket Spanish Levels 1 & 2Levels 1-2One-time payment with lifetime access; 260 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $299.90 | one-time | Spanish, Levels 1 and 2 |
| Rocket French Levels 1 & 2Levels 1-2One-time payment with lifetime access; 262 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $299.90 | one-time | French, Levels 1 and 2 |
| Rocket Italian Levels 1 & 2Levels 1-2One-time payment with lifetime access; 257 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $299.90 | one-time | Italian, Levels 1 and 2 |
| Rocket German Levels 1 & 2Levels 1-2One-time payment with lifetime access; 266 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $299.90 | one-time | German, Levels 1 and 2 |
| Rocket Japanese Levels 1 & 2Levels 1-2One-time payment with lifetime access; 314 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $299.90 | one-time | Japanese, Levels 1 and 2 |
| Rocket Chinese Levels 1 & 2Levels 1-2One-time payment with lifetime access; 304 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $299.90 | one-time | Chinese, Levels 1 and 2 |
| Rocket Russian Levels 1 & 2Levels 1-2One-time payment with lifetime access; 231 hours of lesson time. | Lifetime | $299.90 | one-time | Russian, Levels 1 and 2 |
| Rocket Spanish Levels 1, 2 & 3Levels 1-3One-time payment with lifetime access; 382 hours of lesson time. A 6-month payment plan is also offered. | Lifetime | $449.85 | one-time | Spanish, Levels 1 to 3 |
| Rocket French Levels 1, 2 & 3Levels 1-3One-time payment with lifetime access; 385 hours of lesson time. A 6-month payment plan is also offered. | Lifetime | $449.85 | one-time | French, Levels 1 to 3 |
| Rocket Italian Levels 1, 2 & 3Levels 1-3One-time payment with lifetime access; 374 hours of lesson time. A 6-month payment plan is also offered. | Lifetime | $449.85 | one-time | Italian, Levels 1 to 3 |
| Rocket German Levels 1, 2 & 3Levels 1-3One-time payment with lifetime access; 389 hours of lesson time. A 6-month payment plan is also offered. | Lifetime | $449.85 | one-time | German, Levels 1 to 3 |
| Rocket Japanese Levels 1, 2 & 3Levels 1-3One-time payment with lifetime access; 451 hours of lesson time. A 6-month payment plan is also offered. | Lifetime | $449.85 | one-time | Japanese, Levels 1 to 3 |
| Rocket Chinese Levels 1, 2 & 3Levels 1-3One-time payment with lifetime access; 451 hours of lesson time. A 6-month payment plan is also offered. | Lifetime | $449.85 | one-time | Chinese, Levels 1 to 3 |
| Rocket Russian Levels 1, 2 & 3Levels 1-3One-time payment with lifetime access; 312 hours of lesson time. A 6-month payment plan is also offered. | Lifetime | $449.85 | one-time | Russian, Levels 1 to 3 |
Rosetta Stone
| Plan | Billing | Price | Per month | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YearlyLabelled "Save 33%" against the monthly plan. | Annual | $159 | $13.25/mo | all languages |
| MonthlyAll 25 languages. | Monthly | $19.99 | $19.99/mo | all languages |
What will Rosetta Stone cost you for the months you study?
Total billed over 12 months
$80.88 less on annual billingOne yearly payment of $159.00.
What each plan covers. Monthly: all languages. Yearly: all languages.
Questions people ask
Is Rocket Languages better than Rosetta Stone?
Neither is better for every learner. Choose Rocket Languages if you want to pay once rather than subscribe and a course that states its CEFR levels. Choose Rosetta Stone if you want every language for one price, more speaking practice and a trial or money back. In our comparison, Rocket Languages is strongest on teaching depth and trial and refund terms, weakest on the free tier, and Rosetta Stone strongest on trial and refund terms and the number of languages, weakest on the free tier.
Which is cheaper, Rocket Languages or Rosetta Stone?
They are priced differently. On Rocket Languages, you pay $99.95 to $449.85 once, for one language's course; the price depends on the language and how many levels you buy. On Rosetta Stone, a year costs $159 for all 25 languages.
Do Rocket Languages and Rosetta Stone teach the same languages?
Rocket Languages lists 13 languages and Rosetta Stone 25, each counting varieties its own way; 12 languages are taught by both. Each app's page here lists its languages, with a page for each language two or more apps teach.
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