Rosetta Stone Review: Is the Lifetime Subscription Worth It in 2024?

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Updated on: June 3, 2024

Learning a new language means gaining access to a culture: a system of words, meanings, and everyday concepts upon which entire societies and idiosyncrasies are built. 

Therefore, understanding it logically and naturally becomes essential if you want to communicate efficiently: a skill that Rosetta Stone has been teaching since 1992 and that will indeed help you if you are interested in visiting a new destination, working in a foreign company, or changing countries.

In this Rosetta Stone review, we will tell you if it is worth achieving that goal in 2024 through this platform, which has already been used by companies like Uber, Twitter, different universities, and even the US Air Force.

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What is Rosetta Stone?

Rosetta Stone is a company that has been around for three decades and promises to teach anyone from scratch to speak confidently any of the 25 languages its platform offers.

This software method, used on a large scale to train entire teams at institutions such as NASA, is blended, which means Rosetta Stone emulates a child's native language learning process. 

From the first moment, you are exposed to the language without translations: only by associating words with images and practicing their correct pronunciation with speech recognition technology and feedback from native teachers until you perfect it.

As Rosetta Stone aims for its students to understand foreign languages naturally, it increases the difficulty of its teaching from imitating everyday conversations, such as calling a bank, going shopping, or ordering food, to understanding concepts surrounding the dialects.

Who Should Use Rosetta Stone?

Although Rosetta Stone has been on the market for more than 30 years, in 2024, with similar options such as Duolingo, Babbel or Lingomelo, the platform is still traditional. 

We say this because it still needs tools or AI that allow 100% customization of learning paths according to the depth of knowledge the user has.

In contrast, the software works with a standard method for each level students consider themselves to have.

If you are ok with this type of generalized teaching because, in any case, it is based on patterns designed by professional linguists, then Rosetta Stone can be an excellent choice for learning languages such as English, Italian, French, Spanish, and more.

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Duration of Lessons

This platform is ideal if you can commit five days a week for a month and a half.

Suppose you have enough free time to dedicate 10 to 30 minutes daily to activities that include increasing the difficulty of reading vocabulary, matching pictures with words, and listening to conversations until you learn something new. In that case, Rosetta Stone will work for you.

There are two types of lessons on this platform: the traditional 30-minute class, divided into reading, listening, and speaking blocks, and a faster one designed for those users with a busy schedule. That is a 10-minute access so the user can experience basic activities, even if it is shorter and with less exposure.

Features

Rosetta Stone offers comprehensive features to help learners master new languages efficiently, such as

  • Blended Learning:
    The app combines interactive lessons with immersive experiences, enhancing language acquisition and retention.
  • Multi-language Support:
    With a wide range of languages available, users can choose from Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, and more, making it suitable for diverse language learning needs.
  • Reporting and Analysis:
    Users and administrators can access comprehensive reports and analyses, gaining insights into language progress and identifying areas for improvement.
  • Learning Portal:
    Rosetta Stone's learning portal provides easy access to course materials, resources, and interactive activities, enhancing the learning experience.
  • Extra Content to Use Outside Lessons:
    The app offers additional content like Stories, Seek & Speak, and Phrasebook to reinforce language skills beyond the core lessons.
  • Progress Tracking: 
    Rosetta Stone provides users with detailed progress tracking, letting them monitor their language proficiency and improve over time.

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Corporate (Business)

Rosetta Stone for Enterprise provides structured content and ongoing support to create a unique language-learning experience for employees for any business purpose.

For example, in 2021, the platform partnered with Uber to provide language learning programs to drivers and delivery workers in select markets.

This integration allows Uber workers to access Rosetta Stone's digital language courses covering 24 languages directly through the Uber app.

The goal was to offer language skills directly relevant to the work of ride-share drivers and delivery workers to make it easier for them to learn while enhancing the level of service provided to passengers and customers.

To learn more about this option, you can access their page directly.

Plans and Pricing

Rosetta Stone has several plans. However, as the enterprise's pricing and institutional options depend on your specific needs and size, we will focus mainly on individual subscriptions.

3-month Plan

This option allows you to study a single language in three months for $35.97. Remember that you can choose between Spanish, French, Italian, German, Arabic, and 20 other languages. 

Although the page says that each month costs $11.99, you will pay for the total value of the three months in advance.

12-month Plan

While this option typically costs around $9.09 per month, this plan is available for $7.99 per month.

However, like the 3-month subscription, Rosetta Stone will charge you for all 12 months in one transaction. In other words, even if monthly costs are less than $9.00, you will pay $95.88 upfront.

It is essential to know that this one-year option only covers one course, so if you want to give it the time it takes to get the basics of any of the available languages:

  • Spanish (Latin America)
  • French
  • Italian
  • German
  • English (American)
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (Mandarin)
  • Dutch
  • English (British)
  • Filipino (Tagalog)
  • Greek
  • Hebrew
  • Hindi
  • Irish
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Latin
  • Persian (Farsi)
  • Polish
  • Portuguese (Brazil)
  • Russian
  • Spanish (Spain)
  • Swedish
  • Turkish
  • Vietnamese

Lifetime Subscription 

Suppose your interest is in accessing Rosetta Stone to study various languages simultaneously under its "learning as a child" method. In that case, this is the only plan that allows you to do so. 

To access several of the 25 languages mentioned above, you can subscribe for life for a single payment of $399. That may sound expensive, but this lifetime access is one of the lowest prices that can offer either other professional services or any traditional institute, with the benefit of quality and flexibility.

Keep an eye out for significant discounts on Rosetta Stone's lifetime plan, which are occasionally offered, especially if you're considering purchasing it.

Rosetta Stone lifetime subscription

Pros vs. Cons

Rosetta Stone is a functional software with a remarkable reputation (an important aspect when it comes to quality and user compliance policies). 

However, it does have some disadvantages that you need to be aware of before deciding on any of the above plans because, depending on what kind of teaching methods you prefer when learning, Rosetta Stone will either serve you well or frustrate you.

ProsCons
25-minute live lessons with tutors to practice your speaking. Sometimes, Rosetta's grammar may not correspond to everyday conversations.
High-quality content. No reminders to continue lessons. Your progress depends on your own will.
You will immerse in the language from the first moment without translations. No test to assess the user's entry-level.
Rosetta Stone works best for step-by-step and intuitive learners. Rosetta’s method can resemble school learning and might become monotonous. 
Rosetta can complement other free apps to cement long-term foundations. You won’t receive any certification or language learning credits at the end of your courses.
Trusted reputation with renowned users. The app may feel like an adapted web version, which is occasionally problematic.
Speech recognition technology (TruAccent) is available. Current curricula might be weak for the price of the Lifetime Subscription.
Professional linguists and scientists developed Rosetta’s curriculum. More affordable language learning options exist in the market.
The platform includes extra material like Stories and Seek & Speak: a feature available in Rosetta’s app to point the users' phones at an object and receive a translation in their language of choice.

Is Rosetta Stone Worth It?

As you have seen, Rosetta Stone's approach focuses on speaking in context and daily practice without using English translations. The courses cover speaking, writing, listening, grammar, and vocabulary, making it similar to a high school language class.

The advantages of Rosetta Stone lie in its comprehensive foundation-building and emphasis on precise grammatical rules. It complements other language learning methods, especially if you want to practice reading and writing. However, it's one of the most expensive options, and there are excellent free or more economical alternatives online using more everyday sayings.

While Rosetta Stone can work well for those who prefer simple and repetitive methods, we recommend exploring more affordable options and combining various resources to create a well-rounded language learning experience.

FAQ

Will I speak a new language fluently using Rosetta Stone?

To fully acquire a new language depends entirely on you and how much time you spend immersing yourself beyond the daily half-hour Rosetta Stone offers.

Regarding this platform, users must practice speaking and have several ways to do so. One is mandatory, as learners must pronounce words and phrases in a way that Rosetta Stone's TruAccent approves them. This feature goes beyond what other platforms offer by providing valuable feedback on the user's pronunciation and rhythm.

For instance, the platform teaches standardized business English for U.S. English and, at the same time, can differentiate between Spanish accents from Spain and those from South America.

Therefore, we guarantee that you will learn much more vocabulary and grammar than you already know (as well as optimal pronunciation). However, fluency will depend on how you complement the Rosetta program.

What exactly is the teaching method that Rosetta Stone uses?

Rosetta Stone's language learning method is based on proven language-teaching approaches in linguistics, and it uses immersion in the target language to create a solid learning experience. 

All language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) are taught, focusing on listening and speaking. However, what sets Rosetta Stone apart from competitors is its emphasis on production, which traditional research has shown to be crucial for effective language learning.

According to those studies, the production level in language learning enhances comprehension and demands more attention than mere understanding alone. 

Rosetta Stone's method is similar to what you'd learn in a high school language class. It starts with basic vocabulary and simple grammar rules, like "the boy drinks milk" and "the woman drives a car."

Unlike other options focusing on conversational phrases, Rosetta Stone emphasizes precise grammatical rules and doesn't give flexible options.

What's More Effective Than Rosetta Stone?

While Rosetta Stone has been a well-known name in language learning for years, it has some significant limitations. Its repetitive exercises and lack of real-world context can make learning feel tedious and disconnected from actual language use.

In contrast, LingoMelo offers a fresh, engaging approach that immerses you in the language from day one. With a single subscription, users gain access to an impressive 28 languages, providing variety and value. Also, LingoMelo boasts a roster of exceptional, hand-picked instructors who are not only native speakers but also gifted teachers. They've crafted courses designed to get you conversing confidently in practical, real-world scenarios, not just parroting phrases in a vacuum. So if you're ready to learn a new language in a way that's effective, flexible, fun and relevant to real life, LingoMelo might be the way to go.

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About Author:
Andrea Mercado is a tech-focused journalist and copywriter with over 5 years of experience covering innovation, edtech, AI, and internet trends across media outlets. She is passionate about how technology can democratize access to education and is an avid learner when it comes to emerging tech like AI. Her articles and webinars help readers stay informed on the latest tech developments.
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