In this article, we compare apps, software and online language courses with which you can learn Norwegian. Rosetta Stone doesn't have a Norwegian course, but Mondly, Babbel and Duolingo do.
Mondly Norwegian App
The Best Alternative to Duolingo
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online Version (PC and Mac)
Suitable for: Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced Learners, Students, Travel
Content: Norwegian vocabulary trainer (5000 words), playful exercises, grammar
Prices: Free (initial lessons), USD 9.99 (1 month and 1 language), USD 47.99 (12 months and access to all 41 languages)
Discount offer: USD 99 (Lifetime Access to all 41 Languages)
Overall Value: 
The Mondly App lets you learn the Norwegian language in a playful way with a series of interactive exercises.
This Norwegian learning program contains:
- Norwegian vocabulary trainer with 5000 words
- 50 topics and categories to choose from
- 2100 Norwegian lessons, including grammar
- Conversation trainer for common situations (speech recognition)
- There is even a virtual reality version of this learning app
Mondly has around 45 million users worldwide. This language course has the advantage of having 41 source languages and 41 target languages.
Summary: Mondly is very similar to the Babbel and Duolingo apps and even better in terms of quality. The cost-benefit ratio for the lifetime access to all 41 languages is unbeatable.
Link:
Mondly Norwegian App and Online Course
Norwegian Basic Course
From 17 Minute Languages
Systems: Online Access (PC, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS)
Suitable for: Beginners and Advanced Learners, Students, Professionals
Content: 1300 words (basic course), 5200 words (complete course), grammar, verb conjugations, exercises
Prices: USD 29,95 (Basic Course), USD 97 (Complete Course)
Overall Value:
The Norwegian Basic Course contains a vocabulary trainer for the basic Norwegian vocabulary (1300 words) with native-speaker audio, as well as grammar explanations and various exercises.
The vocabulary trainer works with a long-term memory method, in which the new vocabulary is checked at increasing intervals.
You can choose between text input, multiple choice or simply confirming whether you knew a word or not.
The exercises include text comprehension questions, filling in word gaps or just vocabulary lists where one side is covered.
The basic course corresponds to the official language levels A1 and A2 (explanation of CEFR language levels).
The Complete Course contains:
- Basic course for beginners (basic vocabulary with 1300 words)
- Intermediate course (1800 more words)
- Advanced course for experts (2100 words)
- Additional specialized vocabulary
- Covers the official CEFR language levels A1 to C2
There are 17 different languages you can use to learn Norwegian with this app.
Summary: Much cheaper and even better than the famous Rosetta Stone. There is a free demo version available and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Link: Norwegian Basic Course and Complete Course
Babbel Norwegian App
Better than Rosetta Stone
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Suitable for: Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced, Students, Business Norwegian
Content: Vocabulary trainer with native speaker audio and speech recognition, grammar, exercises
Prices: Free (initial lessons), USD 12.95 (1 month), USD 84 (12 months)
Overall Value:
The Babbel Norwegian Learning App is quite similar to Rosetta Stone.
Babbel also focuses on combining pictures, listening, reading, writing and speaking. For this, Babbel has native speaker audio of all the words and speech recognition just like Rosetta Stone.
The Babbel App also offers improvements over Rosetta Stone:
- Classical explanation of grammar (Rosetta Stone has none)
- You are shown translations of words (unlike in Rosetta Stone)
- Traditional vocabulary trainer is included in the Babbel App
- The pricing of the Babbel app is much lower
Babbel is one of the oldest language learning apps and has over 10 million subscribed users world-wide.
Summary: Babbel includes most of the advantages of Rosetta Stone and even eliminates its disadvantages. Highly recommended!
Link: Babbel Norwegian App and Online Course
LingQ Norwegian App
Innovative Approach to Learn Norwegian
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Suitable for: Beginners, intermediate, advanced learners, students, professionals
Content: Video and text lessons, browser extension to import any Norwegian texts, vocabulary trainer
Price: USD 10 (1 month subscription)
Overall Value: 
The LingQ Norwegian App is basically a translation program that is combined with a personalized vocabulary trainer.
In addition to the lessons and texts that are included in this app, any Norwegian text can be imported. LingQ has its own browser extension for Firefox, Safari and Chrome to import texts (including ebooks).
You can click on any word in the texts to see a translation and this adds the word to your personal vocabulary trainer.
LingQ also has many videos and podcasts, the content of which appears as a text next to the video or podcast — so that any word there can be clicked on and saved as well.
Unfortunately, there are no grammar lessons, meaning that this app will not suffice on its own to learn Norwegian.
Summary: Very interesting way to learn Norwegian vocabulary on any subject. However, you need other apps for Norwegian grammar and conjugations.
Glossika Norwegian App
Norwegian for Advanced Learners
Systems: iPhone App, Online Version
Suitable for: Intermediate and advanced learners
Content: Norwegian advanced exercises
Prices: USD 17 (1 month and 1 language), USD 31 (1 month and all 64 languages)
Overall Value:
The Glossika app is for people who already have some basic proficiency in Norwegian or already know a similar language.
The app has an entry test to determine your Norwegian proficiency level. You can start from A1 to B2 (beginners and intermediate).
Glossika works with whole sentences instead of single Norwegian words. You can choose which topics you want to learn.
This app has intentionally no "gamification". The only exercises are reading, listening, typing the sentences and speaking into the microphone.
There are also no grammar explanations. You are supposed to understand Norwegian grammar from the context, like in Rosetta Stone.
You can try the complete app with all 64 languages for 7 days for free (without providing payment information).
Summary: Effective exercises for advanced learners, but somewhat higher price and not much variety.
Link: Glossika Norwegian Language Course App
Duolingo Norwegian App
Well-Known Language Learning App
Systems: Android App, iOS App, PC and Mac
Content: Exercises with native-speaker audio
Prices: Free (with ads), USD 12.99 (1 month), USD 60 (12 months)
Overall Value: 
The Duolingo App offers beginner language courses for 36 languages, including Norwegian. Duolingo covers mostly the basics as well as some intermediate level Norwegian vocabulary.
The major drawback of Duolingo (just like Rosetta Stone) is that there are no grammar explanations.
The vocabulary learning with Duolingo is "gamified", which means it is structured like a game with levels, experience points, achievements, etc.
The interface is relatively similar to the apps from Mondly and Babbel.
Summary: The vocabulary trainer and the exercises of the program are okay. However, it is not possible to learn Norwegian grammar with this app.
Memrise Norwegian App
App with User-Generated Lessons
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Norwegian lessons and vocabulary trainer with native speaker audio, grammar
Prices: USD 8,99 (1 month), USD 60 (12 months), USD 110 (unlimited)
Overall Value:
With the Memrise App you can learn over 90 languages.
This includes even very small languages - however, in such cases the language courses are often limited to just a few lessons.
One special feature of the Memrise learning app is the large number of lessons created by users (native speakers).
The quality of these lessons varies greatly though. For example, only the basic forms of verbs are usually taught, without the conjugations. Some languages also do not have an audio recording of the words at all.
Another good idea of the Memrise app are the user-generated tips and mnemonics for each word to help you memorize them.
Summary: User-generated lessons are a good idea. In practice, the quality of the lessons leaves a lot be desired.
Mango Norwegian App
Includes Grammar
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online Version
Content: Norwegian lessons with native speaker audio, grammar, culture
Prices: USD 7.99 (1 month), USD 80 (1 year),
USD 18 (1 month and 70 languages), USD 180
(1 year and 70 languages)
Overall Value:
The Mango Languages App offers 70 languages, including Norwegian.
This app also has some grammar lessons and cultural explanations. The explanations in English are all recorded and well done.
However, the number of lessons for learning Norwegian is quite small, which means that this app is only suitable for absolute beginners.
There are no exercises, except for the repeated vocabulary tests.
You can also record your own pronunciation in the app and compare it with the recording of a native speaker.
Summary: Good quality, but not much vocabulary. Only for absolute Norwegian beginners.
Lingo Norwegian App
Playful Norwegian Learning
Systems: Android and iPhone Apps, Online Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Norwegian lessons and exercises
Prices: USD 19.99 (1 month), USD 40 (3 months), USD 60 (6 months)
Overall Value: 
The Lingo Play App offers language courses for 70 languages. It offers "gamified learning", which means learning vocabulary in a playful way.
Each Norwegian lesson offers the following exercises:
-
Presentation of new words with translation and image
-
Decide whether a Norwegian word matches the image
-
Select one of four pictures that matches a word
-
Type in the Norwegian word for a picture
-
Correctly type in a spoken Norwegian word
In the full version this app offers up to 5000 Norwegian words. The interface of the app is similar to Babbel, Duolingo or Mondly.
There is also a multiplayer mode and competitions where you can test your Norwegian skills against other people.
Summary: Overpriced Norwegian course that does offer some good exercises, but is not better than other similar apps.
Drops Norwegian App
Alternative to Babbel and Duolingo
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Norwegian lessons and exercises with native-speaker audio
Prices: USD 13.30 (1 month), USD 72 (12 months), USD 164 (unlimited)
Overall Value:
The Language Drops App is most notable for having 47 target languages and 40 source languages, similar to Mondly.
You can learn about 3000 Norwegian words and phrases with this app. However, there are hardly any exercises, except for introducing a new word and matching the word to a picture.
You can choose from which topics you want to learn new words and at what skill level you want to learn (whether you know the language somewhat).
If you want to try the app for free for two weeks you have to provide your payment information and then cancel it.
The "deal" you get when you sign up for the free trial is more than 3 times as expensive as when you click "Get Premium" on the website (USD 38 per month instead of USD 13.30 per month).
Summary: No variety, no grammar and only 3000 words. Does not justify the higher price, even though you get access to all languages.
Pimsleur Norwegian Course
Most Expensive Software to Learn Norwegian
Systems: PC and Mac (incl. Mobile App)
Suitabe for: Beginners, advanced, students, travel vocabulary
Content: Norwegian vocabulary, lessons with native-speaker audio and speech recognition
Price: USD 150 (basic course), USD 300 (complete course)
Overall Value:
The Pimsleur App is very similar to Rosetta Stone in that it does not give grammar explanations, verb conjugation tables, etc.
Instead, the Pimsleur method is supposed to let you learn the Norwegian language intuitively, just like your native language - by combining pictures, reading and speaking (speech recognition).
The complete course includes a total of five courses (levels 1 to 5). The beginner course is level 1.
Each of the five courses offers 30 daily lessons of 30 minutes each and there are various interactive exercises.
This Norwegian learning course for PCs and Macs also includes a mobile app for Android and iOS systems.
Summary: The most expensive Norwegian course, even though it is unlikely that learning with it is much better than with the cheaper apps.
