When comparing Rosetta Stone vs WordDive, the Slant community recommends WordDive for most people. In the question“What are the best sites for learning foreign languages?” WordDive is ranked 20th while Rosetta Stone is ranked 23rd. The most important reason people chose WordDive is:
If you are looking to learn enough of a language specifically for travel, then their courses specifically for travelers are worth looking into. They are slightly discounted at $7.99/month, and usually take 30-80 hrs. These will teach you the important phrases you need to know, rather than forcing you to spend weeks on grammar at first.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Speech recognition technology
Instead of teaching word recognition, Rosetta Stone uses speech recognition technology to make sure that students are learning to pronounce the words correctly.
Pro Provides immersive learning without uncomfortable experiences
While trying to cary a conversation in a foreign language can be an effective way to learn, sometimes it causes a lot of stress. Rosetta Stone takes this concept and applies it to a stress free environment.
Pro Real human contact
At the end of each lesson, students are able to review live with real teachers.
Pro Games with other students
When learning another language, a learner from that language can be invited to play a game for mutual learning purposes. Unfortunately, Rosetta Stone hasn't spread very much to countries outside of the US, so this game system isn't very developed yet.
Pro Courses specifically for travel are available
If you are looking to learn enough of a language specifically for travel, then their courses specifically for travelers are worth looking into.
They are slightly discounted at $7.99/month, and usually take 30-80 hrs.
These will teach you the important phrases you need to know, rather than forcing you to spend weeks on grammar at first.
Cons
Con Makes no use of native language
While Rosetta Stone tries to emulate "learning by immersion," many people find the inability to find direct translations of words to be an unnecessary an ineffective part of the program.
Con Uses the same course for learners of different nationalities
For a user learning English, the course will be the same whether they are Chinese, Russian, Italian, etc.. While this is a good way for the company to remain efficient, many cultural differences are overlooked.
Con Inconvenient meeting times for teachers
For users in the US, it can be easy to find a teacher to work with. In any other country, it can be extremely difficult to find an available teacher because of the differences in timezones.
Con Monthly subscription fee
The cost is $9.99/month (after the 14 day free trial).