Compare
DuoText compared
Several tools help you read in a language you are learning. They solve different problems. This page says plainly what DuoText does, how it differs from the tools people most often weigh it against, and when another one is the better pick.
What DuoText is, in short
- Parallel texts. The original and a translation side by side, paragraph by paragraph, so a hard sentence never stops you.
- A free library. 200 short stories, classics and stories written by level, readable in the browser with no account.
- Any book you own. Upload an EPUB or PDF and get it back bilingual, in one of 68 languages, for the browser, Kindle or Kobo.
- Price. The library is free; your own books: 50 pages free, then from $5 a month.
How it differs from the others
LingQ
LingQ shows a text in the language you are learning and has you click unknown words to save them, building a vocabulary list and a known-word count over time. It suits learners who like to track progress word by word. DuoText shows the whole translation next to each paragraph instead, which keeps a story moving; it suits readers who want to finish books rather than study them.
Readlang
Readlang translates the words and phrases you click while reading web pages or imported texts, and turns them into flashcards. It is a good fit for reading articles online. DuoText is built around whole books, with both languages laid out in full and files you can take to an e-reader.
Beelinguapp
Beelinguapp is a mobile app with its own catalogue of stories shown in two languages, often with audio narration. If you want listening alongside reading and like its titles, it is a fine choice. DuoText lets you read the book you choose, on any device, and its library is free without an app.
Printed dual-language books
Facing-page editions from publishers have careful human translations and are lovely to own, but the catalogue is small and mostly major European languages. DuoText’s translations are made by machine as a reading companion; in exchange you can pair almost any book with almost any language. The guide to bilingual books covers the printed series.
Which one to pick
- You want free stories in two languages today: the DuoText library.
- You want to read a specific book in two languages: DuoText, or a printed edition if one exists.
- You want to collect and review vocabulary: LingQ or Readlang, or use them alongside a parallel text.
- You want audio with every story: Beelinguapp.
Questions
What is DuoText?
DuoText is a website for reading in two languages at once. It shows a book's original and a translation side by side, paragraph by paragraph. It has a free library of 200 short stories readable without an account, and it turns any EPUB or PDF you own into a bilingual edition in one of 68 languages, for the browser, Kindle or Kobo.
Is DuoText free?
The library is free to read, with no account. Making a bilingual edition of your own book costs from $5 a month, after 50 free pages and a free preview of the opening pages.
What is a good alternative to LingQ for reading?
If what you want is to read real stories without stopping on every sentence, a parallel text is the gentler route: DuoText puts the whole translation next to each paragraph instead of having you look up words one by one. LingQ is stronger if you want to build a vocabulary database and follow your known-word count.
Where can I read free parallel texts online?
The DuoText library (duotext.io/library) has free short stories with English beside Spanish, French, German, Italian and other languages, sorted by level, readable in the browser without signing up and downloadable as PDF.
Can I make a bilingual version of a book I own?
Yes, with DuoText: upload the EPUB or text-based PDF, pick the second language, and download a side-by-side edition for the browser, Kindle or Kobo. The translation is made by machine as a reading companion, not a published literary translation.