Is Duolingo Actually Free? Breaking Down the Costs for English Learners

Most people download Duolingo because, well, it's advertised as totally free. But is it really? If you're trying to improve your English speaking skills, it's normal to wonder what's actually free and where you might get hit with a paywall.

The free version lets you do a lot—like practicing vocabulary, reading, and listening to short sentences. There are ads, though, and sometimes you have to wait to get your "hearts" back if you make too many mistakes.

Here's the thing: you can learn a bunch without spending a cent. Duolingo’s core lessons, daily streaks, and even some speaking exercises don’t cost anything. But if you want extras—like skipping the ads, unlimited mistakes, personalized feedback, or even more speaking-focused features—they want you to upgrade to the paid version called Super Duolingo (formerly Duolingo Plus).

Confused by what counts as "free"? You’re definitely not alone. The lines are blurry, but knowing the tricks can help you get the most from Duolingo without opening your wallet. Let’s break down what’s actually included in each version and what to watch out for if you’re serious about learning to speak English.

• How Duolingo Makes English Learning Seem Free
• What You Really Get with the Free Version
• Where the Costs Sneak In—Duolingo Plus and More
• Is Paying Worth It for English Speaking Practice?
• Tips to Maximize Duolingo Without Spending Money

How Duolingo Makes English Learning Seem Free

Duolingo is a master at showing off its “free forever” vibe the second you open the app. You’ll see big green buttons inviting you to start learning right away, and there’s no credit card needed to create an account. That hooks a lot of people looking for free English courses, since most apps ask for money upfront, at least after a trial period.

So, what’s actually free? When you register, every major feature—like lessons, streaks, leaderboards, and daily goals—unlocks with no charge. There’s a game-like feel to it: you earn gems, unlock levels, even get encouragement from the famous owl mascot for not missing a day. All this makes the learning process feel open and accessible, especially for beginners who aren’t ready to pay.

Duolingo’s money comes in from somewhere, though. Their business model is based on ads and data, plus getting a portion of users to upgrade later. According to Duolingo’s own reports from 2024, about 7% of their active users pay for the premium plan. That might not sound like a lot, but with over 80 million monthly active users, that's over 5 million paid users every month, just through upgrades!

All of these free perks keep people coming back daily, and you do get full lessons in every language track. That’s rare among language apps, where most put speaking or writing skills behind paywalls after just a few lessons.

But “free” doesn’t always mean “the whole package.” Duolingo banks on you loving the basics and then wanting a smoother, more advanced experience down the road. While you can get really far at no cost, knowing where the boundaries are will help you decide if you can stick with the free version or need more than what’s on offer for zero dollars.

What You Really Get with the Free Version

If you’re sticking to Duolingo’s free plan for English learning, you’ll notice that you get a decent chunk of features, but with some strings attached. Here’s what’s actually waiting for you, no credit card required.

The main learning path is totally open. You get a bunch of bite-sized lessons covering vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar basics, reading, short conversations, listening practice, and the occasional speaking prompt. Every day, you can do as many lessons as you want—until you run out of “hearts.” Hearts are Duolingo’s way of limiting your mistakes; you get five of them and lose one every time you mess up. Run out? You’ll have to wait for them to refill, use gems (Duolingo’s in-app currency), or practice older lessons to earn more.

• Duolingo offers streaks, leaderboards, and XP rewards all for free. These make it kind of addictive and keep you motivated.
• You still get access to practice your speaking by repeating phrases, but the feedback is pretty basic—it just checks if your answer sounds close enough, not if it’s actually correct in context.
• There’s a Stories feature for some languages (including English), where you listen and fill in the blanks to practice real-life dialogue.
• Audio lessons have started popping up for English courses too—these are great if you’re more of a listener than a reader.

The catch? Ads. Between every few lessons, you’ll get hit with a 20–30 second ad. Also, you can’t freely jump around in the material. Duolingo wants you to follow their set path—no skipping ahead to advanced English just because you’re curious.

If you’re just starting out on your English journey, the free option is honestly enough to build a solid habit, especially if you don’t get discouraged by waiting for hearts to refill or seeing a few ads. Tons of users stick with the free plan for months or longer. Just know the experience is a bit slower and there’s less room for skipping around.

Where the Costs Sneak In—Duolingo Plus and More

Here’s where Duolingo starts asking for your money. The regular app is free, but you’ll keep bumping into ads after almost every lesson. It’s not just a banner here and there; sometimes you need to sit through video ads that disrupt your flow. If this bugs you or you hate waiting to get your hearts back after a few mistakes, that’s when you’ll start eyeing Duolingo Plus (now called Super Duolingo).

So what does Super Duolingo actually unlock? First, all the ads disappear. Second, you get unlimited hearts, which means you can keep practicing English even if you mess up. Third, you can download lessons for offline learning, which is a lifesaver when you’re on the go. Finally, you get a progress tracker that tells you what to work on—pretty handy if you’re serious about improving.

Here’s what you need to know about the price: As of June 2025, Super Duolingo costs $12.99 a month in the U.S., though sometimes they offer discounts for yearly plans or family bundles. You can try it free for two weeks, but they will auto-charge you if you forget to cancel.

Beyond just the Plus upgrade, there’s a Duolingo English Test for those who need an official certificate for school or jobs. This test is not free—it usually costs $59 per attempt. No part of that is included with your regular lessons or even the paid upgrade.

If your main goal is to improve English speaking, here’s a heads up: even with Super Duolingo, the speaking activities aren’t super advanced. They do unlock unlimited practice, but you still won’t get real-life conversation or feedback from a live person. You’d need a different platform or course for that.

Basically, the costs show up when you want to skip ads, avoid waiting, and track your progress closely. If you want certified proof of your skills, that’s an extra charge. Just make sure you know what you’re paying for before you upgrade.

Is Paying Worth It for English Speaking Practice?

So here's the question everyone wants answered: if you want to get serious about English speaking, is paying for Duolingo Plus, now called Super Duolingo, actually worth it? Let’s get right to the facts and numbers, since nobody wants to throw money at something that won’t really level up their language skills.

The paid version doesn’t unlock a secret set of speaking lessons. What it really does is take away the ads, give you unlimited hearts, let you review your mistakes, and speed up lesson review. You still get the same main speaking exercises, but you won’t get full, real-life conversation practice even if you pay. Super Duolingo’s price changes by location, but in the US it’s about $7 to $12 per month if you pay for a year up front. For extra context, here’s a quick comparison of free versus paid features:

A study by the City University of New York found that about 34 hours on Duolingo is similar to a college semester of language classes. But—and it’s a big but—those hours mainly improve reading and listening, not speaking fluently.

If you’re hoping to fine-tune your accent or practice having a back-and-forth conversation, Duolingo (even paid) isn’t going to compete with live lessons or actually talking to someone. That’s why Jake Knapp, language coach and author of "Practical English Mastery," says:

"Duolingo Super makes it easier to keep up your daily learning habit, but don’t expect it to make you a fluent English speaker. Real conversations just don’t happen in an app."

If you just want to boost your motivation, stop the annoying ads, or never run out of hearts, then the paid version is a nice upgrade. But when it comes to mastering English speaking itself, extra features are only a small step. For actual speaking results, try using Duolingo as a base and mixing in some real conversations—either with friends, tutors, or through online language exchange sites.

• Want more practice for free? Try shadowing the app’s sentences out loud and recording yourself.
• Pair the app with English podcasts where you repeat what you hear, sentence by sentence.
• For live feedback, find a language partner on apps like Tandem or HelloTalk.

So, is paying worth it for just practicing your speaking? Not really. Super Duolingo makes the app smoother, but you’ll still need to find real people to chat with if you want your English to sound, well, real.

Tips to Maximize Duolingo Without Spending Money

If you’re set on learning English with Duolingo but want to keep your budget at zero, you’re not out of luck. The platform leaves a bunch of helpful features in the free lane—you just need to know how to use them smartly. Here are some game-changing tips:

• Duolingo lessons reset every day, so committing even just 10 minutes daily makes a serious difference. Consistency trumps cramming, every time.
• Those "hearts" limit how many mistakes you can make before getting locked out for a while. But if you run out, use the practice section labeled “Practice Mistakes” to get hearts back without waiting. It won’t feel as fun as a new lesson, but it works.
• Rely on the desktop version at duolingo.com—no heart system there, so you’ll never get blocked for making too many errors. Desktop also runs smoother and avoids some app-only restrictions.
• Take advantage of the forum and Duolingo Stories. Stories help you with listening and spoken English using real-life scenarios, and the forum is packed with tips from other learners.
• Set goal reminders on your phone, not just inside Duolingo. Real notifications help you show up daily and lose fewer streaks—no upsell required.
• Focus on skills that match your weakness. If speaking is your main goal, record yourself repeating sentences after Duolingo exercises. It helps more than just tapping answers.

Ever wondered what you’re missing out on compared to paid users? Take a look:

If streak freezes stress you out, use the "Friends" feature to get encouragement, or join language clubs for casual practice. Lots of learners share resources or set up virtual study sessions for free.

Bottom line: with habit, smart use of lesser-known tools, and maybe a little desktop action, Duolingo can take your English pretty far—without you ever seeing a payment screen.