Language learning
Duolingo: review, pricing, data and alternatives
Duolingo helps language learners study through short exercises. It supports reviewing mistakes, tracking progress and adapting exercises to learners’ needs, with additional exercises available through the Duolingo Max offering. A free tier exists. Access and transparency score: 40/100, #2 of 3 in its category.
What is Duolingo?
Duolingo helps language learners study through short exercises. It supports reviewing mistakes, tracking progress and adapting exercises to learners’ needs, with additional exercises available through the Duolingo Max offering.
According to its documentation, Duolingo lets you:
- learn a language through short exercises
- review mistakes
- track progress
- adapt exercises to the learner’s needs
- access additional exercises with Duolingo Max
We file it under Language learning, the category of tools to learn a language, and it also overlaps with education and tutoring. The category lists 3 verified tools on this site.
The publisher is Duolingo, Inc., based in United States. The service launched in 2012, which gives it some track record.
Who is it for?
It is mostly useful to these profiles: students and teachers. The need it covers is simple to state: learn a language.
Duolingo is a good candidate if:
- you want to try before paying
- you also work from your phone
Before deciding, run a trial on a real task and measure the time saved: it is the only criterion that really counts.
How much does Duolingo cost?
Pricing model: freemium (limited free use, then paid). A free plan is offered, usually limited in volume or features.
The entry price is not shown publicly: you have to contact the publisher or create an account to see it.
To estimate what the same work would cost done directly with an AI model, use our API price calculator. Prices change often: always check the official site before subscribing.
Data and privacy
The publisher does not clearly state where data is hosted. Assume your content may leave your region.
For professional use, check that a data processing agreement (DPA) is offered, and do not send customers' personal data or confidential documents without one.
No export feature is documented: keep a copy of your content elsewhere.
Three habits apply to every AI tool:
- turn off the use of your content for training if the option exists
- use a work account separate from your personal account
- review everything the tool produces before publishing or sending it
Platforms, languages and API
Duolingo runs on: web browser, iPhone and iPad, and Android.
The interface is available in 32 languages.
API availability is not documented.
How we scored it
Our 40/100 score does not judge output quality: it measures what can be publicly verified about access to the tool, its openness and how far the publisher can be trusted.
| Criterion | Points | What counts |
|---|---|---|
| Access | 20/30 | free tier, published price, French interface |
| Openness | 0/30 | API, data export, open code |
| Trust | 20/40 | identified publisher, declared hosting, age, presence in reference lists |
The full calculation is explained on our method page.
Comparison with alternatives
Duolingo against other tools in the language learning category:
Verdict
Duolingo is among the most accessible and transparent tools in its category.
Strengths
- Free tier to try it
- Established since 2012
Limitations
- Price not published
- Data hosting not disclosed
- Data export not documented
Avoid if…
- You handle sensitive personal data without a processing agreement
- You need to easily retrieve your full history
Alternatives
Categories and jobs
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is Duolingo free?
Yes, a free plan exists, with usage limits.
Where is Duolingo data stored?
The publisher does not clearly say so in its public documentation.
Does Duolingo have an API?
It is not documented.
What are the alternatives to Duolingo?
In the same category: Praktika and Speak.
Duolingo or Praktika: which one to choose?
Our score is 40/100 for Duolingo and 50/100 for Praktika. Try both on the same task before paying.
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Neutrality. No affiliate links. No vendor pays to be reviewed, rated or ranked. Reviews are directed by François Chollet, neutral and factual, and every data point is dated and sourced. How we score