How I Earn Free Gems in Duolingo (8 Easy & Legit Methods)

If you use Duolingo’s free version, you probably know the feeling.

When I first started learning Spanish, I was so excited — practicing every day, unlocking new levels, earning my first streak… until one morning, I hit a wall.

No Gems. No hearts. No lessons.
Just that annoying message telling me to wait — or pay. 😩

I remember thinking, “Seriously? I just want to keep learning!”

So instead of giving up (or opening my wallet), I went looking for every legit way to earn Gems for free — and guess what? There are plenty.

After testing a bunch of tricks myself, I found 8 simple, proven ways to get more Gems without spending a dollar.

In this post, I’ll share exactly what worked for me, so you can keep learning, practicing, and leveling up without limits.

What Are Gems in Duolingo?

You’ve probably played a video game where you earn coins or gems for completing levels, right?
Then you use them to buy fun stuff like outfits, power-ups, or extra lives.

Duolingo Gems (or Diamonds 💎) are basically the same thing. You earn them when you finish lessons, hit goals, or complete challenges — and yes, you can buy them with real money…

but I’d rather keep mine. 😅

What You Can Spend Gems On:

Here’s what you can use your Gems for inside Duolingo:

• Streak Freezes: Save your streak if you skip a day.
• XP Boosts: Double your XP for a limited time.
• Heart Refills: Keep learning even when you make mistakes.
• Legendary Challenges: Unlock those extra-tough purple lessons.

When I first started, I burned through my hearts so fast I couldn’t even finish a lesson. That’s when I realized I really needed to learn how to earn Gems smartly.

How to Earn Gems for Free in Duolingo?

Here are the exact methods I use — all tested, no tricks or hacks.

1. Complete Daily Quests (Easiest Method)

This one’s my go-to. Every single day, Duolingo gives you three quick quests like “Finish a lesson” or “Earn 20 XP.”

Complete them and — boom — you get free Gems.

How to do it:

1. Open the Duolingo app.
2. Tap the chest icon at the bottom.
3. You’ll see your Daily Quests list — just complete them before the day resets.

I make it a mini ritual every morning — coffee in one hand, quick Duolingo quest in the other.

2. Team Up in Friends Quests

Friends Quests are weekly challenges you do with a Duolingo buddy. If both of you finish the goal, you both get Gem rewards. 🙌

How to join:

1. Tap the chest icon again.
2. Scroll to find Friends Quest.
3. Accept the challenge and work with your friend to complete it.

I teamed up with one of my friends learning French — we both stayed consistent because we didn’t want to let each other down. Plus, the Gem rewards were a nice bonus.

3. Keep Your Streak Alive

Your streak is like your Duolingo heartbeat — the longer you keep it going, the more rewards you unlock.

If you practice every day for a week, Duolingo often gives you Gems for staying consistent. Miss a day, though, and your streak resets (unless you’ve got a Streak Freeze).

Example:

• Monday → streak 1
• Tuesday → streak 2
• Skip Wednesday → back to 0 (unless frozen)

I once lost a 23-day streak because I forgot one lesson — trust me, that one hurt 😭. After that, I never skip.

4. Earn Achievements & Milestones

Every time you hit certain goals — like finishing a unit or completing a bunch of lessons — Duolingo gives you extra Gems.

How to check:

1. Tap your profile icon.
2. Scroll down to Achievements.
3. Keep learning to unlock more.

I still remember unlocking my first “Sharpshooter” badge — I got a few Gems, sure, but the little celebration sound made my day.

5. Try the “Double or Nothing” Wager

This one’s fun (and a bit of a gamble).

You bet 50 Gems that you’ll do at least one lesson every day for 7 days straight.
If you make it — you win 100 Gems total.
If you miss a day — you lose your bet. 😅

How to start:

1. Go to the Shop (cart icon).
2. Scroll until you see “Double or Nothing.”
3. Tap and start your 7-day challenge.

The first time I tried it, I nearly forgot on Day 6. I was half asleep doing a Spanish lesson at midnight — but I still won those Gems. Worth it. 😂

6. Win the Diamond Tournament

If you’re competitive, this one’s for you.

The Diamond Tournament runs every week for the top players in the Diamond League. It has 3 rounds — Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals — and lasts about 3 weeks total.

Top players get Gems, XP boosts, and a special badge.

It’s tough, but I made it to the Semifinals once, and the rush of seeing my name climb the leaderboard was way better than caffeine.

7. Open Chests Along the Path

As you move through your learning path, you’ll see small chests. Tap them when you reach that section — they often give you free Gems, XP boosts, or Streak rewards.

It’s a tiny thing, but it always feels like a “surprise gift” for showing up.

8. Watch Ads (When Available)

If you’re on the free version of Duolingo, you might sometimes see an option to watch short ads for free Gems.

They only take a few seconds, and each one gives you 10–30 Gems.

This isn’t always available (depends on your region or device), but if you have it — don’t skip it. It’s the easiest freebie there is.

How I Earned 500 Gems in One Day

Yep — it’s possible. I’ve done it myself.

Here’s how I stacked up 500+ Gems in one busy learning day:

Task	Gems Earned
Daily Quests	30–50
Friends Quest	100–200
League leaderboard	up to 200
Path Chests	30–60
Achievements	20–50
Double or Nothing	100+
Watch Ads	10–30 each

FAQs (People Also Ask)

Wrapping Up

In this post, I’ve shared all my tried-and-tested ways to earn free Gems without spending a penny.
These are the exact methods I use myself, and they’ve helped me keep my streak alive and never run out of hearts.

Now it’s your turn! Try these methods and let me know in the comments — how many Gems did you earn this week? 😊