If you’re thinking about learning a new language on Duolingo and you’re wondering, “Do I actually have to pay for this?”
You’re definitely not alone. A lot of people ask the same question.
The short answer? Nope — Duolingo is mostly free.
In this post, I’ll walk you through what you get with the free version of Duolingo, what Super Duolingo offers, and which one might be the best fit for you.
Alright, let’s jump in!
Is Duolingo Really Free in 2025
Yep! Duolingo is totally free to start using.
Simply download the app, create an account, select the language you want to learn, and you’re good to go – no payment required.
Actually, Duolingo’s business model is based on a “freemium” system, which basically means the main lessons and core features are free.
But if you want the extra features, you’ll need to subscribe to Super Duolingo.
The free version is great for beginners, but if you want more features and fewer limits, consider checking out Super Duolingo, the paid version of Duolingo.
What Duolingo Gives You for Free
Honestly, Duolingo gives you way more than you’d expect without charging anything. That’s a huge part of why it’s become so popular.
Free Plan Features:
- All Courses Are Open: You can choose any language from 40+ options, plus newer subjects like Math, Music, and even Chess.
- Same Lessons as Paid Users: You follow the exact same learning path as people who subscribe to Super Duolingo.
- Different Practice Types: You get access to all the practice tools, like reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
- Duolingo Stories: You get access to fun short stories in languages like Spanish and French.
- Gamified Learning: You get streaks, XP, gems, leaderboards, badges, and other fun features that make learning feel more like a game.
Downsides of the Free Plan:
The free plan is great, but there are a few downsides you should know about:
- Limited Hearts: You start with 5 hearts, and each mistake uses one. If you run out, you’ll need to wait or practice to earn them back.
- Ads: Duolingo shows short ads in the free plan, which can break your learning flow.
- Legendary Levels Cost Gems: If you want to try the tougher “Legendary” levels, you’ll need to spend Gems.
- AI Use: To use Duolingo’s AI-powered learning tools, you’ll need to subscribe to Duolingo Max.
There are a few other downsides too, but these are the most important ones.
What Is Super Duolingo?
Now let’s talk about Super Duolingo. This is the paid version of Duolingo, and it costs around $12.99 per month. It gives you a lot of extra features that can make your learning experience much better.
Super Duolingo Features:
Here are some extra features you get with Super:
- No ads: Super Duolingo is completely ad-free, so you can learn without any interruptions.
- Unlimited hearts: Super Duolingo gives you unlimited hearts, so you can make as many mistakes as you need while learning.
- Skip ahead anytime: Super Duolingo lets you use the placement test to jump straight into harder lessons.
- More XP boosts: In Super Duolingo, you get more XP boosts that help you level up faster.
- Easier streak repair: With Super Duolingo, you can easily fix your streak if you miss a day.
- Streak Society access: With Super Duolingo, you can join the monthly Streak Society.
Of course, with Super Duolingo you also get a lot of other extra features that can make your learning experience much better.
How Much Does Super Duolingo Cost?
Here is the Super Duolingo pricing in the USA for 2025.
| Plan Type | Monthly Price | Yearly Price |
|---|---|---|
| Super Duolingo | $12.99 / month | $84.99 / year |
| Duolingo Max | $29.99 / month | $167.99 / year |
Note: Pricing may vary depending on your country.
Duolingo Free vs. Super Duolingo
Here’s a simple side-by-side comparison between Duolingo Free and Super Duolingo:
| Feature | Duolingo Free | Super Duolingo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $12.99 / month |
| Ads | Yes | No |
| Hearts | 5 hearts | Unlimited |
| Courses | All | All |
| Skip Levels | Limited | Unlimited |
| Personalized Practice | Limited | Yes |
| Mistakes Review | Costs Gems | Included |
| Stories | Yes | Yes |
| AI Roleplay | No | No (Max only) |
| Explain My Answer | No | No (Max only) |
| Best For | Casual learners | Daily learners |
Conclusion
So… is Duolingo really free?
Yes, it absolutely is.
And the free plan is honestly pretty great. You can learn a full language without paying anything.
But if you want to remove ads, get unlimited hearts, and learn faster, then Super Duolingo or even Duolingo Max might be worth it, especially if you practice every day.
Alright, I’ll wrap this blog post up here. If you have any questions, feel free to drop them in the comments. I’ll reply to every single one.
