--- title: "Duolingo Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra" description: "Is Duolingo the right Language Learning solution for you? Explore 984 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/210401/Duolingo-for-Schools/reviews/" page_type: "reviews" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-09-29" --- Duolingo 4.6 (984) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/210401/Duolingo-for-Schools/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated September 29th, 2026 # Reviews of Duolingo Ease of use 4.8 Customer Service 4.2 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews FA Fathi A Network EngineerTelecommunications, 201 - 500 employeesUsed the software for: I used a free trial. “The interface is intuitive, making it easy to jump into lessons, and the content is structured in a way that allows for consistent progress, which is crucial for language acquisition."“ July 14, 2026 John O StudentEducation Management, 5,001 - 10,000 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “While I am using free mode, therew are ads after each lesson and unlimited energy thius makes learning difficult.“ February 20, 2026 FA Fathi A Network EngineerTelecommunications, 201 - 500 employeesUsed the software for: I used a free trial. “It is accessible, user-friendly, and provides a great balance between entertainment and education, making it a reliable companion for anyone looking to learn a new language at their own pace."“ July 14, 2026 Rachid A DirectorReal Estate, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “The main downside is that the incentive system loses its effectiveness over time, especially when you want to progress beyond the basics“ December 18, 2025 Nava B OwnerRetail, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “What I like most about Duolingo is that they take a complex subject and break it down into short lessons that can be quickly completed. Once you've completed a short lesson, it's motivating to keep going.“ January 21, 2026 KB Kim B CEOEntertainment, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “Many of the lessons just spit out nonsense phrases with no ability to get a full translation and force a user to answer when they don't even understand the question.“ December 26, 2024 Cassandra J TeacherEducation Management, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “What I like most about Duolingo is that you can learn how to use and translate in another language learn skills and education development“ February 17, 2026 KB Kim B CEOEntertainment, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “Duolingo has some nice things about it, but for the person who is looking to become fluent in a language, this is not the program. Unless you are speaking with a human or have exercise programs to help with common everyday situations, words and phrases, Duoling is just not that program.“ December 26, 2024 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 984 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Bakiza T. duiolingo Market Research Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "bakiza on diolingo" August 31, 2026 5.0 2years with dilingo >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>............................. Pros Duolingo’s gamification makes learning feel more like a game than studying. I really like earning points, maintaining streaks, completing challenges, and moving through different levels. These features encourage me to practice regularly and make the learning process more enjoyable. The rewards and friendly competition also give me extra motivation to keep going. Overall, the gamification is simple, engaging, and effective, especially for learners who need motivation to stay consistent. Cons The least enjoyable part is that the gamification can sometimes feel repetitive. The constant focus on points, streaks, and rewards may make learning feel more like completing tasks than actually improving my language skills. Review Source RH Reagan H. Optician Medical Practice Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Outstanding Duolingo" April 27, 2026 5.0 Overall I have had an amazing and exciting experience with Duolingo, it was the easiest way for me to learn a second language and it comes in handy all the time. I love that it keeps a streak for you and it gives you an incentive to work on your learning each day. Amazing app and extremely user friendly! Pros I like that there is a great value for money and customer support with it, and I never have any bugs or issues. I love that it teaches a wide vocabulary and grammar for any language you want to learn, as well as promoting student and teacher interaction! There is also great security that goes along with it as well. Cons There was nothing that I disliked about Duolingo. I have been a user of Duolingo for years! It is absolutely wonderful! Switched from [Rosetta Stone Enterprise](https://www.capterra.com/p/210719/Rosetta-Stone-Enterprise/) I made this switch because it was too easy to "cheat" your way through on Rosetta stone, and I feel like it was not teaching me everything that I needed to learn. I definitely prefer Duolingo out of anything! Review Source GB Gene B. Principal Consultant Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Duolingo teachs basics but don't expect to become fluent" October 8, 2025 3.0 Overall, I am using it to learn words and phrases but I do not feel I will learn the language, but rather bits and pieces. Pros I like the fact that it has gamified language learning. It makes it fun. I like the exercises and I like the timed exercises as they push you to think fast. Cons Some of the sentence constructs don't make sense. And I feel that there are too many aspects pushing to buy the paid subscription vs. the free subscription. I realize their goal is to make money for the product provided. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Owner Retail Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Duolingo: Easy and Engaging, But Missing Syntax" July 28, 2026 4.0 Putting sentence syntax aside, this is a great progam to familiarize yourself with a new language. Hearing it, challenging yourself to mouth the words and new sounds, and reading and writing the language is fun and you do start retaining some of the basics of the new language you're trying to learn. Pros Duolingo makes learning a new language very simple and fun. Here are the pro bullet points from my experience. Easy to use: The clear design lets you start learning right away without a complicated setup. Creative learning: Short lessons use games, pictures, and quick quizzes to keep your brain active. Never bored: Fast tasks and fun rewards stop you from feeling tired or losing interest. Cons The app has a few frustrating limits with how it saves progress and teaches sentence rules. Below I've included some cons based on my experiences. Slow syncs: Moving your progress from the computer to your phone can lag or fail to update right away. If you are competing in a league as I often do, that can cause a small panic. Focus on words: Lessons teach you single words instead of how they fit together in real conversation. While you learn sentences they don't teach how and why the verbs and nouns are placed the way they are. If you are an English speak for instance, the sentence structure of certain languages are difficult to understand. Missing context: It skips deep rules on syntax, making it hard to build original sentences on your own. Related to the sentence structure mentioned above. Review Source Tanya D. President Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Makes Learning Fun" August 21, 2025 5.0 Overall Duolingo is amazing as a fun way to learn a new language. Teaches stuff you would use out in the world. Pros Love this product, makes learning a new language fun and easy. Lots of good examples that you would use in real life. Cons What I like least is probably the cost. It can be a bit costly, but in the end I think that it is worth the cost. Switched from [Rosetta Stone Enterprise](https://www.capterra.com/p/210719/Rosetta-Stone-Enterprise/) Duolingo seemed like a cheaper and more fun alternative. Review Source JR Jessica R. Head AP, Fleet Manager Construction Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Duolingo makes learning a language fun!" May 13, 2025 5.0 It has been an incredible experience and I am so glad I decided to give it a try. I am learning quickly and look forward to learning. The platform makes learning a fun challenge, a game you want to win. It does well with reviewing material, taking things at a reasonable pace. I have only been using for about 4 months and I have learned as much if not more than I did in my years of language classes in high school! Pros Duolingo makes learning fun, it turns the process into a game! I love the variety of personal challenges, friendly competitions, benchmarks and rewards. They offer different ways to learn, combining reading, writing, and speaking flawlessly. I have learned more language in 4 months with Duolingo that I did with a year of a personal tutor. Cons The free version plays like many pay to play games where you can only accomplish so much before you either have to make a purchase to move forward or wait a set amount of time. I did end up purchasing the year package to avoid these breaks in learning. Alternatives considered [Rosetta Stone Enterprise](https://www.capterra.com/p/210719/Rosetta-Stone-Enterprise/) Reason for choosing Duolingo Duolingo seemed more modern and caters to today's kind of learner. Switched from [Babbel for Business](https://www.capterra.com/p/234859/Babbel/) Duolingo seemed like a more fun and engaging app. It was also more cost effective. Review Source Nava B. Owner Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Duolingo Makes Learning Fun (But should add conjugation tables for languages)" January 21, 2026 5.0 Overall, it has been good. I've used it to learn Spanish, Math, Chess, and Music and had a good and fun experience with all three subjects. Pros What I like most about Duolingo is that they take a complex subject and break it down into short lessons that can be quickly completed. Once you've completed a short lesson, it's motivating to keep going. Cons The one thing I don't like about Duolingo's language lessons is that they don't provide a conjugation table. Once you start learning different tenses it gets really hard to keep them all straight so having a conjugation table to refer to would be really helpful. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Owner Publishing Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Still good for language learning" June 27, 2026 4.0 Overall Duolingo is fine for me, it pushed my learning and helped me in spoken English. However competition does not sleep, and the AI implementation in Duolingo is something I've seen people started to dislike. It is interesting how they implemented Math, Music and Chess courses. I've tried them, but it still need more improvements. Pros The gamification and daily check ins really push the learning of a language forward. I like the variety of exercises and the modules progression is well done. The cost of the subscription is okay and I like the family plan. Variety of languages is a big plus. Cons I don't like which way it goes with clearly AI solutions. There are mistakes, I've lost trust and I'm not sure if the language I learn is in correct form. Another thing I disliked last year was the change of life/energy feature, but that hurts more the free plan users. Review Source Christine B. Pilates transformation expert Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Fun, but not useful for gaining fluency " April 3, 2026 3.0 It was kind of a bust. Fun to participate and play their games to trick myself into using the app on a daily basis, but in the end, I didn’t have any fluency on my trip to Spain. Pros Great to find a language tool that’s free and easily accessible on the go via a phone app, so that you can use it anywhere. Cons I used it for Spanish language for 6 months before a trip, thinking that I’d have some basic Spanish when I got there. I felt like I had zero fluency — the speed that real people talk is far different than what you experience in the app. Review Source FA Fathi A. Network Engineer Telecommunications Used the software for: I used a free trial ### ""Gamification makes language learning fun and consistent"" July 14, 2026 5.0 "Overall, my experience with Duolingo has been highly positive. It is a fantastic tool for building a consistent learning habit, especially for beginners or intermediate learners who want to keep their skills sharp. It is accessible, user-friendly, and provides a great balance between entertainment and education, making it a reliable companion for anyone looking to learn a new language at their own pace." Pros "What I like most about Duolingo is its exceptional use of gamification. By turning language lessons into engaging, game-like challenges with streaks and leaderboards, it makes daily practice feel fun and addictive rather than a chore. The interface is intuitive, making it easy to jump into lessons, and the content is structured in a way that allows for consistent progress, which is crucial for language acquisition." Cons "What I like least is that some of the more advanced grammatical explanations can feel a bit sparse in the free version. Additionally, while the gamification is great for motivation, it sometimes prioritizes speed over deep understanding, which can occasionally lead to memorizing patterns without fully grasping the underlying rules of the language." Review Source BH Bahaa H. Planning Manager Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Have fun and learn more with Duolingo." February 11, 2025 5.0 My experience was awesome and I learned French and really improved my English. Kudos Duolingo. Pros Duolingo is a fun and very effective learning platform. The fact that I can access or even do lessons on my phone makes Duolingo so magnificent. Learning different languages in one platform is so incredible,i highly appreciate it's existence. Cons I can now fluently communicate in French after using Duolingo. I can't complain. Switched from [Kahoot!](https://www.capterra.com/p/156399/Kahoot/) If you are playing the game and press a wrong answer you are not able to go back and change before the time is up. I really hated that. Review Source JD Juliet D. Language Learner E-Learning Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "OK, but won't make you fluent in another language." January 31, 2025 2.0 It's good to help you to get started and to really have a form of a digital immersive experience, but it is not enough. I do miss lessons and I don't think it is a path to true fluency. I think you still need a tutor to learn the language fully, but Duolingo does help and has its place as a filler or on-the-go learning. Pros There is a lot of repetition so you learn the vocabulary very well. The repetition also means that you learn which words are of the male or female form - where relevant (I'm learning Spanish). With the amount of repetition of sentences, the grammar of the language starts to become intuitive without being taught explicitly. Cons The gamification. It is not motivating for me. I actually find it a waste of time and irritating. I don't like that you are stuck at levels and can't manually progress. Switched from [Memrise](https://www.capterra.com/p/234180/Memrise/)[Rosetta Stone Enterprise](https://www.capterra.com/p/210719/Rosetta-Stone-Enterprise/)[Babbel for Business](https://www.capterra.com/p/234859/Babbel/)[Mondly for Business](https://www.capterra.com/p/192358/mondlyWORKS/) Babbel gets too complicated too quickly. Memrise is clumsy. Review Source MD Matthew D. Director Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Me gusta Duolingo! :)" June 30, 2025 4.0 Duolingo has generally been a very good introduction to learning Spanish for me. I have managed to build a good baseline knowledge of words that can help me identify what is being said even if I don't fully understand. I will continue to use Duolingo as will my family to improve our language skills. Pros Being free is a massive bonus as I imagine many will want to learn second languages and beyond. The variety of languages available in very impressive although I have only chosen Spanish to learn. The incentives to maintain streaks is a good addition and encourages me to do at least one lesson a day which helps me to continue learning new words but also build upon what I've learnt so far. Cons Whilst suitable for myself, I imagine this can be insufficient for those that can speak the language to a higher level. I also find as a beginner to learning Spanish, some of the explanations or lack of don't help me understand where I went wrong as naturally I will make mistakes. Better explanations about the mistakes will perhaps mean less mistakes and better learning. Review Source MH Marium H. Software Engineer Computer Software Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Easiest language learning experience " July 14, 2025 4.0 Overall I liked the app, it's simple and easy to use, we can track our progress and having a streak system is good motivation. Pros The app is really simple and easy to use, it's wasn't overwhelming when I started to learn a new language. Cons When setting up the profile I couldn't set a level for myself from where I wanted to start learning or I couldn't skip certain levels when I was sure I have mastered this level already. Secondly the practice sentences given in the app aren't sometimes useful in daily life, it would be really nice when sentences practised are related to daily life and not just hypothjetical scenarios. Review Source HG Heldor G. Marketing Manager Mental Health Care Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Play your Way into Languages" March 20, 2025 5.0 I love learning languages with duoling on my free time, it is great for keeping my french, italian and Japanese fresh. Pros IT's a fun and addictive way to learn new languages Cons As a language lover, I think it needs lessons more focused on grammar and not only daily vocabulary, for people who are not familiar with grammar it can be confusing since they don't get an explanation or knowledge how words conjugate. Review Source CTAS Cornelius Tian Andi S. Owner Farming Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Duolingo Review" April 14, 2025 5.0 Duolingo was fun and motivating, especially at the beginning. Pros There are a lot of languages that I can learn Cons What I liked least about Duolingo is that it can get a bit repetitive, especially after a while Review Source Alize B. Artist Arts and Crafts Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Fun learning experience " February 21, 2025 4.0 I am happy overall as the app has allowed me to learn new languages. Pros The way it makes learning a fun experience instead of something boring and sleep inducing. Cons The ads after every lesson are very distracting and feel like they disrupt my focus. Review Source NE Nicole E. Cleaning and Organizing Specialist Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Fun Easy Way to Learn a New Language for the Whole Family " March 24, 2025 5.0 Duolingo is such a fun easy way to learn a new language. All of us including my kids always have an awesome learning experience with Duo! Pros Duolingo app allows for our family to not only learn a new language together but also practice together as we learn each lesson! Cons I wish there was an option to save your progress without a paid subscription. Review Source KL Kari L. Graduate Student Higher Education Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "I love Duolingo" February 26, 2025 5.0 Pros I love learning a language using Duolingo. Duolingo makes learning fun and incentivizes my progress. Cons I’m not a big fan of the ads on the free version of Duolingo however, I understand why they are necessary for the free version. Review Source SR Steven R. Project Responsible Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Review - Duolingo" January 16, 2025 5.0 I use Duolingo since 6-7 years and I use it everyday since 4 years Pros In Duolingo, my favorite feature is the the variety of language that you can learn of the application. I also like a lot the new feature for the English where you work only the similar sound in 2 words. Cons I think Duolingo has not too much fault on the application but for example in Swedish, the traduction is not perfect if you check in the dictionary the traduction is wrong. With the number of language I think it's normal to find some errors. Review Source KP Kaylynn P. Learning and Development Operations Specialist Consumer Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Duolingo is great" January 8, 2025 5.0 The social element is great. you can support other learners with motivation and gaming elements to keep everyone going. This has made it more enjoyable. Pros Gamification is critical to learning. Having a point system where you can customize the owl or unlock lessons is motivating. Cons The app can be very navigational. Also, if you don't log on for a while, your account is removed, or at least that has been my experience. Review Source LR Leigh R. Accountant Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Pay me, Sign up now, or Ads" November 14, 2024 3.0 The recent changes in the program are too focused on forcing sign-ups. Very annoying, to be constantly bombarded with ads. Too much WOKE influence, language learning is simply not the place for this! Pros Accessiblity, I can do a quick lessons on my phone. Could be a fine app if appropriate changes were made. Cons Too much WOKE, not really appropriate for children, some negative characters, rude comments about others, lack of verb tense background, lack of flexibility in responses. Recent change in heart availability for non-subscribers is set up to try to force payments. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Executive Director Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A fun way to improve language" December 3, 2024 5.0 Pros A fun and easy way to improve conversational language Cons It doesn't really teach grammar, so it's not great for learning a new language from scratch. It is better for learning new vocabulary Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Associate Telecommunications Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Easy to use for vocabulary learning." July 25, 2023 4.0 Pros I like that Duolingo has multiple foreign language choices and is in constant expansion. Its gamification makes it fun, but it keeps its simplicity. This app is nice as a complement to your language classes! Cons Duolingo helps you learn vocabulary by reading and repeating (written or verbal) different phrases; however, those phrases are not used on a daily basis. Therefore, the app is nice as a complement to other apps, but it will not help you get fluent by itself. Review Source ES Eshwar S. UX Researcher Research Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Great way to start learning a language, but shouldn't be your only learning source!" March 2, 2023 5.0 Duolingo is overall a great piece of software to start your language learning journey, but ultimately it will need to be supplemented or supplanted by other resources to learn a language properly. Worth giving it a go to learn the basics of a language (or three!), especially for the gamification elements. Pros Gamification keeps me engaged, and I can work with my friends too! Lots of language options. The listening exercises are very productive, and the scenario based sentences are great. It's a super way to start the language learning process with simple vocabulary and sentences. Cons Though they justify it as not strictly needed for adult language learning, basic grammar is missing from Duolingo lessons and it's hard to pick up a lot of the implied grammar rules. This includes tenses, conjugation, gender rules, etc. The app has quite a lot of ads so I tend to use the desktop version primarily; especially because I've had some software issues with the mobile app. Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.