Duolingo Subscriptions Compared: Free, Super and Max

Duolingo is built around a free core. Every course, lesson and unit on the learning path can be completed without paying, which is unusual for a learning app. The paid tiers change how you learn rather than what you are allowed to learn: fewer interruptions, more room to make mistakes, extra review tools and, at the top level, features powered by artificial intelligence.

The lineup usually has three levels: the free version, Super Duolingo and Duolingo Max. Paid plans can also come in a family version, depending on the market. Plan names, features and availability change over time and differ by country, platform and course, so use this guide as a map and confirm the details on the subscription screen inside the app before you pay.

The same app also hosts non-language courses such as math and music. A subscription belongs to your account rather than to a single course, so its general benefits follow you across the courses you take, although some features exist only in certain courses.

Free learners get the full course content along with the features that keep people coming back: daily streaks, experience points, weekly leagues, achievements and ways to learn alongside friends. Ads appear between lessons, and some optional extras are unlocked with gems, the in-app currency you earn by completing lessons and quests.

The free version also paces you. Depending on the version of the app you see, mistakes cost hearts or lessons use up energy, and when you run out you have to wait, practice to earn more, or spend gems before continuing. The system is meant to encourage careful work, but it can feel restrictive during a long study session or when you are tackling a harder unit.

Free is a sensible choice for casual learners, travellers who want survival phrases, and anyone testing whether a daily habit will stick. A comfortable beginner level is within reach without upgrading, especially if you study in short, regular sessions.

Super removes ads and lifts the hearts or energy limits, so a run of mistakes no longer ends your session. That single change matters most to learners who study for longer stretches or who deliberately push into material that is a little too hard for them.

It also unlocks practice tools that use your own history. Personalized practice sessions focus on the words and structures you tend to get wrong, a mistakes review lets you revisit recent errors, and the harder challenge levels can be attempted as often as you like. Super members usually get extra protection for their streak as well, which helps if you occasionally miss a day.

Super is a good fit for daily learners, people preparing for a trip or a move who want targeted review, parents whose children make lots of mistakes while learning, and anyone who finds ads distracting. Duolingo often offers a trial period for Super. If you try it, note when the trial ends so you decide deliberately rather than letting it renew by default.

Max includes everything in Super and adds features built on large language models. Examples include explanations of why a specific answer was right or wrong, roleplay exercises in which you hold a short conversation with a character and then receive feedback, and a call-style practice mode where you speak with a character in real time.

Availability is the key thing to check. These features are rolled out course by course and platform by platform, and in some countries Max is not offered at all. Before upgrading, open the subscription screen in the app and look at which Max features are listed for the course you are actually studying.

Max is most useful for learners past the absolute basics who want speaking practice and have nobody to talk to in the target language. The feedback is helpful, but it is generated by software and can occasionally be off, so pair it with real listening material, native speakers or a tutor when you want to polish your accuracy.

Family versions let one person hold the subscription and invite others to share the paid benefits. Each member keeps a separate profile with their own courses, progress, streak and league, so sharing a plan does not mix anyone's learning history.

The person who manages the plan handles billing and invitations. If they cancel, everyone loses the paid features when the current billing period ends. A member who already has an individual subscription should check whether it needs to be cancelled separately after joining, especially if it is billed through the Apple or Google app store, to avoid paying twice.

Family plans are designed for households and close circles who trust each other with a shared invitation. Keep invitation links private, remove members who no longer use the plan, and follow Duolingo's terms of use on who may join.

Start with a few honest questions. How often do you study, and for how long? Do ads or mistake limits regularly stop you? Do you mostly need vocabulary and reading, or conversation and explanations? Does your course support the Max features? Is anyone else at home learning too?

A practical path is to begin with the free version for a few weeks, move to Super if the limits keep interrupting you, and consider Max once you are beyond the basics and your course has the features you want. If several people in one home are learning, a family plan often makes more sense than separate individual subscriptions.

Pay attention to where you subscribe. A subscription bought through the Apple App Store or Google Play is managed and cancelled in that store's settings, while one bought on the Duolingo website is managed from your Duolingo account. Longer billing periods only make sense if you are confident the habit will last.

On rStock, Duolingo-related listings come from independent stores rather than from the platform itself, and rStock is not affiliated with Duolingo. Stores must be approved before they can sell and each listing is reviewed before it goes live, but you should still read the description carefully so you know exactly what will be delivered and how it is meant to be used.

Before buying, look at the store's public profile, which shows its sales count, rating and insurance balance. After you pay from your rStock balance, the delivered content appears on your order page. Check it straight away, secure any account you receive with your own password and email address, and confirm the subscription status inside the app.

Your payment is held rather than released to the store immediately, and there is a limited window after delivery to open a dispute if something does not match the listing. The store responds first, and a moderator can step in if you cannot agree. Whatever you buy, follow Duolingo's terms of use.