A returning learner can find Duolingo more frustrating without the app being universally worse: course, account tier, device, app version and feature rollout all affect what appears. The title describes a personal reassessment, but no return-session details were supplied here, so I can’t honestly claim to have tested the app or report what I saw. What can be assessed is the product context—and how to make a fair, useful comparison in your own account.
Why a one-year comparison needs more than a memory
“Worse” can refer to different things: less useful instruction, more interruptions, tighter pacing, or an interface that makes it harder to keep a routine. Those are separate judgments. A change in any one may make the app feel worse even if the lessons or course content have also changed.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
A meaningful before-and-after comparison needs the same language course, account tier, device and operating system, and—where possible—the app version and comparable lesson types. Record the return date and what you actually encountered. Without those details, an anecdote cannot distinguish a product change from a different account setup, course, or rollout.
What may have changed in Duolingo
Free-user pacing: Hearts and Energy
Duolingo described Energy in its Q2 2025 shareholder letter as a usage-based pacing system replacing Hearts for free users in an iOS rollout. In the company’s description, each exercise used one unit regardless of whether the answer was right or wrong, while consecutive correct answers restored some Energy. That is a company account of a rollout, not confirmation that every free account, platform or course uses the same system today. Check the mechanics shown in your own app.
#1 Best Overall
Duolingo said the rollout increased daily active users, median time spent “learning well,” and subscriber conversion. Those are company-reported engagement and business outcomes; they do not establish that learners became more proficient. If a session feels more constrained, note whether the cause is Energy or another limit rather than treating every pacing issue as a change in lesson quality. Duolingo Q2 2025 shareholder letter
Speaking features and plan access
In a February 2026 employee post, Duolingo announced expanded voice answers and free speaking adventures, and described an experiment moving Video Call from Max to Super, starting with new learners in early March. In its Q2 2026 shareholder letter, the company later said most new Super subscribers had Video Call access and expected to extend access to existing Super subscribers later in 2026. These are dated rollout statements, not a guarantee that a specific feature is available to every account. Confirm the feature and plan shown in the app before relying on it.
Rank #2
- MY BIG PHONICS SOUND BOOK: Introduce your child to early reading with an interactive, hands-on sound book. Designed for toddlers and early learners, this book helps little ones master letter sounds, expand their vocabulary, and build foundational language skills from A to Z
- EARLY PHONICS READINESS: Help your child master alphabet letters and letter sounds from A to Z. Building phonemic awareness early makes learning to read, speak, and spell much easier for toddlers and preschoolers.
- 260 WORDS TO LISTEN & LEARN: Press the sound buttons to hear clear pronunciations for 10 essential vocabulary words per letter. With clear printed words and pictures on every page, children can easily follow along and connect spoken sounds to visual text.
- LOVED BY PARENTS AND CHILDREN: Easy-to-use sound book with 3 LR03/AAA batteries (included) that are easily replaceable . Portable and travel-friendly, this book is perfect for a 2 year old. Sound buttons are easy to use, and the sounds are clear.
- THE PERFECT EDUCATIONAL GIFT: Ideal for birthdays, holidays, and special occasions for preschool and kindergarten children. Built with sturdy pages for your baby to explore, this is a great gift for boys and girls ages 3+
Duolingo’s company overview describes Super as removing ads and providing unlimited hearts. It describes Max as including AI features such as Video Call, Explain My Answer and Roleplay. Because feature access is evolving, treat those descriptions as a guide to the tiers, not a promise about your current account. Duolingo employee post on product announcements · Duolingo Q2 2026 shareholder letter · Duolingo company overview
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Ads and subscription prompts
Duolingo says free non-subscribers may see either ads promoting its subscriptions or network ads for outside advertisers, including after learning sessions. The company says advertising contributes materially to its business, but the specific ads and interruptions a learner encounters can vary. A prompt such as “Watch an ad to earn a heart” captures one user complaint, not evidence that all accounts see that prompt or see it at the same frequency. Duolingo’s explanation of advertising
How to decide whether your experience is actually worse
- Write down your setup. Record the date, language course, free or paid tier, device, operating system and app version. Note whether you changed platforms or restarted with a different course since your last active period.
- Track a few ordinary sessions. For each session, note lesson length, interruptions, available review or explanation tools, speaking activities and any Hearts or Energy limits. Distinguish what the app showed from how you felt about it.
- Separate the verdict into categories. Ask whether the problem is instruction, pacing, advertising, subscription prompts, motivation or navigation. A worse experience in one category does not by itself show that the course teaches less effectively.
- Compare like with like. Use the same course and a similar type of lesson where possible. If your earlier experience was on another device or account tier, say so; the difference may matter as much as a product update.
- Check the current plan details in your region. Look at the plan and features offered inside your account rather than relying on an old price or a rollout announcement. Subscription pricing and availability can differ by country, platform and term.
What Duolingo’s growth figures can—and can’t—tell you
Duolingo’s Q2 2026 shareholder letter reported 58.7 million daily active users, compared with 47.7 million in Q2 2025, and 12.7 million paid subscribers, compared with 10.9 million. It also reported an 84% current-user retention rate, up about one percentage point year over year. These are company-defined, company-reported figures for the stated quarters. They show business scale and retention by the company’s measure—not whether a particular returning learner’s experience improved or whether learning outcomes are better.
The company says it tests hundreds of product changes and balances retention, learning outcomes and monetization. That helps explain why interfaces and features can change, but it does not prove that any particular change benefits every learner. Duolingo Q2 2026 shareholder letter
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When another language app may be worth considering
Choose an alternative based on the need that Duolingo is not meeting: deeper grammar explanations, a different speaking-practice format, less restrictive pacing, or a particular course. A 2026 TechRadar review describes one reviewer using Babbel to brush up on French and Duolingo for Japanese and math. It praises Duolingo’s short lessons, variation, review and explanation feature while noting possible gaps in app-based grammar nuance. That is one reviewer’s experience, not a controlled head-to-head comparison or evidence that Babbel is better for every learner. TechRadar’s app review
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →For a fair choice, compare the target language and course depth, speaking practice, explanation and review tools, free-tier limits and interruptions, and the local subscription price. Do not assume an older published price is what your account will be charged now.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
