Last updated: November 2026
The Duolingo app is where most people learn: on a phone, in short sessions, a few minutes at a time. It is free to download on iOS and Android, and it also works in a web browser. This guide explains what the app does, how it differs from the website, how the Energy system limits free users on mobile, and how to get the most out of it, including offline mode, widgets, and settings worth changing.
What Is the Duolingo App?
The Duolingo app is the mobile version of Duolingo, the free language-learning platform. You pick a language, take a short placement test or start from scratch, and work through a path of bite-sized lessons. Each lesson takes a few minutes and mixes translation, multiple choice, listening, and speaking exercises.
Your progress syncs across devices. Start a lesson on your phone, finish it on your computer, and your XP, streak, and position on the path all carry over. You use one account everywhere.
The app is the same product as the website, but it is not identical. The biggest differences are the Energy system on mobile, the layout of features, and a few mobile-only extras such as widgets and offline downloads. Those differences matter, so the next sections cover them one by one.
Duolingo App vs Website: What Is Different?
| Feature | Mobile app (iOS and Android) | Website (duolingo.com) |
|---|---|---|
| Free daily limit | Energy system, about 25 Energy a day | No Energy limit, older Hearts system |
| Ads | Ads between lessons for free users | Ads for free users |
| Offline lessons | Yes, with Super | No |
| Video Call and Roleplay | Yes, app-only features | No |
| Widgets | Yes, home-screen widgets | No |
| Typing and long answers | Smaller keyboard, tap-based exercises | Full keyboard, easier for typing practice |
| Best for | Short daily sessions on the go | Longer study sessions |
The practical advice is simple: use the app for daily habit, and the website for long sessions. The app is better at reminding you, tracking your streak, and fitting into spare minutes. The website is better when you want to study for half an hour or more without paying, because the free web version has no Energy limit.
How the App Works: Lessons, Path, and XP
When you open the app, you see your learning path: a line of steps you follow in order. Each step is a lesson, a review, a story, or a challenge. Tap a step, finish the exercises, and you move forward.
Lessons mix five exercise types:
- Translate: turn a sentence from one language into the other.
- Multiple choice: pick the right word or phrase.
- Listen: hear a sentence and type what you heard.
- Speak: say a phrase into your microphone. You can turn speaking exercises off in settings if you study in public.
- Match: pair words with their meanings.
Each lesson earns you about 10 XP, plus bonuses. XP feeds your weekly league ranking and your total level. The app also tracks your streak, the number of days in a row you have completed at least one lesson. A Streak Freeze, bought with gems, protects your streak for one missed day.
The Energy System on Mobile
The biggest change to the app in recent years is the Energy system. In mid-2025 Duolingo replaced Hearts with Energy on most mobile accounts. Here is how it works:
- You start the day with about 25 Energy.
- Every exercise costs one Energy, whether you get it right or wrong. This is the key difference from Hearts, which only punished mistakes.
- When Energy runs out, you stop. You can refill it by watching an ad, spending gems, or waiting until the next day.
- In practice, 25 Energy covers roughly two to three lessons a day for most free mobile users.
Two things to know. First, the rollout is staggered, so some accounts still use Hearts. If your app still shows Hearts, you have the older system, and only mistakes cost you. Second, Super removes the limit entirely: Super subscribers get unlimited Energy on mobile.
If you do not want to pay, you have three workarounds: study on the website, where there is no Energy limit; keep your sessions short and do your main study on the web; or use your daily Energy for new lessons and do reviews on the website.
Key Features of the Duolingo App
Offline mode
Super subscribers can download lessons and study without an internet connection. This is genuinely useful on flights, commutes, and anywhere with weak signal. Download the lessons while you have Wi-Fi, then open the app offline and work through them. Progress syncs when you reconnect. Free users do not get offline lessons.
Practice Hub
The Practice Hub is a review area that re-tests words and grammar you have already covered, including your mistakes. It is free for all learners since February 18, 2026, on both the app and the web. Use it regularly: reviewing old material is what moves words into long-term memory.
Explain My Answer
When an answer surprises you, tap Explain My Answer for an AI-written explanation of why it was right or wrong. This used to be a Max-only feature, but it has been free for everyone since January 1, 2026.
Stories and Podcasts
Stories are short dialogues you read and listen to, with questions at the end. They are available in some languages, including Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese. Duolingo Podcasts offer real stories in Spanish and French for intermediate learners.
Video Call and Roleplay
Video Call is a conversation with Lily, an AI character, to practise speaking without the pressure of a real person. Roleplay is guided conversation practice in everyday situations. Both were Max features and were app-only from the start. Following the November 2026 announcement that Max is being discontinued, unlimited Video Call is moving to all Super subscribers by the end of 2026. Roleplay’s move to Super has not been confirmed, so check your app to see whether it is available to you.
Leagues and Friends Quests
Every week the app places you in a league of about 30 learners at a similar activity level, ranked by XP. Top finishers are promoted, bottom finishers are demoted. Friends Quests are weekly team challenges where you and a friend work toward a shared XP goal together.
Widgets
Duolingo offers home-screen widgets on iOS and Android that show your streak, your daily goal, or a reminder to practise. They are small but effective: seeing your streak on your home screen is often the nudge that gets a lesson done. Add one from your phone’s widget menu by searching for Duolingo. Exact widget options vary by phone and app version, so what you see may differ slightly from what a friend sees.
Settings Worth Changing
Five settings make the app noticeably better:
- Daily goal: set it to something you can actually do every day, such as 10 XP. A goal you hit daily beats an ambitious goal you abandon.
- Speaking exercises: turn them off if you study on public transport or at work, and turn them back on when you can speak out loud. Speaking practice matters, but only if you actually do it.
- Listening exercises: keep these on. Listening is one of the most useful skills the app builds.
- Notifications: keep the daily reminder on, but turn off the rest if they annoy you. One reminder a day is enough; ten are not.
- Motivational messages: if Duo’s notifications feel pushy rather than helpful, turn them down. The app should serve your habit, not stress you out.
Free vs Super in the App
| Feature | Free app | Super app |
|---|---|---|
| Lessons and courses | All included | All included |
| Energy | About 25 a day | Unlimited |
| Ads | Between lessons | None |
| Offline lessons | No | Yes |
| Streak Repair | No | Once a month |
| Video Call | No | Unlimited by end of 2026 |
| Price (US) | Free | About $12.99 to $13.99 a month, or about $83.99 to $119.99 a year |
Super is worth it if you study on your phone every day, keep hitting the Energy wall, hate ads, or need offline lessons. It is not worth it if you study for a few minutes a day or mostly on the website, because the lessons are identical. Duolingo publishes no official price list, so check the price shown in your own app before paying.
Common App Problems and Quick Fixes
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| App will not load or crashes | Force-close and reopen it, check for an app update, restart your phone. Check status.duolingo.com to see if Duolingo itself is down. |
| Out of Energy | Wait until tomorrow, watch an ad, spend gems, or switch to the website, which has no Energy limit. |
| Progress looks missing | You are probably logged in with a different method. Log out and log back in with the same email, Google, Apple, or Facebook account you signed up with. |
| No sound in lessons | Check your phone’s volume and silent mode, then check listening exercises are turned on in Duolingo settings. |
| Streak lost | Use a Streak Freeze before it happens, or Streak Repair if you have Super. A lost streak cannot be bought back afterwards. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Duolingo app free?
Yes. The app is free to download and all courses are free. Free users see ads and are limited by the Energy system on mobile. Super removes those limits.
What is the difference between the Duolingo app and the website?
The lessons and your progress are the same. The app has the Energy limit, offline downloads, widgets, and app-only features such as Video Call. The website has no Energy limit and is better for long study sessions.
How much Energy do you get per day?
About 25 Energy a day on most mobile accounts, with each exercise costing one unit. Some accounts still use the older Hearts system instead.
Can I use Duolingo offline?
Yes, with Super. Download lessons while you have Wi-Fi, then study without a connection. Free users need an internet connection.
Does Duolingo have widgets?
Yes, on iOS and Android. You can add a Duolingo widget to your home screen to see your streak and daily goal. Options vary by phone and app version.
Can I turn off speaking exercises?
Yes, in settings. Turn them off when you study somewhere quiet, and back on when you can speak aloud.
Bottom line: the Duolingo app is the easiest way to build a daily language habit: short lessons, reminders, streaks, and everything in your pocket. Its main limit is the Energy system on mobile, and the fix is either Super or the website. Use the app for daily practice, the website for long sessions, and Practice Hub for review, and the app will carry you a long way.
