Learning a language? Duolingo’s got two premium plans: Max and Super. Both level up your skills, but Max brings AI to the table. Let’s look at what each offers, so you can pick the right fit for your goals and wallet.
Duolingo Super: Features and Benefits
Duolingo offers free language learning, but its premium plans pack extra punch. Let’s dive into the two options:
Ad-Free Learning Experience
Nothing kills the learning vibe like pesky ads. Duolingo Super wipes them out, letting you focus on mastering new words and phrases without interruptions. It’s like having a clear path to fluency, free from distracting billboards.
Unlimited Hearts
Made a mistake? No worries! With Super, you get unlimited hearts. This feature encourages you to take risks and learn from errors without fear of running out of lives. It’s like having a safety net while walking the language tightrope.
Mistake Review
We all slip up sometimes. Super’s mistake review feature turns those oops moments into golden learning opportunities. It creates personalized lessons based on your errors, helping you iron out the kinks in your language skills.
Legendary Level Challenges
For the competitive spirits out there, Super unlocks unlimited attempts at Legendary challenges. These tough tests push your skills to the limit, earning you bragging rights and that shiny Legendary trophy.
Duolingo Max: The Next Level of Language Learning
All Super Features Included
Max doesn’t skimp on the good stuff. It includes all of Super’s perks, from ad-free learning to unlimited hearts. But that’s just the beginning.
GPT-4 Powered Innovations
Here’s where Max really flexes its muscles. It harnesses the power of OpenAI’s GPT-4, the latest in AI language technology. This cutting-edge integration opens doors to more natural and adaptive learning experiences.
Explain My Answer Feature
Ever wondered why your answer was right or wrong? Max’s “Explain My Answer” feature is like having a patient tutor at your fingertips. It breaks down the grammar, vocabulary, and context of your responses, helping you grasp the nitty-gritty of language structure.
Roleplay Conversations
Practice makes perfect, especially in language learning. Max’s roleplay feature lets you engage in lifelike conversations with AI characters. Order coffee in Paris, plan a vacation, or go shopping – all without the anxiety of real-world interactions. It’s a safe space to build confidence and fluency.
Pricing Comparison: Duolingo Max vs Super
Monthly and Annual Subscription Costs
Let’s talk numbers. As of 2024, Duolingo Super starts at $6.99 per month in the US when billed annually. Max, being the premium option, comes in at $14 per month on an annual plan.
For those who prefer flexibility, monthly plans are available. Super costs $12.99 per month, while Max will set you back $30 monthly.
Family Plan Options
Both plans offer family options. Super’s family plan covers up to 6 users for $119.99 annually. Max steps it up with a $299.99 yearly family plan. It’s a bit pricier, but remember – you’re getting those AI-powered features for the whole crew.
Availability and Accessibility
Supported Languages and Platforms
Currently, Max’s special features are limited to Spanish and French courses for English speakers. It’s also only available on iOS devices. Super, on the other hand, works across all of Duolingo’s language courses and platforms.
Regional Availability
Max is rolling out gradually. As of now, it’s available in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Super enjoys a wider release, accessible in most countries where Duolingo operates.
Pros and Cons of Duolingo Max
Advantages of Advanced AI Features
Max’s AI-powered tools offer a more personalized and interactive learning experience. The Explain My Answer feature provides in-depth understanding, while Roleplay conversations build real-world language skills. It’s like having a language tutor and conversation partner rolled into one app.
Potential Drawbacks and Limitations
The main drawbacks of Max are its limited language offerings and platform availability. It’s also significantly pricier than Super, which might be a hurdle for some learners. The advanced features, while impressive, might be overwhelming for absolute beginners.
Pros and Cons of Duolingo Super
Benefits for Regular Duolingo Users
Super removes the friction from the free Duolingo experience. No ads, unlimited hearts, and mistake reviews make for smoother, more enjoyable learning sessions. It’s great for consistent learners who want to progress without interruptions.
Areas Where Super Falls Short
While Super offers a solid upgrade from the free version, it lacks the advanced AI features of Max. For learners craving more in-depth explanations or conversation practice, Super might feel a bit basic in comparison.
User Experience: Max vs Super
Learning Efficiency and Engagement
Both Max and Super boost learning efficiency by removing ads and the heart system. However, Max takes engagement to another level with its AI features. The Roleplay conversations, in particular, offer a more immersive and practical learning experience.
Personalization and Adaptability
Max shines in personalization. Its Explain My Answer feature adapts to your specific mistakes and questions, providing tailored explanations. Super offers some personalization through mistake reviews, but it’s not as advanced or responsive as Max’s AI-driven system.
Who Should Choose Duolingo Max?
Ideal User Profiles for Max
Max is perfect for serious language learners who want to dive deep into grammar and conversation skills. It’s great for:
- Intermediate to advanced learners looking to fine-tune their skills
- People preparing for real-world language use (travel, work, etc.)
- Learners who enjoy technology and AI-driven experiences
- Those who can afford the higher price tag for premium features
Who Should Stick with Duolingo Super?
When Super Is the Better Choice
Super is an excellent choice for many language enthusiasts. It’s ideal for:
- Casual learners who want an ad-free experience
- Beginners who might be overwhelmed by Max’s advanced features
- Users learning languages not yet supported by Max
- Budget-conscious learners who still want premium perks
Future of AI in Language Learning
Duolingo’s Vision with GPT-4 Integration
Duolingo’s partnership with OpenAI and the integration of GPT-4 in Max hint at an exciting future for language learning. We might see more natural language processing, adaptive learning paths, and even more realistic conversation practice.
As AI technology evolves, we can expect Duolingo to roll out more features that make language learning more efficient and enjoyable. The line between app-based learning and real-world language use may continue to blur, offering learners unprecedented opportunities to practice and improve.
Conclusion: Choosing Between Duolingo Max and Super
Choosing between Duolingo Max and Super depends on what you need. Max is best for serious Spanish or French learners who want AI help. Super is good for other languages or if you just want no ads and unlimited hearts.
The free version can work too. What matters most is using Duolingo often, no matter which plan you pick. Learning a new language is great, and tools like Max and Super make it easier than before.
For dutch people there is only the option to learn spanish with a english or german version why?? Not a dutch version?
Hey Anna! Great question—and a common frustration.
Right now, Duolingo builds its courses based on demand and resources. Unfortunately, not all language pairs are supported yet, and Dutch-to-Spanish is one of them. They tend to prioritize more widely used combinations (like English to Spanish or German to Spanish) first.
That said, Duolingo has slowly been adding more language pairings over time. Hopefully, a Dutch-Spanish version will come in the future—but no official timeline yet.
In the meantime, if you’re comfortable enough, learning Spanish via English might actually help reinforce both languages at once. Not ideal, but it’s a good workaround for now!
Hello! Hopefully this is not a duplicate. It’s sort of kicked me out. I love languages and always have since college. And I have a great knack for them.
I want to get your max program, but is it possible to learn a language within six months? Especially, languages where you have no one to talk to.
I have been learning with your program often on for quite a number of years and really want to solidify and become fluent in a couple of languages, which seems really hard to do.
Any suggestions or thoughts on this? And when I say hard to do I mean the engagement part when you don’t have that you can lose it very quickly. Though I have Spanish friends and have since a child, I don’t speak to them in Spanish unless it’s for fun. But I retained so much of it since college.
Anyway, I am going off on a tangent, would love to know your thoughts. Thank you.
Hey Eileen! Thanks so much for sharing your story—your passion for languages really comes through.
To your main question: yes, it is possible to make serious progress in six months, especially with consistent practice and the right tools. You may not be fully fluent, but you can definitely reach a conversational level, especially in languages like Spanish that share roots with English.
Max can really help here—it gives you grammar breakdowns and interactive roleplays, which mimic real conversations. That’s super valuable when you don’t have people around to practice with daily. Since you’ve already got a strong base, Max could be just the thing to help you lock in that knowledge and push past plateaus.
Also, try speaking more Spanish with your friends! Even for fun—it’s real practice and builds confidence.
Keep at it—you’ve already got the love for languages, and that’s half the battle.
I’ve emailed Duolingo multiple times because my paid perscription was not activated, even though I paid in full in January 2024. I have received no response. Because of this I am not inclined to purchase the app for my future learning. It’s been frustrating. Y’all need to improve your customer service.
Hi Jessica,
I’m really sorry to hear about the trouble with your subscription and the lack of response—that sounds super frustrating. Unfortunately, Duolingo’s customer support can sometimes be slow, especially with high demand.
Here’s what I’d recommend:
* Double-check your payment confirmation and make sure you’re logged into the correct Duolingo account.
* Try reaching out again via their official support page or through social media channels like Twitter—they sometimes respond faster there.
* If possible, you might want to contact your payment provider to see if the charge went through properly or if a refund is possible.
I hope this gets sorted out quickly so you can get back to learning without hassle!
This article frequently mentions that “Max is better because it has AI”. Without explaining what the AI does, how and why?
The biggest question is… even if Max is better than Super, is it double the price better or just fractionally better?
Why should I pay twice the price for this AI, whatever it is?
Hey Ben—here’s the TL;DR:
What the AI does: Max uses GPT-4 to give instant grammar/vocab breakdowns (“Explain My Answer”) and real-time, free-form chat practice (“Roleplay Conversations”).
Why it matters: You get on-the-spot tutoring and natural dialogue, not just fixed drills.
Is it worth double the cost?
Casual/Beginners: Probably not—you’ll get 80–90% of your progress with Super’s ad-free lessons and mistake reviews.
Serious/Intermediate+ Learners: Yes—if you want deep explanations and realistic practice that replaces a paid tutor, Max can save you time and accelerate your fluency.
Hi Thank you for your posts, you work very hard.
I was wondering if you know if Duolingo max, also Discriminates against disabled users, and people with disabilities? like Duo & Duo super both do.
Ever since Duo was first created, and ten years later, no update at all, has any large fonts settings, or options for people who need to be able to see the screen more clearly.
Every version update, also uses colours, which cause pain to users, for example, in dark mode, they use dark grey, which can’t be seen, unless you turn the brightness up, which defeats the reason to use dark mode, to protect your eyes from damage.
Learning Chinese & Japanese, for example, it’s EXTREMELY important, to be able to clearly see the characters, to be able to learn, these highly difficult languages, and it simply can’t be done properly, on Duolingo, like it can on other apps, which do have fonts settings.
Duo also has the match game with a timer, that disabled people, have no chance of completing, without using tons of credits, to buy boosts, and the boosts cost a lot more credits to buy, for one lesson, than you can even earn in a month. Which makes it totally unfair, and also discriminates.
So do you please know, if Max doesn’t discriminate?, or if Duolingo company, will ever support, or care about the Billion plus people, in the world, with visual problems and physical disabilities.
Thank you for your great posts and information.
Hey Seb, I totally hear you—accessibility is huge, especially for scripts like Chinese and Japanese. Right now, Max doesn’t add any extra font-size or color-contrast settings beyond what Super and the free app offer. Duolingo does have an accessibility page (you can find it in their Help Center) where they say they’re “committed” to making improvements, but concrete updates—like adjustable font sizes or better dark-mode contrast—haven’t rolled out yet.
A few workarounds some folks use:
System-level zoom on iOS/Android to enlarge everything.
High-contrast display or inverted colors in your device settings.
These aren’t perfect, I know, but they can help until Duolingo builds in more options. I’d also recommend sending feedback directly through the app’s “Report a bug or suggest improvements” form—user voices really do steer product priorities. Hopefully they’ll roll out better accessibility features soon!
I have already paid an anual plan for Super Family . Can I change to Max Family and pay only the difference between both plans?
How can I do it?
And : is Max working for English speakers who are learning Italian?
Hey Jacson—unfortunately you can’t just “upgrade and pay the difference” automatically. You’d need to cancel your Super Family plan (ask Duolingo support for a prorated refund) then subscribe to Max Family at the full rate. And nope, Max’s AI features still only support Spanish and French for English speakers—Italian isn’t in the mix yet.
Hi Jovie. I’m currently in Philippines and will take my boat to Japan in 2-4 weeks. Depending on weather. I will down 14 months in Japan cruising around exploring. I want to be able to speak Japanese to carry out basic functions and progress to having conversations in Japanese by the second 6 months. Which plan do you suggest?
Hi Margaret! That sounds like an amazing adventure—cruising to Japan and living on a boat for over a year!
Since you’re focused on Japanese and Duolingo Max’s AI perks are only available for Spanish and French right now, you won’t be able to get Max for Japanese. I’d recommend:
Duolingo Super:
Removes ads and gives you unlimited hearts, so you can practice everyday phrases and kanji drills without interruption.
The Mistake Review tool helps reinforce those tricky particles and characters early on.
Supplement with conversation practice:
In your first 2–4 weeks (while you’re still en route), lean heavily on Duolingo Super’s core lessons to build a solid foundation—basic greetings, numbers, directions, etc.
Once you arrive in Japan and in months 3–6, mix in free language‐exchange apps (like Tandem or HelloTalk) or local Duolingo Events to start speaking with real people.
If and when Duolingo rolls Max out for Japanese, you can consider switching for the “Explain My Answer” and AI role-plays. But to hit your goal of basic functions quickly—and move into conversations by month six—Super plus some live practice will get you there. Enjoy your journey and safe travels!
Hi Jovie,
Question:
I currently have a Super Family Plan ending in May but would like to switch to Max Individual now… Is that possible?
ps I know this is a “comments” section but can’t find a way to get an answer to my question… 🙁
Hi Patrice! You can’t directly swap a Super Family plan into a Max Individual mid-term, but it’s pretty simple:
Cancel your Super Family before it renews (head to Account → Settings → Manage Subscription).
Once your Family plan expires at the end of May, sign up for the Max Individual plan right away.
If you’d rather start Max today, you can cancel the Family plan now, request a prorated refund from Duolingo support for the unused portion, then grab the Max Individual plan immediately.
Hope that helps—enjoy Max when you’re ready!
I am currently using the super Duolingo program and paid the annual fee for it. As I am now a year into the program if I were to upgrade to the max, what would my new cost be and is there any carryover credit from the super that I’m registered for now?
Great question! If you’re currently on Super Duolingo and considering upgrading to Duolingo Max, here’s how it typically works:
Upgrade Process: When you upgrade to Max, you’ll pay the full price for the new subscription. However, Duolingo usually provides a refund or credit for the unused portion of your Super subscription. This credit is typically applied to your account shortly after the upgrade.
Reddit
Cost Details: As of 2025, the annual cost for Duolingo Max is $168. If you’re on a Super annual plan, which costs around $84, and you have, say, six months remaining, you might expect a credit of approximately $42, reducing your effective upgrade cost.
Please note that the exact refund or credit amount can vary based on factors like your payment method and region. It’s a good idea to check your subscription details in the app or contact Duolingo support for precise information regarding your account.
Let me know if you need assistance with the upgrade steps or have any other questions!
Great comparison! I appreciate the detailed breakdown of features and pricing between Duolingo Max and Super. It really helps in deciding which one offers better value based on individual learning needs. Looking forward to more insights like this!
A friend and I are currently sharing the cost of Super Duolongo. She does Italian and is more advanced than me. I learn French. I understand Max is not yet available for Italian. But do you have plans to roll this out? Super is sufficient for my needs for now. Would there be an option in future for a family type plan if she was on Max and I remained on Super?
Hi Katherine, thanks for your thoughtful question! You’re absolutely right — as of now, Duolingo Max’s advanced features (like Roleplay and Explain My Answer) are only available for Spanish and French courses on iOS. There’s no official timeline yet for when Max will expand to other languages like Italian, but Duolingo has hinted they’re working on it as demand grows.
As for mixing Super and Max on a shared or family plan — currently, Duolingo doesn’t allow users on the same plan to be on different tiers. So if you upgraded to Max, everyone on the family plan would also be on Max by default. Hopefully in the future they’ll add more flexibility, especially for users like you who have different learning needs. For now, sticking with Super sounds like the right call for you. Thanks again for stopping by!
Great comparison! I love how you broke down the features and pricing of both Duolingo Max and Super. It really helped me decide which one fits my learning style better. Looking forward to more posts like this!
Great breakdown of Duolingo Max and Super! I appreciate the detailed comparison of features and pricing. It really helps in deciding which subscription offers the best value for my language-learning goals. I’m leaning towards Max for the personalized coaching!