How Duolingo Users Are Shaping the Future of Personalized Learning
Originally published June 30, 2025
Today in our EdTech Product Highlight, we're going to take on one of the hottest (hootest?) apps in the industry.
Duolingo stands as a global leader in EdTech, with over 500 million registered users and more than 100 million monthly active users as of 2025. Its reach is massive—if Duolingo’s user base were a country, it would be the third largest in the world. But with such a diverse audience, user feedback is crucial for shaping the next generation of personalized learning experiences.
Mobile screen with the DuoLingo splash page showing
What Users Love About Duolingo
Gamification works: Nearly 8 million learners have kept a streak of 365 days or more (Including me, boasting a 564-day streak as of this writing), showing how features like streaks and XP points motivate long-term engagement.
The microinteractions are fire! Being in the app daily, I see the newest microinteractions on almost a daily basis. They are so fun, and so engaging... they always bring a smile to my face each time I see something new!
High engagement: Users complete over 7 billion exercises per month, and about 40% report being able to have a basic conversation in their target language after just 30 hours of practice.
Global accessibility: The app offers over 100 courses in 41 languages, making learning possible for children and adults worldwide.
What Users Want: Requests for Personalization
Despite its strengths, users are vocal about what could make Duolingo better for them and their children.
1. Adaptive Content for All Ages
“I wish Duolingo offered more advanced content for teens. My daughter outgrew the basics quickly and now finds the lessons repetitive.”
— Parent on Reddit
2. Practical, Contextual Lessons
“The sentences are sometimes silly or unrealistic. It would be great to have more real-life scenarios, especially ones kids might actually use at school or with friends.”
— User review, App Store
3. Customizable Learning Paths
“Let us choose what skills to focus on! Sometimes I want to practice just listening or speaking, but the app decides for me.”
— Duolingo Community Forum
4. Better Parental and Teacher Tools
Parents and teachers consistently express a desire for greater visibility and control over children’s learning journeys on Duolingo. While the app is designed for independent use, the involvement of adults can make a significant difference in motivation, consistency, and outcomes for young learners.
What Users Are Asking For
Progress Dashboards: Many parents and teachers want a clear, easy-to-read dashboard that summarizes a child’s progress. This includes metrics such as lessons completed, accuracy rates, time spent, and areas of strength or struggle.
“I want to see at a glance how my students are doing, not just if they logged in. Are they improving in listening? Where are they getting stuck?”
— Teacher, Duolingo Educator Forum
Skill Breakdown and Recommendations: Users are looking for more granular insights, such as which grammar topics or vocabulary sets need review. Personalized recommendations would help adults guide practice sessions more effectively.
“If I knew my son was struggling with verb tenses, I could help him practice just that. Right now, it’s hard to tell.”
— Parent, App Store review
Assignment and Goal Setting: Teachers, in particular, want to assign specific lessons or set custom goals for their students. This would allow for more targeted learning and ensure that classroom objectives align with app usage.
“It would be amazing if I could assign homework through Duolingo and track who completed it.”
— Language teacher, Twitter
Communication and Motivation Tools: Features like messaging, badges, or personalized encouragement could help adults keep children engaged and celebrate milestones together.
The Data Perspective
In a 2024 survey of 1,500 parents using EdTech apps with their children, 72% said they would use detailed progress reports if available.
Among teachers using Duolingo for Schools, 65% requested more robust assignment and tracking features.
Current State and Opportunities
Duolingo for Schools offers some classroom management tools, but these are not as robust or widely adopted as those found in specialized learning management systems. For families, parental controls and progress tracking are still limited.
Opportunities for Improvement:
Develop a comprehensive parent/teacher dashboard with actionable insights.
Allow adults to assign lessons, set custom goals, and receive notifications about milestones or challenges.
Integrate recommendations for offline activities or supplementary resources based on student performance.
Why This Matters
When parents and teachers are empowered with the right tools, they can provide timely support, encouragement, and intervention. This not only boosts learning outcomes but also builds confidence and independence in children.
The Data Behind the Feedback
User engagement is high: In Q1 2025, Duolingo reported 130 million monthly active users and 46.6 million daily active users.
Sentiment is mostly positive: In a recent 30-day period, Duolingo received 24,000 positive mentions and 14,000 negative mentions online. While most feedback is favorable, negative comments often focus on the need for more personalization and technical issues.
Growing subscriber base: Duolingo has over 10 million paid subscribers as of 2025, showing that users are willing to invest in premium features, many of which could be further personalized.
How Duolingo Is Responding
Duolingo is actively expanding its offerings, including new subjects like math and chess, and integrating AI-powered features to provide more tailored feedback. However, many users still seek:
More control over lesson content and review
Age-appropriate themes and vocabulary
Tools for parents and teachers to monitor and guide learning
Looking Ahead
Personalization remains a top priority for Duolingo’s diverse user base. As the platform continues to grow, listening to user feedback, especially from families and educators, will be essential for creating learning experiences that are both effective and engaging for every child.
What personalization features would you want to see in Duolingo? Share your thoughts below!
