Duolingo's free tier is one of the most generous in language learning. You get every language, every lesson, unlimited. If you're paying for Super and not using the perks, here's how to stop.
What you're actually paying for
Before you cancel, know what changes. The free tier still lets you learn any of Duolingo's 40+ languages with unlimited lessons. What you lose with Super:
- Ad-free experience (you'll see ads between lessons again)
- Unlimited hearts (mistakes will cost you hearts on mobile)
- Offline lessons
- Progress quizzes and mistake review
That's it. Your streak, your progress, your completed lessons: all stay exactly where they are.
Pro tip: Duolingo's web version (duolingo.com) has no hearts system at all. If you mostly learn at a desk, switch to the browser and you'll barely notice the difference.
How to cancel
The cancel method depends on where you originally subscribed. Deleting the app does not cancel your subscription.
Subscribed on the web
- Sign in at duolingo.com
- Click your profile picture (top of screen) > Settings
- Select Super Duolingo from the sidebar
- Click Cancel subscription and confirm
Subscribed through Apple (iPhone/iPad)
- Open Settings on your device > tap your name > Subscriptions
- Find Duolingo > Cancel Subscription
Subscribed through Google Play (Android)
- Open the Google Play Store app
- Tap your profile icon > Payments & subscriptions > Subscriptions
- Find Duolingo > Cancel subscription
You keep Super features until the end of your current billing period. No prorated refunds.
Your account reverts to Duolingo Free. Your streak, XP, completed lessons, and learning progress are all preserved. You keep access to every language course. You lose: ad-free lessons, unlimited hearts (on mobile), offline access, progress quizzes, and mistake review. You can resubscribe at any time.
Current pricing
Duolingo bills in USD. Approximate AUD conversions below:
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | AUD approx. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Super | $12.99 USD/mo | $59.99 USD/yr | |
| Max | $14 USD/mo | $168 USD/yr | ~$269 AUD/yr |
| Family (up to 6) | — | $174.99 AUD/yr | $174.99 AUD/yr |
If you're on the monthly Super plan, you're paying roughly $21 AUD/month. The annual plan drops that to about $8. Worth knowing if you decide to stay.
The guilt trip
Duolingo is famous for emotional manipulation. Miss a day and the owl starts looking sad. Miss a few days and you'll get push notifications like "You made Duo sad" and emails with subject lines designed to trigger guilt. By day four, the app icon itself can change to show a distressed owl with dark circles and bandages. This is a deliberate retention strategy. Duolingo has publicly said these guilt-based notifications are 5-8% more effective at getting users to open the app.
It's an owl. It's a cartoon. It will recover. If the notifications bother you, turn them off in your phone's notification settings before (or after) you cancel.
The cancellation process itself is clean. No retention screens, no discount offers, no phone calls. You click cancel and it's done. The guilt trip is in the marketing, not the cancel flow.
Do you actually need Super?
For most casual learners: no. The free tier covers everything you need to learn a language. Super is worth it if you're doing daily lessons on mobile and the hearts system genuinely stops your progress, or if ads between every lesson frustrate you enough to pay $8/month (annual) to remove them.
If you're unsure, cancel and try the free tier for a month. You can always resubscribe.
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See what you're paying forChris Raad
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