GoKawiilMatt Horne / Android Authority
I quite like Duolingo, which seems an unfashionable thing to say in 2026. It may have been a trailblazer in language-learning apps, but, at best, it divides opinion these days. I certainly can’t blame anyone who has given up on the app. There are various reasons to dislike what it has become, or its limitations as a tool. I’m also considering my options because the list of solid Duolingo alternatives is growing fast, but I’m a loyal customer and resistant to change. I also think Duolingo does a lot of things right, and with a handful of changes, it could reclaim its language-learning crown.
What's the best change that Duolingo could make? 5 votes Offer more incentives for progression 20 % Close the cheat loopholes 20 % Regional language and slang 0 % Add a Vacation Mode 0 % Go back to the hearts system 0 % More real-world context 20 % Interactive AI feedback 0 % Phonetic pronunciations 20 % Other (tell us in comments) 20 %
I’m not talking about crazy benevolence like making the entire app free for everyone — you might as well hope Duo will do your taxes for you. Let’s be realistic and take the obvious stuff as read. But after years of defending the app and building a 1,125-day Duolingo streak, here are the changes I’d ideally like to see.
More incentives for progression
Matt Horne / Android Authority
Love it or hate it, there’s a very good reason that Duolingo is so gamified. Everything from the gems and leaderboards to the silly characters and the zingy noises is meant to lure you in. That’s enough to put plenty of people off, but I choose to embrace it. I’m happy to yield to an addictive app — that is, as long as I’m learning. I like competing against others and building my streak, but I can only justify it to myself while my Spanish is improving. The problem is that Duolingo gives you too many ways to pretend you’re learning.
One example I always fall back on is Match Madness, where you have to match words in two languages against the clock. If you get very good at this, you can earn points and fly up the leaderboard way faster than if you go through the standard lessons. I’m a beast at it by now, but that’s not much of a boast because I’m barely learning anything. I can beat the top levels while my mind wanders and takes in almost nothing. It’s bilingual whack-a-mole. Still, if I need an extra 500 points on a Sunday to win the league and I’ve had a long day, this is where I’m headed.
By all means, have these side-shows, Duo, but let’s make doing lessons the focus.
Close the cheat loopholes
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