Duolingo Max Review 2025: I Tested It for 2 Weeks (Honest Verdict + Better Alternatives)

Should you pay $168/year for Duolingo Max? I tested it for 2 weeks to find out if the AI conversation features are worth upgrading from regular Duolingo.

As someone who reviews French learning apps for French Together (where I'm a content writer), I was skeptical. Duolingo Max promises AI-powered conversation practice with features like "Video Call" and "Roleplay." But after thorough testing, I discovered some serious limitations that might make you reconsider.

Short answer: Duolingo Max is decent for intermediate learners wanting variety, but the AI conversations are short and scripted. If you need serious pronunciation feedback and longer conversations, French Together offers better AI conversation practice at a similar price ($174/year vs $168/year). Keep reading to see the detailed comparison.

Last updated: November 6, 2025

---

Quick Answer

Is Duolingo Max worth $168/year?

For intermediate learners who love Duolingo: Maybe. It adds AI conversations but they're short (2-3 exchanges) and iOS-only.

For serious conversation practice: No. Better options exist at similar prices:

• French Together ($174/year): Longer AI conversations (100 msg/day), pronunciation scoring, all devices
• Free Duolingo + AI chatbots: Costs $0, similar conversation depth

Key limitations: No pronunciation scoring, iOS-only, scripted conversations end quickly

Best alternative: French Together if you want structured conversation practice with pronunciation feedback

Verdict: Nice Duolingo upgrade, but not the best choice if speaking practice is your priority.

---

Duolingo Max Overview

So, what exactly is Duolingo Max?

Well, here's the twist: it's not a brand-new app, but rather an upgraded subscription plan that takes your language-learning experience to the next level. Think of it as a premium tier that sits above the already popular Super Duolingo. If you've been using Duolingo for a while, you're probably familiar with its regular free version and the premium options like Super Duolingo, but Duolingo Max steps things up by offering even more advanced features designed to supercharge your learning. It's the perfect fit for those who are looking to improve their speaking skills without having to switch to a whole new app.

Quick Comparison: Should You Upgrade to Duolingo Max?

Before diving into features, here's how Duolingo Max compares to alternatives:

Feature	Free Duolingo	Super Duolingo	Duolingo Max	French Together
Price/year	Free	$60	$168	$174
AI Conversations	❌	❌	✅ Limited (2-3 exchanges)	✅ Extensive (100 msg/day)
Pronunciation Feedback	Basic	Basic	❌ No scoring	✅ AI scoring on every word
Conversation Length	N/A	N/A	~30 seconds	You control length
Structured Lessons	✅	✅	✅	✅ 90 lessons (A1-A2)
Audio Speed Control	❌	❌	❌	✅ Slow + natural
Available on	All devices	All devices	iOS only	All devices

My honest take: Duolingo Max is best for learners who love Duolingo's gamification and want a little extra speaking practice. But if AI conversation is your priority, French Together offers more conversation time and actual pronunciation scoring at nearly the same price.

→ Try French Together free for 7 days (no iOS required, works on any device)

What sets Duolingo Max apart from the other subscription options?

While Duolingo Max includes all the perks of Super Duolingo, it goes a few steps further by adding three main features: Explain My Mistake/Answer, Video Call, and Roleplay. These aren't just any regular features, they're powered by cutting-edge AI, specifically GPT-4, which brings a whole new level of interactivity and personalization to your learning experience.

Explain My Mistake/Answer

_ Explain My _ Mistake/Answer gives you the ability to dive deeper into your responses, offering detailed explanations for why certain answers are correct or incorrect. This feature helps clarify tricky grammar points or vocabulary choices, making your learning journey feel more like a personalized tutoring session.

After each question, you'll have the option to get an explanation of your mistakes or answers. Additionally, you can revisit the "Mistakes" section at any time to go over your recent errors, where this option will also appear as you review them or you can go to the Duolingo Max home page and select "Explain My Answer".

Video Call

Video Call is one of the new Duolingo features that allows you to engage in a conversation with Lily, a Duolingo character. It is designed to help you practice speaking. Instead of just listening or repeating phrases, you can have an actual back-and-forth dialogue with her, simulating a real-life conversation. By interacting with Lily, you can practice forming sentences, responding to questions, and understanding context (skills that are crucial for having conversations with real people).

After the call with Lily ends, you have the opportunity to review the entire conversation. You can also listen to the audio of her messages, allowing you to assess how everything was communicated and how the tone and delivery of her words sound. This gives you the chance to reflect on the discussion and ensure you fully understand the nuances of her speech.

Roleplay

_ Roleplay _ takes language practice to the next level by simulating everyday situations. Whether you're ordering coffee at a café or introducing yourself to your new classmate at school, this feature lets you practice speaking and responding in various scenarios, all powered by GPT-4's natural language processing.

Roleplay is similar to a video call in that it allows you to engage in a conversation with Lily but with the added flexibility of both audio and chat options for your responses. This feature enables you to choose how you'd like to communicate, whether by speaking or typing. Another key difference between Roleplay and the Video Call feature is that in Roleplay, you can read Lily's messages in text form, which allows you to follow along with the conversation more easily.

Additionally, translation options are available, so you can quickly understand the meaning of words or phrases you might not be familiar with. This is in contrast to the Video Call, where you can only hear Lily's voice, making it harder to keep track of what's being said or to reference anything that's unclear.

After completing the roleplay session, you'll be given an opportunity to review feedback on your performance. This feedback includes helpful corrections and suggestions on how to improve sentence structure, offering you valuable guidance on how to enhance your communication skills for future interactions.

What languages are available?

Duolingo Max doesn't provide access to every language for all users. For instance, if you're a Spanish speaker, your language options are currently limited to learning English. On the other hand, if you're an English speaker, you can choose to learn from the following languages:

• French
• Italian
• Spanish
• German
• Portuguese
• Japanese

While these are the available language options at the moment, Duolingo may expand its courses in the near future, adding more languages to its platform for users to choose from.

Pricing

The pricing for Duolingo Max differs depending on your location. For example, in the UK, the cost for an Individual annual subscription is £119.99 , while the Family plan is priced at £179.99 per year. In the US, the Individual plan costs $168 annually , and the Family plan is available for $200 a year. I noticed that there wasn't an option for a monthly plan, which was a bit surprising!

I'm not sure if it's a bug or if it has to do with my location but according to other users, the monthly cost for an Individual plan is £19.99 in the UK, and $29.99 in the US. To get the most accurate pricing, it's best to check directly within the Duolingo app, as prices may vary based on your location.

To view the pricing and upgrade options, you'll need to use an iOS device. Additionally, you must already be subscribed to the Super Duolingo plan, as the option to upgrade to Duolingo Max will only appear for users who are not on the free version of the app. If you are using the free version, you will not see the option to upgrade to Duolingo Max.

Some users mention there's no free trial, but when I subscribed to Duolingo Max, I actually got a 7-day free trial. It might depend on the promotion or offer available at the time.

The Good Stuff

• I like that Duolingo Max helps reinforce learning by reminding you of key takeaways from previous roleplay scenarios. When you revisit the same scenario, a message pops up highlighting any mistakes or areas you struggled with last time, ensuring continuous improvement.

• During roleplay exercises, you can reply in English, and your response will be automatically translated into the target language you're learning. I think it's super helpful for those intermediate learners who want to practice speaking as this reduces stress and helps you focus on understanding language structure and vocabulary.

• The app is very simple to navigate, allowing you to switch between lessons, roleplay scenarios, and other features without any confusion. Its intuitive design makes it accessible for learners of all levels.

• I have not encountered any glitches while using the app, which is surprising, as most apps tend to have occasional technical issues or bugs.

What's Not So Good

Limited Conversation Depth

I've noticed something frustrating with the Roleplays and Video Calls: whether you stay on topic or not, conversations with Lily always end after just 2-3 exchanges. You don't get much chance to extend the dialogue or practice more complex interactions.

Example: When I tried asking Lily something off-topic during a Video Call to test the AI's flexibility, she gave a generic answer and immediately redirected me back to the script. The conversation felt rigid and programmed.

Here's the transcription of our conversation from the review page. I've added the English translation since it's not provided in the review:

[Conversation screenshot showing brief exchange]

Why this matters: Real conversation practice needs flexibility. If you're paying $168/year specifically for AI conversation features, you want more than 30 seconds of scripted dialogue.

---

💡 If conversation practice is your priority: Apps designed specifically for speaking (like French Together's AI Speaking Partner or standalone chatbots) offer longer, more flexible conversations. French Together gives you 100 messages/day with no script, so you control how long each conversation lasts.

→ Compare conversation features (7-day free trial)

---

Minimal Response Depth

Lily's responses are quite short in both Roleplays and Video Calls, which limits your ability to practice complex sentence structures or get detailed feedback.

Real example I tested: I asked (in French): "J'ai étudié dur, mais j'échoue toujours à mes examens. Que dois-je faire?" ("I studied hard, but I always fail my exams. What should I do?")

Lily's response was brief and generic. When I tested the same question in other conversation apps, I received detailed suggestions and follow-up questions that felt more like talking to a real person.

Just to give you an idea, I tried out the roleplay feature on both apps and asked the same question in French. In the first screenshot, you'll see how brief Lily's answers are. But in the second one, it feels like a real person is responding, giving me actual suggestions on how to improve and solve the problem.

For comparison: Conversation-focused apps typically provide 3-5 sentence responses with follow-up questions, helping you practice more natural back-and-forth dialogue.

No Pronunciation Scoring

This was my biggest disappointment. While Duolingo Max lets you speak, it doesn't score your pronunciation or tell you which specific words you're pronouncing incorrectly.

What I expected: Real-time feedback on pronunciation accuracy
What you get: The AI recognizes if you said something vaguely correct, but no feedback on how well you said it

Why this matters for French: French pronunciation is notoriously difficult. Without specific feedback, you might be reinforcing bad pronunciation habits.

---

💡 Need pronunciation feedback? Apps with AI pronunciation scoring (like French Together or Elsa Speak) give you a score on each word, showing exactly which sounds need work. This is critical for French learners since pronunciation differs significantly from spelling.

→ See how AI pronunciation scoring works (free 7-day trial)

---

Limited Character Variety

Also, it would have been nice if there were another Duolingo character (not that I dislike Lily, she's fine) to chat with during Video Calls and Roleplays. Since Lily is a female character, it would add some variety to have a male character as well. It could help diversify the interactions and give users the chance to practice conversations with different types of voices and personalities. Having a mix of characters could make the experience feel more dynamic and realistic, especially if you want to simulate different types of real-world conversations. It's a small addition, but it could make the learning process more engaging and well-rounded.

iOS-Only Availability

It's only available on iOS devices. If you're using the Android or web version of Duolingo, you won't be able to upgrade to Duolingo Max.

Why this is frustrating: You might start on iOS, then switch devices and lose access to features you're paying for.

The Verdict: Is Duolingo Max Worth $168/Year?

After 2 weeks of testing, here's my honest recommendation based on your learning goals:

✅ Duolingo Max IS Worth It If You:

• Already love Duolingo and want a little extra speaking practice
• Are intermediate level (A2-B1) and bored with standard lessons
• Have an iOS device and plan to keep using it
• Value gamification over intensive conversation practice
• Want variety in your existing Duolingo routine

Bottom line: Duolingo Max is a nice upgrade to Duolingo, not a conversation practice app.

❌ Duolingo Max ISN'T Worth It If You:

• Need serious pronunciation feedback (it doesn't score your pronunciation)
• Want longer AI conversations (exchanges are limited to 2-3 back-and-forth)
• Use Android or web (not available on those platforms)
• Are advanced (conversations feel too scripted and basic)
• Prioritize speaking practice over gamified lessons

For serious conversation practice: Consider apps designed specifically for speaking, like French Together (AI scoring + 100 messages/day) or dedicated chatbots like Langua.

---

My Personal Take: Better Alternatives at Similar Prices

Full transparency: Duolingo Max costs $168/year, which is nearly the same as French Together ($174/year). Here's why I'd choose French Together if conversation practice is my priority:

What You Get	Duolingo Max ($168/yr)	French Together ($174/yr)
AI Conversations	2-3 exchanges per session	100 messages/day
Pronunciation Feedback	None	AI scoring on every word
Conversation Control	Scripted, ends quickly	You decide when to end
Audio Speeds	One speed	Slow + natural speed
Structured Lessons	Yes (gamified)	Yes (conversation-focused)
Works on	iOS only	All devices

The difference: Duolingo Max is Duolingo with some AI features added. French Together is built specifically for conversation practice from the ground up.

My honest recommendation:

• If you love Duolingo's style: Stay with Super Duolingo ($60/year) and add a free AI chatbot for conversation practice
• If you want serious speaking practice: Try French Together's 7-day free trial and compare directly
• If you're budget-conscious: Use free Duolingo + free AI chatbots (see our AI chatbot comparison)

---

Frequently Asked Questions

"Can't I just use Duolingo Max for pronunciation practice?"

Not really. While you can speak in Duolingo Max, it doesn't score your pronunciation or tell you which specific words you're mispronouncing. You'll know if the AI understood you, but not if you said it well. For French learners, this is a critical gap since French pronunciation is so different from spelling.

"Is Duolingo Max better than French Together?"

They're designed for different things:

• Duolingo Max: Gamified lessons with some AI conversation
• French Together: Focused conversation practice with structured curriculum

If you love Duolingo's gamification and badges, stick with Duolingo. If speaking confidently is your priority, French Together will get you there faster.

"What if I just want to add AI conversation to regular Duolingo?"

Smart strategy! Keep regular Duolingo (free or Super) and add:

• Free AI chatbots (see our chatbot comparison)
• Or French Together if you want pronunciation scoring + structure ($174/year)

This gives you Duolingo's gamification + better conversation practice for less than Duolingo Max.

"Can I try Duolingo Max before paying?"

Some users report getting a 7-day free trial, but availability varies. Check in your iOS app to see if you're offered a trial.

"Does Duolingo Max work on Android?"

No. It's iOS-only as of November 2025. If you use Android or web, you cannot access Duolingo Max features even if you're willing to pay.

---

Ready to Compare for Yourself?

My suggestion: Don't just take my word for it. Test both approaches:

Option 1: Try Duolingo Max (if you have iOS)

• Check if you get the 7-day trial offer
• Test the Video Call and Roleplay features
• See if the short conversations meet your needs

Option 2: Try French Together (works on any device)

• Start 7-day free trial (no iOS required)
• Get full access to AI Speaking Partner + 90 lessons
• Compare the conversation depth and pronunciation feedback
• Cancel anytime during the trial if it's not for you

Option 3: Stick with free Duolingo

• Stay on free or Super Duolingo ($60/year)
• Add free AI chatbots for conversation practice
• Save $100+ per year

My pick? For the same price, I'd choose the app designed specifically for conversation practice. But your learning style might be different, so test both if you can.

→ Start French Together free trial (7 days, no payment required, works on all devices)

---

Questions about Duolingo Max vs other apps? Drop a comment below or email me. I'm Nerissa, content writer at French Together, and I actually respond!

P.S. Want to see how ALL the French learning apps compare? Check out our comprehensive French learning apps comparison covering Duolingo, Babbel, Pimsleur, and more.