Duolingo had about 12.2 million paid subscribers at the end of 2025, according to its Form 10-K filed with the SEC in February 2026, in an app that most people use for free. That makes it a clean case study in selling a subscription through someone else’s store. Every figure below comes from that filing and was checked in November 2026.
If you sell subscriptions, three terms carry the weight: the price and renewal, the cancellation route, and who processes the payment.
How many people pay for Duolingo?
About 12.2 million. Duolingo defines a paid subscriber as a user who pays for access to any Duolingo subscription offering and had an active subscription at the end of the period. The count excludes users on a free trial and non-paying members of a family plan.
| Measure | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid subscribers (year end) | 9.5 million | 12.2 million | 28% |
| Monthly active users (Q4) | 116.7 million | 133.1 million | 14% |
| Daily active users (Q4) | 40.5 million | 52.7 million | 30% |
| DAU / MAU ratio (Q4) | 34.7% | 39.6% | 4.9 points |
Divide the year-end subscribers by the Q4 monthly users and you get roughly 9% (our calculation, using figures measured at different points, so read it as a rough guide). The rest use the free app. The 10-K says the majority of its learning content is not behind a paywall, so anyone can download the app and complete its courses free of charge.
Figure 1: Growth in Q4 daily active users, year-end paid subscribers and Q4 monthly active users. Source: Duolingo Form 10-K for fiscal 2025.
Daily users grew faster than monthly users, and paid subscribers grew nearly as fast as daily ones. Duolingo attributes the DAU rise largely to better retention of current users.
A freemium business lives on the few who pay, so its paid terms are the contract that matters. Our free trial data shows how many sign-ups convert.
How fast is Duolingo growing?
Revenue grew 39% in 2025, to $1.038 billion. Revenue was $531.1 million in 2023, $748.0 million in 2024 and $1,037.6 million in 2025, so it has nearly doubled in two years, up 95.4% (our calculation).
Figure 2: Duolingo annual revenue in millions of dollars, 2023 to 2025. Source: Duolingo Form 10-K for fiscal 2025, consolidated statements of operations.
Bookings run ahead of revenue. Duolingo recognizes subscription revenue ratably over the life of a subscription, most of which are twelve months long, so cash arrives before revenue. Total bookings were $1.158 billion in 2025, up 33%, and subscription bookings were $996.3 million, up 36%. Total bookings also include advertising income, Duolingo English Test purchases and in-app purchases of virtual goods.
Figure 3: How a 12-month plan becomes bookings first and revenue later. Source: Duolingo Form 10-K for fiscal 2025, key operating metrics.
Annual plans bring cash in early and push revenue out. They also set a renewal date that you must disclose.
Where does Duolingo’s revenue come from?
Subscriptions, mostly. Subscription revenue rose 44% to $873.4 million in 2025, which Duolingo attributes mainly to a higher average number of paid subscribers. Other revenue, which includes advertising, rose 17% to $164.1 million. The 10-K says the advertising rise came from more DAUs and so more advertisements served.
Figure 4: Duolingo 2025 revenue by product type in millions of dollars. Source: Duolingo Form 10-K for fiscal 2025.
So 84.2% of revenue is subscription, by our calculation. Gross profit was $749.5 million, up 38%.
| Measure | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Total revenues | $748.0 million | $1,037.6 million |
| Subscription revenue | $607.5 million | $873.4 million |
| Gross profit | $544.4 million | $749.5 million |
| Net income | $88.6 million | $414.1 million |
Net income of $414.1 million for 2025 includes a one-time income-tax benefit of $256.7 million, which Duolingo describes as net of a return-to-provision adjustment. Without it, net income would have been about $157.4 million (our subtraction).
Most of the money is one product, and one contract covers it.
How much do Apple and Google take?
Generally 15% to 30%. Duolingo says it paid Apple and Google a meaningful share, generally 15% to 30%, of payments received through their in-app payment systems as of 31 December 2025. It derived 62% of its revenue and 61% of its total bookings from the Apple App Store, and 20% of its revenue and 21% of its total bookings from Google Play.
Figure 5: Share of 2025 revenue from the Apple App Store, Google Play and all other sources. The 18% is the remainder of the reported 62% and 20%. Source: Duolingo Form 10-K for fiscal 2025.
Duolingo is not alone. If you sell through the app stores, the stores set the payment terms that sit under yours. Our app store commission data puts the 15% and 30% rates in context.
Four-fifths of the money comes through two companies. Your terms must still carry the promise you make to the customer.
What does Duolingo say about auto-renewal rules?
It names California’s law. The 10-K warns that any law affecting the ability of service providers to charge recurring subscription payments may hurt the business, and says Duolingo is subject to legislation such as California’s Automatic Renewal Law. It adds that further legislation on subscription payments and automatic renewal is being considered in many US states, and that Duolingo has in the past been, and may in future be, subject to claims under such legislation.
That is a disclosure, not a finding of any violation. But it matches the direction of regulation. Our look at the Click to Cancel rule data covers the federal side, and our write-up of Virginia’s automatic renewal law shows a state version that took effect in 2026.
The 10-K also notes that COPPA applies to operators of services directed to US children under 13, and that Duolingo ABC is an app that teaches young children early literacy skills. A product line aimed at children has its own privacy duties.
For a subscription seller the checklist is short. State the price and renewal date. Show how to cancel, in the same channel the customer used to sign up. Say who handles refunds when a store processes the payment.
Auto-renewal law is an open risk in a public company’s annual report, and it can be one in yours.
The Bottom Line
Duolingo ended 2025 with about 12.2 million paid subscribers, $1.038 billion in revenue and 133.1 million monthly users. Subscriptions made up 84% of revenue, annual plans push revenue behind bookings, and 82% of revenue came through Apple and Google, which take generally 15% to 30%.
For you, the model is a template for any subscription product. Put the price, the renewal and the cancellation route in plain terms, and say who handles refunds when a store takes the payment. Duolingo flags auto-renewal legislation as a risk, so assume it applies to you too. Start with a terms and conditions generator for the core terms, then check the renewal rules in the states and countries where you sell. This article is data, not legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many paid subscribers does Duolingo have? About 12.2 million at 31 December 2025, up 28% from about 9.5 million a year earlier, according to Duolingo’s Form 10-K. The count excludes users on a free trial and non-paying members of a family plan.
How much revenue did Duolingo make in 2025? $1.038 billion, up 39% from $748.0 million in 2024. Subscription revenue was $873.4 million, 84% of the total, and total bookings were $1.158 billion.
How much does Duolingo pay Apple and Google? Duolingo says it pays Apple and Google generally 15% to 30% of payments processed through their in-app payment systems. In 2025 it derived 62% of its revenue from the Apple App Store and 20% from Google Play.
Is Duolingo free to use? Mostly. The 10-K says the majority of its learning content is not behind a paywall, so anyone can download the app and complete its courses free of charge. About 12.2 million of its roughly 133.1 million monthly users paid for a subscription.
Sources and References
- Duolingo, Inc.. (2026). Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, filed 27 February 2026. Source of all user, subscriber, bookings, revenue, profit, app store and auto-renewal figures and statements in this article.
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. EDGAR filing index for Duolingo, Inc., used to confirm the filing date and fiscal period.
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. XBRL company concept data for Duolingo revenue, used to cross-check the $531.1 million, $748.0 million and $1,037.6 million revenue figures and the $414.1 million net income.
Note: All figures verified as of November 2026 against Duolingo’s fiscal 2025 Form 10-K. The paid-share estimate, two-year revenue growth, subscription share and net income excluding the tax benefit are our own calculations from the filing’s figures.
