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.
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.
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