Duolingo Max Review (2026): Is It Worth It vs Super?
Last verified: September 20, 2026. Features come from Duolingo’s own blog and help center and the US App Store listing. Duolingo changes its plans often, so confirm the details on the in-app paywall for your country.
Update, September 21, 2026: On Duolingo’s August 12 earnings call, CEO Luis von Ahn said the company is weighing options for bringing Video Call to Super subscribers, and that “we may actually sunset Max.” A September 2026 iOS account described by Language App Guide no longer listed Max as a new subscription. Duolingo has not announced an end date, so check that Max is offered in your app before you plan around it. See how much Duolingo costs.
Duolingo Max is Duolingo’s top subscription tier: everything in Super Duolingo, plus two AI speaking features, Video Call with Lily and Roleplay. Explain My Answer, once Max’s headline feature, has been free for every learner since January 1, 2026, so the upgrade now comes down to those two conversation features. At roughly $168 a year against about $96 to $120 for Super, Max is worth it only if you will use short AI conversations regularly in a supported course. If you won’t, Super or the free version covers everything else.
What does Duolingo Max include in 2026?
Duolingo introduced Max in March 2023 as a GPT-4-powered tier. Today, according to Duolingo’s help center, Max includes all the benefits of Super plus two features:
- Video Call. You “call” Lily, a Duolingo character, for a spoken conversation in the language you are learning. Duolingo says conversations last about a minute earlier in a course and up to three minutes as you advance, and that Lily remembers what you discussed the next time you call.
- Video Call with Falstaff (beginner mode). Announced January 14, 2026, this version uses Falstaff, a multilingual bear who asks level-appropriate questions, suggests phrases and gives real-time feedback. It is aimed at learners who feel nervous speaking. At launch it was available to Max subscribers on iOS learning English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Japanese, German, Italian, Korean and Chinese, with expansion across all proficiency levels planned by the end of the year.
- Roleplay. Scenario-based conversations with Duolingo’s characters, such as ordering a coffee or shopping for furniture, available to English speakers learning French, Spanish, German, Portuguese and Italian.
- Review in the Practice tab. Max subscribers can revisit their Video Call and Roleplay sessions there.
What Super already gives you: no ads, unlimited Energy and monthly Streak Repair, per the App Store description.
What is no longer Max-only?
If a review still tells you to upgrade for these, it is out of date:
- Explain My Answer became free for all learners on January 1, 2026. It gives personalized vocabulary and grammar feedback after select exercises, and it is available for most learners in the Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Italian and Korean courses.
- The Practice Hub became free on February 18, 2026. Duolingo says Mistakes, Words, Speak, Listen, and Stories, Radio and Adventures (where your course has them) are available to all learners for free.
That leaves Video Call and Roleplay as the two features you pay Max for.
Duolingo Free vs Super vs Max
| Free | Super | Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (US) | $0 | About $13 to $17/month or about $96 to $120/year | About $30/month or about $168/year |
| Ads | Yes | No | No |
| Energy (lesson limit) | Limited; refills over time, by earning it or by watching ads | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Monthly Streak Repair | No | Yes | Yes |
| Explain My Answer | Yes (supported courses) | Yes | Yes |
| Practice Hub | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Video Call and Roleplay | No | No | Yes (supported courses) |
Free-tier Energy works like this, according to Duolingo: you start with full energy, each lesson uses a little, you earn energy back by answering several questions in a row correctly, and watching ads or spending gems can top it up. Energy replaced the older Hearts system.
How much does Duolingo Max cost?
Duolingo does not publish a single price sheet, and prices vary by country, platform and promotion. In the United States in September 2026:
- Max: roughly $29.99 a month or about $168 a year. Duolingo does not state these on a fixed page; they match what several independent price trackers reported in 2026, and the US App Store’s visible in-app purchase list showed only Super options, so confirm the price in the app.
- Super Duolingo: the US App Store listing shows options including $12.99 and $83.99, with other plan variants listed at $9.99, $95.99 and $119.99.
- Family plan: the App Store lists a $119.99 Super option, and some trackers report a family plan for up to six people at $119.99 to $143.99 a year.
The real question is the gap. Paying annually, Max costs roughly $48 to $72 more per year than Super. That extra money buys two features: short AI conversations and scenario role-plays. It does not buy any additional lessons.
Is Duolingo Max worth it?
A back-of-the-envelope calculation helps. Paid annually, Max works out to about $14 a month. If you make one Video Call a day, and calls last one minute early in a course to three minutes later, that is roughly 30 to 90 minutes of AI conversation a month. In other words, about $9 to $28 for every hour you spend talking, before counting Roleplay sessions.
Those calls are short by design, which is the main limit. They work best as a daily speaking warm-up, not as a substitute for long, open-ended conversation.
Max is worth considering if:
- You already open Duolingo every day and want speaking practice inside the same habit.
- You feel nervous speaking to a real person and want a private place to rehearse. The Falstaff beginner mode is designed for exactly this.
- You are an English speaker learning Spanish, French, German, Italian or Portuguese, where both Video Call and Roleplay are supported, or Japanese, Korean or Chinese, where Video Call is supported.
Skip Max if:
- You want long conversations. Video Call lasts up to three minutes.
- Your course is not on the supported list. Check the list in the app before you subscribe, because availability differs between iOS and Android.
- You use Duolingo on the web only. Duolingo says Max cannot be purchased on the web.
- Your main frustration is grammar. Explain My Answer is already free, and Super removes ads and the Energy limit for far less.
Alternatives if you mainly want speaking practice
If speaking is the goal, Max is not the only way to buy it. Dedicated AI tutors such as Speak and Jumpspeak are built around conversation, and human tutors on marketplaces such as italki and Preply give you corrections and open-ended talk for a per-lesson fee. Read the Speak app review, the Jumpspeak review, the best AI language learning apps roundup and AI vs human language tutors to compare them.
For a broader look at where Duolingo sits among paid and free apps, see Babbel vs Duolingo and our guide to the best language learning apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Duolingo Max worth it?
It is worth it if you want daily AI speaking practice in a supported course and already use Duolingo every day. Since Explain My Answer became free in January 2026, Max’s extra value is Video Call and Roleplay. If speaking is not your priority, Super or the free version covers the rest.
How much is Duolingo Max?
In the United States, price trackers report about $29.99 a month or about $168 a year in 2026. Duolingo does not publish a fixed price sheet, and prices vary by country, platform and promotion, so check the paywall inside the app before subscribing.
What is the difference between Duolingo Super and Max?
Max includes everything in Super, which means no ads, unlimited Energy and monthly Streak Repair, and adds Video Call with Lily and Roleplay, two AI conversation features. Paying annually, Max costs roughly $48 to $72 more per year than Super.
Is Explain My Answer still part of Duolingo Max?
No. Duolingo made Explain My Answer free for all learners on January 1, 2026. It was previously exclusive to Max. It is available for most learners in the Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Italian and Korean courses.
Which languages does Duolingo Max support?
Duolingo’s help center says English speakers learning Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese can use both Video Call and Roleplay, and those learning Japanese, Korean and Chinese can use Video Call. Coverage differs between iOS and Android and keeps expanding, so check your course in the app.
Can I buy Duolingo Max on the web?
No. Duolingo’s help center says Max is available in the iOS and Android apps and cannot be purchased on the web, so you need the mobile app to subscribe.
How long are Duolingo Video Call conversations?
Duolingo says calls with Lily last about a minute earlier in a course and up to three minutes as you advance. Lily adjusts to your level and remembers what you discussed the next time you call.
Is there a free way to practice speaking on Duolingo?
Yes, to a degree. Duolingo made the Practice Hub, including its Speak and Listen practice, free for all learners on February 18, 2026. What stays exclusive to Max is Video Call and Roleplay, the AI conversation features.
Sources and how this was researched
This review compares information published by Duolingo and third-party price trackers as of September 20, 2026. It does not claim first-hand testing of Duolingo Max. Figures were taken from:
- Duolingo’s help center article What is Duolingo Max?
- Duolingo blog: Explain My Answer is now free for all learners (January 1, 2026), Video Call with Falstaff (January 14, 2026), Video Call with Lily, The Duolingo Practice Hub (February 18, 2026) and Why Duolingo switched to Energy
- Duolingo on the Apple App Store
- TechCrunch: Duolingo launches new subscription tier with access to AI tutor powered by GPT-4