How Duolingo Turned a Free Language App Into a $7.7B Business | WSJ The Economics Of

[@wsj]

The screen time you shouldn’t feel bad about: on.wsj.com/3YLDwbe

[@QuizmasterLaw]

Duolingo sucks it's basically designed for human trafficking which is why it talks in code all the time. 50languages actually works and is free. Duolingo does not work.

[@QuizmasterLaw]

the paypal MAFIAs human trafficking app. NT.

[@JesusPlsSaveMe]

TO everyone in this chat, i just want to let you know that jesus loves you and He can save you from sin, sadness and sickness.

[@dead_to_you]

remove the paywall first 😂

[@QuizmasterLaw]

@@dead_to_you c'mon lliteral billionnaires gotta squeeze mo' "Juice" from us ignorant peasants ppl who don't take money from the poor by giving them

[@primenumberbuster404]

The marketing is insane.

[@0.3nergy]

Saw the Olympic one ?

[@JesusPlsSaveMe]

​@@0.3nergy Colossians 3. 1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on the things which are above and not on things which are on the earth. 3. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4. When Christ, which is our life shall appear, so shall ye also appear with him in Glory. ******** Jesus is calling you today. Come to him, repent from your sins, bear his cross and live the victorious life ********

[@CommentinoCommentoni]

The AI feature is a total scam. They got rid of the forum where people would discuss now they act its worth 30$ a month..

[@factorfitness3713]

What I'm hearing from this video is that Duolingo is great at engagement and marketing, but we have no idea if it helps you learn a language.

[@yacinekcl]

​@@factorfitness3713this ☝🏻 we need more personal experience accounts because this video feels like an advertisment.

[@xMegaVideos]

It's so refreshing seeing a company being completely honest about their marketing scheme.

[@chengyiq3066]

A wise green Owl once said: "Spanish or vanish"

[@JustMe-vz3wd]

"Japanese or vegan cheese!" hmmm. you win.

[@theinsidersandrush]

"French or the trench"

[@exampill]

"Polish or Demolish"

[@jaspreetkr87]

Haha! All these phrases should be on duolingo t-shirts! Heck may be they should invest in selling funny merchandise like that. I wouldn’t mind buying it or gifting it rather than locking in for a subscription.

[@JoyceRamroop-e3f]

Japanese or no more strong kneesc(unofficial) . French or the trench (official)

[@chunkemonke398]

I watched the founder’s TED talk. There used to be a time where Duolingo learners generated revenue for the app by translating articles.

[@WoodsSooperDooperShop]

This never really made sense though

[@shinyshinythings]

I remember doing that!

[@naturalnashuan]

I thought that's what I would hear here.

[@suzyzeng7637]

I'm really suspicious of this point. AI could do a lot better than human in translating articles, why bother?

[@Microtic]

​@@suzyzeng7637this was over 10 years ago

[@Basic-wm8uf]

I am surprised Duolingo hasn’t commented already.

[@SeeOriginals]

Given how insanely self aware they are, it is surprising that they haven't commented yet

[@NoOnesIdea]

@@SeeOriginals Who are "they"? aliens? German nazis?

[@winni2701]

@@SeeOriginals Self aware, they are ignoring like 90% of the request features.

[@IMFROM.RUSSIA]

But they reposted this in twitter so they have seen it.

[@blurguns]

Our you are afraid 💀

[@SVVolley]

Shout out to Duolingo for helping me pass Spanish class in high school!

[@domenicogreselin]

Vamos

[@beere_taran]

The owl will not stop haunting you until you finish your lesson

[@MalachiMalach]

Jesus Christ loves you, repent of your sins and turn to him. Romans 6:23 23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

[@terrancekayton007]

Or you stop playing for too long 👻 Duo gets upset 😠 and he’ll let you know, 😟 you’re not progressing, like you said you wanted to. 😢

[@gabor6259]

Unless you turn off notifications.

[@irishbob]

​​@@gabor6259it will come to your house

[@therealloganyt237]

@@MalachiMalachbot

[@googleGuy44]

Duolingo is not an just an app. It's also an experience, a very comforting one at that.

[@Meghana_Nallamilli]

Absolutely!

[@JoannaEve]

Until you skip a lesson 👀

[@sam.mankar]

I can understand the struggles Wall Street Journal had to face since Duo might've been pointing a gun at them.

[@neoprasiss]

lol

[@NewsanOfHavilah]

Was looking for this comment

[@Meghana_Nallamilli]

lol

[@CandaceEsponosa]

😂😂😂😂

[@samuchase14]

Fun fact, it takes around 10 seconds to close and open the app again, so whenever they load an ad longer than that u can skip it

[@winni2701]

Finally someone with big brain here

[@elon_ma]

Facts, I've been doing this for months

[@asiamies9153]

Can't you just turn off your mobile data or wifi so it doesn't load ads?

[@EmotionalSupportCat]

@@asiamies9153 I'm pretty sure you need internet to complete lessons, unless you have Duolingo plus which already removes ads.

[@zuzuscatheavenarts]

@@asiamies9153I’ve tried but the majority of the content becomes unavailable for me when I turn off wifi

[@MrBelmont79]

Some people do crossword puzzles or do social media for relaxation; I do two Duolingo lessons a day for the same reasons. After 2 years, I’m able to read French newspapers and magazines. That was my goal ✋🏻🇺🇸

[@Fnndjkvlf]

Can you speak French though?

[@hans6304]

​@@Fnndjkvlf bon appetit

[@Fnndjkvlf]

@@hans6304 So no, then.

[@marvira]

Au revoir😂​@@Fnndjkvlf

[@Simon-L-B]

@@Fnndjkvlfwhere in their comment did they say they wanted to speak French? They learned how to read it, can now read French media, so goal accomplished for them.

[@synchronium24]

"80% of users don't pay" "8.6% of users pay" That math doesn't math.

[@IanRussell1969]

Probably because of the family subscription option. My brother's house has 4 learners not on the free tier, only one actually pays.

[@synchronium24]

@@IanRussell1969 The percentages should add to 100 whether people on a family subscription are counted as paid or unpaid users.

[@CeruleanSky1111]

It's a language app, not a math app. 😂

[@YYLiow]

​@@CeruleanSky1111 Bro haven't enabled the Duolingo Math course yet

[@sidwell92]

Maybe they used different metric for users for these two figures, like daily active users, monthly active users, repeat users. Still, seems an oversight

[@harriemeeuwis978]

The greed to learn is completely opposite to the greed for money. Difficult to understand for Wall Street people.

[@Petrolhead11]

every business has to be self sufficient at some point, genius !!

[@MalachiMalach]

Jesus Christ loves you, repent of your sins and turn to him. Romans 6:23 23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

[@nauseam]

You do realize that this video proves your point wrong? The greed for money (board member’s need for revenue) capitalizes on the need to learn through AI and experimenting with A/B testing, and both are satisfied in the end.

[@Demetriusjackson89]

wow ur so smart and wise /s

[@news2hedz227]

Well if you own any investment at all you would want a return too. Any Mom n Pop shop does the exact same thing.

[@mixrable1212]

User: *skips a day of classes Owl: "So you've chosen death"

[@palestinianperspective]

Lol, this video is basically just a rebranded Duolingo ad 💀💀

[@Rilows]

Probably the only way to get to an interview with a tech CEO is to promise them a free ad of their product like this video lol

[@TheRageCommenter]

I’m guessing you won’t be using Duolingo to learn Hebrew anytime soon…

[@marwashirbin3270]

average Duolingo marketing team W

[@rmg8038]

I downloaded the app now because of this video 😂

[@eestaashottentotti2242]

AI and users data was used to determine, what developers would wear and say.

[@DominickSilva-tm6xx]

Don't stop, your knowledge is priceless!

[@0endofsilence]

Looks like they are more into optimizing for people clicking stuff on their app instead of optimizing for actually learning the languages effectively

[@LoyDizak]

Exactly what I thought too. Spot on.

[@alexgardner3125]

Better to learn something than nothing

[@LoyDizak]

@@alexgardner3125 I mean yeah, Duolingo is a good way to start. But nothing more

[@DeEqualizer054]

It's a business in the end

[@JesusPlsSaveMe]

​@@alexgardner3125 To everyone in this chat, Jesus is calling you today. Come to him, repent from your sins, bear his cross and live the victorious life

[@dhruvbansal1014]

"A/B testing compares the performance of two versions of content to see which one appeals more to visitors/viewers. It tests a control (A) version against a variant (B) version to measure which one is most successful based on your key metrics."

[@naturalnashuan]

That should have been stated in the video for those who didn't know that.

[@lukecwolf]

I'm surprised to learn only 8% of revenue comes from ads. I hate the app for only teaching the introductory levels of a language, but the duo owl is good at marketing. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want the merch.

[@Chloethecoolestytr]

You cant be fluent from an app,, duo just starts you with the base of the language then its on u to actually learn

[@roseforeuropa]

Introductory levels only??? Laughs in the *Spanish subjunctive*

[@Robteee]

@@roseforeuropadude still in the first section of the first unit

[@BlueCodesDev]

@@roseforeuropa so is it possible to be fluent in Spanish using duo only??

[@pabl0191]

@@BlueCodesDevThey claim that you can achieve a B2 level through the courses they are offering. If that’s fluent or enough, thats up to you.

[@rupel190]

Compared to other big tech their practices seem surprisingly sustainable.

[@felixboden6059]

What Duolingo app really need is extra categories for learning grammatics and verb-conjugation-training. Also the vocabulary training is pretty bad. I stopped doing the next levels, because I realized to really learn the language I have to work on that first. So I just keep repeating levels to do the monthly challenge.

[@death135]

Chinese had no option to learn the sounds initially. They recently added that. As this app keeps getting more user feedback they keep updating the user experience. I can actually learn how to WRITE all the Japanese alphabets now. So...I'd say that the app is really starting to mature out slowly and I'll give it some time. Meanwhile....It does need those categories you mentioned and would actually be super helpful.

[@ionastewart8814]

It used to have those but they removed all the grammar/conjugation notes during an update for some godforsaken reason and replaced it with an AI feature that only works for two languages.

[@naturalnashuan]

I noticed that the vocab lessons are mixed in with grammar as I listened to my husband's lessons. I took about 6 years of French classes starting in 7th grade. We learned the vocab earlier.

[@QuadDamage-tt7sj]

Horrible kanji drills. Use Heisig's book instead.

[@Hi-cl7fy]

Especially for languages like Japanese, in which knowing the verb conjugations in an organized way is huge (at least with how I was taught it), or languages like Hawaiian that don't have as many resources to learn the grammar (though there are still plenty).

[@cezarstefanseghjucan]

Proud 5 year Duolingo user with no plan to ever end my daily lessons.

[@coolstuffsearcher]

The app help you master a new idiom?

[@cezarstefanseghjucan]

@@coolstuffsearcher Ja, nu kan jeg godt lide forstå og snakke Dansk.

[@ltk7309]

@@cezarstefanseghjucan no, it's only helpful for absolute beginners.

[@lukealadeen7836]

​@@cezarstefanseghjucan Can you really speak it from Duolingo?

[@VendyVendy]

Company goes public, starts downward trend of being worse with every change. Every time. Guarantee the "5 ads after every lesson" hypothetical will become a reality in the next few years.

[@alexgardner3125]

If it keeps getting worse, why does it keep growing so fast?

[@philip2205]

Absolutely. "But the stock prices are up! Investors are happy!" - Thank you Milton Friedman......

[@RJCMaxification]

I've never met someone who's used Duolingo to become proficient in a language. At the very best it is a decent kick off point for your first month in a language. Duolingo has devised many clever tactics to keep users engaged beyond that point, but their focus clearly isn't on getting their users to a minimum standard of proficiency. In fact, if you got good enough at your target language, you might quit the app, so it is in their best interest as a company to make you feel like you're learning while simultaneously keeping you incompetent.

[@MrJustCallMeJames]

@@alexgardner3125 It was in the video. They do AB testing about what best manipulates people to click on the app. They don't focus at all on providing better learning or more focused learning or different modes of learning. For example I have long time wanted a language learning app that just repeats the 1000 most used words of a language in a match em up format. Nothing but marketing and pop ups and ensiffication from Duolingo. And don't get me started how the original Duolingo had volunteers help build the original lessons. Then they did bait and switch and went the money grabbing route, betraying everyone who had contributed on the premise of free language learning for all. Should result in jail sentences, including for the people you saw in this video. But they will escape accountability.

[@BorisForOffice]

@@philip2205 That's not how capitalism works. If a company does something users hate, the users will eventually leave and give their money to a competitor. People vote with their dollars and it works. Which is the opposite of socialism - where the government gives you no choice and kills you if you complain

[@rosalieancheta3659]

I'm using this for more than a year,,it's so helpful.

[@MCMMADDOGXCV]

This video is more of how Duolingo is incorporating data scientists and benefiting from data-driven decisions, which I find it super cool and motivating.

[@dbsirius]

A.K.A they're playing mind-games with their users and experimenting with their habits. Not evil at all..

[@leetcoding1]

Although mentions nothing about the question posed by the video title

[@leetcoding1]

This whole video is just them bragging about their data science and AI capabilities. It has nothing to do with the question posed by the video title

[@YaBoyfelipe]

@@dbsiriusWait until you learn that all social media does that, with the best of the best talent of data scientists, psychologists, neuroscientists, all to keep you hooked as much as possible, if they could keep you 24/7, they would do it.

[@bltzcstrnx]

​@@dbsiriusit's called optimization.

[@JanisNunez-q2q]

I've been a member of your VIP group for a few months now, and I have to say, it's been worth every penny. Thank you for all the incredible knowledge and support you provide

[@gabor6259]

Fun fact: "Our universe is positively charged and soon we will collide with a negatively charged universe." is a sentence in DuoLingo.

[@JapanesewithLulu]

I teach Japanese professionally and have my KZbin and website course dedicated too it. Even so, if people want an extra app I recommend them the free version of duo. I don’t really think they’ll learn Japanese from duo alone, but I do think it’s an easy way to get them looking at Japanese sentences and structure between classes in a gamified way ✨💪🏻

[@yaserchow]

I quit Duolingo after a 500+ day streak. I just didnt see the value tbh and i didn't feel like my Spanish was improving.

[@everythingisfine9988]

My Spanish reading and comprehension improved. But then I realized I don't need that because Google can translate everything pretty well. What I need is conversational Spanish and Duolingo false flat on that

[@JustMe-vz3wd]

Learning the basics of a language is pretty easy much tutorials on YT and free learn ing apps. Problem for me is it never goes to intermediate or advanced in a profesional way. It stays with a bunch of sentences. Real Course books from the bookshop are often much better.

[@baaaank]

@@everythingisfine9988 what duo max is for ig

[@BarkaDog]

@@everythingisfine9988 so how would you learn conversational Spanish?

[@PatrikFonos]

@@BarkaDog LanguageTransfer app if you know english well already. It's free.

[@_orodrigofernandes]

No mention on the effectiveness of Duolingo as a language learning method...

[@arjaygee]

Good reason for that.

[@moali68]

@@arjaygee A great learning tool, but should definitely be supplemented with variety of other resources, including speaking with native speakers if given the chance.

[@MrShikaga]

@@moali68 the moment you start doing that, you will realise that DuoLingo is pointless though…

[@ToProsca]

Maybe because the video was not about that..

[@arjaygee]

@@moali68 It has its uses, but you will not become fluent using Duolingo, if that is your goal. If your goal is fluency, lessons with native speakers, or at least speakers who have achieved fluency, are an absolute must. Duolingo does not correct pronunciation, and in fact, I found I could say pretty much anything with the right number of syllables and still get a pass on the oral exercises. Maybe it has improved since I used it. I was using it to brush up on a language I hadn't used for years, so I didn't have the same needs as a brand new learner. I don't think it would be a very effective tool for a new learner (except for gifted polyglots) unless their goal was to learn a little bit _about_ the language.

[@PaolaEnergya]

Duo's vertical garden is stunning! And, as they say, if the product is free, then you are the product.

[@disculpa]

They just said that most of the revenue comes from paid users. So really you are free loading off the people that pay.

[@scyt33]

I just finished a lesson on Duolingo and saw this video being recommended to me on my feed

[@emurseio]

Getting learners to come back and making sure they are having fun using the app it is really only part of what they need to do. The other big part is making sure the learners are actually learning the language. For me Duolingo has been helpful for learning some language basics but after that it hasn't been an efficient way to learn. Consuming media in the target language and having regular conversations with native speakers paired with grammar study and self-study with flash cards/drills is really what's worked best for me.

[@violate4265]

Thank you for the recording. I really appreciate this company.

[@qbert4325]

This makes me go back Duolingo, I have been keeping him waiting long enough.

[@egopak]

Given the size of its userbase, perhaps Duolingo should be advertising WSJ, not the other way around 😅😉

[@ludmilagalkina4395]

Your support has been invaluable! I’m excited to keep learning from you

[@AndreasBeder]

I was very happy with Duolingo. Stopped learning Spanish because of the changes they made.

[@Cal-wk5dq]

Ive found there to be better lessons for free on youtube.

[@the_real_cookiez]

Language transfer goes absolutely crazy. can't recommend it enough​@@Cal-wk5dq

[@obxurity]

May I ask what changes they have made that made you stop?

[@Alexandra.H]

@@obxurity Personally, I found it disappointing when they removed features and content like the mini podcast-like lessons that focused on particular topics. I could for example review how to talk about the time or the weather. Now it's all about this awful map and I can't go back to review anything specific because there's no easy way to find a given topic/lesson.

[@lololnope34567]

@@obxurity For me removing the "tree" (with defined topics in each section that you can review as much as you want) ruined it

[@AlexLiYT]

I actually respect Duolingo so much for having the attitude of prioritising user education over making money. Even as successful as they are, education is still the main objective and they only make as much money as they need for that objective.

[@TheTardisDreamer]

Yeah, exactly. There isn't any real pressure to pay money. The ads are super short. You can regain hearts through practice lessons, which are necessary revision anyway. You get given free trials regularly to play with the other features. And plenty of gems for other stuff too.

[@Reforming_LL]

@@TheTardisDreamerWell now Duolingo doesn’t allow you to fill your 5 hearts with practice anymore.

[@Outriley]

​@@Reforming_LL what are you talking about? I just gained all 5 hearts by doing practice lessons today. That feature is still available.

[@Reforming_LL]

@@Outriley It’s probably an A/B feature then, which means that half of the users don’t get it and half do. But that doesn’t change my opinion on Duolingo, since I still got the feature.

[@jeroenm771]

Now that's one big ad to watch!

[@youngbear2258]

People have unreasonable expectations when it comes to learning a new language. Learning even an introductory level of language takes months if not years. Think of what you learned from a year worth of lesson from your high school. Duolingo is not enough to make you fluent, but it is a great jump starter. Coming from a trilingual who learned languages using traditional methods.

[@prtdiva]

Bingo! I really don’t know what people expect from a free app. Duolingo can really only teach you the basics. You have to seek out other opportunities to speak, listen and read on your own. Duolingo just supplements everything else that you’re doing. The fact that people are upset that they’re not fluent from a free app is mind boggling to me 🙃

[@jennifersun2638]

I agree languages take talent too,SOME PEOPLE are naturally gifted when it comes to linguistics.

[@Reforming_LL]

@@jennifersun2638That’s false. You just haven’t found the right method, that’s all.

[@Reforming_LL]

Years for introductory? Well no wonder why traditional methods suck. With new methods nowadays, it will only take 2-8 months to finish the introduction stages of your target language.

[@youngbear2258]

​@@Reforming_LL I think with Duo, that's possible. It certainly has limitations but these limitations are shared with traditional methods. Learning a new language is hard, especially in a country that does not speak such language.

[@agent0422]

Ineffective app, good marketing

[@azca.]

This is it basically.

[@lucas17oficial]

It depends from person to person, but fair.

[@igorzagorsky37]

Agree. Lots of useless terms and vocab.

[@LivingTheorem]

For me, it's effective in learning new vocab and keeping my brain acclimated to hearing my target language. Life is what you make of it. If you don't find value, then that's fair, but others do.

[@ggm000]

​@boneandjointindonesia yeah, trying to teach the word Quebecoise for hours

[@mrpooroldme]

Duolingo is great, I am someone who struggles to learn, and have been doing Duo Lingo to learn French for more than five years, and although I'm not as good as I should be, I blame it on my poor learning skills and not Duolingo, I know I'm getting somewhere with it better than I did with just books, and I'm useless in a class room situation. The greatest thing is it is fun and I've not paid a penny, and now I'm learning Greek also with it. I think that Duolingo should be commended for still offering it free and resisting pushing for more money, and making learning fun and enjoyable how it should be, that is how I would like to run a business if I had one, and I'm sure that it is actually more beneficial in the end.

[@Reforming_LL]

I learned Japanese to a good degree without paying a penny. You may need to 🏴‍☠️ but it’s worth it. No need to stick with inefficient resources. Just check my Language Acquisition playlist to get started!

[@victorchen3245]

Duolingo is good for developing a basic sense of the sentence composition in a new language, as it trains you to build simple sentences repeatedly, which akin to how language is learnt in real world. And after gaining sense and some vocabulary, you won't be going any further. Going through all lessons of a language will place you at the level of an 8-year-old native speaker. You can survive in a foreign country without using translation tools, but you won't be able to hold any meaningful conversation as an adult.

[@DanieliusGoriunovas]

Better than nothing

[@terrancekayton007]

Yea, 🤷🏿‍♂️ it’s not meant to be a college course.

[@jevonsims900]

Victor, all I read is I'll be able to watch Anime that don't have English subtitles

[@aazh9869]

@@jevonsims900HAHA literally had the same thought

[@qedro]

Got it, so if you can't hold meaningful conversations, Duolingo is enough

[@Danielddiniz]

This is why I love ❤Duolingo! They always have an inclusive mindset.

[@BackSoon...]

7:14 That is a terrifying quote for our future.

[@fermi-dirac]

yep...

[@unknownperson8541]

I Like the mindset of the company if we are earning a reasonable amount of money why push people to pay more or pay 😊

[@sourabhsingh4515]

this thing is great the thinking is genius it is rare to find this type of well built app in the market

[@iisc9930]

I am happy to be hooked by this app for learning something new.

[@jeshuruncarlos6649]

Just remembered to complete my 56th Day of learning French in Duolingo

[@ngnicole2536]

Duolingo got my Dutch exam passed, if you want to improve your language skills, you gotta learn everyday for hours, not just 1 lesson

[@mwalimuio]

This is well timed and so inspiring. I'm building a language learning app for a school project and I could learn a thing or two

[@daegucityboy]

Which language?

[@mwalimuio]

I added support for 90 languages and accents. It's absolutely no duolingo but if you're interested in the project you could try the site (for free). If anyone is curious the idea is to simply use a super realistic AI tutor that does everything a human language teacher would do

[@Exilum]

That's very cool. Do you have a github repository I can star?

[@daegucityboy]

@@mwalimuio Sure, I'd like to check it out. I've been learning Korean for a long time and would like some new material.

[@oleglukashevich9424]

Bruh, I could get the same result with any LLM. Just ask them to play a tutor role.

[@rosalindpatrick5096]

I have been learning French on Duolingo for a wile. The lessons are varied & good but definitely not enough explanations about grammar. I really like the encouragement of the streak & Duo has really helped my French. Happy to have in app ads to watch in return for free learning. I backup the learning by using other apps & KZbin videos. My spoken French is much better than my written.

[@pagexx]

I honestly do start a lesson when duo says the notifications aren't working and it's going to stop for a while. Now I'm on a 270 day streak after being a subscriber for 11 years

[@alexandercoriolanus]

Fine. I'll redownload it.

[@VadimMerkushev-y4i]

Emma, your advice is always spot on. Appreciate your hard work!

[@benjamindover4337]

Pretend you're learning a language, with Duolingo.

[@0.3nergy]

Heard that before, which would you recommend ? Duo is helpful for vocabulary learning and basic structure/grammar memorisation.

[@cyacyi779]

​@@0.3nergyjust stick with old school with book for grammar

[@AceChina]

It depends on the language. For many Asian languages it's hot garbage.

[@0.3nergy]

@@AceChina ahhh, I see. It’s probably Western Based

[@benjamindover4337]

@@0.3nergy Vocabulary: Drops. Flashcards: Clozemaster. Immersion: Find a news channel on KZbin in the target language and turn on translated captions. Play with Google translate a lot.

[@GdfGzu]

Subscribed, looking forward to more!

[@Diyors_vlogs]

I highly recommend this app to learners of languages

[@john.the.beloved]

Excellent app! Thank you for making it free

[@kindnessagbo2059]

Just saw a Duolingo ad before this video

[@NotNagruf]

Thank you, Duolingo 😊❤

[@Dparrey]

The sort of product you get when all your primary metrics are about engagement and market growth and not quality and better user outcomes.

[@whatabouttheearth]

Do you even use the app? It's freaking great, it's by far the best language app out there

[@whatabouttheearth]

Do you even use the app? It's freaking great, it's by far the best language app out there

[@Reforming_LL]

@@whatabouttheearth It’s not even Top 10. LingoDeer and Clozemaster clears.

[@dominusdone5023]

It’s effective for me user outcomes isn’t only you

[@keithpeterson9915]

I like Duolingo because it is well-structured and easy to learn. I married a beautiful Ukrainian woman four years ago who speaks both Ukrainian and Russian. I began learning Russian and it looks very intimidating until one gets into it. I enjoy the perks of subscribing annually and I practice most every day - and won the previous last Diamond League tournament. One day, I hope you guys add the next level. The biggest perk is understanding Russian I can help my wife learn English who also uses Duolingo daily.

[@Kumar731995]

Love duolingo, all the comments that say you are really not learning a language and its just marketing and all that, my case is different. I learned 600 words and can understand some spanish from native speakers. Which is 100% more than where I was when I started it. Also sure you can learn more and faster with other means but I probably wont be doing that long term especially when I want to learn a language not out of necessity but for the fun of it. Their way definitely worked on me and millions more so pls ignore it if it does work on you and let others make some progress.

[@youngbear2258]

I agree. As a trilingual (two first languages, one just beg-intermediate despite years learning) who is trying to make it quadral, Duo is an amazing app. The key to learning a new language is perseverance, repetition, and doing it every day, even for a few minutes. Duo is great at that. I tried to learn French at 12 and failed miserably because I struggled with a book. I went nowhere from the first few pages. With Duo, I must have gone through multiple chapters. Learning should be fun and Duo is good at that. I subscribed to it to kickstart my fourth language. People expect miracles from these apps...I don't because I know how long it took me to be really fluent in the language.

[@PikaPluff]

It works but you gotta do more, duolingo is more about fun learning not full on learning.

[@LudmilaShiryaeva]

Your insights are like gems that light up every conversation.

[@trekgreenwood6743]

They really need to give their social media manager, specifically their TikTok manager a big raise.

[@Goursome]

I really like how you told us "how duolingo rakes in $500M yearly when 80% of its users don't pay"!

[@ShibaHamamatsucho]

most people who use duolingo don't achieve anywhere near a fluent level in their target language. it's awful for language learning.

[@adomniapericula]

Yep, it's a great way to ''get you going'', but once you reach a certain level, it's best to just delete the app and move on to other resources.

[@DuolingoPath]

yea, if you study for 5 minutes a day or if you're slow...

[@DuolingoPath]

@@f000ghk you can learn Spanish, English and French up to B2 level, people just are lazy and think they can master a language in 50 hours...

[@igorzagorsky37]

Agree. Especially Asian language versions are a hot mess. Their AI for Japanese vocab is just awful and greatly irrelevant. Example: “my older sister’s boyfriend is a famous lawyer”. 1. I don’t have a sister. 2. HOW ARE ANY OF THOSE WORDS NECESSARY for traveling to Japan as a tourist?

[@whatabouttheearth]

For the developed languages like Spanish it's the best app out there.

[@yuvalshechori4139]

but you didn't answer the question.. If 8% is from paying customers, and another 8% is from ads, where does the rest come from?

[@birdbeakbeardneck3617]

80% he said

[@birdbeakbeardneck3617]

the 8% is in term of subcribing usrr 80 in terms of revenue

[@MisterCrafter178]

probably from their youtube and tiktok

[@answer5092]

8% of their user base provides 80% of their revenue.

[@tinkerer67]

I think he said 80% of the revenue is generated by paying customers, and the rest comes from ads. I doubt this. They probably make a significant income by selling all the data they collect. Most of these successful internet products are profiting by selling user data.

[@malispertrefolarcescle]

Very nice topic and idea.Very informative, very humble, keep up the awesome videos. I will follow you

[@Todomo]

I use it as an excuse to occupy myself when I want to be on my phone, but I feel like I'm actually being productive at something.

[@shannonclancy2759]

I think another fantastic aspect of DuoLingo's business model is their English proficiency exam. Harvard, NYU, MIT, IE... all accept this exam. It is a real testament to branding as well.

[@InanGupta]

I still don't get it. They have huge amounts of data, which allows them to tailor the experience for users and ensure retention. But where is the money coming from? You earn money because someone is paying it; if it's not subscribers or advertisers, who is it, and what are they paying for? Are the selling data? Or are they licensing the algorithm to other businesses? What is happening

[@slimxshady6111]

Yeah I feel like they barely answered the question in this video

[@wge621]

that was a great video! really enjoyed it. also it's nice to see a company with morals!

[@romeumonteiro6443]

I was really impressed with the paid version. It's not only obstacle-free but super tailored to your needs. Unlike a teacher, the app remebers exactly which mistakes I did and which things I know, and sends me exactly the exercises I need to do to fix my knowledge and learn new things. There is never excessive repetition or gaps.

[@Ghost-jk3oi]

This video didn't actually answer how Duolingo rakes in its profits... but I'm assuming it's by selling your personal data or the marketing data gathered through A/B testing.

[@gerardonavarro3400]

2:15

[@LavonnaRushen]

You are just killing the OTC market. This strategy is insane; if we find a good moment, yes, we are in trade there to win it up. I have already done this test and will post you now. Keep the great strategies posted. Many many thx. You and your channel rocks and we are learning from it very fast.

[@Joe29587]

Their question is "how do we make more money?", not "how can people learn more effectively?". How surprising.

[@cristianfigueredo566]

They are motivated by money, like every other worker. How surprising.

[@igorzagorsky37]

Agree!

[@Joe29587]

@@cristianfigueredo566 Are you saying that greed justifies moral corruption? It's okay to work for money. It's not okay to turn clients into guinea pigs without their consent to maximize profits.

[@cyf3823]

If they want to make more content to help more people learn, they have to pay people to make that content…

[@alexandra.v]

Sorry but it's not surprising at all. Every company wants money

[@shambhvilokre]

This is a really well-structured video

[@setsers1]

Spanish or Vanish.

[@Pennyfromheaven.]

I love how this is the first comment 💀

[@NinaTeterina]

I'm starting out in trading from India and your videos are fantastic. definitely subscribing.

[@billythekid-bestservant1]

I learned japanese vocabulary from duolingo. It's a good tool to learn ngl. Especially the hiragana and kanji.

[@thomasbachrach]

I was hooked - I had a 700 day streak - until the quality became worse and worse, and mistakes and bugs crept into every single session. I realised that despite almost completing my course, I had not been taught incredibly basic concepts, and because the course was constantly being shuffled around, it kept claiming I had been taught words I had never seen before. I suspect the introduction of AI is to blame for the decline in quality.

[@sebbretro]

I wonder if the ads had an effect…

[@AnnabellaLucas-m6k]

I am new subscriber and I must say I love watching your blog. Happy to watch someone enjoying life with their hard earned money

[@dotcorbeil6266]

I use duolingo, and I love the app. I plan to learn three languages with it one at a time.

[@Guillaume0608Rosselet]

I really like Duolingo such a great app. I did my Spanish tree back in 2012. And decided to do it again a month ago. The lessons are way better, the ads are slightly annoying but it stays reasonable and not a turn-off.

[@MasterLeong888]

amazing! thank you!

[@valentinsergeev8815]

Emma, you're a fantastic mentor

[@noahm]

Huge reason they’re so recognisable and loved is cause of the massive marketing they do, and how much of a meme the owl is.

[@FrediaShigo]

Indicator settings from your video were so helpful. Thanks!

[@Petrolhead11]

While it's true that businesses need to be self-sufficient, educational platforms could explore alternative funding methods like corporate social responsibility initiatives, instead of leaning on their user base, which often comprises students not yet earning an income.

[@DuolingoPath]

lol, I want them to charge people more so they can spend hundreds of millions on it, if you don't want to pay, find a textbook and stop whining

[@audreyh6628]

@@DuolingoPath how are they whining? It's an interesting suggestion

[@youngbear2258]

uh....are you sure traditional educational institutions do that? They are way worse, to be honest. Traditional educational institutions are the epitome of keep using failed methods, and only going after tuition and profit. Heck, they save more by being non-profit. I do not think Duo is non-profit yet it is doing what non-profit should do.

[@DuolingoPath]

@@audreyh6628 next year they will have around 1B revenue. these guys are just crazy if they think Duo can get that kind of money from donation etc.

[@konstantinkornilov736]

Thanks for the reminder about the importance of continually improving your trading skills.

[@travelchoice89]

🤑📚 Wow, Duolingo making $500M a year with 80% of users not paying?! That's some genius economics! 💡💸

[@Reforming_LL]

In exchange for making the app worse and worse every year! Wow, I love economics ❤️ (sarcasm)

[@moustaphafall-ng6sx]

I have been using it for 2 years to learn English.

[@Adivasi7777]

They cash in on your data. That's the black gold.

[@Jsarmy87124]

Noo the adds are way to present

[@dlanor15]

I don't think you realize what black gold is

[@Adivasi7777]

@@dlanor15 Notice how I didn't capitalize the letters....I don't think you are comprehending here...

[@IMFROM.RUSSIA]

Usually oil is called black gold.

[@BondJFK]

@@IMFROM.RUSSIA yes but data is new oil, its said by one of the oil billionaire himself who just started telecom company

[@danielsalazar-n5m]

This video comprehensively answers all my questions about trading. It's incredible how much information you share with us.🎊

[@VendyVendy]

Company goes public, starts downward trend of being worse with every change. Every time.

[@whatabouttheearth]

Because companies should be there for customers not shareholders. I think the entire concept of shareholding is trash

[@whatabouttheearth]

Because companies should be there for customers not shareholders. I think the entire concept of shareholding is trash