Senior Data Scientist

Duolingo shares have fallen over 80% from their peak above $500 to around $100, though the decline was not due to business collapse. The company delivered strong 2025 results with 39% revenue growth, bookings surpassing $1 billion, and net profit tripling to $414 million whilst serving over 50 million daily active users. The drop stems from slowing user growth, which decelerated to 30% in Q4 from over 40% previously, with management expecting further slowdown to 20% in 2026. The company attributes this to aggressive monetization efforts including ads and subscription upsells. For 2026, Duolingo is prioritising user growth over profitability, targeting 100 million daily users by 2028. The company guided bookings growth of just 10%-12% for 2026 as it reduces friction and expands feature access.

Fluently vs Duolingo: Which Is Better for English Speaking Practice? Mar 31, 2026 People compare these two apps like they're alternatives to each other. They're not, really. Once you understand what each one is actually built to do, the question of which is "better" mostly answers itself based on what you're trying to accomplish. But let's go through it properly, because the surface-level similarities (both are apps, both involve English, both have some kind of speaking component) do make it a reasonable thing to wonder about. What Duolingo is, honestly. Duolingo is not primarily a language teaching app. It's a habit app. The streaks, XP, the little emotional animations, the league rankings - that's not decoration. That is the product. Duolingo's biggest problem as a company isn't "how do we teach language well." It's "how do we keep people coming back." And they've solved that problem remarkably well. People maintain Duolingo streaks for hundreds of days. The gamification design is genuinely impressive from a behavioral science standpoint. What Duolingo is less good at - and this matters if speaking is your goal - is unstructured conversation. The speaking exercises on Duolingo ask you to read a sentence aloud. The app checks whether your pronunciation matched the expected output. That's it. No follow-up. No "you said that naturally but here's a more common phrasing." No open-ended dialogue where you have to actually think about what to say next. It's a pronunciation checker, not a speaking practice tool. There's a difference. What fluently is. Fluently is a focused product. No gamification, no levels, no streaks. The entire thing is built around one goal: helping intermediate and advanced English speakers have real conversations without freezing up or sounding robotic. You talk to an AI tutor. Unscripted. On whatever topic you want. The AI responds like an actual conversation partner, and at the end of each session - and in real time during it - you get specific feedback on what you said. Not "good job." Specific. "You used the past simple here but the present perfect would be more natural in this context." "You've made this word choice error three times this session." That's the kind of feedback that actually changes how you speak, because it's tied to real communicative moments rather than abstract grammar rules. If you've already spent time looking into the AI tutor vs. human tutor debate, AI English Tutor vs. Human Tutor: Which Is Better for You? covers that question in detail and is worth reading alongside this. Comparing the two. Speaking practice, side by side. Duolingo: You're asked to read a sentence. The app checks your pronunciation against the expected output. That's the speaking exercise. Fluently: You have an actual conversation. Unpredictable. Responsive. Real. One of these trains you to speak in actual conversations. The other doesn't. That's not a knock on Duolingo - it does what it's designed for - but if speaking fluently with real people is the goal, this is a meaningful difference. The feedback quality gap. Duolingo tells you correct or incorrect. Sometimes shows you the right answer. Fluently tells you what you said, what would be more natural, why that version sounds better, and tracks which errors keep showing up for you specifically. The first time you use both in the same week, this contrast is striking. Keeping the habit going. Duolingo wins here. If you need external pressure to stay consistent, Duolingo's gamification is legitimately effective. The streak mechanism has made people practice language daily for years who would have stopped in week two without it. Fluently is less gamified. The pull to keep coming back is that you actually notice yourself improving - which works well for self-directed learners but takes a bit more initial discipline to establish. Pronunciation. Duolingo: rough score based on whether your speech matched the expected pronunciation. Can't identify which specific sounds you consistently get wrong. Fluently: more specific feedback, plus the separate Accent Guru tool that identifies your accent in 30 seconds and gives targeted guidance. If pronunciation is a priority, this is the deeper option. Cost. Duolingo has a free tier that covers the core experience. Paid version adds features but isn't required. Fluently is paid. Significantly cheaper than private tutoring - roughly 20x cheaper per hour of speaking practice - but not free. The level thing. Duolingo is built for beginners. Starting from scratch, limited vocabulary, unfamiliar grammar - Duolingo's structured approach is what you need. Fluently is built for people who already have enough English to hold a rough conversation but can't do it smoothly, confidently, or quickly enough in real situations. That's a different problem with a different solution. Who should actually use which. Use Duolingo if: * You're a beginner * Reading and writing matter as much as speaking for your goals * You need gamification to stay consistent * Free is a real constraint * You're learning multiple languages and want one interface Use Fluently if: * You're past the basics but feel stuck * Speaking is the specific skill you need to improve * You freeze up in meetings, interviews, or real conversations * You want feedback tied to what you actually say, not scripted exercises * You're a professional who needs better spoken English at work Using both at the same time. It works, and some learners do it. Duolingo handles vocabulary and grammar exposure; Fluently handles the speaking practice. They don't really overlap. Think of it this way: Duolingo keeps the engine idling. Fluently is where you actually drive. For more on the AI-powered speaking practice landscape generally, AI English Speaking Practice: The Complete Guide for 2026 has a broader view of what's out there and how the different approaches compare. How fluently goes further. Every session on Fluently generates a personalized breakdown of that session. Not a generic "here's a grammar rule to review." Your specific errors, tied to specific things you said. Over time, you stop repeating the same mistakes because the feedback loop reinforces what actually needs to change. That compounding effect - accurate practice, repeated - is what produces real speaking improvement rather than just accumulated time spent with an app. Frequently asked questions (FAQ). Is Duolingo's speaking practice actually enough to improve conversational English? For pronunciation basics, it moves the needle slightly. For actual conversational fluency - responding naturally in an unscripted exchange - it's too limited. The format doesn't simulate real speaking conditions, which is what fluency ultimately requires. Will Fluently help if I'm still a beginner? Fluently is most useful once you have enough vocabulary to hold a basic conversation. If you're truly starting out, building a foundation with Duolingo first and then moving to Fluently makes more sense. Fluently also recommends this - it's designed for intermediate and above. Can Duolingo and Fluently be used together? Yes, easily. Different functions, no real overlap. A common approach: Duolingo for a light daily grammar and vocabulary touch, Fluently for the speaking practice that actually matters. Which app is better for English pronunciation? Fluently by a reasonable margin. More granular feedback, and the free Accent Guru tool gives you a dedicated pronunciation assessment that Duolingo doesn't offer. If pronunciation improvement is a priority, Fluently is the more useful option. Is Fluently worth paying for compared to a free app? Depends on your goals. If speaking fluency is actually what you're trying to improve - not vocabulary or grammar - then yes, Fluently's targeted approach delivers results that free gamified apps can't replicate. Some learners also use Fluently alongside a human tutor for the daily practice reps between sessions. What if I've been using Duolingo for over a year and still can't speak comfortably? That's not unusual - and it's not really Duolingo's fault. Duolingo isn't designed to build conversational fluency. Switching your focus to output-based practice with real feedback (what Fluently provides) tends to produce visible progress relatively quickly for people in this situation. Conclusion. These apps aren't competing. They solve different problems. Duolingo keeps you consistent and works well for beginners. Fluently builds the speaking ability that Duolingo's format can't develop. If speaking confidently is the goal, Fluently is the more direct path. Choose based on what you actually need.

Tara Kapur steps into global marketing role for Duolingo English Test. Tara Kapur has been appointed Director of Marketing for the Duolingo English Test at Duolingo, moving from her India-focused role to a global mandate. Her elevation follows three years of driving growth in India and reflects her extensive experience across digital platforms, content, and international marketing strategy. Tara Kapur has transitioned into a global leadership role as Director of Marketing for the Duolingo English Test at Duolingo, marking a significant step in her career after spearheading the product's growth in India over the past three years. Announcing the move on LinkedIn, Kapur reflected on her journey building the Duolingo English Test in India, expressing enthusiasm about taking on a broader international remit. She described the opportunity as a chance to work closely with global teams and shape marketing initiatives for a product that seeks to redefine traditional English proficiency testing while expanding access for students worldwide. Her elevation signals a shift from a regional leadership role to a global mandate, where she will collaborate across markets to strengthen the test's positioning and reach. During her tenure in India, Kapur played a pivotal role in enhancing brand visibility and driving adoption of the Duolingo English Test, positioning it as a credible and accessible alternative in the competitive language assessment landscape. Kapur also acknowledged the support of her colleagues and leadership at Duolingo, underscoring the collaborative effort behind the product's growth in one of its key markets. Before this transition, she held multiple leadership roles at Duolingo, including Head of Marketing for the Duolingo English Test and India Market Lead. In these roles, she focused on scaling the product's presence and building engagement among Indian students aspiring to study abroad. Prior to joining Duolingo, Kapur built a diverse career across media, entertainment and digital marketing. At Netflix India, she held several roles spanning social marketing and content promotion, eventually becoming Co-Lead for Series Marketing, where she worked on campaign strategy and audience engagement for a wide range of titles. Her earlier experience includes roles at Vice Media, where she worked on business development and marketing alliances across the Asia-Pacific region, as well as at Supari Studios and Times Network, handling marketing and editorial responsibilities. She was also a founding member and Content Head at Vitamin Stree, contributing to community-driven content initiatives. Kapur's appointment reflects Duolingo's continued focus on expanding the global footprint of its English testing product, leveraging experienced leadership to drive awareness and adoption in an increasingly competitive international education market.