Duolingo makes advanced language lessons free across nine languages

Duolingo is widening its free tier in a way that changes the economics of language learning: advanced lessons that used to sit deeper in the product are now available at no charge across nine of its biggest courses. The company said on Wednesday that free users can now access advanced content in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean and Chinese on the web, iOS and Android.

The shift matters because the new material is not just extra practice. Duolingo said the expanded courses reach B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which it maps to a Duolingo Score of 129. Until now, most learners in those courses could only complete material up to A2, mapped to a Duolingo Score of 59. In practical terms, the company is giving free users access to longer passages, more complex vocabulary and practice that is meant to move beyond survival phrases and basic conversation.

Duolingo is pitching that change as useful, not just generous. The new free layer includes Advanced Stories for reading practice, DuoRadio episodes for listening comprehension, Explain My Answer, and mini-units. The company said learners can use the material to understand news, movies and jokes in their new language. It also framed B2 as the level that generally allows someone to get a job in that language, a claim that puts employability at the center of the update.

That makes the free offering meaningful for students, job seekers and newcomers trying to function in a new country. Duolingo said B2 corresponds to an independent user who can interact with other speakers, understand complex texts and express viewpoints on a wide range of topics. Its own examples included a Ukrainian speaker newly arrived in Germany handling administrative tasks, a Spanish speaker studying Japanese for university, and a Chinese speaker applying to French-speaking companies.

At the same time, the expansion also serves Duolingo’s retention strategy. Advanced learners are less likely to churn if the app keeps offering material that feels relevant and challenging, and that can deepen engagement even before a user pays for premium features. The company’s decision to make its Practice tab free in February and to add more than 100,000 DuoRadio episodes across all levels in 2025 points in the same direction: more value for free users, but also more reasons to keep them inside the app.

The move lands with Duolingo in a strong financial position. The company said it surpassed 50 million daily active users in 2025 and generated over $1 billion in bookings, over $400 million in net income and over $300 million in Adjusted EBITDA. It also authorized a $400 million share repurchase program in February and said it will report first-quarter 2026 results on May 4. Against that backdrop, opening B2 content looks less like a giveaway than a strategic bet that wider access will reinforce Duolingo’s scale, brand and hold on the language-learning market.