Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/19/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Okay, on Duolingo, they have these memberships. Basic, Super, Max, Super ****** plan and the Max ****** plan. I upgraded all the way to the Max plan because they constantly bothered me to buy it. Once I had it, my friend wanted it also, so I got the Super ****** Plan to add 5 people. Only one of my friends could ever join, not 5 people.. I thought, well, maybe if I got the Max ****** Plan IT WILL ADD ALL 5 PEOPLE. Nope, still could only add one person. I had emailed and emailed Duo when I had the Super ****** plan but the problem was never resolved so I didn't write to Duo when the problem occurred with Max. I GOT NOTHING MORE WITH MAX FAMILY PLAN THAN I DID WITH SUPER. I called *************** to get help, but they were unwilling to help me, so I called Apple pay. The refund of $256.79 for MAX is now pending at ***************. But, Duo downgraded me to Max the account reflects but I only have SUPER which means I lost MAX AND I LOST THE SUPER FAMILY PLAN too which I paid for. So, all I'm asking is they give me back is MAX AND THE SUPER FAMILY PLAN or reund me for those two AND ALLOW ALL FIVE PEOPLE as my friend lost her plan and she should not have! Max was $29.29 x 12 which I paid = $359.88 a year. And Super Plan I lost was $83.99 for a year. $443.87. Now that my one friend lost Super on Super ****** plan, I'm worried she won't get it for free again, including the other 4 I was never able to add. I still want that Max refund of $256.79 for MAX also!

  Customer response

  02/04/2025

  Email #1:

  1. DO see Max today but did NOT see it before I wrote to you. 
  
  2. I am still waiting for the Max ****** Plan to be refunded; those are two different levels
  
  3. They took away the Super ****** Plan when I asked for a refund of the Max ****** Plan but the Super ****** Plan was paid for BEFORE I got the Max ****** Plan! 
  
  4. I was only ever able to add one friend to the Super ****** Plan like the Max ****** Plan. 
  
  5. But now that I no longer have the Super ****** Plan either, my only friend that was able to get on, she lost it also! 
  
  6. So they should fix it so I can add 5 people on Super ****** plan is what I really want and the person that was on before! Or give my money back on Super also!
  
  Sorry for all this mess. Thank you for helping.

  --------------------------------------------------------------

  Email #2:

  Any answer from DUOLINGO? I got the refund from from DUOLINGO for the MAX ****** Membership but the SUPER ****** Membership with 5 members has not been added back that was paid for prior to getting Max ****** Membership. My friend thinks I cancelled it on purpose but I explained to her Duo did and they may not even let me add her back since I added her to the plan before even though I wasn't able to add the other 4 people. I don't know. But DUO needs to give me 5 fresh options to add my own friends, NOT the people who already joined.

  -------------------------------------------------------------

  Email #3:

  Re: You still owe me Super ****** w/5 friends
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  Super Duolingo 
  1:24 PM (8 hours ago)
  
  to me
  
  ##- Please type your reply above this line -##
  Thank you for your reply, we've updated the reference number ******** with your message. There is no need to reply to this automated message unless you have new information to include.
  
  
  Oscar:
  
  Hello,
  
  Thank you for contacting Duolingo Support regarding your subscription concerns. We take your feedback seriously and want to address the issues you've raised.
  
  Based on our records, your current subscription is an Annual Max ********** plan, which started on August 18, 2024, and is set to expire on September 12, 2025. This plan is different from a ****** Plan.
  
  Regarding your concerns about the ****** Plan and refund, we'd like to clarify a few points:
  
  1. ********** subscribers cannot be part of a ****** Plan simultaneously.
  2. To join a ****** Plan, you would need to:
  Cancel your current subscription renewal
  Wait for your individual subscription to expire
  Then join a ****** Plan
  
  We understand you're frustrated with the situation. To better assist you, we're escalating your case to a support specialist who will review the details of your subscription history, including any past refunds or ****** Plan purchases.
  
  The specialist will contact you directly to:
  Investigate the refund you mentioned
  Address the discrepancy between your Max subscription and the Super ****** Plan you expected
  Discuss the BBB case you've filed
  
  We're committed to resolving this issue and ensuring you receive the service you're entitled to.
  
  Duolingo Support Team
  
  
  ***************************:
  
  You still owe me Super ****** w/5 friends
  You refuded me Max ****** w/5 friends and I still should have Super ****** w/5 friends but I lost the 5 friends and even though I also paid for that, I only ever got 1 friend added. That's a SCAM. I have Max with no family plan at all. I have a pending case with the BBB.
  
  Reference number: ********
  
  This email is a service from Super Duolingo. Delivered by Duolingo.
  [GJPL27-0GWLZ]
  
  ******** A ****
  9:23 PM (21 minutes ago)
  
  to Super
  
  Wrong! I had the Annual Max ********** Plan, then upgraded to the Super ****** Plan, THEN to the Max ****** Plan. You downgraded me two plans when you should have only downgraded me to the Super ****** Plan as I had it before the Max ****** Plan.I had the Max ********** Play before the Super ****** Plan. 
  
  ********

  -----------------------------------------------------

  Email #4:

  Since they took the Super ****** away when they took the Max ****** away, I bought a Duolingo Super gift for the friend on 1/31/2025 that lost her free membership because of Duolingo. Then Duolingo refunded my money because obviously they don't trust me but it should only be me not trusting them. How crazy! 

  -----------------------------------------------------

  Email #5:

  Your gift is on its way!
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  Duolingo <*************************************************************>
  Fri, Jan 31, 10:03 PM (2 hours ago)
  
  to me
  
  
  
  Hi ******** A ****,
  
  
  Thanks for gifting ****** *** ******* a 1 year subscription to Super Duolingo! Your gift will be delivered to their email, ************************* today.
  
  
  Invoice number: in_1QnWvxCLCQAemjDAbCZULxRZ (click here for receipt and additional payment information)
  
  
  Questions? Please reach out to our customer support team at super-********************************** or visit our FAQs page.
  

  ------------------------------------------------

  Email #6:

  Your refund from Duolingo, *** #****-3432
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  Duolingo, *** <**********************************************************************************>
  Attachments
  Fri, Jan 31, 11:03 PM (1 hour ago)
  
  to me
  
       
   
    Duolingo, ***
   
   
   
  Refund from Duolingo, ***
  $79.99
  Refunded on February 1, 2025
   
   
   
  invoice illustration
   Download invoice Download receipt
   
  Receipt number ****-3432
   
  Invoice number 2FBA7D9D-0001
   
  Refunded to Visa - 9256
   
   
   
   
    Receipt #****-3432
   
   
  Super Duolingo 12-Months
   
  Qty 1
   
  $79.99
   
   
   
     
   
   
  Total
   
  $79.99
   
   
   
     
   
   
  Amount paid
   
  $79.99
   
   
   
   
  Total refunded without credit note
   
  $79.99
   
   
   
     
   
    Questions? Contact us at super-**********************************.

  
  ----------------------------------------------------- 

  Email #7:

  
  Super Duolingo 
  12:03 PM (2 hours ago)
  
  to me
  
  ##- Please type your reply above this line -##
  Thank you for your reply, we've updated the reference number ******** with your message. There is no need to reply to this automated message unless you have new information to include.
  
  
  **** M:
  
  Hello!
  
  Thank you so much for contacting us here at Duolingo. My name is **** and I'm happy to help you with this today.
  
  I apologize for any trouble. I can confirm that ***** issued a refund for the Max ****** subscription and downgraded you to a Max ********** plan- not a Super ****** Plan. Unfortunately, that "downgrade" combination of going from Max individual to a Max ****** Plan to a SUPER ****** Plan just isn't possible at this time from a technical standpoint. I've looked at all subscriptions and trials on your account and you have never had a Super ****** Plan.
  
  Regarding only being able to add one friend, we can always assist with getting members added to your plan. Sometimes, they may need to paste the link into a web browser to accept the invitation.
  
  I also see that you recently wrote in regarding purchasing Super for your friend.
  
  Apologies for any confusion. Your gift subscription purchase was automatically refunded because the gift email could not be delivered to the recipient. If you have not received the refund yet, it may take a few business days for the refund to be processed.
  
  At your earliest convenience, you may retry the gift subscription purchase at this page: *******************************************
  
  When retrying the purchase, we recommend making sure that the gift recipient's email address is entered correctly.
  
  If you experience any other issues with purchasing a gift subscription, please let us know.
  
  **** | Super Duolingo Support
  
  [GJPL27-0GWLZ]
  
  ******** A ****
  1:13 PM (1 hour ago)
  That's bull c*** I have had a super plan! And I should be able to gift my friend a super plan even though I have max! Why did you refund the gift of super I bo
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  Super Duolingo 
  1:14 PM (1 hour ago)
  
  to me
  
  ##- Please type your reply above this line -##
  Thank you for your reply, we've updated the reference number ******** with your message. There is no need to reply to this automated message unless you have new information to include.
  
  
  ***************************:
  
  That's bull c*** I have had a super plan! And I should be able to gift my friend a super plan even though I have max! Why did you refund the gift of super I bought her???? You took away everything from her. She was on the super family plan before I bought the max plan. When I got a refund of max, you took her off completely. And now won't let me send her a gift for super????
  
  
  **** M:
  
  [GJPL27-0GWLZ]
  image.png
  Super Duolingo 
  1:32 PM (47 minutes ago)
  
  to me
  
  ##- Please type your reply above this line -##
  Thank you for your reply, we've updated the reference number ******** with your message. There is no need to reply to this automated message unless you have new information to include.
  
  
  **** M:
  
  The gift is a completely separate issue and has nothing to do with your subscription status. There was an issue delivering the gift to the email address. You're welcome to try again.
  
  Secondly, yes. If you had a Max ****** Plan that was downgraded to an individual Max plan, then obviously, secondary members of the ****** Plan will lose their access because the ****** Plan no longer exists. Again, you downgraded to an INDIVIDUAL plan. If you want me to look at your friend's account, please provide their username.

• Initial Complaint

  01/18/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I began using Duolingo as a New Year Resolution so I can learn Spanish for my girlfriend and her family. I was told the app was free but was bombarded with constant ads (about 2 every 5 minutes) to upgrade to "Super Duolingo". I finally took a minute to hear/read their pitch. When I saw that they claim they "remind you before your subscription renews" I decided to accept the offer of a few days without the incessant advertising. Lo and behold, a few days later my card is charged for $85 without warming. No e-mail, no push notification, just an $85. They mislead, the advertised falsely, and their business model is predicated on false pretense. They claim to offer a free service but badger you constantly to buy a subscription, and then when you agree to the free trial they ******* you into paying despite claiming they won't. They are frauds and criminals. If I can't put them out of business, I would at least like my $85 back so i can forget about this and never think about Duolingo again.

• Initial Complaint

  01/08/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I have been using Duolingo for over a year now, and I have reported a problem to customer support 5 times for my account. Not one time have I received the assistance I requested. I am a Family Plan customer, and I deserve the help that I ask for. Actually, it should not matter that I am a Family Plan customer; all customers deserve good service. Every time I submit a request for assistance I only get an automated response. I include screenshots and specific details in my inquiries. I have reached out to Duolingo through email, Instagram, X (*******), and ********, but never received a response. The problems I reported in 2024 are: Wrongfully got kicked out of Diamond League on July 28 (screenshot included) and unnecessarily used 3000 gems;Wrongful lost a daily ****** streak on December 24 (screenshot included);Did not get credit for doing a ****** at least 3 times;XP boost disappeared at least 4 times without *************** freeze more than once;Lost friend streak for no reason (neither one of us missed a day);Did not get credit for gems I earned (I did not report this, but did receive an error)The most important problems I need resolved are the restoration of my Diamond League streak, and the restoration of my daily streak. I work very hard to earn the statuses, streaks, milestones, and quests that are offered, and it is extremely frustrating and discouraging when those things are wrongfully taken away from me. Especially when I am completely ignored. I know I am not the only one who experiences these problems. There are 5 other people in my family plan, and I know several others who have the problem with nonexistent customer service. The customer service department needs a complete revamp.

• Initial Complaint

  01/07/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I purchased the Duolingo language learning App to learn Spanish. I have been using it for over a year. A couple of weeks ago, the program began to malfunction immediately after I bought a multipack of gems (used for in-app purchases). I am stuck in Section 3, Unit 23. I get through a few exercises of ****** 1, and then the app no longer accepts a tap on the word continue. Exiting the app and returning put me back at exercise 1 of ****** 1. Since I cannot advance, the app uses up a streak freeze.Besides using up my credits, I am actually not able to learn anything more from the APP.There is no tech support number to call. Email feedback does not result in any support. Please help me find a way to have the App reset to move past that one ******.

• Initial Complaint

  01/02/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I have paid for Super Duolingo which promises to be free of advertisements, however Duolingo continues to serve ads for my to pay for Duolingo Max. I cannot see how it it is legal for them to continue to advertise services to me after I have paid to remove them.

• Initial Complaint

  12/31/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Free trial, billed anyway in November 2023. App never functioned properly so request cancelled and billed anyway even though refund was promised. November 2024 I was billed again! I didnt authorize that and removed the app from my phone last year during the trial. Filed with my credit card and Duo Lingo maintains the charges are valid. I call it fraud.

  Business response

  01/08/2025

  Hello,

  We have no record of correspondence from ***********************. If you have a reference number of the ticket where these promises were made to you, please do share!
  It looks like your subscription was already canceled and refunded on January 3, 2025!

• Initial Complaint

  12/31/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I was not notified 2 day before end of trial period. Money taken without authority did not have my permission.

• Initial Complaint

  12/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On December 29th 2024, I paid Duolingo $60, by credit card, for a one-year subscription to Duolingo Super. Duolingos representation in their ad which caused me to subscribe said that the benefit, over regular free Duolingo, would be that there would be no ads to interrupt my use of the language learning app. Within minutes of starting the new "no ads" service, I received an ad from Duolingo urging me to sign up for the family plan for an additional amount of money. Obviously, the no ads offer was completely false. I tried to cancel my subscription with Duolingo, which was less than an hour old, and after much difficulty got to a screen that said they would cancel it in a year and charge me $60. I ended up having to cancel the credit card that I used to pay for the app which was a huge pain. It's this kind of behavior from corporate America and their marketing divisions that makes people hate them. I don't know if there's anything you can do about it, but I wanted to complain in other than online forum.

• Initial Complaint

  12/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Hello,I am writing to address an issue regarding a refund for my Duolingo yearly subscription. I contacted ***** **************** to request the refund, but I was informed that ***** cannot process it because Duolingo has refused to authorize the reimbursement. However, when I reached out to Duolingo, I was directed back to ***** to handle the refund.This back-and-forth has created confusion and inconvenience. I was charged for a service I neither use nor intend to use, and I kindly request that the matter be resolved promptly.I ask that my subscription be refunded immediately to rectify this issue and ensure a better customer experience. Please advise on how to proceed or confirm when I can expect the refund.Thank you for your attention to this *********** regards,Ege Sanem Oturmaz

• Initial Complaint

  12/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Don't let the cutesy graphics fool you. While by no means my first time being blindsided by a free trial period ending, this is my first time going out of my way to file a complaint with BBB in 35 years so I am absolutely ******. Signed up for a 7-day trial period and was charged $83.99 with no option to adjust subscription to a monthly plan until December of next year. Refund requests to *****, per Duolingo's instructions, were denied twice and that consumers are just supposed to give up and wish for better luck next time is among the top 1% shadiest business practices I've ever encountered. (If you try calling the number for customer support, the answering system just repeats what's already written on their FAQ). I think it's a good product and I would have been inclined to sign on but this makes me want to run a scorched earth campaign.

  Business response

  12/10/2024

  Hello,

  We're sorry you forgot to cancel your free trial. This is a standard free trial practice for a subscription service. Subscriptions renew automatically and it is up to the user to manage their subscription preferences, as you've agreed to upon subscribing and confirming your subscription through *****. We're sorry you feel blindsided by this.

  For security purposes, ***** does not give us access to your payment information. In this case, they act as the retailer, and do not allow developers to issue refunds on their behalf. We're sorry they have denied your request. We can only recommend you contact ***** Support, as the transaction is between Apple and your bank.

  Customer response

  12/10/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
   
  Regards,
  
  ******** ********

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩