Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Duolingo's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Duolingo

  5900 Penn Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15206-3817

• 

  Duolingo

  5545 Walnut Street Pittsburg, PA 15232

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/09/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Date(s) of transaction: Multiple attempts between October 12, 2024 and June 7, 2025 Amount paid per test: $70 USD per test (some tests were free)Description:I have taken the Duolingo English Test approximately 14 times between October 12, 2024, and June 7, 2025.For the first several attempts, I was able to receive my certificates successfully. However, for 6 of the attempts, I was not granted any certificate without clear ************** the last 4 attempts, I successfully passed the test according to the scoring system, but Duolingo refused to issue me the certificates, again claiming I violated rules by looking away from the screen.I followed all the testing rules, took the tests alone in a quiet room, with the camera and microphone properly set up. Despite this, Duolingos system has repeatedly rejected my valid results without providing clear evidence or opportunity to properly appeal.Due to these refusals, I have missed critical deadlines to apply for a Masters program at the university, which has caused me significant stress and financial loss.I am requesting Duolingo to provide the certificates for my last four valid test attempts or offer a fair refund, as I need these certificates urgently for my university application.Duolingo has so far failed to resolve the issue satisfactorily.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/07/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Unfair Test Invalidation and Permanent Ban Dear ************ name is Wen-*** ***** and my account on ********************** is ********************* I paid to take the Duolingo English Test and strictly followed the rules. I submitted photos and videos of my home testing environment, which contained no items that could assist me. My practice test scores ranged from 140 to 150 out of a maximum of 160, demonstrating my genuine ability.However, I was notified that my test was invalidated for receiving assistance, without any concrete evidence or explanation. I appealed with supporting explanations, including that my ADHD may cause involuntary movements possibly misinterpreted by the system. Duolingo replied the decision was final but provided no clear evidence.I began complaining on June 2, and since June 4 have sent multiple emails requesting clarification or help, but none were answered, which feels very unfair. I also requested related test information, but Duolingo refused to provide any. This test and a prior one each cost $70, totaling $140, yet both were invalidated, seriously harming my rights.I believe the permanent ban, refusal to disclose reasons, and denial to retake the test under stricter supervision are excessive and unjust. Therefore, I formally request:A transparent reconsideration of my appeal;Confirmation and certification of my test score;Permission to retake the test under enhanced proctoring conditions.Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to a fair resolution.Sincerely,Wen-*** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/30/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Company: **************************** Nature of Complaint: Invalidated Test Result and Account Ban without Evidence or Refund I am filing this complaint because Duolingo, **** failed to provide the service I paid for, unfairly banned my account, and refused a refund despite the absence of any presented evidence of wrongdoing. **Transaction Date:** May 26, 2025 **Amount Paid:** $70 USD **Service Promised:** A valid score report for the Duolingo English Test, which I completed on the date above and needed for academic admissions. **Nature of Dispute:** Duolingo invalidated my test result, permanently banned my account, and denied a refund citing an alleged violation of test rules (receiving third-party help) but **refusing to provide any evidence or detail** despite multiple requests. I followed all rules and completed the test independently. **Resolution Attempts:** I contacted Duolingo support multiple times and submitted a detailed appeal (Reference Number: ********). I explained my situation and even offered to retake the test under supervision. Each time, they gave generic responses, refusing to provide specific information or reconsider the decision. **Advertising:** The Duolingo English Test is marketed as a fair, accessible, and secure alternative to traditional English exams. I relied on these claims when purchasing the test only to be denied transparency, accountability, and service.I respectfully request BBB to help mediate this situation. I am seeking either:- A full refund for the test I paid for but was never credited with a valid result;- Or the opportunity to fairly retake the test under stricter proctoring.Test Reference Number: ******** Full Name: Kuandyk Baltabek Email: ************************** Country: Kazakhstan Preferred Resolution: Refund or opportunity to retest

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/28/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 5/28 I was charged for a duolingo max subscription but I initiated the deletion of my account prior to this on 5/26. Instead of my account being deleted I got charged for this subscription. Closing my account should automatically cancel my subscription but apparently not. Please refund me for the subscription I can't use. The email associated with this complaint is also the email on my account. Please take note that legal efforts to collect the amount of $29.99 will not cease should this attempt be unsuccessful. Kind Regards

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/13/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have taken the Duolingo English Test four times. Each time, I followed all the rules carefully: I restarted my computer, closed all programs, turned off notifications, and ensured there were no pop-**** calls, or background apps. During my latest test on May 13th, I even recorded myself with a phone throughout the session to prove that I was fully compliant.Despite this, my test was not certified. When I contacted Duolingo support, they gave me a generic response with no details or evidence. They refused to tell me what specific program caused the issue and only provided a link to a general article.I am mentally and emotionally exhausted. I cannot take the test again. I am not asking for a refund. I am only asking Duolingo to manually review my most recent test and certify it if no real violations occurred which I am confident is the case.This is not just about one test result it is about fairness and transparency. I deserve a proper explanation and a human-reviewed decision after investing so much effort.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/09/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I signed up for a free trial of Duolingo's "Super" subscription on 2/25/25 and I canceled it within the app on 2/29/25 and I received confirmation within the app that I had canceled my subscription. Also, from 2/29/25 and beyond, I no longer had Super access and was back in the free version of the app.Then, on 5/5/25, I added a new credit card to my Apple wallet and Duolingo charged me $89.87 on the 5th of May, even though I canceled my subscription on the 29th of February. Then, I had the Super benefits again, such as no ads and unlimited lives.On 5/5/25 I requested a refund through Duolingo and ***** and both companies denied the refund. I put in a dispute through my credit card company, *********, and it was denied by *****. Duolingo has since been unresponsive to my inquiries, claiming that I need to request refunds through *****, even though their app and payment system mistakenly charged me $89.87.Also, since submitting a dispute through *********, Duolingo has canceled my Super access, even though they charged me $89.87 and it is supposed to be active through May of 2026. Now, they will not respond to me. So, not only has their company experienced some sort of glitch and mistakenly charged me, but I also have no Duolingo Super, which is what they mistakenly charged me for, and I had to pay the $89.87. This company has been extremely deceptive, unkind and unprofessional and I need someone to assist me in reaching a resolution. Please advise.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/07/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have submitted documents that I am getting an invalid login message. I have passwords stored in bitwarden and have verified them. I have tested two browsers and three different computers. If they can't respond to a free plan , then how would they treat their paid plans?

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/26/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I switched to Super Duolingo from regular Duolingo . They took out our money on April 1, 2025 for ****** for annual subscription. The money has been paid. I sent an email, Super was activated for about 2 weeks then switched back to regular Duolingo. No one has contacted me, I want my subscription turned back on or my money back.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/25/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I used the language-learning app Duolingo for a short time and then stopped using it. I did not have a subscription with them. I was recently charged $83.88 for something called "Super Duolingo". I went to their website and couldn't find anything. I have been trying to get this resolved for weeks but they make you do it through email. All I've received back is an AI-response email that says "Hello,Thank you for reaching out about the unexpected charge on your account. I understand your concern about the $83.88 charge for Super Duolingo.I've reviewed your account information, and I can see that there is currently no active subscription associated with your email address *********************** This aligns with what you mentioned about not being signed up for anything on the website."I even tried an alternate email I sometimes use and this was the response I got:"Thank you for reaching out about the subscription charge. I understand your concern regarding the unexpected charge for a Duolingo subscription that you didn't sign up ****** appears that the email address you're using to contact us ******************** is not associated with an active Duolingo subscription."They will not respond any further and I don't see any other way to contact them. I was going to challenge the charge on my credit card but I thought I would try the BBB first. I would like the $83.88 refunded and I want to make sure they do not charge me again. I only have those two emails and if both are not showing active subscriptions, it must be a mistake on their end.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/24/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On April 21, 2025, I was taking the Duolingo English Test, which I had purchased to support my academic and immigration goals. During the test, a smoke safety alert was triggered in the building I was in, and someone briefly entered the room to ensure the situation was safe. This was an unplanned emergency, and I had no control over the incident. I did not initiate the interruption, nor did I violate any test rules intentionally.After the test, Duolingo notified me that my session was invalidated and that I was permanently banned from taking the test again on any account. I immediately contacted their support team and submitted a formal appeal, providing full context of the emergency situation. However, Duolingos response was to uphold the ban without offering any real opportunity for further discussion or review. They stated that the ban is permanent and that no more responses would be provided.This decision is unfair and unreasonable, especially considering the cause of the disruption was a genuine safety emergency, not a willful rule violation. I am now being denied access to a service I paid for and depended on, and I have no way to retake the test or recover the opportunity I lost.I am requesting a re-evaluation of my case and the chance to retake the test, or alternatively, a full refund of my test fee along with formal acknowledgment that my case involved exceptional circumstances.Duolingos refusal to reconsider or escalate the issue has forced me to seek resolution through external consumer protection channels like the BBB.