Raising Is Duolingo safe for kids? What parents should know
Is Duolingo safe for kids? Apple's App Store rates Duolingo 4+, with no violence or mature-content descriptors, but it lists advertising and messaging and chat. Google Play rates it Everyone, noting that users interact and that there are in-app purchases. The app sells Super Duolingo subscriptions and gems, its in-app currency. We found no US government action against Duolingo.
Duolingo at a glance
- –Official rating above age 7
App Store: 4+; Google Play: Everyone - ✓Contact with other players or strangers
App Store: messaging and chat - ✓Purchases with real money
Super Duolingo and gems - –Paid random items
None found - –Violence or scary content in rating descriptors
None listed - –Government lawsuits, fines, or safety warnings
No US government action found
Each flag is a yes-or-no fact from the sources on this page. The number is a count of flags, not a safety score. How we count.
| Type | Language-learning app by Duolingo, Inc., with short lessons, math, music, and chess |
|---|---|
| App Store (iOS) | 4+ (for ages 4 and up) — contains advertising, messaging and chat source |
| Google Play | Everyone — Users Interact, In-App Purchases source |
| Purchases | Super Duolingo $9.99–$119.99 in the App Store; gems $0.99–$19.99 source |
| Under 13 | Guides from Internet Matters and Bark say under-13 accounts lack social features; we couldn't confirm this with Duolingo |
Checked October 2026. Ratings and settings change; check the official source before you decide. What do these ratings mean?
Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.
What is Duolingo?
Short answer: A language-learning app with short lessons, made by Duolingo, Inc.
Its App Store listing also offers math, music, and chess. Lessons are built around daily streaks, leagues, and rewards.
Is Duolingo safe for kids? The facts
Short answer: It's rated 4+ on the App Store, with ads, chat features, and purchases.
- Rating: App Store 4+ with no content descriptors; Google Play Everyone.
- Contact: Apple lists messaging and chat; Google Play lists that users interact.
- Purchases: Super Duolingo subscriptions from $9.99 and gems from $0.99 in the App Store.
- Ads: Apple lists advertising.
- Under 13: guides from Internet Matters and Bark say kids under 13 who sign up get accounts without social features like leaderboards and friends, and that age isn't verified. We couldn't confirm this from Duolingo itself.
The habit kids may copy: guarding the streak
Duolingo counts the days in a row someone practices. Some people practice to keep the number, not to learn.
Try tonight: one new word
Learn one word in a new language together, like "hola." Get it wrong on purpose once, then try again. Say: "Not yet. Let's try again." In our program, this is the lesson "Not Yet": the trying matters.
Why you can trust this page: the main facts link to their sources, a separate reviewer checks each page before it goes live, and the date shows when we last checked. How we review · Report an error
FAQ
What age is Duolingo for?
Apple's App Store rates it 4+ and Google Play rates it Everyone.
Does Duolingo have chat?
Apple's App Store lists messaging and chat, and Google Play lists that users interact.
Does Duolingo cost money?
The app is free to download, with ads. Super Duolingo subscriptions and gems cost money.
Can kids under 13 use Duolingo?
Guides from Internet Matters and Bark say under-13 accounts get no social features; we couldn't confirm the rules with Duolingo.
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