How To Develop A Language Learning App Like Duolingo

E-learning mobile applications have gained immense popularity in the past few years. As per research, the impact of COVID-19 has an impact on a 330% increase in the revenue generated by e-learning software. Online language learning apps are quite popular these days as they provide the convenience of learning on the go and doing it from home.

Some apps also have an audio function to hear how words are pronounced and sentences are spoken. This is a great way for people who don't have the opportunity to speak with native speakers in person.

There are many different types of online language learning apps. Some focus on grammar and vocabulary, while others focus on conversation skills or writing skills. So,  it's important when choosing an app platform for your targeted audience that it's tailored to your specific needs and what you want to get out of your learning experience.

Duolingo is such kind of language learning app that helps people learn languages by translating texts and providing exercises. Duolingo is a free language-learning app that has been downloaded by more than 200 million people worldwide. It’s also the most popular way to learn languages on the planet and has been used by over 40% of the United States population. 

The app is completely free to download and offers a variety of courses in 30+ languages, including Spanish, French, German, Brazilian Portuguese, and Italian. It’s available in both web & mobile versions, which provides an effective curriculum, appealing gamification, clean design & so many attractive features. This app is suitable for all ages of learners, including kids, students, teachers & adults. Learners can learn their desired languages through innovative learning technologies like fun games.

The main advantage of Duolingo is that you can learn the language from scratch & the training program will be presented to you as a tree of achievements. Do you want to make money by developing an app like Duolingo? Go through this article & get some steps & ideas to make an educational e-learning app.

Essential Features Of An E-learning Language App Like Duolingo

Sign-Up/Sign-In

This is the first step for any mobile application. It is necessary to make the registration or account creation process as simple as Duolingo. Simplify the sign-up/sign-in with minimum requirements. Also, include social login options- Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc., so that users can directly sign in with those accounts. You need to understand that users don’t like to fill out tons of personal info; they want to get straight to the learning.

Organized Courses

Course organization & selection is the most important & crucial feature of any e-learning app. The more user finds the course easily; the better user experiences your app can provide. As we all know, Duolingo is a course-based learning platform; the learning hierarchy includes speaking, listening, sentence translation, Multiple choice & tap-match exercises.

Lessons & Task

For practising different languages, diversified & day-to-day tasks are essential. You need to implement a different kind of assignment format to make the selected course more effective. It can be a simple vocabulary practice where your app can help users learn new words, just like Duolingo. Then, grammar practice is essential to write down any sentence. Lastly, speaking & listening practice is equally important tasks for an effective language learning platform.

Online Revision Test

To assess your learner, a revision test feature is necessary. These tests allow students to practice the skills they’ve learned and to review what they have learned. They also help students with their confidence in writing, speaking, and understanding the material. It also helps the users identify the areas they lack and make improvements accordingly. The knowledge assessments feature necessary to let your users know how well their new language learning is going. 

Certificates As Acknowledgement

Giving a knowledge certificate authenticates your app to your user base. The certificate is a way to recognize the learner’s efforts and achievements in learning a foreign language. It is also a way to provide an incentive for learners to continue their learning process. It is important that the certificate be valid and reliable so that learners can trust it. An independent third party, such as an academic or reputable institution, should verify the certificate.

Push Notifications

Push notifications ensure users about all your app update on the go. It is a feature of an online language-learning app that helps users stay on track with your language learning goals. It can be used to send alerts about new lessons or updates to existing lessons. The app also allows you to set reminders for studying, which means you can set a time and date for when you want the app to remind you about a lesson. The function of this feature is wider than just reminding learners about their goals and upcoming lessons. It also allows learners taking more than one course at once to switch between them without losing their place in either one.

In-Built Feedback Form

An in-built feedback form is an online language learning app feature that helps learners and teachers communicate and improve their skills. Learners can use the feedback form to give the teacher feedback on their pronunciation, grammar, and lesson content. The teacher can then use this feedback to improve their teaching skills.

Monetization Models for Language Learning Apps

A well-thought-out monetization strategy is crucial for sustainability and growth. Here are proven models that you can implement:

1. Freemium Model

Offer core features for free while charging for premium features like:

• Advanced lessons

• Offline access

• Practice with AI tutors or live sessions

2. Subscription Plans

Monthly or yearly subscriptions unlock full access to content, additional languages, and ad-free experiences. You can offer tiered plans based on access levels.

3. In-App Purchases

Sell digital goods like XP boosters, extra lives, or exclusive badges. These microtransactions can create a continuous revenue stream.

4. Ads-Based Revenue

Offer a free version with ad placements — rewarded video ads (e.g., watch to unlock a lesson) work well without disrupting the experience.

5. B2B Licensing

Partner with schools, corporations, or government organizations to license your app for training purposes, offering them dashboards for learner management and analytics.

Leveraging AI & Gamification in Language Learning

Modern language learning apps are evolving far beyond static lessons. AI and gamification are now essential to delivering a personalized, engaging, and effective learning experience. Here’s how these technologies elevate your app:

AI-Powered Personalization

Artificial Intelligence can analyze user behavior, learning pace, and performance to:

• Adapt lesson difficulty dynamically

• Recommend revision content for weak areas

• Personalize learning paths for different languages and proficiency levels

Speech Recognition & Pronunciation Feedback

AI-enabled speech recognition allows real-time feedback on pronunciation accuracy, helping users improve their speaking skills confidently — a key differentiator from traditional learning.

Chatbots & Virtual Tutors

AI chatbots simulate real-life conversations, offering interactive speaking practice. Advanced models can roleplay different scenarios (e.g., ordering food, job interviews) and provide contextual grammar corrections.

Gamification Elements That Boost Engagement

Duolingo’s success is largely tied to gamification. You can integrate:

• XP points and rewards

• Daily streaks

• Leaderboards

• Badges for milestone achievements

• In-app challenges and levels

These features keep users motivated, build learning habits, and increase retention significantly.

Steps To Create An E-learning Language App Like Duolingo

Niche & Content Research

The first step to developing a language learning app is to clearly understand other existing language learning apps, their features, pros & cons. Also, to create an effective app, it is necessary to understand the purpose of the app. This will help in deciding whether or not it needs to be developed locally or globally. As you have to create technical content for your app, that means you will need to research what languages are available for learners, what type of materials would be appropriate for each learner, and how these materials should be organized.

Select An App Development Platform

While you are choosing to launch your language learning app, make sure you are selecting the one where the majority of your targeted audience is present. In this competitive app development market, it is crucial to choose the right platform, whether it is android or iOS. This is the major factor for the app’s success. Though currently there are 1B iOS users & 1.7B Android users, you shouldn’t make decisions based on that calculation. Decide your app development platform based on audience, location, app complexity, app development time & business needs.

Use Latest Technology Stack

Duolingo app combines 47 technologies in its backend. Now, the backend may not have anything to deal with the learners, but it has a huge impact on deciding how the application will behave. Different platforms leverage different tech stacks according to the application's need. Some highlighted tech stacks are JQuery, Objective C, Javascript, Bootstrap, Amazon Cloudfront,  Nginx, Amazon S3, and more are a few on the long list. Also, you can combine any available technology based on your project’s requirements.

Decide UI/UX Design

A good UI/UX design can make all the difference between the success and failure of an app. A well-designed UI/UX will help users learn faster and more effectively than they would with a poorly designed one. The user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) are the first things that people see when they open an app. It is important to ensure that these elements are appealing so that people will want to keep using the app. Many factors contribute to the appeal of an app’s UI/UX. These include colors, fonts, animations, and graphics. A good UI/UX should also be easy to navigate and intuitive for users.

Once all these major aspects are confirmed, the next step is to finalize the application’s features that we have already mentioned above after finishing the development process to do quality testing to ensure that you are launching a 100% bug-free mobile application. Lastly, decide the launch date of the application.

As you are well-versed in all the steps, it’s time to get a well-managed mobile app development company for better output.

Cost to develop An Language Learning App like Duolingo

Building an online language learning app like Duolingo in Dubai will cost you AED 50000 to AED 150000.  Depending on your feature requirements, it may vary sometimes. Royex Technologies- the leading website & mobile application development company in Dubai, can help you structure various websites & mobile apps at the most affordable price. Having detailed app requirements will give you an exact idea about the app’s cost. You can contact us for more information about making an iOS and Android mobile application.

If you plan to develop a language learning platform like Duolingo, you already have some ground ideas about the development process. Also, you should keep the technical development process in mind to make your website more effective & user-friendly. Before launching your application on the marketplace, build up a user-centric business marketing plan. 

Why Choose Royex Technologies to Build Your Language Learning App

At Royex Technologies, we bring deep expertise in e-learning, gamification, and AI integration, making us your ideal development partner for a language learning app like Duolingo.

What Sets Us Apart:

• ✅ Proven experience building scalable e-learning platforms

• ✅ In-house experts in AI, machine learning, and natural language processing

• ✅ Expertise in gamified UI/UX design for high user engagement

• ✅ Seamless integration of voice, video, chat, and speech recognition modules

• ✅ Cost-effective development without compromising quality

• ✅ Dedicated post-launch support and maintenance

We don’t just build apps — we build experiences that educate, engage, and empower your users.

FAQs: Developing a Language Learning App Like Duolingo

Q1: How much does it cost to develop a language learning app like Duolingo?
A: The cost can range from AED 50,000 to AED 150,000+ depending on features, platforms, and AI integration.

Q2: How long does it take to develop such an app?
A: Typically, it takes 4 to 8 months to build a full-featured app, including design, development, testing, and launch.

Q3: Can I integrate speech recognition and real-time feedback?
A: Absolutely. Royex can implement AI-based speech recognition to evaluate pronunciation and conversational fluency.

Q4: Do I need multiple languages at launch?
A: Not necessarily. It’s ideal to start with one or two languages, then scale based on user demand and content readiness.

Q5: Can Royex help with post-launch support and scaling?
A: Yes, we offer end-to-end services including cloud scaling, maintenance, user analytics, and feature updates.

For any query about website & mobile application development in Dubai, connect with us with your specific requirements.

Royex Technologies has been in the business since 2013 and has competent team members who have been developing projects for more than 300 clients worldwide. We specialize in responsive web development, mobile app development, CRM integration, AI solution for website & mobile applications, and many more. Check our website and portfolio to see our previous works. Contact us via email at info@royex.net or call us at +971566027916 with your requirements.