Here are some facts about DL PLUS

[Basler Biker]

(last updated: March 19th 2022) (a translation from the German post by g-heike, ...who made a "résumé" from various sources and replies on DL)

Duolingo PLUS is a subscription system and many people have higher expectations in terms of content and features than Duolingo itself communicates in their own ads or via the info on the Help Center. So here are a few points that might help you make an informed decision:

• Duolingo only offers what it communicates itself, so take a close look at the features it offers for Plus.
  Here is a screenshot of the current offer from 2022-03-19

• with Duolingo Plus the learning content is all the same as available in the free version. Likewise, no additional features, such as (currently) a vocabulary trainer or anything else that is not listed in the current offer.

• Even with Duolingo Plus the courses won't get you any further in level (CEFR) than announced by DL for the free courses. The learning tree that is available in the PLUS version is exactly the same as the one in the free version.

• If you are annoyed by the limitation of hearts in the Duolingo learning app (smartphone/iphone), you can also use the web version (https://www.duolingo.com/learn) of Duolingo in your Use internet browser. So far, there are no heart limits built into the 5 crown levels.

• Addition to the hearts ... If you run out of hearts in the app, you can immediately get new ones by "practicing" for free! ...Hearts can also be refilled with gems (which have a completely different value in the app than in the browser version).

• Be careful when subscribing: If you go through Googleplay or Appstore, you are subscribing with google or Apple and not with Duolingo. This is important to know when canceling your subscription. There are many users who felt they had canceled and they complained that they were still charged. Indeed, the subscription can only be canceled via the web version directly with Duolingo and then via the profile and the settings.

• Important information about Family Subscription - Also note that an "Upgrade" from Plus to the Family Subscription is only possible with IOS. Otherwise, PLUS must first be canceled if you want to switch to the family subscription, because these are two different subscriptions.

This post is for your information only - Duome is not affiliated with Duolingo - And any questions, issues with, or complaints about DL PLUS shall be addressed directly to Duolingo support. Go to the help center at https://support.duolingo.com/hc/en-us

[Chess]

short answer: don't buy it if you use it if you use computer.

[Fnirk1]

I do have a Plus subscription - but I would never buy it for the few extra features.

I like the service (the way they teach the basics suits me), and I have the means to pay for it.
In some sense even if Duolingo is no longer what it was, I still like the original thought about support free language studies.

So my recommendation is - don't buy it if you don't have some extra money, and really like their way to teach.

[Seiryuu]

Okay, so it seems the features Plus offers are somewhat covered by the web version, and I have third-party extensions that already block ads for me. Sometimes I get offered a few days of free Plus, and I pretty much only use it to do multiple Legendary challenges in a day or go over sentences I got wrong.

In short, yeah, I'm fine staying with the basic plan.

[SweNedGuy]

Perhaps the Duolingo versus Duo Plus is the wrong discussion.
For how long should I be learning with DuoLingo if I want to get beyond a beginner level?

[back4morelater]

If you want to use the app without hearts and ads, then with a little work you can create a classroom as an alternative to buying PLUS

[AelienFelis]

So —
why do I use Duolingo Plus?

• disclaimer: I use the tablet and the Android Duolingo app, I don't have a functioning laptop atm and my computer is rather old, not to mention that I need a Ukrainian keyboard and letters specific for other languages, which is easily provided by Gboard, but difficult to access via computer

• no ads – at first they were okay, just one-screen/one-picture type, but later on they got more irritating, several seconds long, with loud sound

• no hearts – they were just killing my motivation for studying and were pretty expensive if bought constantly

• progress quiz – it enables me tracking my progress and checking whether I got slightly better or am still at the same level

• mistakes – the possibility of revising the sentences I previously did wrong is nice

• skipping lessons to get into higher level of skill for free – since the crowns appeared 5 (6) levels feel unnecessary to me, I'd rather do for example 1st, 2nd and skip to 5th, and it costed me a lot of gems

• legendary lessons for free – they are pretty useful for practicing and revising the skills I might have already forgotten, however, they again cost a lot of gems

To sum up, I like it. It is a bit expensive (since my currency is 4 times weaker than dollar) but, in my opinion, still worth it
I'm definitely not going to use it forever, but for a few months (as long as I can afford it/still find it useful)

[LizLizLiz]

Perhaps the Duolingo versus Duo Plus is the wrong discussion.
For how long should I be learning with DuoLingo if I want to get beyond a beginner level?

Great video. I agree with you 100%.

Actually, Duolingo has some peer-to-peer events (usually free and hosted by volunteers) where speaking about everyday things is possible. HOWEVER, Duo recently announced that it may do away with these valuable speaking opportunities. Soon my daily French peer-to-peer conversation group will meet privately on another platform. I'm hoping the Spanish peer-to-peer events I attend will remain on Duo. They are invaluable!

[Yoong1eKangTerry]

Never bought plus for stopping ads I have an ad blocker for that. I bought it for the unlimited hearts, that was before I knew that the web version had not hearts.

Actually if anyone is in leagues and does lightning rounds you can do them for free.
Also don’t have to pay for legendary test.

Other than that it’s not really much. Would like to see more features that would be worth the money you pay.

[Nukalurk]

disclaimer: I use the tablet and the Android Duolingo app, I don't have a functioning laptop atm and my computer is rather old, not to mention that I need a Ukrainian keyboard and letters specific for other languages, which is easily provided by Gboard, but difficult to access via computer

I understand your reasoning, yet I have some ideas: you can install the Ukrainian keyboard and just switch back and forth. If you use a Windows version, it is very easy to activate.

For Latin script based languages I use a modified German keyboard, the picture is even missing a few symbols you can type with it:
You can install it here: http://extremtastatur.de/ under "Download". It only works for Windows systems.
If you need help with the installation process, please tell me which Windows version you use.

No idea which languages you are learning, thanks to this keyboard you can easily type all kinds of them. Typically needed letters like (for you) Ł, ć, ż, ą and so on are no problem, just like the French œ which many French keyboards lack.

Edit: it seems the picture does not work, here is the link to the picture: http://extremtastatur.de/Belegungsschaubild.png

[Nukalurk]

For a 1550 days streak Duolingo gifted me a three days PLUS preview yesterday, I decided to use it to get rid of some mistake which you can’t do without PLUS. That’s a nice idea by them to offer a free trial without having to apply for it and cancel it later. I’m usually only using the browser version.

[mention]AelienFelis[/mention] , by the way, you can also use the browser version on a tablet and have the same advantages computer users have while using the advantages GBoard offers.

[SweNedGuy]

Perhaps the Duolingo versus Duo Plus is the wrong discussion.
For how long should I be learning with DuoLingo if I want to get beyond a beginner level?

(...)

Great video. I agree with you 100%.

Actually, Duolingo has some peer-to-peer events (usually free and hosted by volunteers) where speaking about everyday things is possible. HOWEVER, Duo recently announced that it may do away with these valuable speaking opportunities. Soon my daily French peer-to-peer conversation group will meet privately on another platform. I'm hoping the Spanish peer-to-peer events I attend will remain on Duo. They are invaluable!

At least for French I don't have any problem with daily practice: about half of my colleagues are native speakers.
I sometimes watch YT videos in Spanish by native speakers (at normal speed) just to maintain my level. It's not interactive though. I get less opportunity to speak Spanish.

[AelienFelis]

[mention]Nukalurk[/mention], thanks for your tips! However, first I need to have my laptop back after fixing (or a new one if that happens to be impossible )
I didn't know that the mobile web version have that many functions! I think that when I cancel the subscription (probably in 2-3 months?) I'll use it interchangeably with the app.

[IceVajal]

Actually I use the browser version on my mobile, too. I had the App for a day or two, than deleted it and since that moment just use the browser version.

[memer21928]

Thanks for the info!