Owl Takes Flight: Duolingo (DUOL) Doubles Courses and Joins Forces with Netflix
DUOL's latest offerings reflect the platform's mission to deliver universal education through speed and innovation in language learning. Duolingo has rolled out major product upgrades and struck eye-catching media partnerships that aim to engage over 1 billion prospective learners worldwide.
Doubling Down: 148 New Language Courses
Duolingo's most ambitious content push to date arrived on April 30, 2025, with the launch of 148 new language courses-more than doubling its existing catalog and marking the largest expansion in its history [1]. According to the company, developing the first 100 courses took about 12 years; the latest batch rolled out in roughly one year, accelerating course creation by twelve times [1]. This expansion covers seven of its most popular non-English languages across 28 supported UI languages, opening doors for speakers of diverse backgrounds.
Conversational AI: Real-Time Conversation Partner
In January 2025, the platform introduced an AI-powered Real-Time Conversation Partner on Android, now available in five additional languages. Learners can engage in live speaking and listening drills with an AI agent that provides instant feedback, closing the gap between textbook exercises and fluent conversation [2]. Building on its 2023 partnership with OpenAI that launched the Max tier, this feature exemplifies Duolingo's AI-first roadmap [7].
Big Screen to Classroom: Netflix Collaboration
Duolingo went mainstream in December 2024 through a Netflix partnership on the "Learn Korean or Else" campaign tied to Squid Game Season 2. The campaign integrates over 40 exclusive phrases from the show into Duolingo's Korean course, rewarding users with themed badges and shareable progress snapshots [3]. This blend of entertainment and education drives engagement across global fan communities.
Financial Snapshot
As of May 2025, DUOL trades at a P/E of about 236× (price per share divided by earnings per share) and a P/S of roughly 29.2× (price per share divided by sales per share). In simple terms, investors pay $236 for each $1 of earnings and $29 for each $1 of sales-valuations that underscore high growth expectations against a premium edtech backdrop [4][5].
Looking Ahead
Despite broader sector challenges, Duolingo reached 113.1 million monthly active users and 8.6 million paid subscribers by September 2024, with revenue up 40% to $193 million [8]. Subscriber penetration has climbed from 5% at IPO to 8.8% by Q1 2025, signaling room to scale further [6]. As Duolingo expands Max-tier features-like AI video calls, explain-my-answer walkthroughs, and role-play simulations-and pursues additional media tie-ins, investors evaluating $DUOL will watch whether premium valuations translate into sustainable growth.
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Bullish outlook.
Tags: DUOL, DUOL 0.00%↑
References
[1] Duolingo Launches 148 New Language Courses. GlobeNewswire, April 30, 2025. https://investors.duolingo.com/news-releases/news-release-details/duolingo-launches-148-new-language-courses
[2] Duolingo Expands Language Learning with AI-Powered Real-Time Conversation Partner. CSIMarket.com, January 16, 2025. https://csimarket.com/news/duolingo-expands-language-learning-with-ai-powered-real-time-conversation-partner2025-01-16155515
[3] Duolingo and Netflix Partner Launch 'Learn Korean or Else' Campaign Ahead of Squid Game Season 2. GlobeNewswire, December 10, 2024. https://investors.duolingo.com/news-releases/news-release-details/duolingo-and-netflix-partner-launch-learn-korean-or-else
[4] P/E ratio for Duolingo (DUOL) as of May 2025 (TTM): 235.555. CompaniesMarketCap.com. https://companiesmarketcap.com/duolingo/pe-ratio/
[5] P/S ratio for Duolingo (DUOL) as of May 2025 (TTM): 29.2. CompaniesMarketCap.com. https://companiesmarketcap.com/duolingo/ps-ratio/
[6] Company Strategy Overview. Duolingo, Inc. Q1 2025 Subscriber Penetration. https://duolingo.gcs-web.com/company-strategy-overview-0
[7] Duolingo's 'AI-First' Strategy: Explained. AI Magazine, May 2025. https://aimagazine.com/ai-strategy/duolingos-ai-first-strategy-explained
[8] Duolingo bucks edtech post-pandemic blues. Financial Times, January 13, 2025. https://www.ft.com/content/58d44a1e-205a-4c33-baaa-1e66e6d4f58c