Reasons why I don't like Duolingo
This will probably get a lot of hate. I've been using Duolingo for quite a while now, and over that time I've noticed several things that I absolutely can't stand.
The free version I already pay for a lot of subscriptions every month, and honestly, I just don't have the money to spend on this too. While the free version is technically usable, it's awful on mobile. Every 24 hours I can only complete a couple of lessons before I have to start watching ads if I want to continue.
The ads Every five seconds I'm reminded through ads that I'm not paying them. After almost every lesson, every time I open the app, I'm hit with another Premium ad. Their own ads are incredibly annoying. Then there are the ads you have to watch to get more hearts. I spend around 40–50 seconds watching ads just to get five hearts, but I can lose all five in about 20 seconds. It feels completely unbalanced.
Constant reminders to do lessons I used to have the widget on my home screen. Every morning that stupid owl was already staring at me because I hadn't done my lesson yet, even though I don't have time for most of the day. I feel like these aggressive tactics—widgets, emails, notifications—make people feel controlled by Duolingo. Eventually, you stop doing lessons because you want to learn and start doing them just to keep your streak alive.
The learning logic I don't know if it's just me, but every day I get exercises that repeat over and over again or are way too easy. I still have to spend hearts on these repetitive, overly simple tasks, which just feels like a waste.