Missing Features and Awful Gem System – Duolingo - Language Lessons Review

I recently purchased the Duolingo Plus family plan for the year. There is some major room for improvement, though: 1). There is little to NO interaction with your friends and family. I’m not sure why Duolingo doesn’t allow more space for this. You’re forced into a weekly league with strangers. You can’t compete with your own friends and family. Please, Duolingo, attempt to make this a better experience for friends and family. Give us SOMETHING in the form of interaction with friends and family, and not the “give a high five” message. There is ZERO substance for interaction between friends and family. 2) The gem system is almost a mockery to paying subscribers. The amount of gems you can receive in a day is incredibly pathetic, considering the high cost of using them. Why are paying subscribers having to either wait about month to earn enough gems to buy the bonus learning content? I spent over $100 on this app, and yet, I still need to either wait forever to earn gems or I can spend even more money buying gems themselves. It’s a cheap cash grab, in my opinion, and is incredibly insulting to paying subscribers. The gem system is actually a point of frustration in the app, and not a positive. The gem system is horribly thought out. 3) I’m not sure it’s worth the high cost of subscription. Will it actually help me learn and test out of my second language requirement in college? It’s too early to tell. Conclusion: The lack of any form of interaction between friends and family and the truly awful gem system are likely enough reasons to not pay for this app, or stick with it. This could be a truly great app if they bother to make some easy, yet essential, improvements.
Review by AllenDiego on Duolingo - Language Lessons.