Duolingo users say app now showing unskippable ads

Duolingo users are running into a frustrating new problem that’s making their language lessons feel more like an advertising marathon. A couple of threads on Reddit show people complaining that the app’s advertisements have become impossible to skip, forcing them to close the app entirely just to continue their practice sessions.

The complaints started popping up a few days ago, with users reporting ads that won’t let them do anything except play an in-ad game or jump straight to the Play Store. One user mentioned getting stuck on game ads where the typical skip button never appeared, even after waiting through the entire duration. “I had to force close the app both times and probably didn’t get my XP for either time,” they wrote in a Reddit post.

In another post, one user shared screenshots showing ads with no visible close button whatsoever.

The post sparked dozens of comments from people experiencing the same issue. Some said they’re now dealing with 60-second ads, while one person joked about receiving a 180-minute ad in Spanish, claiming they “learned more Spanish than I ever could with the app.”

This frustrating experience comes shortly after the company faced backlash over its controversial energy system that limits how much users can practice without paying. Now, adding unskippable ads on top of those restrictions has users questioning whether the free version of the app is even worth keeping around.

A Duolingo staff member responded to one of the complaints, asking users to share their username and report when it happens again.

But many users aren’t waiting for a fix. They’re simply closing the app after each lesson rather than sitting through advertisements they can’t escape. “I just completely close out of the app after I finish each lesson at this point,” one person commented, with others agreeing that it’s become their go-around too.

The issue seems to affect Android users in particular, though it’s unclear if iOS users are experiencing the same problem. Some commenters suggested using ad blockers, but others pointed out that even those don’t work on Duolingo’s built-in promotional ads for their Super and Max subscription tiers.

What’s strange is that not everyone is seeing these unskippable ads yet. Some users report only getting Duolingo’s own promotional content for free trials, while others are getting full-blown third-party game advertisements that refuse to close. So either the company is testing unskippable ads or this is just a glitch that’ll be resolved soon.

For an app that’s built its reputation on making language learning free and accessible, these changes feel like a step backward. Users who’ve stuck with Duolingo through the energy system debacle are now wondering what other restrictions might be coming down the pipeline.