Language Learning Revenue and Usage Statistics (2025)

Key Language Learning Statistics

Top Language Learning Apps

Education App Market Landscape

Language Learning App Revenue

Language Learning Revenue by App

Language Learning Usage Market Share

Language Learning App Downloads

The language learning app sector evolved from the desktop courses of the mid-2000s, which delivered lessons through CDs, desktop software, and, as was new at the time, the web.

Babbel and Busuu emerged in this early wave of web-based language tools, although Rosetta Stone remained the leading service, having sold language learning CDs since the early 1990s.

Many of the new services introduced free courses or community-built lessons. Duolingo’s founders, in particular, aimed to create a language app accessible to anyone in the world.

Through this community model, Duolingo and Memrise have published hundreds of courses, including rare or even fictional languages. In some cases, courses built on these platforms have helped preserve languages close to extinction.

The shift to mobile drove the gamification of language learning, introducing prizes, flashcards, health bars, and other features designed to make learning informal and engaging.

This approach has drawn some criticism, although research shows that gamification can improve learning outcomes. It also enables new forms of study that are uncommon in classrooms or intensive courses.

During the pandemic, usage of educational apps surged as schools incorporated them into homework. Language learning apps saw a similar boost, as many people used the time at home to learn new languages.

Despite the growth of mobile learning, less than one third of language learning is done on phones, with most still completed offline or on PC. A major limitation of app-only learning is that most apps are not advanced enough to take users to full fluency, meaning many still need in-person or structured courses afterwards.

Apps like HelloTalk and Tandem have tried to address this by connecting learners with native speakers. When a user makes a mistake, these apps provide immediate feedback, either from the native speaker or through AI. Newer apps such as Learna and Praktika have went further with generative AI chatbots and virtual tutors.

We have collected data and statistics on the language learning sector. Read on below to find out more. If you want to dive deeper into the education app market, check out our Education App report.

Key Language Learning Statistics

• Language learning apps generated $1.11 billion in 2024, a 9.9% year-on-year increase
• Duolingo made the most revenue of all apps, reporting $748 million in 2024
• Duolingo also had the most usage in 2024 by a large margin
• Language learning apps were downloaded 316 million times in 2024

Education App Report 2025

Want to learn more about the education app industry? Our Education App Report covers financials, market share, users, installs, demographics and benchmarking data.

• Charts: 86
• Data Points: 1583
• Apps covered: 20