Duolingo Case Study: Habit-forming within Duolingo's onboarding

Screen-by-screen review

Intro: Sign Up

Default Bias

Learn for free, forever? This is great to drive initial registrations but we all know how much Duolingo loves to upsell. Longer term, this could be providing false expectation.

Choice Architecture

Highlighting sign-up as primary makes a quick decision for new users. "Get started" also provides a more engaging action that "sign-up".

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Idea

Using copy like "Join millions of others at all stages of their learning journey" could help drive a sense of community and support. Highlighting that others are at different stages also provdes some peace of mind that you're not the only novice here.

Intro: Welcome

Priming

This soft introduction primes the user for a more conversational and gamified experience, subtly setting expectations about tone and interactivity throughout the app.

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Idea

Intro: Introduction

Affect Heuristic

The owl that we've all come to love / hate creates a positive emotional reaction, making users more receptive and likely to comply with the onboarding steps.

Priming

Telling the user there are just 7 "quick" questions before the first lesson creates an expectation of a short and speedy onboarding. It's not 7 steps though, so potentially misleading.

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Idea

Setup: Language selection

Choice Architecture

Ordering choices by popularity provides a potentially faster way for the majority of the users to find the language the want quickly.

Default Bias

If a specific language is pre-selected or appears first by design (e.g., Spanish), users may go with that option even if it’s not their strongest preference, simply because it’s presented as default.

Paradox of Choice

The number of options, while well-organised, can still create cognitive overload for undecided users, potentially leading to analysis paralysis or delayed action.

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Idea

Duolingo-onboarding-Setup How Did You Hear

Setup: Awareness

Framing Effect

How the options are phrased (e.g., “News/article/blog” vs. “TV”) can guide users toward sources perceived as more credible or current, subtly shaping their perception of Duolingo’s legitimacy.

Social Proof

The inclusion of sources like “Friends/family,” “TikTok,” and “YouTube” implies Duolingo is widely recommended and discussed, reinforcing its popularity and trustworthiness.

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Idea

Provide a sense of value exchange with an explanation on why this information is useful. Does it personalise or does it aid the company in doing more for the selected areas of awareness?

Setup: Language experience

Choice Architecture

Presenting experience as a clearly ordered set of stages reduces ambiguity and leads to a quicker decision.

Framing Effect

Using phrases against the level of experience allows users to reflect on their ability and better choose where they.

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Idea

Include encouraging copy like “No matter your level, we’ll personalise your journey” to reduce anxiety or social pressure and encourage honest self-assessment.

Setup progress

Cognitive Load

The clean visual structure and brief messaging ensure low cognitive load, making this passive moment in onboarding easy to understand and unlikely to disrupt momentum.

Zeigarnik Effect

Displaying that setup is underway encourages users to stay engaged. The visual cue of progress triggers the desire to see the task through to completion.

Illusion of Control

The act of “setting things up for you” makes users feel their earlier input is directly influencing the experience, even if changes are minimal.

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Idea

Add copy like “Creating your personalised course…” to reinforce the user’s influence and increase emotional buy-in through self-relevance.

Setup: Reason for learning

Framing Effect

The way reasons are presented (e.g., “impress friends” vs “career advancement”) shapes emotional responses and motivation types.

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Idea

Let users see how their chosen reason affects their course structure or future content (“We’ll focus on travel phrases first”), reinforcing commitment and tailoring.

Setup: Progress

Endowment Effect

Reinforcing that a personalised experience is being constructed deepens user investment.

Zeigarnik Effect

A visual cue that users are midway through onboarding encourages persistence. They’re already invested and more likely to complete the remaining steps.

Temporal Discounting

By breaking the setup into small, short steps, Duolingo capitalises on users’ preference for immediate rewards, keeping them engaged in the short-term rather than focusing on distant fluency.

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Idea

Use a reinforcing message like “You’re halfway there!” or show a streak preview to add anticipation and heighten the goal gradient effect.

Setup: Daily goal

Anchoring Bias

The lowest option (e.g., 5 minutes) sets a mental anchor that makes higher goals seem more ambitious, subtly guiding most users to select the middle option.

Framing Effect

By using word association with the times, Duolingo are challening how serious someone is about learning. This makes it less likely for people to select the casual option and select a greater investment.

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Idea

Suggest how spending more time each day impacts their learning goal.

Setup: Progress

Feedback Loop

Showing the user they will achieve 50 words reflects their choice in the previous screen. It also provides a sense of achievements to come, driving onward engagement.

Cognitive Load

The minimal design creates better focus on the key message where value attribution is being shown.

Zeigarnik Effect

The screen signals that the user is closer to finishing setup, increasing their motivation to complete the final steps of onboarding.

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Idea

Rather, or in addition to, showing 50 words as the reflection, the user could be shown how the time selected impacts course progression in time. This could provide a better expectation of how long the course might take, or how long until they're able to say certain phrases confidently.

Setup: Add widget

Cognitive Dissonance

If users skip the widget, they may feel less committed, weakening the onboarding momentum.

Mere Exposure Effect

The more often users see the widget, the more familiar (and thus preferable) Duolingo becomes.

Commitment Bias

Adding a home screen widget is a visible action of commitment. This minor investment increases the likelihood of continued app engagement.

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Idea

Include a line like “See your streak every day!” to reinforce value and habit creation. Given this action takes you out of the experience, it would be better to put this at the end of onboarding so not to disrupt the flow and avoid drop-off.

Setup: Skip widget

Loss Aversion

If the copy suggests what users are “missing out” on by skipping the widget (e.g., losing streak visibility), it could make them reconsider.

Commitment Bias

Skipping the widget may disrupt the commitment sequence. Without this small act of engagement, users miss a chance to further embed learning into their daily routine.

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Idea

Use soft framing like “You can always add it later from settings” and show a small benefit preview (e.g., “Track your streak with one glance”) to reduce resistance and maintain positive momentum.

Setup: 3 month expectations

Priming

Showing what could be achieved in 3 months provides the user with a sense of what's to come.

Commitment Bias

Suggesting long-term goals encourages users to plan future behaviour and builds intention to return.

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Idea

This could be better framed as being based on previous onboarding selection to provide a more personalised ambition.

Setup: Course entry

Choice Architecture

The screen presents only two clear options: “Start from scratch” or “Find my level.” By limiting the number of choices, Duolingo reduces decision fatigue and increases the likelihood of a user progressing through the flow.

Authority Bias

The “Find my level” option is marked as “RECOMMENDED” with visual prominence, suggesting this is the expert-endorsed or smarter route. By leveraging Authority Bias, users are nudged to trust the platform’s recommendation over their own judgment.

Default Bias

While “Find my level” is not technically pre-selected, its “RECOMMENDED” tag visually implies it is the default or preferred option. This nudges users to choose it simply because it appears endorsed as the expected path.

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Idea

Provide further understanding of why "Find my level" is recommended. For example using social proof to show something like, "72% of learners choose ‘Find my level’ to provide the most comfortable start to learning."

First lesson: Intro

Anchoring Bias

By stating the lesson duration is “2 minutes,” Duolingo sets an expectation for effort and commitment. This low anchor makes the upcoming task feel manageable, reducing resistance to start.

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Idea

Using the user's name could create a better sense of ownership through the endowment effect. Encouragement to start could also be offered by priming with immediate reward of what they will get after the first lesson.

Duolingo-onboarding-First Lesson First Task

First lesson: Task

Cognitive Load

The visual matching format (image-to-word) simplifies learning. The interface is clear, uncluttered, and uses consistent iconography and layout, all of which lower cognitive load and increase ease of processing.

Cognitive Load

Including audio for pronunciation reinforces learning through auditory and visual channels, improving recall, contributes to ease and fluency.

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Idea

Add subtle visual cues such as “You’ve got this!” or a sound effect when selecting an answer. This primes users for a positive experience and keeps them emotionally engaged.

Duolingo-onboarding-First Lesson First Task Correct

First lesson: Task complete

Affect Heuristic

The emotional boost from being right encourages continued engagement and reduces anxiety for upcoming challenges.

Feedback Loop

Instant success confirmation with points and animations creates a feedback loop, strengthening learning behaviors through repetition of positively reinforced actions.

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Idea

Make rewards cumulative (e.g., “That’s 10XP!”) and include brief progress feedback to deepen reward association and habit formation.

First lesson: Task guidance

Cognitive Load

Well-timed hints or simplifications reduce mental strain and support continued learning without frustration.

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Idea

Use encouraging copy like “Need a hint? We’ve got you!” to reinforce support and reduce shame or hesitation in seeking help.

First Lesson Difficulty Increase

Framing Effect

Presenting the harder task as a “level-up” opportunity positively frames the challenge, boosting motivation rather than triggering resistance.

Cognitive Dissonance

If difficulty jumps too quickly without context, users may feel misled or demotivated.

Effort Justification

A spike in difficulty makes succeeding more meaningful. The user perceives the task as more valuable because it required greater mental investment.

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Idea

Introduce the challenge with a message like “Let’s level up!” and offer an optional hint to ease transitions while maintaining challenge appeal.

First Lesson Hard Lesson Task

Zeigarnik Effect

Users are unlikely to abandon mid-task due to the mental tension of an unfinished challenge.

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Idea

Show partial progress (e.g., “Almost there!”) and make feedback supportive to validate effort and drive completion.

First Lesson Hard Lesson Finished And Tasks Complete

Endowment Effect

Seeing earned progress (XP, badges) makes the effort feel owned and meaningful, increasing emotional attachment.

Effort Justification

Finishing a hard task justifies the effort invested, reinforcing the user’s belief that learning is worthwhile and encouraging future participation.

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Idea

Include a subtle nudge like “Ready for lesson 2?” to channel the momentum forward and reinforce the commitment loop.

Duolingo-onboarding-First Lesson Complete Achievements

First lesson: Achievements from completion

Endowment Effect

Seeing your personalised rewards and stats creates ownership over progress.

Temporal Discounting

Instant rewards right after effort satisfy short-term motivation needs, keeping users engaged early on.

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Idea

Add an optional “Share your progress” button to activate social proof and reinforce public commitment, driving early product-led-growth.

Duolingo-onboarding-First Lesson Complete Habit Intro

Post first lesson: Habit intro

Default Bias

The phrasing sets up the conditions for defaults to be effective in future steps.

Commitment Bias

The statement “Now let’s build a habit…” nudges the user toward making a psychological commitment. By reinforcing that they’ve completed a task, it subtly invites them to continue and form a consistent pattern of behaviour.

Priming

This screen serves to reorient the user’s mindset from completing a single task to engaging in an ongoing behaviour (daily practice). The use of the phrase “build a habit” primes future behaviour aligned with this concept.

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Idea

Give users agency with a “Choose your reminder time” option to combine commitment with personalisation.

Duolingo-onboarding-First Lesson Complete Streaks Introduction

Post first Lesson: Streaks introduction

Loss Aversion

Fear of breaking the streak (and losing rewards or status) is a powerful motivator to return.

Sunk Cost Fallacy

Once users build a streak, they become less likely to skip a day to avoid 'wasting' their effort so far.

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Idea

Preview the rewards of keeping the streak going (e.g., “5 more days to unlock a bonus!”) to combine commitment and goal gradient.

Duolingo-onboarding-First Lesson Complete Commitment

Post first lesson: Commitment

Loss Aversion

By setting a streak, users are later motivated to avoid breaking it, losing progress or gems. Though not explicitly stated here, this primes future motivation through fear of loss.

Commitment Bias

The act of choosing a streak duration and explicitly committing with the button “COMMIT TO MY GOAL” builds psychological ownership. Once users make this choice, they are more likely to stay consistent to maintain self-consistency.

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Idea

Change “Let’s commit…” to “Start your streak and unlock your first reward!” to bring in Reward Anticipation as part of the motivation.

Profile creation: Intro

Loss Aversion

If the copy suggests that progress may be lost without saving it, users are more likely to sign up to avoid potential loss.

Endowment Effect

After completing a lesson, asking to create a profile makes users feel like they’re “securing” their earned progress, increasing attachment.

Foot-in-the-Door Technique

Since users have already completed actions (lesson, streak), asking for a profile feels like a natural, low-friction continuation.

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Idea

Add a line like “Create your profile to save progress and unlock badges” to reinforce the endowment and loss aversion triggers.

Profile creation: Age

Authority Bias

The copy below the input field (“By signing in… you agree to our Terms…”) leverages the Authority principle. It signals a formal, trustworthy environment and encourages submission to established platform rules.

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Idea

Briefly explain the benefit (e.g., “To personalise your experience”) to reduce concern and activate self-relevance.

Profile creation: Name and social sign-up

Default Bias

Having name straight away with socials further down could add confusion here as to if you need to enter you name and use a social login. Doesn't social login provide your name anyway?

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Idea

Social sign-up should really have been the first screen, thereby skipping the need to enter age and name potentially. This would help provide a faster experience for the user and avoid issues with entering their personal details.

Profile creation: Marketing opt-in

Choice Architecture

Offering a clearly labeled opt-in checkbox that is not pre-selected uses choice architecture to nudge without pressuring. It gives users autonomy, reducing resistance and increasing voluntary participation.

Framing Effect

By using a focused step rather than adding opt-in within a form, it allows to provide better context of value and consideration for opt-in.

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Idea

Frame the opt-in around already perceived value such as, “Stay motivated with daily streak tips”, given this has already been framed to the user.

Plan upsell

Anchoring Bias

The side-by-side comparison chart positions Super as the superior option by contrast, anchoring users’ perception of value.

Social Proof

The header statement uses social comparison to imply that successful users tend to pay, nudging users to imitate this behaviour.

Framing Effect

The benefits are framed as gains relative to the free version (e.g., “Unlimited energy,” “No ads”), making the Super plan feel like the default or more complete experience.

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Idea

Reinforce what’s missed if users don’t upgrade (e.g., “Without Super, your progress may slow down” or “You’ll miss out on these tools to stay ahead”).

Sync contacts

Social Proof

The implication that friends might already be on Duolingo encourages participation to align with social norms.

Projection Bias

By suggesting that users can learn alongside friends, Duolingo assumes their social context aligns with personal goals. This projection bias helps users see the experience as more relevant to their life.

Cognitive Dissonance

Requesting access to contacts without explaining the benefit may create cognitive dissonance, a mismatch between user expectations and actions, leading to hesitancy or distrust.

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Idea

Clarify benefit (“See your friends’ progress!”) and allow skip options to reduce reactance.

Connect with friends

Effort Justification

Suggesting that learning “faster” is possible through one simple step (adding a friend) implies this action has high payoff for very little effort.

Social Proof

The message “Add your first friend and learn faster together!” implies that learning with others is both common and more effective. It normalises social learning, nudging users toward conforming behaviour.

Commitment Bias

If the user has already set goals or made progress, this screen continues to guide them toward consistent engagement—now through social means.

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Idea

Display a subtle message like “Ben is learning too” or “Ben just started Italian” to strengthen the sense that this person is active and relevant, reinforcing social proof.

Profile creation complete

Endowment Effect

By stating “your profile has been successfully created,” it signals that the user has already invested time and achieved progress, psychologically committing them to continue with the experience.

Scarcity Principle

The presence of greyed-out future steps and a locked treasure chest at the bottom suggests exclusivity and limited access until certain progress is achieved. This increases desire to unlock content.

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Idea

Offer a direct transition into the next activity (“Take your next lesson”) to leverage momentum and the goal gradient effect.

Course overview

Scarcity Principle

The presence of greyed-out future steps and a locked treasure chest at the bottom suggests exclusivity and limited access until certain progress is achieved. This increases desire to unlock content.

Progressive Disclosure

Presenting progress in small, manageable chunks through the lesson map aligns with progressive disclosure. It breaks down the full language journey into achievable milestones, helping sustain motivation over time.

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Idea

Label the first unit with a time estimate like “~2 min” to reduce perceived effort, leveraging temporal discounting to boost click-through.

Habit-forming within Duolingo's onboarding

The flows we reviewed

What works

What doesn't work

Screen-by-screen review

Intro: Sign Up

Intro: Welcome

Intro: Introduction

Setup: Language selection

Setup: Awareness

Setup: Language experience

Setup progress

Setup: Reason for learning

Setup: Progress

Setup: Daily goal

Setup: Progress

Setup: Add widget

Setup: Skip widget

Setup: 3 month expectations

Setup: Course entry

First lesson: Intro

First lesson: Task

First lesson: Task complete

First lesson: Task guidance

First Lesson Difficulty Increase

First Lesson Hard Lesson Task

First Lesson Hard Lesson Finished And Tasks Complete

First lesson: Achievements from completion

Post first lesson: Habit intro

Post first Lesson: Streaks introduction

Post first lesson: Commitment

Profile creation: Intro

Profile creation: Age

Profile creation: Name and social sign-up

Profile creation: Marketing opt-in

Plan upsell

Sync contacts

Connect with friends

Profile creation complete

Course overview

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