v3.24.3
REVENUE
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]  
REVENUE REVENUE
The Company has four predominant sources of revenues; time-based subscriptions, in-app advertising placement by third parties, the Duolingo English Test, and In-App Purchases. Revenue is recognized upon transfer of control of promised products or services to users in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for those services. The Company does not enter into contracts with a customer that contain multiple promises that result in multiple performance obligations. Revenue is recorded net of taxes assessed by a government authority that are both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue transactions between Duolingo and its users.
Revenue from time-based subscriptions includes a stand-ready obligation to provide hosting services that are consumed by the customer over the subscription period. Users can purchase Duolingo monthly or they can purchase a year-long subscription and pay for the subscription at the time of purchase. Under the year-long subscription, users can also purchase a single plan or a family plan. The family plan
includes up to six users on one subscription. Such payments are initially recorded to deferred revenue. The user has the ability to download limited content offline. However, as there is a significant level of integration and interdependency with the online functionality, the Company considers the service to be a single performance obligation for the online and offline content.
The Company enters into arrangements with advertising networks to monetize the in-app advertising inventory. Revenue from in-app advertising placement is recognized at a point in time when the advertisement is placed and is based upon the amount received.
Duolingo English Test revenue is generally recognized once the tests have gone through the proctoring process and a certification decision has been made. This process usually takes less than 48 hours after the test has been completed and uploaded. Customers have 21 days from the date of purchase to take the exam or their purchase will expire and revenue will be recognized. Virtually all customers complete their exams prior to expiration. Sometimes organizations may purchase tests in bulk via coupons with a one year expiration date. The Company will defer revenue from all tests that have neither been proctored nor expired.
The Company’s users have the option to purchase consumable in-app virtual goods. The Company recognizes revenue over the period in which the user consumes the virtual good, which is generally within a month.
The Company also recognizes revenue from Duo’s Taquería, a restaurant that opened during 2022, in the space adjacent to Duolingo’s headquarters in Pittsburgh. Revenue from Duo’s Taquería is recognized at a point in time when the sales are made.
Principal Agent Considerations—The Company makes its application available to be downloaded through third-party digital distribution service providers. Users who purchase subscriptions also pay through the respective app stores. The Company evaluates the purchases via third-party payment processors to determine whether its revenues should be reported gross or net of fees retained by the payment processor. The Company is the principal in the transaction with the end user as a result of controlling, hosting, and integrating the delivery of the virtual items to the end user. The Company records revenue gross as a principal and records fees paid to third-party payment processors as Cost of revenues.
Contract Balances—Deferred revenue mostly consists of payments received in advance of revenue recognition, and is mostly related to time-based subscriptions, which will be recognized into revenue over the course of the upcoming year (recognized over 12 months or less). Additionally, the Duolingo English Test has deferred revenue related to tests that have been purchased, but will not be recognized until the tests have been proctored.
Disaggregation of Revenue
In accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, the Company disaggregates revenue from contracts with customers into revenue streams, which most closely depicts how the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors.
Three Months Ended September 30,Nine Months Ended September 30,
(In thousands)2024202320242023
Revenues:
Subscription$157,617 $105,887 $433,214 $287,230 
Other (1)34,977 31,737 105,260 92,894 
Total revenues$192,594 $137,624 $538,474 $380,124 
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(1) Other revenue is comprised of the below.
Three Months Ended September 30,Nine Months Ended September 30,
(In thousands)2024202320242023
Advertising$14,405 $11,678 $40,615 $36,374 
Duolingo English Test10,772 10,612 34,225 30,393 
In-App Purchases9,411 9,233 29,511 25,760 
Other389 214 909 367 
Total other revenue$34,977 $31,737 $105,260 $92,894 

Three service providers, Apple, Google and Stripe, processed 61.4%, 23.1%, and 11.4%, and 60.5%, 23.5%, and 11.8% of total revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively. Three services providers, Apple, Google, and Stripe processed 59.3%, 24.9%, and 12.6%, and 58.3%, 25.7% and 12.1% of total revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, respectively.
Changes in deferred revenues were as follows:
Nine Months Ended September 30,
(In thousands)20242023
Beginning balance—January 1$249,192 $157,550 
Amount from beginning balance recognized into revenue(227,305)(143,810)
Recognition of deferred revenue(239,410)(173,408)
Deferral of revenue528,126 368,556 
Ending balance—September 30$310,603 $208,888