How Much Does the Duolingo English Test Cost? (2026)

Updated February 2026 · Verified Pricing

The Duolingo English Test costs $70 USD for one attempt. A two-test bundle is $118 — that's $59 per test. Score sending is free and unlimited. That's the short answer. Here's what you need to know before you pay.

2026 DET Price Breakdown

Pricing verified from the official Duolingo English Test website, February 2026. DET scores are valid for two years from the test date. The fee is the same in every country.

How the DET Fee Compares to Other Options

The Duolingo English Test price — also searched as the "DET cost," "Duolingo exam fee," or "Duolingo English Test price 2026" — is one of the lowest among English proficiency exams.

The DET is already the most affordable English proficiency test. But if you pay $70 and you're not prepared, you're not saving money — you're setting up a retake.

What Happens If You Need to Retake

You can take the DET up to three times in any 30-day period. Each attempt is a separate purchase. The Duolingo English Test fee is non-refundable — if you don't take the test within 21 days of purchase, you lose the fee.

One test is $70. Two tests because you need a retake is $140. That's twice the budget and a delay in your application. One month on DET Advantage is $34.99 — 120 units moving you from A2 to C1, live group sessions, and AI feedback on your speaking and writing so you know your estimated score before you sit the real test. Less than half the cost of a single retake, and you actually know why you passed.

The two-test bundle at $118 makes sense if you think you'll need a second attempt. But preparation makes more sense than insurance.

Rush Results: Is the Extra $39 Worth It?

Standard results arrive within 48 hours. Pay an extra $39 and you get them in 12 hours — $109 total for a single test with rush scoring.

It's only worth it if your deadline is in the next two or three days. If you have a week or more, skip it.

The Cost You're Not Thinking About

Most students focus on the $70 fee. The indirect cost they don't calculate is what happens when they fail — another $70 for a retake, a delayed application, a missed university deadline.

The DET doesn't test grammar knowledge. It tests how you use English under pressure — how quickly you retrieve words, how clearly you express ideas, how well you hold a real-time conversation. Students who spend their preparation time on grammar rules and vocabulary lists often score lower than they expect. Not because their English is weak. Because they trained the wrong things.

The most common reason students pay the DET retake cost is that they studied what they thought the test wanted, not what it actually measures.

How to Make Your $70 Count the First Time

The DET is computer-adaptive — the difficulty adjusts in real time based on your answers. Your score reflects how you perform under those conditions, not how much you've studied.

At LU English we work with DET students who have strong English but get stuck at 95 or 100 because they're approaching the test the wrong way. The fix is usually specific — a particular task type, a thinking pattern, a way of processing language under time pressure. Once you identify it, the score moves.

DET Advantage is $34.99 per month. It includes 120 units taking you from A2 to C1, live group sessions, and AI feedback on your speaking and writing so you know your estimated score before you sit the real test — less than half the cost of a single retake.

If you'd rather start with a diagnosis first, our book a diagnostic identifies exactly what's holding your score back. You leave with a clear plan and no wasted attempts.

Where to Buy the Test

Buy directly from the official Duolingo English Test website. You'll need a free account, identity verification, and payment by card or Alipay. Once purchased, you have 21 days to schedule and complete your test.

Before you book, check three things: the score your target university requires, what score you currently need to reach, and whether you've practiced the actual task types — not just general English.

For university requirements, see our DET accepted universities guide. For score targets, see our DET passing score guide. For preparation, start with our complete DET preparation guide.