Duolingo English Test Fee in India: Cost and Payment

Duolingo advertises the Duolingo English Test (DET) at $70 for one test (Duolingo Scoring Guide for Teachers 2026, page 82, read 27 October 2026). That line does not name a currency or country, and we have not seen the checkout page shown in India, so check the final amount, including any tax, before you pay. If your card is not in the currency charged, your card issuer may convert it at its own rate and add its own fees.

The advertised $70 fee covers a 1 hour adaptive test sent from home, official certified score reports in 48 hours, and free score reports to institutions (up to 25 at a time, more on request). Any tax is shown at checkout. The DET is taken from home, unlike exams that are conducted at test centres such as IELTS and PTE Academic. IDP India lists IELTS at ₹19,000 (checked 27 October 2026) and Pearson’s price data for India listed PTE Academic at ₹18,900 (checked 26 October 2026).

Read through your guide to Duolingo English Test fee in India, including what is included, how to pay by Indian card, fee waivers and a complete comparison of the cost of registering, rescheduling and dispatching scores compared to IELTS (IDP India) and PTE (Pearson India).

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How Much Is the Duolingo English Test in India?

The fee Duolingo advertises for one test is $70 (Scoring Guide for Teachers 2026, page 82, read 27 October 2026).

Key financial points on Duolingo fees in India:

• No city-level fee: The test is taken from home, so there is no city-level test-centre fee in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru or Kochi. Any tax is shown at checkout before you pay.
• Two-test bundle: Duolingo offers a two-test bundle at a discounted price. The bundle price is shown at checkout, so check it if you are thinking about two tests. You have 21 days for the first test and 21 more days after its result, and the bundle is not refundable.
• Faster Results add-on: Faster Results is an optional add-on at checkout that can shorten the wait for your score. Its price is shown at checkout. It does not guarantee certification and is not refundable.

For international pricing and add-on structures, see our parent guide: Duolingo English Test Fee.

What the Fee Includes

According to the DET Official Guide for Test Takers 2026, the test fee includes:

Inclusions with the advertised $70 Fee	Details
Full adaptive test	A 1-hour secure online session evaluating Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking from home
Certified results in 48 hours	AI-evaluated and human-proctored score report released within two days
Free score sharing	Sending scores to institutions is free. You can pick up to 25 institutions at a time in your account and ask support if you need more
Integrated video & writing sample	The Writing Sample and Speaking Sample (video) count toward your subscores and are shared with the institutions you send results to
Free practice tests	Access to the free official practice test

The main benefit of paying officially is that sending scores to institutions is free. Unlike IELTS, you can send results to up to 25 institutions at a time without any extra fees at Duolingo, and ask support if you need more. The results will be valid for 2 years

How to Pay from India

The DET Help Center (testcenter.zendesk.com) outlines two primary checkout options:

1. Credit Cards: Duolingo says it accepts all major credit cards (and Alipay in China). Check the checkout screen for the options shown to you. Check with your bank that your card can pay internationally. Some Indian banks switch off international online payments by default, so turn them on in your banking app and check your card limit and forex charges with your bank before paying. Duolingo lists major credit cards. It does not list UPI, RuPay or net-banking as options, so plan on an internationally enabled credit card.
2. Alternative Payment Options: Duolingo lists major credit cards, along with Alipay in China. Indian applicants should rely primarily on an internationally enabled card, or check the checkout screen for verified payment alternatives if card payment is declined.

Tips for Indian Applicants at Checkout

• Enable international transactions first: Some Indian banks switch off international online payments by default. Turn them on in your banking app and check your card limit with your bank before paying.
• Budget for forex markup: Check the forex charges your bank applies to international card payments before you pay.
• Domestic rails not listed: Duolingo does not list UPI (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm), RuPay or domestic net-banking as options.

For a step-by-step payment guide, see: How to Pay for the Duolingo English Test.

Fee Waivers and Discount Codes

If the advertised $70 is too expensive, there are legitimate ways to lower or eliminate the cost:

Duolingo Access Program Waivers

Duolingo grants fee waivers through its Access Program for students with financial need:

• Institutional application only: Individual students are not able to directly ask for Duolingo support to waive requirements. Waivers are offered via the partnering schools, non-profits and university admissions offices.
• Ask your target colleges: Your high school counsellor and/or target college admissions office may have an informational list of partner colleges that have waiver codes.
• What a waiver gives you: when an Access Program waiver applies, the test is free.

Read full qualification criteria here: Duolingo English Test Fee Waiver – Where and How to Get It.

Promo Codes and Discounts

• Official promotions: If you have a coupon code, click Apply Coupon on the payment screen before entering card details.
• Partner offers: Authorised education partners sometimes distribute verified coupon codes.
• Coupon value: A coupon can cover part or all of the cost of the test.

For practical steps on finding codes, see: How to Get a Duolingo English Test Coupon Code.

DET vs IELTS vs PTE – Cost Comparison in India

Evaluating the real cost of English tests requires factoring in travel, rescheduling, and score sending:

Comparison Metric	Duolingo English Test (DET)	IELTS Academic (IDP India)	PTE Academic (Pearson India)
Base Exam Fee	$70 advertised by Duolingo (see checkout for what you are charged)	₹19,000 INR	₹18,900 INR
Fee Source	Duolingo Scoring Guide for Teachers 2026, p.82 (read 27 Oct 2026)	ieltsidpindia.com fee page (checked 27 Oct 2026)	Pearson price data for India (checked 26 Oct 2026)
Delivery Mode	At home, online	Test centre (Computer / Paper)	Test centre (Computer-based)
Exam Duration	~60 minutes	~2 hours 45 minutes	~2 hours
Results Speed	Within 48 hours	Within 1 to 2 days for IELTS on Computer (IDP India results page, checked 26 Oct 2026)	Typically within 48 hours, up to 5 working days (Pearson)
Score Reports	Free sends (up to 25 institutions at a time)	5 free electronic reports, then ₹350 per extra university (max 5 universities a day)	Free, unlimited in total (up to 7 institutions at a time)
Rescheduling	On-demand test; you have 21 days from purchase to take the exam (no scheduled appointment to reschedule)	Free 15 or more days before; 5 to 14 days before: administrative fee up to 25% (₹4,750 listed for IELTS on Computer); under 5 days: no transfer	Free >14 days; no reschedule ≤14 days
Retake Cost	Each new test at the checkout price (advertised $70)	Full: ₹19,000; One Skill Retake: ₹12,650	Full retake: ₹18,900

1. Uniform City Fees vs Hidden Travel Costs

Many students search for “city-wise IELTS test fees” or “PTE test centres in Hyderabad and Kochi”. IELTS fees in India are generally standardised across test centres at ₹19,000 for IELTS Academic and General Training (IDP India); Pearson’s price data for India listed PTE Academic at ₹18,900 (checked 26 October 2026); confirm today’s price on Pearson’s booking page.

The actual cost of taking the exam depends on, however, is far from uniform:

• Logistical expenses: The candidates who have applied to Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns where there is no test centre should go to the major cities like Hyderabad, Kochi, Delhi or Mumbai to take the tests. Students outside test-centre cities also pay for travel and a hotel, which the DET avoids. Budget for intercity transit, a hotel stay and local transport on top of the test fee.
• The DET advantage: 100% of the DET is conducted from home with no travel, transport or accommodation expenses, hence, students acrossIndia can access it equally.
• Rescheduling and Cancellation Flexibility
• Duolingo: Each test is bought at the price shown at checkout (Duolingo advertises $70), and you can take the exam anytime in 21 days. No “appointment” available for booking and No rescheduling fee is applicable.
• IELTS (IDP): For IELTS on Computer and IELTS Writing on Paper, IDP states that cancellation requests submitted within 14 days of the test date are not eligible for a refund; if cancelled 15 days or more prior, a refund may be issued subject to an administrative deduction of up to 25%. IDP transfers are free 15 or more days before the test; from 5 to 14 days before, an administrative fee of up to 25% applies (₹4,750 is listed for IELTS on Computer), and within 4 days no transfer is allowed.
• PTE (Pearson): Rescheduling is free when requested more than 14 full calendar days before the test (up to 6 times). The reschedule button becomes unavailable on the portal if there are 14 days or fewer remaining before the test date, or if the appointment has already been rescheduled 6 times. Cancellations within 7 days receive zero refund.
• Score Sending and Multi-University Applications
• DET and PTE: Both let you send scores for free (DET up to 25 institutions at a time; PTE up to 7 at a time, unlimited in total).
• IELTS: IDP includes up to 5 free electronic Test Report Forms (TRFs) nominated during registration. After the first 5, each additional university costs ₹350, with a maximum of 5 universities a day (IDP India fee page).
• Retake Economics

If you need to improve your score:

• Each new test is bought at the price shown at checkout; Duolingo advertises $70.
• An IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR) is ₹12,650 (IDP India fee page), against a full fee of ₹19,000 for doing the IELTS again.
• A PTE retake is a new booking; Pearson’s price data for India listed PTE Academic at ₹18,900 (checked 26 October 2026), so confirm the price on Pearson’s booking page.

For international PTE pricing, see: PTE Fees in Different Countries.

How to Book the Duolingo English Test

Booking the DET is entirely online and takes just a few minutes:

1. Visit englishtest and sign up for a free account.
2. Choose either a one test or two-test option by clicking “Buy Now.
3. If you have a discount code, please use it.
4. Use an internationally enabled credit card from the options shown at checkout.
5. Make the desktop test whenever you like within 21 days of the launch.

For technical requirements and guidance, see: How to Book Duolingo English Tests – Step by Step.

FAQ

How does the DET fee compare with IELTS?

The prices are in different currencies, so compare them at your bank’s current exchange rate. Duolingo advertises $70, and IDP India lists IELTS Academic at ₹19,000 (checked 27 October 2026). Add travel, rescheduling and score-sending costs to each side. Also, the DET lets you send score reports to institutions for free (up to 25 at a time); however, IELTS requires a payment for reports that are not a part of the 5 TRF included.

How many attempts for the Duolingo test?

No limits on number of attempts per year. But a candidate is allowed to buy and take a maximum of three tests every 30 day period. This means that you need to buy each test credit at the price shown at checkout (Duolingo advertises $70). Under official Duolingo policies, if technical issues prevent a test from being successfully uploaded or certified, candidates can retake the test at no extra charge provided they have remaining attempts available on their purchased credit. Each purchased test gives you up to three attempts. If a technical problem or a rule violation ends an attempt, you can retake while attempts remain; two rule violations on one credit expire it.

For full retake policies, see: Can You Retake the Duolingo English Test for Free?.

Are IELTS and PTE fees different across Indian cities like Hyderabad or Kochi?

No. All IDP IELTS centres across India have the same national fees: IDP IELTS ₹19,000 (checked 27 October 2026) and Pearson PTE ₹18,900 (checked 26 October 2026). The fee may be the same in Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai and Delhi; however, those outside major centers are required to travel and stay at a hotel with high costs involved.

Can I pay for the Duolingo English Test using UPI or RuPay cards in India?

Duolingo lists major credit cards. It does not list UPI (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm), RuPay or Indian net banking as options, so plan on an internationally enabled credit card.

Can I reschedule the Duolingo English Test if I am not ready?

The DET does not use a conventional test-centre appointment booking system. IDP India lets you transfer an IELTS booking free 15 or more days before the test, with an administrative fee of up to 25% at 5 to 14 days (₹4,750 is listed for IELTS on Computer), while Pearson permits free rescheduling only when more than 14 days remain before the test date (and locks rescheduling when 14 days or fewer remain). For Duolingo, candidates have 21 days from purchase to take the test on demand without scheduling a specific appointment slot, though unused credits expire after 21 days without extension.

Related practice resources

• How to Pay For The Duolingo English Test (DET)?
• Duolingo English Test (DET) Fee Waiver: How to Get It
• Duolingo English Test Fee in Pakistan: Price and Discounts

Want to ACE the Duolingo English Test (DET) And Reach Your Goals? Get Your FREE Lume Account Today to Unlock… ✅ 10,000+ PRACTICE QUESTIONS with detailed answers ✅ FREE MOCK TESTS with fast & accurate AI scoring ✅ Get BETTER SCORES with a PERSONALIZED study plan GET YOUR FREE ACCOUNT NOW No card needed. (Limited seats available!)