What you get for free
The free plan includes the content of all courses — coding and AI alike. That’s not a teaser: you can go from your first line of code to completing courses and earning certificates without paying.
The limits worth knowing about:
- Hearts. Everyone starts with 5 Hearts, and a wrong quiz answer costs one. Each Heart takes 5 hours to refill — or you can top up with Bits, or earn them back through extra practice.
- Practice extras. The in-lesson “Try It Yourself” practice and Code Playground sit in PRO.
- Ads. Free learners see them sometimes.
- Bits — the in-app currency — can be earned by learning or bought, and unlock hints and answers when you’re stuck.
Certificates are free on every plan, downloadable and shareable to LinkedIn.
What PRO and MAX add — and what they cost
| Free | PRO | MAX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course content | All of it | All of it | All of it |
| Certificates | Included | Included | Included |
| Hearts | 5, each refills in 5 hours | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| In-lesson practice + Code Playground | — | Included | Included |
| Extra quizzes & advanced practice | — | Included | Included |
| Ads | Sometimes | None | None |
| Kodie (AI assistant) | — | — | Included |
| AI Prompting Playground | — | — | Included |
| Price | $0 | $69.99/yr, or $12.99 month-to-month | $119.88/yr, annual only |
MAX is the most expensive plan; PRO is the cheaper paid tier and the only one available month-to-month. PRO annual comes with a 14-day free trial (once per user or payment method); MAX does not include a trial. Current prices: sololearn.com/en/plans.
Honest buying advice: start free. Upgrade when you keep hitting the limits in practice — that’s the signal PRO will pay for itself. If you’re not practising, no subscription fixes that.
Where Sololearn genuinely shines
- Starting from absolute zero. No setup, plain-language lessons, real code from minute one.
- Consistency. Short lessons, streaks and daily goals attack the actual reason people quit — which is stopping, not struggling.
- Mobile. The strongest phone learning experience in the category — why that matters.
- Feedback and help. Instant checking in every exercise, a community of 36M+ learners, and on MAX, an AI assistant inside the lesson.
What learners say at scale: 4.6★ on Google Play (748,000+ reviews), 4.8★ on the App Store, over 700,000 five-star ratings, a Google Play Editors’ Choice selection and Facebook’s FB Start App of the Year, used by more than 12,500 educational institutions.
Verdict by learner type
| You are… | Fit |
|---|---|
| A complete beginner, phone-first, limited time | Ideal fit. Start free. |
| A career-changer building fundamentals before an intensive push | Strong fit — structured fundamentals at the lowest cost |
| A hobbyist who wants steady progress | Strong fit — free may be all you need; PRO if you practise heavily |
| A working developer seeking advanced specialisation | Better served by specialised courses and documentation |
| Someone who needs an accredited credential | That’s a degree or certification path |
Frequently asked questions
Is Sololearn actually free?
Yes. The content of all courses is free permanently — it’s not a trial. Paid plans remove limits (Hearts, ads) and add practice extras and, on MAX, AI features.
How much does Sololearn PRO cost?
PRO is $69.99 per year, or $12.99 month-to-month. MAX is $119.88 per year, annual only, and is the most expensive plan. PRO annual includes a 14-day free trial; MAX does not.
Can you really learn to code with Sololearn?
Yes — from zero to writing real programs. For job-readiness, pair it with your own projects: Sololearn builds the skills and the habit; your portfolio proves them.
Are Sololearn certificates worth anything?
They’re free, earned by completing a course, and shareable to LinkedIn. They show follow-through — useful on a CV as supporting evidence. They’re not accredited credentials, and a portfolio matters more.
Is there a free trial for the paid plans?
Yes, on PRO annual — 14 days, once per user or payment method. MAX does not include a trial.
Can I cancel anytime? What about refunds?
Cancel anytime; you keep access until the end of the billing period, and plans auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before renewal. Unused time isn’t refunded or prorated except where law requires; app-store purchases are handled through Apple or Google.
Try it before you decide
Try the real lessons — not a marketing video — and decide for yourself.