Duolingo vs. Zeta Global: Which Technology Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

Sarah Sidlow, The Motley Fool

Wed, July 1, 2026 astatine 8:15 AM CDT 5 min read

Investors choosing betwixt Duolingo (NASDAQ:DUOL) and Zeta Global (NYSE:ZETA) indispensable measurement high-growth acquisition exertion against AI-powered selling solutions. Both companies are navigating a rapidly evolving bundle scenery successful 2026.

Duolingo uses gamification to support idiosyncratic engagement successful the connection learning market, portion Zeta Global focuses connected enterprise-level information analytics for integer marketing. They correspond 2 antithetic paths wrong the bundle sector, offering investors chiseled ways to summation vulnerability to consumer-facing and business-to-business exertion trends.

The lawsuit for Duolingo

Duolingo provides connection acquisition done its flagship mobile app, which uses gamification to support users returning. The institution generates astir of its gross done subscriptions and advertizing connected its platform. Customer attraction similar this adds a furniture of hazard to the business, arsenic Apple and Alphabet unneurotic accounted for astir 82% of full gross successful 2025.

In FY 2025, gross reached $1 billion, which represents a maturation complaint of astir 38.7% compared to the anterior year. The institution besides reported nett income of astir $414.1 cardinal for the aforesaid period. This resulted successful a nett borderline of adjacent to 39.9%, which helps investors measure however efficiently a institution converts income into profit.

As of its December 2025 equilibrium sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio is astir 0.1x, which measures full indebtedness against shareholder equity. The existent ratio is astir 2.6x, indicating the institution has capable assets to screen its short-term debts. Free currency travel for the twelvemonth was astir $369.7 million, though stock-based compensation represented astir 35.4% of operating currency flow, which inflates reported currency procreation since SBC is simply a non-cash disbursal added backmost successful the currency travel statement.

The lawsuit for Zeta Global

Zeta Global provides an AI-powered selling unreality that helps ample enterprises get and clasp customers done integer channels. The institution precocious entered a strategical concern with Palantir Technologies to heighten its infrastructure for endeavor artificial intelligence. Since the apical 10 customers relationship for much than one-third of full revenue, lawsuit attraction similar this adds a furniture of hazard to the business.

For FY 2025, the institution reported gross of adjacent to $1.3 billion, representing maturation of astir 29.7% twelvemonth implicit year. Despite this growth, the concern reported a nett nonaccomplishment of astir $31.5 million. This resulted successful a nett borderline of astir -2.4%, showing that the institution has not yet reached full-year profitability connected a nett basis.