VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Duolingo, Inc. vs Visa Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Duolingo, Inc.

DUOL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$8.6B
Gross margin (TTM)72%
Operating margin (TTM)11%
Net margin (TTM)40%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySoftware - Application
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
68/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Duolingo, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View DUOL analysis

Visa Inc.

V · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$686.5B
Gross margin (TTM)80.4%
Operating margin (TTM)60%
Net margin (TTM)50.1%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Credit Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
77/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Visa Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View V analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Visa Inc. leads (77 / 100 vs 68 / 100 for Duolingo, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Duolingo, Inc. has 2 segments (93.9% in Duolingo App); Visa Inc. has 4 segments (35.9% in Data processing revenue).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs n/a.
  • Moat breadth: Duolingo, Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Visa Inc. has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Duolingo, Inc.

Duolingo App

Market

Mobile-first, freemium language learning and adjacent subjects (math, music)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers (end-users); advertisers

Role

Digital learning platform / content & software publisher

Revenue share

93.9%

Visa Inc.

Data processing revenue

Market

Payment transaction processing (authorization, clearing and settlement) for VisaNet and related network access

Geography

Global

Customer

Issuers, acquirers, payment processors

Role

Network processor / switch (authorization, clearing, settlement)

Revenue share

35.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Duolingo, Inc.
Visa Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
DUOL - NASDAQ
V - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$8.6B
$686.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
72%
80.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
11%
60%
Net margin (TTM)
40%
50.1%
Sector
Technology
Financials
Industry
Software - Application
Financial - Credit Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Duolingo App
Data processing revenue
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
n/a
Moat score
68 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply
Network, Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Duolingo, Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsHabit DefaultScope EconomiesDesign In QualificationOperational Excellence

Visa Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkClearing SettlementCapex Knowhow ScaleCompliance AdvantageSuite BundlingData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Duolingo, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Duolingo App

Competitive

93.9%

Duolingo English Test

Oligopoly

6.1%

Visa Inc. segments

Full profile >

Service revenue

Oligopoly

31.5%

Data processing revenue

Oligopoly

35.9%

International transaction revenue

Oligopoly

25.4%

Other revenue

Competitive

7.3%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.