Duolingo (DUOL) vs Paylocity (PCTY)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Paylocity (PCTY) has outperformed Duolingo (DUOL) over the past year, losing 0.8% versus a loss of 56.5%. Over five years, DUOL leads with a -3.5% price change compared with -46.0% for PCTY. Paylocity is the larger company by market cap ($8.47 billion vs $7.05 billion), about 1.2 times the size, while Duolingo is growing revenue faster (+38.7% vs +11.0%).
On valuation, Paylocity trades at a lower forward P/E (15.7x vs 19.8x for Duolingo). Duolingo converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 39.9% versus 15.2%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | DUOL | PCTY |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $151.22 | $153.02 |
| Market cap | $7.05B | $8.47B |
| 1-day change | -0.33% | +3.38% |
| YTD return | -13.83% | +0.34% |
| 1-year return | -56.45% | -0.78% |
| 5-year return | -3.50% | -45.97% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 18.02 | 31.10 |
| Forward P/E | 19.80 | 15.74 |
| EPS (TTM) | $8.39 | $4.92 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $1.04B | $1.77B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +38.71% | +11.04% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $414.06M | $269.74M |
| Gross margin | 72.23% | 69.19% |
| Operating margin | 13.07% | 21.79% |
| Net margin | 39.91% | 15.23% |
| 52-week high | $347.60 | $161.93 |
| 52-week low | $87.89 | $92.99 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -56.50% | -5.50% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | -11.20% | +12.53% |
| Average volume | 1.15M | 691.85K |
| Shares outstanding | 40.24M | 55.37M |
| Employees | 900 | 6,900 |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Computer Software: Prepackaged Software | Computer Software: Prepackaged Software |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- PCTY has outperformed DUOL by 55.7 percentage points over the past year.
- Paylocity trades at a higher earnings multiple (31.1x vs 18.0x trailing P/E).
- Duolingo is more profitable, keeping 39.9 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 15.2 cents for Paylocity.
- Duolingo grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+38.71% vs +11.04%).
About Duolingo
DUOL stock →Duolingo, Inc. operates as a mobile learning platform in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally.
Technology · Computer Software: Prepackaged Software · 900 employees
About Paylocity
PCTY stock →Paylocity Holding Corporation provides cloud-based human capital management, finance, and IT software solutions in the United States. The company offers payroll solutions comprising payroll and tax services, global payroll, on-demand payment, garnishments, and elevate payroll; human resources (HR) solutions consisting of human resources, employee self-service, workflows and documents, HR compliance dashboard, and elevate HR and HR edge; time and labor solutions, including time and attendance, scheduling, and time collection; and talent solutions, such as recruiting, onboarding, learning, performance, compensation, and market pay.
Technology · Computer Software: Prepackaged Software · 6,900 employees
DUOL vs PCTY FAQ
Which is bigger, Duolingo or Paylocity?
Paylocity (PCTY) is larger, with a market capitalization of $8.47B compared with $7.05B for Duolingo (DUOL).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, DUOL or PCTY?
PCTY returned -0.78% over the past 12 months, compared with -56.45% for DUOL (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, DUOL or PCTY?
DUOL has the lower trailing P/E at 18.0, versus 31.1 for PCTY. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Are Duolingo and Paylocity in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Computer Software: Prepackaged Software industry within the Technology sector.