| Title: | A Study of The Influencing Factors of Users’ Willingness to Pay for Online Education Platforms |
| Author: | Lin Xiaoding |
| Advisor: | Dr. Ma Yu |
| Degree: | Master of Business Administration |
| Major: | International Business Management |
| Faculty: | บัณฑิตวิทยาลัย (Graduate School) |
| Academic year: | 2568 (2025) |
| Published: | นำเสนอในที่ประชุมวิชาการ (Conference) The 18th National and International Academic Conference “Sustainable Horizon: Transforming Ideas into Impact” 6-7 August 2025 (pp.824-836) Click PDF |
Abstract
In the era of mobile learning, freemium language education platforms, such as Duolingo, have attracted millions of users worldwide, yet their commercial sustainability depends heavily on users’ willingness to pay for premium services. Understanding what drives users to convert from free to paid subscriptions has become a pressing issue for educational technology providers, especially in emerging markets like China. Although prior studies have explored user behavior in online platforms, few have systematically examined how perceived value mediates the impact of cognitive and promotional factors on payment intention.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the influencing factors of Chinese users’ willingness to pay for Duolingo, drawing upon Perceived Value Theory, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and Promotion Theory. The research model incorporated five core constructs: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social influence, discount promotion, and perceived value as a mediating variable.
A quantitative method was adopted using a structured questionnaire to collect empirical data. The survey questionnaire was distributed among active Duolingo users across different provinces in China. A total of 202 valid responses were collected and analyzed using SPSS, employing reliability testing, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediation testing via the PROCESS macro.
The results reveal that all four independent variables—perceived usefulness, ease of use, social influence, and discount promotion—have significant positive effects on users’ willingness to pay, both directly and indirectly through perceived value. Among them, perceived usefulness and perceived value are the strongest predictors of payment intention. These findings provide empirical support for a comprehensive framework explaining user payment behavior in freemium learning apps and offer practical implications for improving user conversion strategies in online education platforms.
Keywords: Duolingo, willingness to pay, perceived value, promotion, online education, freemium model
6417195825 Lin Xiaoding, 2568 (2025). Advisor: Dr. Ma Yu, สารนิพนธ์ (Independent Study), A Study of The Influencing Factors of Users’ Willingness to Pay for Online Education Platforms, นำเสนอในที่ประชุมวิชาการ (Conference), The 18th National and International Academic Conference 2025, ปริญญาโท (Master’s Degree), บัณฑิตวิทยาลัย (Graduate School), Master of Business Administration, International Business Management, Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand
