If you're actually operating in an environment where it is spoken naturally for a prolonged period of time, I agree with you. Or if you're doing one of those intensive 8 week things with The State Department. But for regular programmers from America learning a foreign language that isn't Spanish it is really hard to get to A2 and impossible without a tutor. I've known plenty of people that think they're at A2 and can't even give basic driving directions when asked on the street. Taking an online test isn't the same thing as actually communicating about arbitrary topics.

A2 is defined as:

* Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).

* Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.

* Can describe in simple terms aspects of their background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

No way you need a tutor to get that. Duolingo course seems about right depending on language and language learning experience.