Babbel Review: A Strong Start for Language Beginners [2025 Update]

Babbel is a widely-used language learning application that has recently updated its branding to improve the experience for its users. I was curious to explore the distinctive features that are said to differentiate it from other programs.

To conduct this assessment, I selected German, a language I have previously studied in a formal setting. My goal was to determine its suitability for learners at intermediate and advanced stages, as the depth of content varies across different languages.

You can also watch a video version of this review on our YouTube channel:

Babbel Review: A Brief Overview

Originally released in 2007, Babbel holds the distinction of being the first language-learning application in the world. Its lessons, created by expert linguists, emphasize practical vocabulary and phrases used in everyday contexts.

After using Babbel for one week, I found it to be a very useful learning tool. Following my trial period, I can confidently state that a novice learner would probably gain a substantial foundational knowledge from using Babbel alone.

Like many other Babbel users, I valued the structure and substance of the lessons, though the overall experience felt somewhat monotonous and could benefit from more dynamism.

What Languages Can You Learn with Babbel?

At present, Babbel provides courses in 14 languages: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Turkish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Indonesian, Polish and English.

Their English courses are taught with instructions in French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish or Ukrainian. Other languages are also available with instruction in languages other than English. For instance, you can study Spanish with the course instructions presented in German.

How Does It Work?

After creating a Babbel account and selecting your desired language, you can begin taking lessons.

If you are uncertain about your proficiency level, you can answer some self-assessment questions that gauge your comfort with various language concepts.

Babbel states that its lessons follow the Common European Framework of Reference, covering levels from A1 (beginner) to C1 (proficient), though this varies by language.

For German, the lessons are categorized into newcomer (A1), beginner (A2), intermediate (B1) and upper intermediate (B2) levels. There are also specialized courses covering topics like German dialects, idioms, business German and others.

The learning path is flexible, allowing you to jump between different lessons and courses as you prefer. This contrasts with some other language apps that require you to finish your current topic before moving forward.

Each lesson concentrates on a specific concept or set of vocabulary, which you learn through various exercises. The lessons often revolve around common daily scenarios like eating out or talking about future plans.

What Are Babbel’s Main Features?

Babbel includes several core features such as speech recognition, progress assessments, and a review section. Additional resources like live classes, Babbel Magazine, and podcasts are also available. Let's explore these in more detail.

Babbel Lessons

Babbel’s lessons typically last between 10 and 15 minutes. Each lesson includes text and audio for the vocabulary, accompanied by relevant images. You will encounter fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice questions that require translations.

There are also activities where you listen to and repeat phrases using the app's speech recognition technology. You can monitor your progress and define weekly objectives, with reminders to help you stay consistent.

A dedicated review section allows you to revisit learned material through writing, speaking, listening exercises, or flashcards. This review function uses spaced repetition, a learning technique based on timed recall intervals.

You can also practice vocabulary with some entertaining mini-games!

Everyday Conversations

This tool lets you listen to dialogues between two people, with or without English subtitles. You then participate by taking the place of one speaker, using the speech recognition feature to say your lines.

These conversations deal with common situations such as having a chat at a café, making a purchase, or meeting a new coworker. This feature is not available for all languages, but it is a highly effective practice tool when it is offered.

Audio Recap

This component is excellent for honing your listening skills and reinforcing lesson material in a practical context. These audio lessons are about 10 to 14 minutes long and each one aligns with a specific course and lesson.

First, you will hear a conversation divided into segments, with some vocabulary and cultural notes provided. Then, you will listen to the entire dialogue again without pauses. Finally, you will complete a short quiz to check your comprehension.

Grammar Guide

This section contains straightforward grammar explanations covering topics like personal pronouns, irregular verbs, and adjectives. The guides are concise and include numerous examples to aid understanding.

For German, there are only 11 grammar topics currently available, with more expected soon. For certain languages, such as Dutch and French, this feature is not yet provided.

Babbel’s Bonus Content

In addition to its primary curriculum, Babbel provides several extra resources for learners seeking to expand their knowledge.

Live Classes

Babbel Live is a service that allows you to attend live online classes with qualified language teachers. After subscribing to a plan, you enroll in a class that fits your level and schedule. You then join the class at the scheduled time for personalized instruction.

Podcasts and Magazine

Beyond these classes, Babbel also provides language podcasts and a magazine with useful articles for learners. The podcasts are accessible within the app, as well as on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Culture Bites

For some languages, Babbel includes a section called “Culture Bites,” which features brief videos about cultural information and insights. Depending on the language, you might learn about popular cuisine, festivals, or important historical and artistic figures.

These videos are primarily in English, but they are enjoyable to watch and enhance your cultural understanding of the language. You can even use this knowledge as discussion points when speaking with native speakers!

How Much Does Babbel Cost?

Babbel does not provide a free trial period. However, you can register for free and complete the first lesson of any course without charge. After that, a paid subscription is required.

Babbel has several subscription plans. At the moment, the monthly plan is $9.60 per month. If you opt for a longer subscription, the monthly cost decreases. For instance, the 12-month plan currently costs $57.60 total, which comes out to $4.80 per month.

Please note that these prices are available on the Babbel website, while subscriptions made within the app are more expensive. Any Babbel subscription grants you access to all the languages they offer.

Here is a comparison of Babbel's pricing with other language learning programs (prices may change):

• Memrise PRO : $27.99/month, $130.99/year or $249.99 lifetime
• Super Duolingo : $12.99/month or $83.99/year
• Busuu Premium : $13.90/month, $50.70 for 6 months or $83.40/year

What Are the Pros of Babbel?

Teaches applicable, usable language

Babbel’s exercises introduce language in a straightforward way. The vocabulary is presented in a realistic fashion, enabling you to use what you learn in real-world situations quite rapidly.

This is most evident in the dialogues found in the Audio Recap and Everyday Conversations sections. These dialogues place the material you've learned within normal, informal contexts. I found these exercises to be the most engaging, as I could observe and use the language in a practical setting.

This is a significant benefit of Babbel, as many other language apps often concentrate on individual words rather than practical phrases. This advantage could be even greater if more cultural context was included and these features were available for every language.

Lessons build upon previous knowledge

Babbel’s curriculum is structured to ensure a logical learning progression. You begin with simple words and phrases before advancing to more complex conversations and sentences.

From learning self-introductions to describing activities, Babbel ensures you are climbing a well-constructed language ladder. I never felt surprised by unexpectedly difficult questions or encountered vocabulary that was inappropriate for the level.

Furthermore, you are unlikely to forget material from earlier lessons. You will consistently encounter previous words and phrases while also learning new content in your current lesson.

This structure made my learning experience feel secure and steady. Even when I moved up to the next level, the lessons still incorporated familiar elements alongside the new concepts.

Includes language tips within lessons

One feature I particularly liked is the inclusion of tips related to the lesson content. These cover grammar, formality, word order, and other topics.

Despite being simple and brief, these tips are valuable additions that promote authentic language use. I would argue they are essential for building learner confidence, a feature often missing in other language learning applications.

What Are the Cons of Babbel?

Limited language choice

Currently, Babbel only provides courses in 14 languages, the majority of which are European. This relatively small number might deter potential users who wish to learn less commonly offered languages.

While 14 is a typical number for such apps, it is noteworthy given Babbel's long presence in the market. After so many years, one might expect Babbel to have a broader and more diverse language catalog.

This is likely due to various constraints. Considerable time and effort undoubtedly went into developing each language course. However, I hope Babbel plans to expand its offerings to attract a wider audience of learners.

Amount of content is inconsistent across languages

The language you choose to learn determines whether Babbel offers intermediate or advanced courses. For example, Babbel’s German course reaches the upper intermediate level, while its Russian course stops at the beginner level.

This means that after finishing all available courses, you might need to find another learning resource to achieve advanced proficiency. This affects the program's value relative to its cost. For some languages, it may be a worthwhile investment, while for others, a more extensive program might be necessary.

Additionally, some languages have access to fewer features than others. For instance, the Culture Bites feature or the Grammar Guide might be absent for certain languages. This disparity results in a different learning experience depending on your chosen language.

Exercises can be somewhat dry

In contrast to some other popular language apps, Babbel does not have a heavily gamified format. I felt the exercises could be more captivating. While detailed, Babbel’s lessons and activities can become quite repetitive over time.

This is mainly because the types of exercises lack variety. The questions are often similar and the required responses are frequently the same. Personally, I found the repetitive pattern a bit tedious, though I acknowledge it can aid vocabulary memorization.

Babbel could improve by introducing more dynamic and varied elements into its lessons. Incorporating more multimedia components, such as videos, could make the lessons more interactive.

How Does Babbel Compare to Other Language Apps?

Duolingo

The most significant difference between Babbel and Duolingo is that Duolingo's basic version is free. This is a major advantage for budget-conscious learners, which Babbel currently cannot match.

Duolingo also appears to have a larger number of lesson units with game-like activities. These are arranged in a path that unlocks as you complete more units.

However, a larger quantity does not always mean better quality, and Babbel’s lessons seem more thematically thorough than Duolingo's. Babbel emphasizes real-world context, while Duolingo often focuses on memorizing isolated words and phrases.

Furthermore, Babbel’s content is more practical. Duolingo is known for using odd but humorous sentences to teach vocabulary, which are not always useful in everyday conversation. Babbel, conversely, emphasizes dialogue practice and usage tips that help you speak more naturally.

See our in-depth review of Duolingo.

Lingflix

Lingflix is quite different from Babbel because it relies on videos and offers an immersive learning experience without a fixed course structure.

Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is another well-established name in language learning. Given its long-standing reputation, some might assume it outperforms Babbel in every area, but that isn't entirely accurate.

Rosetta Stone employs a more immersive teaching method, allowing you to learn the target language with minimal explicit instruction. Its exercises are primarily image-based, unlike Babbel's text-heavy approach.

This can make Rosetta Stone a good fit for learners who prefer a more intuitive learning style. Regarding subscription costs, Babbel is more affordable than Rosetta Stone.

Unlike Babbel, Rosetta Stone rarely addresses grammar or contextual usage. This might appeal to learners who dislike technical details, but it can be a drawback for developing true language mastery.

Drops

Let's compare Babbel with a newer, yet very popular, language learning app: Drops.

Available in over 45 languages, Drops is a free, minimalist app that offers daily 5-minute language lessons organized by category. So, while Babbel’s lessons are not extremely long, they can seem lengthy compared to Drops’ brief sessions.

Babbel’s exercises rely heavily on text, while Drops’ activities are more visual, requiring you to match words with pictures.

Drops concentrates on individual words and their pronunciations but does not cover grammar. It provides instruction almost exclusively on vocabulary and letters, making the app feel quite basic at times. Again, Babbel has the advantage by offering more detailed language instruction.

See our full review of Drops to learn more about its offerings.

Busuu

Babbel is frequently compared to Busuu because both apps have similar goals. They both strive to teach you practical sentences, phrases, and grammar in your target language.

The free version of Busuu gives you access to introductory lessons for one language. A paid subscription unlocks community features, grammar lessons, and review tools.

Busuu’s exercises are quite similar to Babbel’s, but they are organized in a strict linear sequence. This means you cannot skip around Busuu’s lessons as you can in Babbel. Both apps supplement their lessons with useful tips and dialogue-based practice.

Busuu also emphasizes its community aspects more strongly, allowing interaction with other learners and native speakers. Babbel does not have a strong community focus, aside from its Babbel Live feature which provides instruction from native speakers.

See our review of Busuu, as well as our detailed comparison between Babbel and Busuu.

The Final Verdict

In conclusion, Babbel is an excellent application for anyone starting a new language. Its content can effectively establish a solid base of essential vocabulary and phrases for beginners, who can then pursue more advanced instruction elsewhere.

Regrettably, Babbel appears limited in the breadth of its content and the depth of its lesson plans for many languages it offers. I consider this its primary weakness, potentially leading to a less satisfying learning experience than users might anticipate.

With expanded content and greater depth, Babbel could significantly improve its already strong educational foundation. Given its popularity, I am sure that further updates and improvements are in development for Babbel, and I look forward to seeing how it grows to meet expectations.

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