Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

ELSA Speak vs Babbel

ELSA Speak 4.8★ · Free + IAP 70
Winner Tie
Babbel 4.7★ · Free + IAP 75

ELSA Speak is better for dedicated English pronunciation practice with advanced AI, while Babbel is superior for learning a new language from scratch with a structured curriculum.

Full reviews: ELSA Speak · Babbel

ELSA Speak excels in English pronunciation with its advanced AI, though recent UI changes and subscription issues frustrate some users. Babbel offers a comprehensive language learning experience for multiple languages, but some find its speech recognition and content generation lacking.

Head to head

Features and Content tieR1R24R26R30
ELSA Speak ELSA Speak is highly praised for its pronunciation training and AI assistant for conversation practice . Users appreciate the grammar support and various learning levels R26. However, recent updates removed useful features like Rachel's videos , and some content is now paywalled even for 'lifetime' subscribers R1. There's also a significant demand for British English accent options, as the app primarily focuses on American English R24R30R33R42.
Babbel Babbel is lauded for its structured lessons, grammar, and sentence structure training, which many find effective for learning new languages . It offers various speaking, listening, and writing options . However, users express disappointment over the lack of Asian languages R76R112 and Hebrew R78. Some also wish for more AI integration and open dialogue , and new sentence generation for review .
Ease of Use and User Interface tieR1R2R3R7
ELSA Speak Recent updates to ELSA Speak have been widely criticized for butchering the UI, making it complicated and less user-friendly R1. The virtual character tutor obstructs the view R2, and the app's voice sounds robotic R3. Some users report the app being slow and glitchy R7R25, with issues like losing progress R9 or not working with AirPods . The rigid lesson structure and lack of flexibility are also noted .
Babbel Babbel's layout and structure are generally liked , with some finding it intuitive R83. However, the app is described as slow R66 and glitchy, sometimes crashing . Users report issues with the keyboard and difficulty navigating review modules . The text in the interface is considered too small by some , and there's a lack of hands-free options .
Reliability and Performance tieR2R7R9R25
ELSA Speak ELSA Speak's voice recognition has improved but still fails in some situations R2. Some users report incorrect score calculations R7 and misleading feedback where heavy accents receive excellent marks . The app is described as slow and buggy R7R25, occasionally freezing or losing progress R9. Issues with AirPods connectivity are also noted .
Babbel Babbel's speech recognition is a recurring problem, with the AI taking a long time to process spoken words R66 or failing to recognize voices despite multiple attempts R83R85R96. The app is prone to glitches and crashes, especially when viewing progress . Some users experience issues with the app not syncing between devices or not working in iPhone lockdown mode .
Price and Value tieR1R10R11R25
ELSA Speak ELSA Speak is considered expensive R26, with many users frustrated by content being paywalled after a few uses or even after purchasing a 'lifetime' license R1R25. The trial cancellation process is criticized for being unclear and leading to unexpected charges R10. There are also calls for more affordable pricing, especially for users in certain regions R11.
Babbel Babbel is seen as expensive by some , especially given that many features require a paid subscription after a brief trial . While some appreciate the value of a lifetime subscription with ongoing updates , others feel the lifetime pass is not worth it due to content difficulty or lack of perceived progress .
Customer Support and Transparency edge: ELSA SpeakR4R10R15R22
ELSA Speak ELSA Speak's support is heavily criticized for being unresponsive to spamming issues R4 and for refusing to help with unexpected charges R10. Users report difficulties unsubscribing, with some resorting to canceling credit cards R22. There's a lack of communication and support, with only AI responses received R37. The app also lacks an in-app option to report bugs R15.
Babbel Babbel users report difficulties reaching human support and issues with the app no longer linking to devices despite an active subscription . There are complaints about auto-renewal without notice and aggressive review requests .
Pick ELSA Speak if

you are primarily focused on improving your English pronunciation and conversation skills, and are comfortable with an American English focus and a potentially buggy user experience R24R7.

Pick Babbel if

you want to learn a new language with a structured curriculum, focusing on European languages, and appreciate a comprehensive approach to grammar and vocabulary R99.

Evidence note: Both apps have a significant number of negative reviews related to pricing, subscription models, and technical issues, despite high lifetime ratings. ELSA Speak's recent UI changes and 'lifetime' subscription issues are prominent in recent feedback. Babbel's issues with speech recognition and limited language options are frequently mentioned.

Frequently asked

Does ELSA Speak offer British English pronunciation?
No, ELSA Speak primarily focuses on American English pronunciation, which is a common point of frustration for users who prefer British English R24R30R33R42.
What languages can I learn with Babbel?
Babbel offers European languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Swedish, Turkish, Dutch, Polish, Norwegian, Danish, and Russian, along with Indonesian, but it does not offer Asian languages like Japanese, Chinese, or Korean, or Hebrew R76R78R99R112.
Are there issues with canceling subscriptions for ELSA Speak?
Yes, many users report significant difficulties canceling ELSA Speak subscriptions, with some claiming it's 'practically impossible' and requiring credit card cancellation, and others being charged without notice after trials R10R22R37R43.
How effective is Babbel's speech recognition?
Babbel's speech recognition is frequently criticized by users for being slow to process spoken words, failing to recognize voices despite multiple attempts, and getting worse over time R66R83R85R96.
Is ELSA Speak truly 'lifetime' for its lifetime license holders?
No, some 'Lifetime License' holders for ELSA Speak report that half of the learning interfaces now require extra payment to unlock, which they consider unethical R1R25.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R1] ELSA Speak 2/5 · US Don’t recommend: I am a Lifetime License holder, but now half of the learning interfaces require me to pay extra to unlock them. Gating content behind a new tier after selling a "lifetime" deal is highly unethical. On top of that, the recent app updates completely butchered the UI. The interface and content layout changed drastically and became so complicated and hard to use. They ruined a perfec
  2. [R24] ELSA Speak 3/5 · GB Cannot change the accent: The concept is great but however while there is the option to select different accent, the conversations and pronunciations seems to always be in American English which is really annoying if trying to improve British pronunciation
  3. [R26] ELSA Speak 5/5 · US Expensive quality perfect: A million app over world I try them this elsa is good one plus grammar any level you can find college level everything but it’s little expensive to
  4. [R30] ELSA Speak 3/5 · GB Bring British RP accent: Like many regretting not being able to choose between US accent and UK accent
  5. [R2] ELSA Speak 4/5 · US Good,but not good enough: While voice recognition has improved significantly, it still fails to recognize speech in certain situations. Currently, the biggest problem with the user interface is the virtual character (the tutor) who occupies a third of the screen, which is unreasonable. This is an unnecessary (even useless) feature that only obstructs the view during learning.
  6. [R3] ELSA Speak 3/5 · US Could be better: Right now the voice in the app itself sounds like a robo and not human.
  7. [R7] ELSA Speak 2/5 · US Buggy app: The app is so slow, sometimes it glitches. Incorrect score calculation.
  8. [R9] ELSA Speak 3/5 · US Se bloquea: He tenido que eliminar la aplicación y volverla a instalar debido a que en ocasiones no escucha o se traba, además de que pierde el progreso de lo que ya se inició y es difícil volver a llegar a él
  9. [R25] ELSA Speak 1/5 · US I have a lifetime subscription 👎: The only reason why I don’t cancel my subscription is because I can’t. In fact, I made the terrible mistake of purchasing a lifetime subscription. I used to like the old app before they rolled out the “coaches”. The lesson content is sometimes too political and I don’t like to be indoctrinated, but that is not the main issue. The real problem is that the app is sl
  10. [R10] ELSA Speak 1/5 · US Disappointing trial experience: I tried to cancel before being charged, but the app warned that canceling would immediately disable the trial features, so I continued the trial. After 7 days I was charged $99.99 without a reminder. I contacted Apple and ELSA immediately, but both refused to help. The app itself may be useful, but the subscription/trial cancellation flow needs to be more transparen
  11. [R11] ELSA Speak 5/5 · US Cannot afford: It should be affordable for Indians.
  12. [R4] ELSA Speak 1/5 · US Unable to unsubscribe from spamming once registered: I’m keep getting spammed by ELSA ever since I’ve created my account. I unsubscribe every single time I get an email. Reached out to support, still getting spammed. Terrible marketing and support. The app wouldn’t be bad otherwise.
  13. [R15] ELSA Speak 3/5 · US Great idea, but needs development: This app is really interesting, but it needs quite a bit of work. Almost all the lessons have bugs, and it’s hard to make progress through them. I couldn’t find an option to report this issue within the app, so I’m leaving my feedback here. It’s a bit frustrating because, for the cost, you’d expect a smoother experience.
  14. [R22] ELSA Speak 1/5 · US Scam, get away: It practically impossible to cancel a subscription. I had to cancel my credit card to get rid of it. Refund, forget about it! They keep renewing even they know you’re not using. No communication, no support, no contact!!!
  15. [R33] ELSA Speak 3/5 · GB Dear Elsa: ‏ been using Elsa Speak and find it very useful for improving my pronunciation. However, I have noticed that the app primarily focuses on American English. As a learner who prefers British pronunciation, I would like to suggest adding a British accent option to the app. ‏This would be extremely helpful for users who want to learn and practice British English. I hope you will consider
  16. [R42] ELSA Speak 3/5 · GB Not for people who want to learn British English: It is all about American English but as I live in the UK, it is useless
  17. [R76] Babbel 2/5 · US No Asian languages: If all you want to learn are European languages, it’s fine. But they offer no Asian languages at all. No Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Thai, Malaysian, etc. Very disappointing
  18. [R78] Babbel 3/5 · US Ironic Name: It’s a nice app but ironic and disappointing that they don’t have Hebrew when the story of the Tower of Babbel comes from the HEBREW bible… Please add Hebrew!
  19. [R99] Babbel 3/5 · GB Limited options: I’ve heard great things from mates hence the 3 star review. Although the language options are very limited 13 , ES, PT, FR, DE, IT, SE, TR, NL, PL, NO, DK, IDN & RU. Happily use the app for these but not helpful if you’re planning on learning a language outside Europe or Indonesia / it’s 700+ other languages. It’s got a good platform and learning model but yes it’s limited to Euro
  20. [R112] Babbel 2/5 · US Why cant i learn japanese??: I used to learn on duolingo but that was teaching me wrong so i wanted to restart and use a different app and i heard about this one so i look at the list of languages to pick Japanese and its not there
  21. [R37] ELSA Speak 1/5 · US Fraud: This company is a fraud. I tried the app, and they set it up for auto renewal with no email confirmation or any forms of communication. I get charged with no notification or receipt. I tried to contact via email/app and only received AI responses with instructions that did not work. Contacted to phone number in the US, no answer.
  22. [R43] ELSA Speak 1/5 · US Automatic deduction: I never chose to subscribe, but suddenly I was automatically charged. Everyone beware. · translated
  23. [R66] Babbel 3/5 · US Thorough but soooooo slow: Love the content and the structure, but the AI takes forever to process the spoken word!
  24. [R83] Babbel 4/5 · US Almost perfect for first time leaner: Everything thus far is great and intuitive. However the speech recognition is having issues and not able to hear to my voice despite several tries and speaking volumes.
  25. [R85] Babbel 1/5 · US Non Stop Issues: I am constantly having issues with this app from hearing my voice to failed attempts to speak with the ai chat bot helper. The program is ok. The execution is the worst.
  26. [R96] Babbel 3/5 · US Mic doesn’t work: I’ve tried all the trouble shooting I see online and nothing fixes it. That’s a huge feature that kinda ruins the experience

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store