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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Babbel vs Busuu

Babbel 4.7★ · Free + IAP 75
Winner Babbel
Busuu 4.7★ · Free + IAP 65

Babbel is generally preferred for its structured lessons and effectiveness in teaching, while Busuu offers a more social learning experience but struggles with free-tier limitations and inconsistent content quality.

Full reviews: Babbel · Busuu

Babbel and Busuu both offer language learning, but Babbel is praised for its structured, practical lessons that help users genuinely learn, despite some technical glitches and limited language options. Busuu provides a social learning aspect and can be effective, but its free version is heavily ad-supported and many users report issues with content quality and customer service.

Head to head

Effectiveness of Learning edge: BabbelR2R17R18R26
Babbel Many Babbel users find its structured lessons and practice methods highly effective for learning and retaining a language, often preferring it over Duolingo for actual learning R2R17R26. However, some feel it moves too fast for beginners or doesn't provide enough real-world conversation practice R18.
Busuu Busuu users appreciate its teaching style, comprehensive lessons, and cultural insights . Some find it effective for rapid learning . However, others report that lessons can be too basic or lack sufficient repetition, making it hard to retain information .
Features and Content Quality edge: BabbelR3R8R12R13
Babbel Babbel offers a good layout with speaking, listening, and writing options, and users appreciate the continuous updates for lifetime subscribers R3R8. However, it's criticized for lacking new sentence generation for review, limited vocabulary practice, and not offering many Asian or less common European languages like Hebrew or Greek R3R12R13R25. Some also desire more AI integration .
Busuu Busuu is praised for its social aspect, allowing connection with native speakers, and its encouragement of self-paced learning . However, content quality is inconsistent, with some users finding A2 level lessons for Chinese lacking in vocabulary and grammar, and Arabic courses jumping from basic to advanced too quickly . There are also requests for more languages, including Tagalog .
Ease of Use and Reliability tieR1R2R6R9
Babbel Babbel is generally intuitive and easy to use R2. However, many users report significant technical issues like the app crashing, not linking to iPhones, keyboard glitches, and persistent problems with speech recognition and AI chatbot functionality R1R6R9R10. Some also find the review system confusing or hidden .
Busuu Busuu's lessons are often described as easy to follow . However, users report issues with muffled or distorted computerized voices . The app also experiences occasional freezing, requiring lessons to be retaken . The review section has been reported as not working properly .
Price and Value edge: BabbelR1R7R8R16
Babbel Babbel is a paid app, with a free tier that is very limited, leading to frustration from users expecting a free experience R7R31R46. While some find the lifetime pass a good investment due to ongoing updates R8, others feel it's not worth the cost, especially if they don't achieve fluency or encounter technical issues R1R16.
Busuu Busuu has a free tier, but it is heavily criticized for an overwhelming number of ads and locking essential features like review sections and AI conversations behind a paywall R70. Users feel pressured to upgrade, and some report being automatically charged for annual plans without clear consent or difficulty getting refunds R67R109.
Customer Support tieR1R67R88R109
Babbel Babbel users report difficulty reaching support when facing issues with subscriptions or app functionality R1.
Busuu Busuu users have reported negative experiences with customer support, including refusal of refunds and account deletion without explanation R67R88. There are also complaints about pricing policies for existing customers R109.
Pick Babbel if

You are serious about learning a European language with a structured, effective curriculum and are willing to pay for a subscription, especially if considering a lifetime pass R8R17R26.

Pick Busuu if

You prefer a language app with a social learning component and cultural insights, and are willing to pay for a premium subscription to avoid ads and access all features .

Evidence note: Busuu's free-tier experience is heavily criticized for excessive ads and paywalls, which likely skews its recent reviews more negatively compared to its lifetime rating. Babbel's issues are more focused on technical glitches and language selection.

Frequently asked

Which app is better for learning to speak a new language?
Babbel is generally considered more effective for practical language acquisition, with users reporting they learn more and better than with other apps, focusing on speaking, listening, and writing R17R26R53R56. Busuu also offers speaking practice and helps users learn to understand the language, but some users find its AI voices muffled .
Do Babbel and Busuu offer free versions?
Both Babbel and Busuu offer free tiers, but users report that these are very limited; Babbel's free content is minimal before hitting a paywall R7R31R46, and Busuu's free version is heavily interrupted by ads and restricts access to key features like review sections and AI conversations R70.
Which app has more language options?
Babbel is criticized for its limited language options, primarily focusing on European languages and not offering many Asian languages like Japanese, Chinese, Korean, or others like Hebrew or Greek R12R13R25R42. Busuu also has a somewhat limited selection, with users requesting more languages like Tagalog .
Are there technical issues with either app?
Babbel users frequently report technical issues including the app not linking to devices, crashing, keyboard glitches, and problems with speech recognition and AI chat functions R1R6R9R10. Busuu users have experienced muffled or distorted audio voices and occasional app freezing .

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. [R2] Babbel 5/5 · US great tool: easy tu learn
  2. [R17] Babbel 5/5 · US Practicality meets Functionality: Form and function love the lesson style and how it works with you to really get the language to stick making it well worth the time you put into it! Practice makes better not perfect remember that!
  3. [R18] Babbel 3/5 · US Just like the others: I spent several years on Duolingo and learned thousands of words but couldn’t speak very well or understand what was being said on television or radio. I decided to give Babbel a try and have been on it now for about six months. Although I continue to learn more words, I feel that I am just as far away from speaking it as I was before I started. At this point, it seems benefi
  4. [R26] Babbel 5/5 · US Much Better Than Duo!: I am learning so much more with Babbel than I ever did with Duolingo. It helps you practice information several times in different ways, and I find that very helpful.
  5. [R3] Babbel 3/5 · US Good, needs improvement: I like the overall layout and scope of the program. The different speaking/listening/writing options are nice. The pacing seems right, but there desperately needs to be a function that generates new sentences to apply what the words and phrases learned. Using the same sentences over and over to review seems cheap given the cost of the program. Similarly, there should also
  6. [R8] Babbel 4/5 · US Lifetime of evolving knowledge.: Love that I paid for a lifetime and they still update it. It’s a good investment for people who can’t afford the burden of paying subscriptions. The down side is that it needs to be more visually appealing in comparison to its counterparts like Duolingo. It’s known for being “cool” Babbel needs to increase appeal and interaction.
  7. [R12] 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!
  8. [R13] 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
  9. [R1] Babbel 1/5 · US No longer works: I’ve been using the babel italian app for more than 4 years… suddenly it won’t link to my iPhone. I still have 6 months of my paid subscription remaining.. I’ve had no luck reaching out to them. When my subscription is up in December I’ll likely look for a different service.
  10. [R6] Babbel 3/5 · US Glitchy: App glitchy and crashes when trying to view your progress
  11. [R9] Babbel 3/5 · US Starting off bad: Haven’t even been able to complete my first lesson after I just downloaded/paid for the app. Finish all the way to the last question, then it fails on me. Go back into the app and have to restart the same lesson. Doesn’t give me a lot of hope that this is going to be a useful tool
  12. [R7] Babbel 1/5 · US Do we have to pay?: I really do hate apps that I have to pay in this app is one of them. I’m trying to learn so I can talk to my friends and understand what they’re saying, but I really can’t because every app I go to I have to pay so can somebody please tell me an app that doesn’t pay because I’m so sick and tired of apps staying like you have to pay you have to pay no I don’t like y’all just fin
  13. [R16] Babbel 1/5 · US lifetime pass not worth it: I purchased the lifetime pass thinking I could learn a language, but what ended up being the last segment was far more difficult than the penultimate lesson.
  14. [R67] Busuu 1/5 · US No refund: Busuu promised a refund. They mentioned 14 days for a refund. After a day, I asked for a refund and they refused. Buyer beware! This program reminds me of all the reasons I hated High School Spanish class.
  15. [R88] Busuu 1/5 · US No Transparency, No Support, No Respect for Customers: A disappointing customer experience. I paid for a subscription using a valid payment method from a supported country. During the internet disruptions in Iran, I contacted support to explain my situation and request assistance. Instead of helping, the company deleted my account and later ignored my follow-up messages. This is not about company
  16. [R109] Busuu 2/5 · GB A great app terrible for existing customers: I loved this app. Bought the premium version to avoid advertising. Less than £50 . At the end of the year the premium version was nearly double!!! I contacted Busuu and they said no deals for existing customers. So I had to delete my account and lose a year’s worth of learning. Then use a different email to re subscribe for the reduced price for new cus
  17. [R53] Babbel 5/5 · US Babbel: Babble has helped me learn German sooo much easier than Duolingo, you actually learn the words and get to know the language
  18. [R56] Babbel 4/5 · US To fast: I love how Babbel is and how you can learn a language in writing speaking and listening, but I think they give you too much at the start
  19. [R31] Babbel 1/5 · US Misleading: The app is free but after filling out their questionnaire you’re hit with a $100 pay wall
  20. [R46] Babbel 1/5 · US My opinion: Got to pay right away unlike Duolingo where you can do it right away for free
  21. [R70] Busuu 1/5 · US Too many adds for premium: Have been using it for a while now and haven’t been keeping up the practice because of how many ads they have or how often they want you to go to premium
  22. [R25] Babbel 1/5 · US You need Greek: You don’t have Greek as an option. If you had Greek it would be better!
  23. [R42] 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
  24. [R10] Babbel 1/5 · US Keyboard glitch: We couldn’t switch the Russian language keyboard

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