# Basic English vs TEFL Handbook

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TEFL Handbook at none against Basic English's 3. TEFL Handbook also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 91%). Basic English's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (5.9K vs 3). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Basic English sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. TEFL Handbook asks for nothing beyond the download.

Basic English holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Basic English has 5.9K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 91% of Basic English's written reviews are positive against 100% of TEFL Handbook's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Basic English ships an update every 3 weeks, TEFL Handbook every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basic English | TEFL Handbook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-english-esl-course/id1225114836/reviews)** | [4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tefl-handbook/id1450288502/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.9K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 90.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 198 MB | 95 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Nguyen Thi Hoai Thu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1321248741) | [Allan Sweeney](https://appshunter.io/developer/1450089394) |

## What reviewers say

### Basic English

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-english-esl-course/id1225114836)

Learn to speak English fluently and confidently with interactive lessons, audio, and quizzes. Improve speaking, listening, and vocabulary through step-by-step instruction and real-world conversation practice, even offline.

**Highlights:** Offline learning support, Interactive lessons with audio and quizzes, Real-world conversation practice, Vocabulary and grammar expansion, Speaking practice with recording, Listening practice via radio

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Month | $6.99 | per month |
| Year | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium | $11.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Excellent learning tool
- 💡 Helpful for improving English
- 🤩 Great app
- 🥰 Love the app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Ads disrupt usage
- 🤔 Incorrect quiz answers
- 🤷‍♀️ Premium not connected

**Reported bugs**

- Audio issue during use
- Repeated audio lessons

**Requested features**

- Option to speak slowly
- Desktop version for online classes


### TEFL Handbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tefl-handbook/id1450288502)

Access a vast library of offline English teaching materials, including lesson plans, activities, and games. Designed for educators, it offers inspiration and practical tools for engaging students across seven CEFR levels.

**Highlights:** Offline access to 700+ activities and games, Supports CEFR levels A1-C1, Minimal classroom resources required, Fluid and elegant user interface, Sample board work and lead-in activities, Adaptable English language games

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basic English free?

Basic English is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is TEFL Handbook free?

TEFL Handbook is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Basic English or TEFL Handbook?

Basic English is rated higher. Basic English averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5.9K ratings, while TEFL Handbook averages 4.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do Basic English or TEFL Handbook have ads?

Neither Basic English nor TEFL Handbook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Basic English or TEFL Handbook?

Basic English ships an update every 3 weeks, and TEFL Handbook every 5 weeks. Most recently, Basic English was updated on November 6, 2026 and TEFL Handbook on November 2, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*