Comparison

Pimsleur | Language Learning vs Borne

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Pimsleur | Language Learning

Master over 50 languages with daily 30-minute audio lessons. Achieve native-like fluency through a scientifically proven method focused on speaking and pronunciation, even offline. Perfect for busy adults seeking flexible, effective language learning.

Highlights
  • Learn 50+ languages
  • 30-minute daily lessons
  • Offline mode
  • Hands-free learning
  • Pronunciation practice
  • AI language tutor
  • Sync across devices
Features
Read full description

Learn languages fluently with Pimsleur - Learn to speak 50+ foreign languages like a local with just 30 minutes of language learning practice a day! The Pimsleur Method™ is the most effective way to learn a foreign language, achieve native conversational fluency, and use the language in your everyday life. Learn to speak fluent Spanish, French, Korean, German, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese and more with ease. Pimsleur’s language learning resources make learning a language fun, flexible and rewarding. Practice speaking fluently with just 30 minutes of language practice a day! For 50 years, we’ve been helping people rapidly learn languages in 30 days. Want to learn Spanish to speak to Mexican friends? Need to learn Japanese for a trip to Tokyo? Choose from over 50 languages to learn while driving, at the gym, or while cooking. No Internet needed with offline mode. Plus the built-in hands-free mode makes it easy to learn a new language anywhere, anytime, even in the car! Our innovative online audio lessons focus on enhancing your vocabulary, pronunciation and speaking skills without the burden of grammar tables, making language learning and practice enjoyable and accessible. Dive into cultural topics that enrich your understanding and language fluency, and join thousands of adults who have transformed their language skills online with Pimsleur. Whether you're a beginner or already looking to improve your language fluency, Pimsleur offers a convenient and effective online language learning platform for adults designed for a flexible study schedule that fits into your daily routine. Learn to speak a new language anytime, anywhere - even in the car as a family. Why Choose Pimsleur as Your Language Partner? - Scientifically proven method for fast, lasting language fluency. - Just 30 minutes a day to speak a new foreign language with confidence. - Learn languages offline, hands-free, and without distractions, no Wi-Fi needed. - Perfect your pronunciation and practice real conversations with a smart AI language tutor. - Sync across devices to track your progress and keep your learning streak going. - Join the global community of Pimsleur language learners! Discover the full list of language courses here: Albanian, Eastern, Egyptian or Modern Standard Arabic, Eastern or Western Armenian, Cantonese or Mandarin Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dari Persian, Dutch, Farsi Persian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Ojibwe, Pashto, Polish, European or Brazilian Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Latin American or Spain-Castilian Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Swiss German, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Twi, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese. FREE TRIAL AVAILABLE Don’t miss out - try Pimsleur for FREE and start learning different languages today! With a complimentary lesson in 51 languages, you'll experience the most effective way to achieve conversational fluency from Day 1. PREMIUM FEATURES CORE CONVERSATIONAL LANGUAGE LEARNING LESSONS Enjoy 30-minute conversational language lessons anywhere. Quickly learn to speak another language in just 30 days! READ You won’t just learn foreign languages; you'll learn to read without sacrificing speaking skills! SPEAK Don't be shy! Learn to speak fluently with conversation partner role-play & review transcripts using AI language learning & voice recognition. Now available for Spanish learners. SKILLS Practice phrases by topic & learn easily with visual language learning through vocabulary flashcards. Learn foreign languages with Quick Match & Speed Rounds. SYNC PROGRESS Track learning progress across different devices, sync & stream offline with no ads. Feature availability depends on the language. Visit our website for more info & a complete list of the different languages available. CA Privacy/Info We Collect: Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Personal Information: Do Not Sell

About

Borne

Master new languages with an AI tutor that offers real-world conversations and instant feedback. Practice speaking anytime, anywhere, and build confidence in a judgment-free environment. Achieve fluency faster with personalized lessons tailored to your goals.

Highlights
  • Real-world conversation practice
  • AI-powered adaptive learning
  • Instant feedback on pronunciation and grammar
  • Personalized lessons for various goals
  • Multilingual support
  • Progress tracking
Features
Read full description

Speak Confidently with Borne: Your AI Language Tutor Master Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Portuguese, English, or German with Borne—your personal AI language tutor designed to make language learning fun, flexible and effective. Engage in real-world conversations tailored to your skill level, practice anytime, anywhere, and start speaking in days, not months. Whether you’re a beginner, a student, a traveler, or a polyglot, Borne can help you achieve fluency. Why Choose Borne? • Real Conversations: Practice natural dialogues with an AI that adapts to your unique learning pace. Borne is your partner in mastering conversational skills for the real-world. • Learn Anytime, Anywhere: No rigid schedules. Borne fits your busy lifestyle, offering 24/7 language practice on your phone. • Instant Feedback: Receive real-time corrections on grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary to improve with every conversation. • Judgment-Free Learning: Make mistakes, learn quickly, and build confidence in a safe, supportive environment. • Affordable and Accessible: Enjoy high-quality language tutoring at a fraction of the cost of traditional tutors or language classes. • Personalized Learning: From greetings to advanced discussions, Borne tailors lessons to your goals, whether for travel, work or personal growth. How Borne Works Borne leverages cutting-edge AI technology to deliver immersive language lessons that mimic native dialogues. Choose your language — Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Portuguese, English, or German — and dive into customized conversations that match your level and interests. Practice speaking, listening and comprehension through dialogues that feel authentic, helping you sound like a native speaker. Whether you’re preparing for a trip, boosting your career, or exploring a new culture, Borne makes language mastery achievable and enjoyable. Key Features • Interactive Lessons: Engage in dynamic conversations that evolve with your progress. • Multilingual Support: Learn multiple languages simultaneously to become a polyglot. • Cultural Insights: Gain context about customs and phrases to connect more deeply with native speakers. • Progress Tracking: Monitor your improvement with clear, motivating milestones. Start Your Language Journey Today Download Borne now and try a free conversation to experience AI-powered language learning. From beginner Spanish to advanced German, unlock fluency with an AI tutor that’s always ready to guide you. Join thousands of learners worldwide who are speaking confidently with Borne! Why Learners Love Borne: • Speak Spanish, French, German, and more from day one • AI-powered tutor with voice recognition for real speaking practice • Perfect for beginners, travelers, students, and professionals • Practice vocabulary, grammar, listening and speaking in context • Supports accent training and fluency for real-world conversations • Fun, fast-paced daily practice that keeps you motivated • Better than language apps with flashcards – speak naturally instead! Order tapas in Spain or negotiate in German with confidence! Borne’s gamified lessons and advanced voice tech refine your accent to sound native. Unlock new words as you level up. Enjoy a 3-day free trial to test your skills risk-free. Learn Swedish, Dutch, and more with fun, daily practice that fits your life. Speak Spanish, French, Italian, English, Swedish, German, Dutch or Portuguese with confidence from day one! Subscription Details Ready to unlock premium features? Choose a plan that fits your needs! If you choose a Premium plan with Borne, payment will be charged to your Apple account, with renewal charged within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Auto-renewal can be disabled anytime in your App Store settings. Any unused portion of a free trial will be forfeited upon purchasing a subscription. Privacy Policy: https://borne.ai/privacy-policy/ Terms of Service: https://borne.ai/terms-of-service/

Screenshots

Pimsleur | Language Learning4 screens
Borne4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Borne at none against Pimsleur | Language Learning's shown. Borne also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 82%). Pimsleur | Language Learning's advantage is ratings volume (30K vs 66) and chart position (#6 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Pimsleur | Language Learning sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and Borne sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Borne holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pimsleur | Language Learning has 30K ratings behind it against 66, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Pimsleur | Language Learning's written reviews are positive against 100% of Borne's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pimsleur | Language Learning ships an update every 2 weeks, Borne weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Pimsleur | Language Learning versus Borne: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPimsleur | Language LearningBorne
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (30K ratings)5.0 (66 ratings) — better
Positive reviews82.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings30K — better66
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#6 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.113.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size131 MB120 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSimon & SchusterMereo Technologies Inc.

Customer experience

Pimsleur | Language Learning

All ratings29,745 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral1.8%
Negative3.2%
Written reviews2,317 reviews
Positive82.5%
Neutral4.5%
Negative13.0%

Borne

All ratings65 ratings
Positive98.5%
Neutral1.5%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

User reviews

Pimsleur | Language Learning

From 30K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great for speaking and listening practice
  • 👍 Effective for learning pronunciation and conversational skills
  • 💡 Convenient to use while doing other activities
  • 👍 Structured lessons build language skills progressively

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🐛 Occasional app crashes and bugs
  • 🔍 Limited content for some languages
  • 📚 Lacks written materials and grammar explanations

Borne

From 66 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use and navigate
  • 🗣️ Great for practicing speaking and fluency
  • 💡 Interactive and engaging learning
  • 🤖 AI understands and adapts conversations
  • 💰 Affordable alternative to tutors

Bugs and requests

Pimsleur | Language Learning

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Lesson downloads frequently get interrupted
  • Inconsistent performance on older devices
  • Sync issues between app and online account

Requested features

4 requests
  • More levels and content for less popular languages
  • Ability to adjust playback speed of lessons
  • Tighter integration with other language learning resources
  • Improved voice recognition and feedback

Borne

Requested features

1 request
  • Dark mode option

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Pimsleur | Language Learning

Subscriptions8
  • Spanish Premium Subscription3 variants$19.991 Month
  • Italian Premium Subscription$19.991 Month
  • Japanese Premium Subscription$19.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • All Access Subscription$20.991 Month
  • All Access Subscription7 Days trial$20.991 Month
  • All Access Subscription1 Month trial$20.991 Month
  • All Access Annual Subscription7 Days trial$131.991 Year
  • All Access Subscription Annual7 Days trial$164.991 Year
12 purchases

Borne

Subscriptions8
  • Borne Basic$5.991 Month
  • Borne Premium (Monthly)3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Borne Premium (Monthly)$9.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Borne Standard$9.991 Month
  • Borne Premium$14.991 Month
  • Borne Premium (Annual)$49.991 Year
  • Borne Premium (Annual)$69.991 Year
  • Borne Premium (Annual)3 Days trial$69.991 Year
One-time4
  • 1 Hour of Conversation$1.99
  • Premium Plan - Extra Hour$1.99
  • Basic Plan - Extra Hour$2.99
Show 1 more
  • Standard Plan - Extra Hour$2.99

Questions

Is Pimsleur | Language Learning free?
Pimsleur | Language Learning is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Borne free?
Borne is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pimsleur | Language Learning or Borne?
Borne is rated higher. Pimsleur | Language Learning averages 4.7 out of 5 from 30K ratings, while Borne averages 5.0 from 66 ratings.
Do Pimsleur | Language Learning or Borne have ads?
Pimsleur | Language Learning shows ads; Borne does not.
Which is updated more often, Pimsleur | Language Learning or Borne?
Pimsleur | Language Learning ships an update every 2 weeks, and Borne weekly. Most recently, Pimsleur | Language Learning was updated on September 25, 2026 and Borne on August 7, 2026.

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