# Busuu vs Memrise

Busuu and Memrise both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 85% of Busuu's written reviews are positive against 68% of Memrise's. Memrise's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Busuu sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Memrise sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Busuu against 4.8 for Memrise. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 101K and 217K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Busuu's written reviews are positive against 68% of Memrise's.

Busuu ships an update weekly, Memrise fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Busuu | Memrise |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (101K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/busuu-language-learning-app/id379968583/reviews) | **[4.8 (217K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/memrise-language-learning-app/id635966718/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 101K | **217K** |
| Positive reviews | **85.4% of reviews** | 68.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#90** | #136 |
| Size | 267 MB | 238 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Busuu Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/370806574) | [Memrise Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/506043249) |

## What reviewers say

### Busuu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/busuu-language-learning-app/id379968583)

**Currently charting:** #90 Top Grossing · Education, #131 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Learn new languages through bite-sized lessons and interactive exercises. Connect with native speakers for feedback and practice, and track your progress with personalized study plans and official certificates.

**Highlights:** Learn up to 14 languages, Connect with native speakers, Expert-designed courses, Personalized study plans, Smart review for vocabulary and grammar, Official language certificates, Specialized courses

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Plan | $23.49 | per month |
| 12 Months Premium | $70.00 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $79.99 | per year |
| 14 Day Trial - Premium Plus | $89.99 | per year |
| 12 Months' Premium | $138.99 | per year |
| 12 Months Premium | $138.99 | per year |
| 12 Months Premium Plus | $139.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💯 Best resource for learning
- 🎓 Structured lessons and review
- 👥 Helpful community feedback
- 🎨 Engaging visuals and content
- 🗣️ Realistic native speaker audio

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Inconsistent AI-generated corrections
- 🔒 Limited access without premium
- 🔀 Difficulty navigating between lessons
- 📚 Lack of advanced content and review
- 🔊 Issues with audio and pronunciation

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect or missing translations
- Inconsistent lesson progress tracking
- Bugs with voice recognition and feedback

**Requested features**

- Ability to learn multiple languages simultaneously
- More detailed grammar explanations and practice
- Customizable review and flashcard features
- Improved community features and messaging
- Offline access to downloaded lessons


### Memrise

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/memrise-language-learning-app/id635966718)

**Currently charting:** #136 Top Grossing · Education, #195 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Learn over 40 languages through immersive lessons that simulate real-life conversations and cultural experiences. Practice vocabulary, listening, and speaking with AI-powered bots and native speaker videos to build confidence and speak like a local.

**Highlights:** Real-life conversation simulation, Cultural insights, Vocabulary and listening practice, Speaking practice with AI, Native speaker videos, Learn over 40 languages

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Language Learning Plan | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Language Learning Plan | $24.99 | per month |
| 3-Month Language Learning Plan | $24.99 | per 3 months |
| 30% off Annual Memrise Pro | $42.99 | per year |
| Memrise Subscription Offer | $58.99 | per year |
| Memrise Subscription Offer | $59.99 | per month |
| Annual Language Learning Plan | $61.99 | per year |
| Memrise Annual Pro | $61.99 | per year |
| Memrise Subscription Offer | $61.99 | per year |
| Memrise Subscription Offer | $79.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Plan Offer | $98.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Plan Offer | $131.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Plan Offer | $164.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Plan | $329.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for learning basics
- 👍 Engaging and fun learning experience
- 👍 Effective memorization techniques
- 👍 Useful for supplementing language learning
- 👍 Variety of languages available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription is too expensive
- 🔒 Limited functionality without subscription
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches in the app
- 🤖 AI conversations are not very helpful
- 🤔 Transition from basics to more advanced content is too abrupt

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes during lessons
- Inconsistent performance across devices
- Issues with syncing progress across devices
- Incorrect translations or pronunciations in some courses

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced content and courses
- Improve AI conversation feature
- Allow more control over review and repetition
- Provide offline access to courses
- Improve search and discovery of community courses


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Busuu free?

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

### Is Memrise free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Busuu or Memrise?

Memrise is rated higher. Busuu averages 4.7 out of 5 from 101K ratings, while Memrise averages 4.8 from 217K ratings.

### Do Busuu or Memrise have ads?

Both Busuu and Memrise show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Busuu or Memrise?

Busuu ships an update weekly, and Memrise fortnightly. Most recently, Busuu was updated on September 25, 2026 and Memrise on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Busuu or Memrise?

Busuu currently peaks at #90 in the App Store charts, and Memrise at #136. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*