Comparison

Busuu vs Borne

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

Head to head
About

Busuu

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
Read full description

Busuu helps you communicate with confidence from day one. Combine expertly designed language lessons with feedback and tips from our global community of native speakers and harness the power of learning together. Looking for the best way to learn a new language on your phone? You’ve just discovered it, with Busuu, a Chegg service – we’re the app that makes learning new languages easier, more fun and more effective for all. Whether you’re learning to get confident having new conversations, for a higher grade, a career boost, or for mind-blowing travel experiences, Busuu’s got your back. We’re already helping millions of people overcome their learning struggles, from lack of time and motivation to problems with grammar and vocab. We help our learners achieve their goals, one milestone at a time – and we want to do the same for you. DOWNLOAD THE APP NOW FOR FREE LANGUAGE LEARNING ================ How are we doing this? We’re glad you asked. Whether you’re learning on your iPad or iPhone, Busuu helps you… – Learn up to 14 languages That’s right, 14! We’ve got complete courses in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazilian), Polish, Russian, Arabic, Dutch or Turkish with Busuu. – Master languages with real people You want to learn the relevant language, right? You’re in luck: we’ll connect you with our community of native speakers so you can get localized language knowledge and support. Feel even better when you help other learners in return. – Learn from the experts Busuu’s online courses are created by our ingenious language experts. Learn step-by-step with bite-sized lessons, plenty of practice and lots of opportunities to test your progress. – Say hello to useful language skills Learn the language that will really take you places! With regularly updated content, video flashcards featuring real people and useful cultural tips, you’ll be fully immersed in no time. – Kiss goodbye to stressful timetabling We’re serious. We organize your learning time for you with a personalized Study Plan. Simply tell us when you want to study and for how long, and we’ll send you notifications to keep you on track. – Revise with ease There’ll be no forgetting on our watch. Smart Review cleverly saves all the grammar and vocab you learn in lessons and stores them in one handy place, so you can make those tricky words and rules stick. – Show off achievements with official certificates With our Busuu language certificates, you’ll have actual proof of your language capabilities. – Access specialized courses for language lovers You’ve learned the basics, and now you’re hungry for more. Learn about manga, advance your pronunciation or add travel-specific phrases to your skillset, plus much more. ================ DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT. See what others have to say about Busuu: ● EDITOR RATING: EXCELLENT - PC MAG ● Named 'Best Buy' language learning app by the Independent in 2021 ● Language Learning App of the Year at the EdTech Breakthrough Awards 2020 ================ PLEASE NOTE A lot of the features are free, but you will need a subscription in order to get access to all features of this app. Your subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current payment period. Your iTunes account will be automatically charged at the same price for renewal within the 24-hour period prior to the end of the current payment period unless you change your subscription preferences in your Account Settings. You can manage your subscriptions through your Account Settings after purchase. Privacy policy: https://www.busuu.com/en/privacy/ Terms of Service: https://www.busuu.com/en/terms/

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

Busuu4 screens
Borne4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Borne at none against Busuu's shown. Borne also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 85%). Busuu's advantage is ratings volume (101K vs 66) and chart position (#63 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Busuu sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 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: Busuu has 101K ratings behind it against 66, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of Busuu's written reviews are positive against 100% of Borne's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and August 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Busuu versus Borne: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBusuuBorne
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (101K ratings)5.0 (66 ratings) — better
Positive reviews85.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings101K — better66
Update frequencyWeeklyWeekly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#63 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size267 MB120 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperBusuu LimitedMereo Technologies Inc.

Customer experience

Busuu

All ratings100,718 ratings
Positive93.5%
Neutral3.6%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews5,376 reviews
Positive85.4%
Neutral5.8%
Negative8.8%

Borne

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

User reviews

Busuu

From 101K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

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

Busuu

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Incorrect or missing translations
  • Inconsistent lesson progress tracking
  • Bugs with voice recognition and feedback

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

Borne

Requested features

1 request
  • Dark mode option

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Busuu

Subscriptions9
  • Monthly Subscription$6.991 Month
  • Monthly Subscription$9.991 Month
  • Monthly Premium Plan$23.491 Month
Show 6 more
  • 12 Months Premium$70.001 Year
  • Annual Subscription7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • 14 Day Trial - Premium Plus14 Days trial$89.991 Year
  • 12 Months' Premium7 Days trial$138.991 Year
  • 12 Months Premium7 Days trial2 variants$138.991 Year
  • 12 Months Premium Plus7 Days trial2 variants$139.991 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 Busuu free?
Busuu 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, Busuu or Borne?
Borne is rated higher. Busuu averages 4.7 out of 5 from 101K ratings, while Borne averages 5.0 from 66 ratings.
Do Busuu or Borne have ads?
Busuu shows ads; Borne does not.
Which is updated more often, Busuu or Borne?
Busuu ships an update weekly, and Borne weekly. Most recently, Busuu was updated on September 26, 2026 and Borne on August 7, 2026.

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