# Spanish Words vs Babbel

The clearest difference is price: Babbel at Free against Spanish Words's $1.99. Babbel also leads on rating (4.7 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 13 months). Spanish Words's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Babbel is free to download; Spanish Words costs $1.99 up front. Babbel sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month. Spanish Words asks for nothing beyond the download.

Babbel holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Spanish Words's written reviews are positive against 44% of Babbel's.

Spanish Words ships an update every 13 months, Babbel every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spanish Words | Babbel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spanish-words-beginners/id458027200/reviews) | **[4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **754K** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **43.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Paid** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | **#8** |
| Size | 153 MB | 263 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [CogWrite Learning Analytics LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/410496428) | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) |

## What reviewers say

### Spanish Words

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spanish-words-beginners/id458027200)

This tool helps beginners learn basic Spanish words through interactive matching and pronunciation exercises. It features a "touch mode" to hear native speaker audio for words and pictures, aiding word recognition and memory recall. The app is designed for elementary learners to build foundational vocabulary.

**Highlights:** Touch mode for audio pronunciation, Match words to pictures, 288 basic Spanish words, 16 themed word sets, Native speaker audio (male/female), Progressive review and testing modes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Babbel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Grossing · Education, #66 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Master a new language with expert-designed, bite-sized lessons that fit your schedule. Build conversational confidence quickly through interactive practice and a smart review system. Learn Spanish, French, German, and more for travel, work, or fun.

**Highlights:** Bite-sized lessons, Expert-built courses, Interactive conversation practice, Smart review system, Grammar in context, Offline mode, Learn 14 languages

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mexican Spanish – 1-month plan | $17.99 | per month |
| Spanish 1 month | $17.99 | per month |
| French 1 month | $17.99 | per month |
| Italian 1 month | $17.99 | per month |
| Mexican Spanish - 1-month plan | $19.99 | per month |
| Mexican Spanish – 3-month plan | $45.99 | per 3 months |
| Learn French – 3-month plan | $45.99 | per 3 months |
| Learn Spanish – 3-month plan | $45.99 | per 3 months |
| All Languages – 3-month plan | $53.99 | per 3 months |
| Mexican Spanish – 1-year plan | $89.99 | per year |
| All Languages – 12-month plan | $107.99 | per year |
| All Languages – 12-month plan | $107.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent structured learning
- 🚀 Effective vocabulary and grammar teaching
- 👍 Helpful pronunciation guides
- 👍 Engaging and practical lessons
- 👍 Useful review and repetition features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent voice recognition
- 🐛 Lack of flexibility in lesson progression
- 🐛 Confusing user interface and navigation
- 🐛 Overly strict scoring and lack of forgiveness for minor errors
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Lessons sometimes freeze or crash the app
- Subscription cancellation process is overly complicated
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between languages
- Keyboard issues and inability to use system keyboard

**Requested features**

- Add more language options, especially Asian languages like Japanese, Korean, and Chinese
- Improve review and practice tools to better reinforce learned material
- Provide more customization options for lesson pacing and content
- Implement a more forgiving scoring system and allow users to revisit past lessons
- Add a dark mode and optimize the app for better readability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spanish Words free?

Spanish Words costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Spanish Words or Babbel?

Babbel is rated higher. Spanish Words averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Babbel averages 4.7 from 754K ratings.

### Do Spanish Words or Babbel have ads?

Babbel shows ads; Spanish Words does not.

### Which is updated more often, Spanish Words or Babbel?

Spanish Words ships an update every 13 months, and Babbel every 4 days. Most recently, Spanish Words was updated on June 4, 2026 and Babbel on September 25, 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.*