# Babbel vs Polyglot Reader

The clearest difference is monetization model: Polyglot Reader at free with in-app purchases against Babbel's subscription. Polyglot Reader also leads on review sentiment (66% vs 44%). Babbel's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (754K vs 74). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Babbel sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month and Polyglot Reader sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Babbel holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 74, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of Babbel's written reviews are positive against 66% of Polyglot Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, Polyglot Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | Polyglot Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews)** | [4.4 (74 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polyglot-reader/id1015619263/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 74 |
| Positive reviews | 43.7% of reviews | **65.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#8** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 120 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Anton Ivanov](https://appshunter.io/developer/594091388) |

## What reviewers say

### Babbel

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

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Grossing · Education, #65 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


### Polyglot Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polyglot-reader/id1015619263)

Read books in foreign languages and learn new vocabulary. Tap on unknown words for instant translations and save them to flashcards for later study. Supports various document formats and offers pronunciation practice and knowledge tests.

**Highlights:** Read books in multiple formats (PDF, EPUB, TXT), Translate unknown words and phrases instantly, Create flashcards for vocabulary learning, Pronunciation support for words and phrases, Knowledge tests for vocabulary sets, Scan and recognize text from documents

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $22.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| Upgrade from advanced to professional version | $3.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade from Starter to Advanced version | $15.99 | one-time |
| Full version | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is Polyglot Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Babbel or Polyglot Reader?

Babbel is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while Polyglot Reader averages 4.4 from 74 ratings.

### Do Babbel or Polyglot Reader have ads?

Both Babbel and Polyglot Reader show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Babbel or Polyglot Reader?

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and Polyglot Reader every 2 months. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 24, 2026 and Polyglot Reader on September 23, 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.*