# Babbel vs ELSA Speak

The clearest difference is monetization model: ELSA Speak at free with in-app purchases against Babbel's subscription. ELSA Speak also leads on ads (none vs shown). Babbel's advantage is ratings volume (754K vs 112K) and chart position (#10 vs #97). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Babbel sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month and ELSA Speak sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. 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 Babbel against 4.8 for ELSA Speak. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 112K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 44% of Babbel's written reviews are positive against 34% of ELSA Speak's.

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, ELSA Speak weekly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | ELSA Speak |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews) | **[4.8 (112K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elsa-speak-english-learning/id1083804886/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 112K |
| Positive reviews | **43.7% of reviews** | 34.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#10** | #97 |
| Size | 263 MB | 278 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Elsa Corp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1083804885) |

## What reviewers say

### Babbel

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

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Grossing · Education, #63 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


### ELSA Speak

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elsa-speak-english-learning/id1083804886)

**Currently charting:** #97 Top Grossing · Education, #199 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

This AI-powered English tutor helps you practice conversations, improve pronunciation, and build vocabulary for real-life scenarios like job interviews and presentations. It offers personalized learning paths and instant feedback to boost your speaking confidence.

**Highlights:** AI-powered English tutor, Conversation practice, Pronunciation training, Grammar and vocabulary building, Personalized learning paths, Exam preparation (IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC), Real-time feedback

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| 3 months | $39.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 months Elsa Premium | $47.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 months ELSA Premium | $47.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 months | $52.00 | per 3 months |
| 3 months | $58.00 | per 3 months |
| 1 year | $71.00 | per year |
| One year Premium membership | $99.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Elsa Premium | $99.99 | per year |
| One year Premium | $99.99 | per year |
| 1 Year ELSA Premium | $99.99 | per year |
| 1 year | $109.99 | per year |
| 1 year | $129.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent for improving pronunciation
- 👍 Helpful feedback on pronunciation issues
- 💡 Covers a wide range of topics
- 🤖 Effective AI-powered speech recognition

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🔌 Slow loading times and connectivity issues
- 🤖 Inconsistent and unreliable scoring system
- 🇺🇸 Only supports American English accent

**Reported bugs**

- Microphone not working after phone calls
- Inability to add words to personal playlists
- Inconsistent behavior when repeating the same phrase
- Subscription issues and lack of clear cancellation process

**Requested features**

- Add support for British English accent
- Improve dictionary with more word meanings
- Provide option to switch between male and female voices
- Implement more structured learning path and progress tracking


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is ELSA Speak free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Babbel or ELSA Speak?

ELSA Speak is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while ELSA Speak averages 4.8 from 112K ratings.

### Do Babbel or ELSA Speak have ads?

Babbel shows ads; ELSA Speak does not.

### Which is updated more often, Babbel or ELSA Speak?

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and ELSA Speak weekly. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 25, 2026 and ELSA Speak on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Babbel or ELSA Speak?

Babbel currently peaks at #10 in the App Store charts, and ELSA Speak at #97. 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.*