# Babbel vs Verbling

The clearest difference is rating: Babbel at 4.7 against Verbling's 3.8. Babbel also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly) and ratings volume (754K vs 135). Verbling's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). On price 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. Verbling asks for nothing beyond the download.

Babbel holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 135, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Babbel's written reviews are positive against 31% of Verbling's.

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, Verbling monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and August 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | Verbling |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews)** | [3.8 (135 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/verbling-learn-a-new-language/id1170152447/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 135 |
| Positive reviews | **43.7% of reviews** | 30.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#12** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 112 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Verbling, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/590462781) |

## What reviewers say

### Babbel

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

**Currently charting:** #12 Top Grossing · Education, #54 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


### Verbling

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/verbling-learn-a-new-language/id1170152447)

Master new languages through live, one-on-one conversations with native-speaking teachers. Practice speaking from day one to gain fluency and confidence for real-world interactions. Access lessons anytime, anywhere directly through the app.

**Highlights:** Live video lessons with native teachers, Learn over 40 languages, In-app video chat, Book lessons on your phone, Focus on speaking practice

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is Verbling free?

Verbling is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Babbel or Verbling?

Babbel is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while Verbling averages 3.8 from 135 ratings.

### Do Babbel or Verbling have ads?

Babbel shows ads; Verbling does not.

### Which is updated more often, Babbel or Verbling?

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and Verbling monthly. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 26, 2026 and Verbling on August 26, 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.*