# Babbel vs DK Visual Dictionary (2017)

The clearest difference is rating: Babbel at 4.7 against DK Visual Dictionary (2017)'s 1.8. Babbel also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (754K vs 33). DK Visual Dictionary (2017)'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. DK Visual Dictionary (2017) asks for nothing beyond the download.

Babbel holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 33, 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 19% of DK Visual Dictionary (2017)'s.

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, DK Visual Dictionary (2017) every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | DK Visual Dictionary (2017) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews)** | [1.8 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dk-visual-dictionary-2017/id1192278999/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 33 |
| Positive reviews | **43.7% of reviews** | 19.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#11** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 208 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Dorling Kindersley](https://appshunter.io/developer/316351361) |

## What reviewers say

### Babbel

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

**Currently charting:** #11 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


### DK Visual Dictionary (2017)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dk-visual-dictionary-2017/id1192278999)

This app provides audio for DK's Bilingual Visual Dictionaries, featuring over 7,000 spoken words and phrases per language by native speakers. It's organized thematically and allows users to tap words for pronunciation, save favorites, and use offline after downloading.

**Highlights:** 7,000+ spoken words/phrases per language, Native speaker audio, Thematic vocabulary organization, Tap to hear pronunciation, Offline access after download, Favorites list for saved words

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple audio companion
- 👍 Works offline
- 👍 Useful for learning pronunciation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Barcode/ISBN not recognized
- 🐛 Audio files fail to download
- 🐛 Buggy interface
- 🐛 Lacks language support

**Reported bugs**

- Barcode/ISBN not recognized
- Audio files fail to download
- Buggy interface with visual glitches
- Lack of language support

**Requested features**

- Add support for more languages
- Allow searching by word, not just page number
- Implement landscape mode for tablets
- Add option to slow down audio playback speed


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is DK Visual Dictionary (2017) free?

DK Visual Dictionary (2017) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Babbel or DK Visual Dictionary (2017)?

Babbel is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while DK Visual Dictionary (2017) averages 1.8 from 33 ratings.

### Do Babbel or DK Visual Dictionary (2017) have ads?

Babbel shows ads; DK Visual Dictionary (2017) does not.

### Which is updated more often, Babbel or DK Visual Dictionary (2017)?

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and DK Visual Dictionary (2017) every 3 months. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 25, 2026 and DK Visual Dictionary (2017) on September 10, 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.*