# Babbel vs Speak

The clearest difference is monetization model: Speak at free with in-app purchases against Babbel's subscription. Speak also leads on review sentiment (66% vs 44%). Babbel's advantage is ratings volume (754K vs 61K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Babbel sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month and Speak sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 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 Speak. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 61K, 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 66% of Speak's.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | Speak |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews) | **[4.8 (61K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speak-language-learning/id1286609883/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 61K |
| Positive reviews | 43.7% of reviews | **65.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#8** | #18 |
| Size | 263 MB | 246 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Speakeasy Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1181737551) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Speak

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speak-language-learning/id1286609883)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Grossing · Education, #28 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

This app uses AI to help you improve your speaking fluency in various languages. Engage in simulated conversations, receive instant feedback on pronunciation and intonation, and track your progress to become a confident speaker.

**Highlights:** AI-powered speaking practice, Real-life conversation simulation, Instant pronunciation feedback, Personalized progress tracking, Learn Spanish, French, English, and more, Immersive lessons

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $17.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium | $17.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Plus | $39.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $83.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium | $83.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $99.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium Plus | $164.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent for practicing speaking
- 👍 Customizable and practical content
- 🤖 Helpful AI tutor with good feedback
- 📚 Covers a variety of useful expressions
- 🕰️ Bite-sized lessons for busy schedules

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription cost
- 🤖 Voice recognition can be inaccurate
- 🕰️ Timed lessons feel rushed
- 🔍 Limited language options
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes and bugs

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to record during lessons
- Lesson progress not saving properly
- Subscription issues and billing problems

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced and specialized lessons
- Improve organization of saved content
- Provide offline mode for lessons
- Allow more customization of AI tutor's tone
- Integrate text-to-speech feature


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is Speak free?

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

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

Speak is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while Speak averages 4.8 from 61K ratings.

### Do Babbel or Speak have ads?

Both Babbel and Speak show ads.

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

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

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

Babbel currently peaks at #8 in the App Store charts, and Speak at #18. 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.*