Comparison

Babbel vs Write It! Russian

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Babbel

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
Read full description

Speak a new language with real-life conversations. Babbel is the award-winning language learning app with courses tailored to your native language, built by 200+ language experts and trusted by millions worldwide. Because lessons are built for speakers of your language, an English speaker learning Spanish gets different lessons than a French speaker does. You learn to speak, listen, and understand grammar in context, then practice real conversations with Babbel Speak, an AI conversation partner that gives you personalized feedback. Learn a new language faster with bite-sized lessons designed to fit your everyday life. With Babbel’s proven method, you could start having real conversations in as little as 3 weeks. Your language learning adventure starts with a lesson. WHY BABBEL WORKS • Tailored to your native language: Courses are created by language experts and tailored to your native language, so you learn naturally and efficiently. • Real-life conversations: Learn the language people actually speak, for travel, work, and everyday life. • Speak with confidence: Practice out loud with speech recognition and Babbel Speak, an AI conversation partner to improve your pronunciation. • Research-proven results: Efficacy backed by researchers at Yale University: 100% improved their oral proficiency in 3 months.* TRUSTED BY MILLIONS • 25 million subscriptions sold • 1.5 million 5-star ratings (based on App store ratings) • After 10 hours with Babbel, 96% of learners saw better test scores on grammar and vocabulary** BUILT FOR REAL LIFE • Short, effective lessons: Learn in as little as 10 minutes a day • Lessons for every motivation: Learn for travel, work, or fun • Listen, speak, write: Options for every learning style • Stress-free conversation practice: Build confidence with Guided Conversations, then practice freely with Babbel Speak (Beta) • Smart review system: Boosts learning and retention • Grammar in context: Clear explanations exactly when you need them • Offline mode: Download lessons and learn anywhere, anytime • 5,000+ courses: Over 60,000 lessons across all languages LEARN 14 LANGUAGES Spanish (Latin American or Spain), French, Italian, German, Portuguese, English (American or British), Russian, Polish, Turkish, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Dutch, and Indonesian. TRY BABBEL TODAY Download Babbel now and take a free lesson. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS A subscription is required to access full courses for one language. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Payment will be charged to your Apple account. Available plans: • 1 month • 3 months • 6 months • 12 months Privacy policy: https://about.babbel.com/en/privacy/ Terms of use: https://about.babbel.com/en/terms/ LEARN MORE Read Babbel Magazine for tips and insights: https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babbelusa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Babbel.usa CONTACT US Questions or feedback? Email: support-mobile@babbel.com *Based on a study conducted with Babbel users learning Spanish. Available at http://bit.ly/BabbelYale. **Based on a study conducted with Babbel users learning Spanish. Available: http://bit.ly/BabbelMSU.

About

Write It! Russian

Master Russian handwriting with this app that uses advanced recognition technology. Learn letters through bite-sized lessons, practice with stroke-by-stroke guidance, and test your skills in timed challenges. Track your progress and learn offline.

Highlights
  • Handwriting recognition technology
  • Bite-sized lessons
  • Stroke-by-stroke guidance
  • Timed test mode
  • Progress tracking
  • Offline support
Features
Read full description

Learn to write all 33 letters of the Russian Cyrillic alphabet with Write It! Russian, the ultimate app for mastering Russian handwriting. Whether you're a beginner or looking to improve your skills, our innovative app replaces traditional pen and paper with cutting-edge handwriting recognition technology. Dive into bite-sized lessons designed to fit your busy schedule, allowing you to make progress in just a few minutes a day. With our intuitive practice mode, you'll receive stroke-by-stroke guidance to perfect your technique. Then, put your skills to the test in our exhilarating test mode, where you can race against the clock and prove your mastery. Key Features: • Real handwriting recognition technology • Bite-sized lessons for quick learning • Practice mode with stroke-by-stroke guidance • Timed test mode to challenge your skills • Customizable review mode • Progress tracking • Full offline support Why Choose Write It! Russian? Innovative Technology: Our real handwriting recognition technology provides instant feedback, helping you improve faster than traditional methods. Comprehensive Learning: Master all 33 letters of the Russian Cyrillic alphabet through a structured, step-by-step approach. Flexibility: Practice at your own pace with customizable review options and offline accessibility. Engaging Experience: Gamified elements like the test mode keep you motivated and challenged throughout your learning journey. Progress Monitoring: Track your improvement over time and celebrate your achievements as you advance. Write It! Russian combines the best of traditional learning methods with modern technology to create an engaging and effective way to master Hebrew script. Our app's unique approach guides you through each stroke, helping you develop muscle memory and confidence in your writing abilities. Write It! Russian is the perfect tool for anyone looking to master the beautiful art of Russian handwriting. Our app combines cutting-edge technology with proven learning methods to make the process of learning to write Russian engaging, efficient, and effective. Start your journey to mastering the Russian Cyrillic alphabet today. Download Write It! Russian and transform your Russian writing skills one stroke at a time. With dedication and practice, you'll soon be confidently writing the intricate and elegant the letters of the Russian script. Begin your Russian writing adventure now! Privacy Policy: https://jernung.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://jernung.com/terms

Screenshots

Babbel4 screens
Write It! Russian4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Write It! Russian at free with in-app purchases against Babbel's subscription. Write It! Russian also leads on review sentiment (62% vs 44%) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). Babbel's advantage is ratings volume (754K vs 540) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Babbel sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month and Write It! Russian sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Babbel against 4.6 for Write It! Russian. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 540, 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 62% of Write It! Russian's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, Write It! Russian every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Babbel versus Write It! Russian: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBabbelWrite It! Russian
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (754K ratings) — better4.6 (540 ratings)
Positive reviews43.7% of reviews61.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings754K — better540
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#8 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size263 MB48 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperBabbel GmbHJernung

Customer experience

Babbel

All ratings753,872 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral3.8%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews2,638 reviews
Positive43.7%
Neutral13.9%
Negative42.3%

Write It! Russian

All ratings540 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral3.3%
Negative5.6%
Written reviews91 reviews
Positive61.5%
Neutral15.4%
Negative23.1%

User reviews

Babbel

From 754K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent structured learning
  • 🚀 Effective vocabulary and grammar teaching
  • 👍 Helpful pronunciation guides
  • 👍 Engaging and practical lessons
  • 👍 Useful review and repetition features

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

Write It! Russian

From 540 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great for learning Russian alphabet
  • 👍 Helpful for improving handwriting skills
  • 🎓 Effective for learning pronunciation
  • 💰 Free with optional paid features

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Issues with letter recognition and tracing
  • 🤔 Teaches cursive instead of print letters
  • 📱 Not optimized for landscape mode on tablets
  • 🙄 Strict grading on writing tests

Bugs and requests

Babbel

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

Write It! Russian

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Certain letters not recognized when written correctly
  • Progress and purchases not syncing across devices
  • App freezing or crashing on some devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Option to practice print letters
  • More flexibility in writing style recognition
  • Ability to select specific lessons to practice
  • Inclusion of all 33 Russian alphabet letters

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Babbel

Subscriptions12
  • Mexican Spanish – 1-month plan$17.991 Month
  • Spanish 1 month$17.991 Month
  • French 1 month$17.991 Month
Show 9 more
  • Italian 1 month$17.991 Month
  • Mexican Spanish - 1-month plan$19.991 Month
  • Mexican Spanish – 3-month plan$45.993 Months
  • Learn French – 3-month plan$45.993 Months
  • Learn Spanish – 3-month plan$45.993 Months
  • All Languages – 3-month plan$53.993 Months
  • Mexican Spanish – 1-year plan$89.991 Year
  • All Languages – 12-month plan$107.991 Year
  • All Languages – 12-month plan7 Days trial$107.991 Year
3 purchases

Write It! Russian

One-time3
  • Full Unlock$4.99
  • Full Unlock$6.99
  • Full Unlock$8.99

Questions

Is Babbel free?
Babbel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Write It! Russian free?
Write It! Russian is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Babbel or Write It! Russian?
Babbel is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while Write It! Russian averages 4.6 from 540 ratings.
Do Babbel or Write It! Russian have ads?
Both Babbel and Write It! Russian show ads.
Which is updated more often, Babbel or Write It! Russian?
Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and Write It! Russian every 3 weeks. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 24, 2026 and Write It! Russian on September 22, 2026.

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