# Babbel vs Pimsleur | Language Learning

Babbel and Pimsleur | Language Learning both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of Pimsleur | Language Learning's written reviews are positive against 44% of Babbel's. Pimsleur | Language Learning also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Babbel's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks) and ratings volume (754K vs 30K). On price, rating, ads 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 Pimsleur | Language Learning sells 8 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 4.7 for Pimsleur | Language Learning. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 30K, 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 83% of Pimsleur | Language Learning's.

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, Pimsleur | Language Learning every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | Pimsleur | Language Learning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews) | [4.7 (30K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pimsleur-language-learning/id1405735469/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 30K |
| Positive reviews | 43.7% of reviews | **82.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | #7 | **#6** |
| Size | 263 MB | 131 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Simon & Schuster](https://appshunter.io/developer/305077328) |

## What reviewers say

### Babbel

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

**Currently charting:** #7 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


### Pimsleur | Language Learning

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pimsleur-language-learning/id1405735469)

**Currently charting:** #6 Top Grossing · Education, #58 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Master over 50 languages with daily 30-minute audio lessons. Achieve native-like fluency through a scientifically proven method focused on speaking and pronunciation, even offline. Perfect for busy adults seeking flexible, effective language learning.

**Highlights:** Learn 50+ languages, 30-minute daily lessons, Offline mode, Hands-free learning, Pronunciation practice, AI language tutor, Sync across devices

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Spanish Premium Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Italian Premium Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Japanese Premium Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| All Access Subscription | $20.99 | per month |
| All Access Subscription | $20.99 | per month |
| All Access Subscription | $20.99 | per month |
| All Access Annual Subscription | $131.99 | per year |
| All Access Subscription Annual | $164.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for speaking and listening practice
- 👍 Effective for learning pronunciation and conversational skills
- 💡 Convenient to use while doing other activities
- 👍 Structured lessons build language skills progressively

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Limited content for some languages
- 📚 Lacks written materials and grammar explanations

**Reported bugs**

- Lesson downloads frequently get interrupted
- Inconsistent performance on older devices
- Sync issues between app and online account

**Requested features**

- More levels and content for less popular languages
- Ability to adjust playback speed of lessons
- Tighter integration with other language learning resources
- Improved voice recognition and feedback


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is Pimsleur | Language Learning free?

Pimsleur | Language Learning is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Babbel or Pimsleur | Language Learning?

Babbel and Pimsleur | Language Learning are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 754K and 30K ratings respectively.

### Do Babbel or Pimsleur | Language Learning have ads?

Both Babbel and Pimsleur | Language Learning show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Babbel or Pimsleur | Language Learning?

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and Pimsleur | Language Learning every 2 weeks. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 24, 2026 and Pimsleur | Language Learning on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Babbel or Pimsleur | Language Learning?

Babbel currently peaks at #7 in the App Store charts, and Pimsleur | Language Learning at #6. 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.*