# Babbel vs ForeignLanguage Graded Readers

The clearest difference is rating: Babbel at 4.7 against ForeignLanguage Graded Readers's 3.3. Babbel also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (754K vs 27). ForeignLanguage Graded Readers's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases 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 and ForeignLanguage Graded Readers sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Babbel holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 27, 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 35% of ForeignLanguage Graded Readers's.

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, ForeignLanguage Graded Readers every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | ForeignLanguage Graded Readers |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews)** | [3.3 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/foreignlanguage-graded-readers/id1422731589/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 27 |
| Positive reviews | **43.7% of reviews** | 35.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#14** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Hachette UK (Holdings)Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/361205465) |

## What reviewers say

### Babbel

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

**Currently charting:** #14 Top Grossing · Education, #58 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


### ForeignLanguage Graded Readers

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/foreignlanguage-graded-readers/id1422731589)

Learn languages through engaging short stories tailored to your proficiency level. Expand vocabulary and improve comprehension in French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, or English with controlled language and authentic dialogues. Designed for enjoyable self-study or classroom use.

**Highlights:** Eight short stories per collection, Controlled language at your level, Authentic spoken dialogues, Vocabulary lists, Chapter summaries and comprehension questions, Variety of genres

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pack of 2 Credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 11 Credits | $10.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 13 Credits | $12.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 15 Credits | $14.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 65 Credits | $64.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is ForeignLanguage Graded Readers free?

ForeignLanguage Graded Readers is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Babbel or ForeignLanguage Graded Readers?

Babbel is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while ForeignLanguage Graded Readers averages 3.3 from 27 ratings.

### Do Babbel or ForeignLanguage Graded Readers have ads?

Babbel shows ads; ForeignLanguage Graded Readers does not.

### Which is updated more often, Babbel or ForeignLanguage Graded Readers?

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and ForeignLanguage Graded Readers every 6 months. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 27, 2026 and ForeignLanguage Graded Readers on September 23, 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.*