Comparison

Babbel vs Learn Spanish

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

Learn Spanish

Embark on an exciting language learning journey through Spanish-speaking countries. This app uses a unique game-based approach, combining educational principles with engaging mechanics to help you absorb words and grammar effectively. Practice listening, translation, and grammar skills in just a few minutes a day.

Highlights
  • Learn Spanish through a world trip game
  • Absorb words and grammar with language immersion
  • Improve listening comprehension and translation
  • Smart algorithm based on forgetting curve
  • Unlock new game modes and mechanics
  • Play anytime, anywhere with no restrictions
Features
Read full description

WordsApp is the game for learning Spanish! We’ve combined the best from games and educational apps and added a pinch of imagination! WordsApp is an exciting journey to Spanish-speaking countries and cities with language immersion during which your brain will absorb words and grammar! 1. A unique way to learn the language — a trip around the world where your knowledge of Spanish is your currency. 2. Just a few minutes a day, and over the course of a year you’ll learn more words than a native speaker uses in their daily life. 3. Train your Spanish listening comprehension, translation skills, and grammar, and just have fun. 4. A smart algorithm based on the forgetting curve lies at the very core of the game! WordsApp will proactively toss in words you otherwise would have forgotten. 5. Unlock new modes and mechanics! The more you play, the more exciting ways to learn you’ll find along the way. 6. Play anywhere—take a breather at work, entertain yourself on the daily commute, learn something useful before bed, or play through a couple of levels when there’s nothing to read on Facebook and every post is already liked on Instagram. No restrictions. 7. An exceptional and gorgeous app that will make you better every single day! 8. You play the game, and your brain absorbs words and grammar. WordsApp—play and learn! Terms of Service: https://cognitico.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://cognitico.com/privacy

Screenshots

Babbel4 screens
Learn Spanish4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Learn Spanish at free with in-app purchases against Babbel's subscription. Learn Spanish also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). Babbel's advantage is ratings volume (754K vs 1.6K) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, 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 Learn Spanish sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Babbel holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 1.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of Babbel's written reviews are positive against 48% of Learn Spanish's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, Learn Spanish every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Babbel versus Learn Spanish: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBabbelLearn Spanish
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (754K ratings) — better4.5 (1.6K ratings)
Positive reviews43.7% of reviews48.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings754K — better1.6K
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#7 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size263 MB223 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperBabbel GmbHCognitico Inc.

Customer experience

Babbel

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

Learn Spanish

All ratings1,612 ratings
Positive87.6%
Neutral4.8%
Negative7.6%
Written reviews135 reviews
Positive48.1%
Neutral13.3%
Negative38.5%

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

Learn Spanish

From 1.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎮 Fun and engaging game
  • 📚 Helpful for learning vocabulary
  • 🤩 Addictive and enjoyable

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 💰 Aggressive monetization tactics
  • 🔇 Sound issues and lack of audio
  • 🤖 Robotic and unnatural voice

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

Learn Spanish

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to restore purchases and lost progress
  • Inconsistent word translations and matching
  • Freezing and crashing issues, especially at higher levels

Requested features

3 requests
  • More levels and content updates
  • Better progress tracking and review options
  • Improved customer support and communication

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
12 purchases

Learn Spanish

Subscriptions6
  • PREMIUM access$6.991 Month
  • PREMIUM access, 3 days free3 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • PREMIUM access, 7 days free7 Days trial$7.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • PREMIUM access$18.991 Year
  • PREMIUM access, 3 days free3 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • PREMIUM access, 85% off1 Year trial$19.991 Year
One-time6
  • Handful of Coins$0.99
  • Special offer$0.99
  • Resume saving$0.99
Show 3 more
  • Learner Pack$1.99
  • Wallet of Coins$4.99
  • Backpack of Coins$9.99

Questions

Is Babbel free?
Babbel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Learn Spanish free?
Learn Spanish is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Babbel or Learn Spanish?
Babbel is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while Learn Spanish averages 4.5 from 1.6K ratings.
Do Babbel or Learn Spanish have ads?
Both Babbel and Learn Spanish show ads.
Which is updated more often, Babbel or Learn Spanish?
Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and Learn Spanish every 9 days. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 24, 2026 and Learn Spanish on September 23, 2026.

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