# Babbel vs MTL Learn Italian

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MTL Learn Italian at 89% against Babbel's 44%. MTL Learn Italian also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and iOS requirement (12.1 vs 17.0). Babbel's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 29 months) and ratings volume (754K vs 16). On price, ads, 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 MTL Learn Italian sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Babbel holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of Babbel's written reviews are positive against 89% of MTL Learn Italian's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, MTL Learn Italian every 29 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and July 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | MTL Learn Italian |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews)** | [4.4 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtl-learn-italian/id1447207406/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 43.7% of reviews | **88.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 29 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#10** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Meta Language Pro SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/1286836195) |

## What reviewers say

### Babbel

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

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Grossing · Education, #63 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


### MTL Learn Italian

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mtl-learn-italian/id1447207406)

This app offers a straightforward way to learn Italian quickly, suitable for all skill levels. It's ideal for travelers planning a trip to Italy and includes offline functionality.

**Highlights:** High-quality Italian translations, Create favorite lists, Offline access, Suitable for beginners and advanced users, Ideal for travel

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy Pro Version | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is MTL Learn Italian free?

MTL Learn Italian is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Babbel or MTL Learn Italian?

Babbel is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while MTL Learn Italian averages 4.4 from 16 ratings.

### Do Babbel or MTL Learn Italian have ads?

Both Babbel and MTL Learn Italian show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Babbel or MTL Learn Italian?

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and MTL Learn Italian every 29 months. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 25, 2026 and MTL Learn Italian on July 8, 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.*