# Babbel vs Hallo

The clearest difference is monetization model: Hallo at free with in-app purchases against Babbel's subscription. Hallo also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (53% vs 44%). Babbel's advantage is ratings volume (754K vs 2.4K) and update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). On price, rating, 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 Hallo sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 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 4.6 for Hallo. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 2.4K, 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 53% of Hallo's.

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, Hallo fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | Hallo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hallo-language-learning/id1452630026/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 2.4K |
| Positive reviews | 43.7% of reviews | **53.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#8** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 203 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Hallo, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1452629785) |

## What reviewers say

### Babbel

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

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Grossing · Education, #62 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


### Hallo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hallo-language-learning/id1452630026)

Practice speaking over 50 languages with an AI teacher anytime, anywhere. Improve fluency and confidence through conversation-based learning. Track progress, earn rewards, and connect with a global community of learners.

**Highlights:** AI conversation practice, Learn 50+ languages, Speak in 3 seconds, Track progress and fluency, Global learner community, Daily practice rewards

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hallo Plus - Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Hallo Plus - Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Hallo Plus - Yearly | $83.99 | per year |
| Hallo Plus - Yearly | $119.99 | per year |
| Hallo Plus - Yearly | $149.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤝 Great community and social features
- 🚀 Excellent for practicing conversational skills
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 💡 Innovative language learning approach
- 🌍 Opportunity to connect with people globally

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent bugs and glitches
- 💰 Paywall for key features
- 🔇 Removal of popular features like live streams and InstantMatch
- 📉 Declining user experience after app updates
- 🙅‍♀️ Lack of customer support and unresponsive developers

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes during lessons
- Inability to log in or access account
- Inconsistent performance across devices
- Errors when trying to use certain features

**Requested features**

- Bring back live streams and InstantMatch
- Improve stability and reduce bugs
- Offer more free features for language learners
- Provide better customer support and communication
- Introduce more language options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is Hallo free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Babbel or Hallo?

Babbel is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while Hallo averages 4.6 from 2.4K ratings.

### Do Babbel or Hallo have ads?

Babbel shows ads; Hallo does not.

### Which is updated more often, Babbel or Hallo?

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and Hallo fortnightly. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 25, 2026 and Hallo on September 7, 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.*