# Babbel vs Watch and Learn

The clearest difference is rating: Babbel at 4.7 against Watch and Learn's 2.0. Babbel also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (754K vs 6). Watch and Learn's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, 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 Watch and Learn sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Babbel holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of Babbel's written reviews are positive against 50% of Watch and Learn'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, Watch and Learn every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | Watch and Learn |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews)** | [2.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watch-and-learn/id1465175697/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 43.7% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#10** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 116 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Anton Ivanov](https://appshunter.io/developer/594091388) |

## 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


### Watch and Learn

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watch-and-learn/id1465175697)

Learn new languages by watching films and series with synchronized subtitles. Tap on unknown words or phrases for instant translations and save them to flashcards for later study. Supports over 40 languages and offers pronunciation practice and knowledge tests.

**Highlights:** Watch films/series in foreign languages, Interactive subtitles with tap-to-translate, Save words/phrases to flashcards, Pronunciation support, Knowledge tests for vocabulary, Supports over 40 languages, Offline dictionaries

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $1.49 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $14.49 | per year |
| The Snows of Kilimanjaro | $0.99 | one-time |
| The Little Shop of Horrors | $0.99 | one-time |
| Carnival of Souls (1962) | $0.99 | one-time |
| House on Hounted Hill | $0.99 | one-time |
| The Stranger (1946) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Suddenly (1954) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Blood on the Sun | $0.99 | one-time |
| Detour | $0.99 | one-time |
| Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Full version | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is Watch and Learn free?

Watch and Learn is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Babbel or Watch and Learn?

Babbel is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while Watch and Learn averages 2.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Babbel or Watch and Learn have ads?

Both Babbel and Watch and Learn show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Babbel or Watch and Learn?

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and Watch and Learn every 7 months. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 25, 2026 and Watch and Learn on September 6, 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.*