# Babbel vs Polyglot

The clearest difference is monetization model: Polyglot at free with in-app purchases against Babbel's subscription. Polyglot also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 44%) and ads (none vs shown). Babbel's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (754K vs 121). 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 Polyglot sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Polyglot holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 121, 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 79% of Polyglot's.

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, Polyglot every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | Polyglot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews) | **[4.9 (121 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polyglot-master-languages/id1477731423/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 121 |
| Positive reviews | 43.7% of reviews | **78.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#10** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Lucas Cortes](https://appshunter.io/developer/853928503) |

## 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


### Polyglot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polyglot-master-languages/id1477731423)

Immerse yourself in a new language to develop listening and speaking skills. Train your accent to sound like a native speaker by learning new words and expressions.

**Highlights:** Immersive language learning, Develop listening skills, Develop speaking skills, Train accent, Learn new words and expressions, Sound like a native speaker

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is Polyglot free?

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

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

Polyglot is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while Polyglot averages 4.9 from 121 ratings.

### Do Babbel or Polyglot have ads?

Babbel shows ads; Polyglot does not.

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

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and Polyglot every 9 months. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 25, 2026 and Polyglot on September 24, 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.*