# Babbel vs Learn German for Beginners!

The clearest difference is monetization model: Learn German for Beginners! at free with in-app purchases against Babbel's subscription. Learn German for Beginners! also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Babbel's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (754K vs 22). 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 Learn German for Beginners! sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

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 22, 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 33% of Learn German for Beginners!'s.

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, Learn German for Beginners! every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on September 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | Learn German for Beginners! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews)** | [4.5 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-german-for-beginners/id1511944730/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | **43.9% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#14** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Mobiteach.ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1498080290) |

## What reviewers say

### Babbel

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

**Currently charting:** #14 Top Grossing · Education, #59 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


### Learn German for Beginners!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-german-for-beginners/id1511944730)

Master German vocabulary with interactive flashcards and engaging games. This app offers structured lessons covering essential topics, perfect for beginners aiming to learn up to 1500 words and basic grammar. Practice daily for just 5-20 minutes to improve pronunciation and build confidence.

**Highlights:** Vocabulary builder with daily words, Interactive flashcards, Topic-based learning modules, Pronunciation practice, Grammar games, Master 1500 essential words

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION | $0.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| 1 Month | $2.99 | per month |
| New Year sale subscription | $3.79 | per month |
| Monthly subscription | $3.79 | per month |
| Annual | $6.99 | per year |
| 12 Months | $6.99 | per year |
| Annual | $6.99 | per year |
| Annual | $6.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $22.49 | per year |
| Buy All | $5.99 | one-time |
| UNLIMITED ACCESS | $7.99 | one-time |
| Buy All | $14.99 | one-time |
| Buy all purchase | $34.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is Learn German for Beginners! free?

Learn German for Beginners! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Babbel or Learn German for Beginners!?

Babbel is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while Learn German for Beginners! averages 4.5 from 22 ratings.

### Do Babbel or Learn German for Beginners! have ads?

Both Babbel and Learn German for Beginners! show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Babbel or Learn German for Beginners!?

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and Learn German for Beginners! every 6 weeks. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 27, 2026 and Learn German for Beginners! on September 27, 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.*