# Babbel vs Language Transfer

Babbel and Language Transfer both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 94% of Language Transfer's written reviews are positive against 44% of Babbel's. Language Transfer also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). Babbel's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (757K vs 1.6K). On price, rating 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. Language Transfer asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Babbel against 4.9 for Language Transfer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 757K ratings behind it against 1.6K, 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 94% of Language Transfer's.

Babbel ships an update every 5 days, Language Transfer every 14 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | Language Transfer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (757K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews) | **[4.9 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/language-transfer/id1519599004/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **757K** | 1.6K |
| Positive reviews | 44.1% of reviews | **94.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#13** | #162 |
| Size | 272 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Mihalis Eleftheriou](https://appshunter.io/developer/1519599306) |

## What reviewers say

### Babbel

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

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Grossing · Education, #41 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


### Language Transfer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/language-transfer/id1519599004)

**Currently charting:** #162 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Learn new languages and music theory through free, downloadable audio courses. This app offers a structured approach to language learning, allowing you to track progress and listen offline. No sign-up is necessary to begin your educational journey.

**Highlights:** Free audio courses, Downloadable lessons, Progress saving, Offline listening, No sign-up required, Multiple languages available

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly effective language learning method
- 👍 Intuitive and logical approach
- 🤩 Incredible value for being free
- 💡 Unique teaching style that builds on existing knowledge
- 🎉 Accelerates language learning progress

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App has some bugs and stability issues
- 🔍 Lack of playback controls (speed, rewind, etc.)
- 🗂️ Difficulty navigating and finding specific lessons

**Reported bugs**

- Lessons not always marked as complete correctly
- App sometimes reverts to earlier lessons unexpectedly
- Occasional audio playback issues

**Requested features**

- Add more language options
- Improve lesson navigation and progress tracking
- Implement playback speed controls
- Provide transcripts or subtitles for lessons


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is Language Transfer free?

Language Transfer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Babbel or Language Transfer?

Language Transfer is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 757K ratings, while Language Transfer averages 4.9 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do Babbel or Language Transfer have ads?

Babbel shows ads; Language Transfer does not.

### Which is updated more often, Babbel or Language Transfer?

Babbel ships an update every 5 days, and Language Transfer every 14 months. Most recently, Babbel was updated on November 3, 2026 and Language Transfer on November 3, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Babbel or Language Transfer?

Babbel currently peaks at #13 in the App Store charts, and Language Transfer at #162. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*
