# Babbel vs Words

The clearest difference is monetization model: Words at free with in-app purchases against Babbel's subscription. Words also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 17.0). Babbel's advantage is ratings volume (754K vs 39) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, rating, review sentiment 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 Words sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 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 Words. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 39, 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 50% of Words's.

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, Words every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | Words |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews)** | [4.6 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/words-language-flashcards/id1530034734/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 39 |
| Positive reviews | 43.9% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#14** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Declan Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/932750266) |

## 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


### Words

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/words-language-flashcards/id1530034734)

Master vocabulary in 14 languages with flashcards and interactive exercises. Features native speaker audio and a structured learning list to reinforce memorization. Ideal for on-the-go language learning.

**Highlights:** 14 languages supported, Thousands of words per language, Native speaker audio, Flashcard review, Multiple choice exercises, Spelling exercises, Listening exercises

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hebrew: 1 month subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Korean: 1 month subscription | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Russian: 1 month subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Italian: 1 year subscription | $47.99 | per year |
| Hebrew: 1 year subscription | $47.99 | per year |
| Korean: 1 year subscription | $47.99 | per year |
| Ingles Lifetime Purchase | $4.99 | one-time |
| French Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Chinese Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| German Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Hebrew Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Italian Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Russian Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Brazilian Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Korean Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Traditional Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Japanese Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Spanish Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| Greek Lifetime Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is Words free?

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

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

Babbel is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while Words averages 4.6 from 39 ratings.

### Do Babbel or Words have ads?

Babbel shows ads; Words does not.

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

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and Words every 2 weeks. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 27, 2026 and Words on September 15, 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.*