# Babbel vs Borne

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Borne at 100% against Babbel's 44%. Borne also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ads (none vs shown). Babbel's advantage is ratings volume (754K vs 66) and chart position (#12 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, 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 Borne sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Borne holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 66, 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 100% of Borne's.

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, Borne weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and August 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | Borne |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews) | **[5.0 (66 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/borne-ai-language-learning/id6499499799/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 66 |
| Positive reviews | 43.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#12** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 120 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Mereo Technologies Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1743672482) |

## What reviewers say

### Babbel

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

**Currently charting:** #12 Top Grossing · Education, #54 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


### Borne

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/borne-ai-language-learning/id6499499799)

Master new languages with an AI tutor that offers real-world conversations and instant feedback. Practice speaking anytime, anywhere, and build confidence in a judgment-free environment. Achieve fluency faster with personalized lessons tailored to your goals.

**Highlights:** Real-world conversation practice, AI-powered adaptive learning, Instant feedback on pronunciation and grammar, Personalized lessons for various goals, Multilingual support, Progress tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Borne Basic | $5.99 | per month |
| Borne Premium (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Borne Premium (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Borne Standard | $9.99 | per month |
| Borne Premium | $14.99 | per month |
| Borne Premium (Annual) | $49.99 | per year |
| Borne Premium (Annual) | $69.99 | per year |
| Borne Premium (Annual) | $69.99 | per year |
| 1 Hour of Conversation | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium Plan - Extra Hour | $1.99 | one-time |
| Basic Plan - Extra Hour | $2.99 | one-time |
| Standard Plan - Extra Hour | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🗣️ Great for practicing speaking and fluency
- 💡 Interactive and engaging learning
- 🤖 AI understands and adapts conversations
- 💰 Affordable alternative to tutors

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is Borne free?

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

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

Borne is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while Borne averages 5.0 from 66 ratings.

### Do Babbel or Borne have ads?

Babbel shows ads; Borne does not.

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

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and Borne weekly. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 26, 2026 and Borne on August 7, 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.*