# Babbel vs FluentU

The clearest difference is ads: FluentU at none against Babbel's shown. FluentU also leads on review sentiment (56% vs 44%). Babbel's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (754K vs 2.8K). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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 FluentU sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Babbel holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Babbel has 754K ratings behind it against 2.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of Babbel's written reviews are positive against 56% of FluentU's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, FluentU fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Babbel | FluentU |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (754K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babbel-language-learning/id829587759/reviews)** | [4.3 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fluentu-learn-language-videos/id917892175/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **754K** | 2.8K |
| Positive reviews | 43.7% of reviews | **56.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 549 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Babbel GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/357018535) | [Enux Education Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/917892174) |

## What reviewers say

### Babbel

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

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Grossing · Education, #64 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


### FluentU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fluentu-learn-language-videos/id917892175)

Learn languages through engaging, real-world videos like movie trailers and music clips. Interactive subtitles and vocabulary tools make comprehension and speaking natural. Connect with culture while mastering a new language.

**Highlights:** Interactive video lessons, Real-world content, Tap-to-translate subtitles, Vocabulary review tools, Bilingual dictionary, Cultural immersion

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FluentU Plus | $14.99 | per month |
| FluentU Plus | $17.99 | per month |
| FluentU Plus | $20.99 | per month |
| FluentU Plus | $23.99 | per month |
| FluentU Plus | $29.99 | per month |
| FluentU Super Monthly | $39.99 | per month |
| FluentU Plus | $71.99 | per year |
| FluentU Plus | $95.99 | per year |
| FluentU Plus | $119.99 | per year |
| FluentU Plus | $139.99 | per year |
| FluentU Super Annual | $199.99 | per year |
| FluentU Plus | $239.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Engaging learning experience
- 🎓 Effective for language learning
- 👍 Variety of content and features
- 💡 Innovative learning approach

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable app
- 🔍 Lack of transparency around pricing and cancellation
- 📱 Compatibility issues on mobile devices

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Subscription issues and unexpected charges
- Syncing and login problems
- Inconsistent performance across devices

**Requested features**

- Add more language options
- Improve user interface and navigation
- Provide better guidance and progression for learners
- Enhance audio and speech recognition capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Babbel free?

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

### Is FluentU free?

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

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

Babbel is rated higher. Babbel averages 4.7 out of 5 from 754K ratings, while FluentU averages 4.3 from 2.8K ratings.

### Do Babbel or FluentU have ads?

Babbel shows ads; FluentU does not.

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

Babbel ships an update every 4 days, and FluentU fortnightly. Most recently, Babbel was updated on September 25, 2026 and FluentU on September 22, 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.*