Babbel vs Duolingo: Is Babbel or Duolingo Better
“I’m trying to learn Spanish, and I’m stuck between either trying out Duolingo or Babbel… some of my friends told me Duolingo is good, others have told me Babbel is better.
From Reddit user
Which do you guys think is better? Pros/cons? Which one would really help me learn Spanish?”
There are so many apps dedicated to learning languages and many users feel hard to select one of them to start. Duolingo vs Babbel, which is better? What are they good and bad at? And which one is for you? Let’s have a look!

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Overview of Babbel vs Duolingo
The main differences between Babbel vs Duolingo are:
- Babbel offers four subscription plans with monthly fees, whereas Duolingo offers a free version with ads and a monthly subscription without ads
- Babbel offers lessons with conversational practice and culture, whereas Duolingo offers adaptive learning lessons.
Feature | Babbel | Duolingo |
Price | $12.95/month to $83.40/year | Free (Plus 9.99$/mo) |
Language options | 14 languages available | 31 languages available for English speakers |
Difficulty | Aimed at upper beginners (Easy – Medium) | Aimed at beginners (Easy) |
Interactive | Medium | Low-Medium |
Focus | Helps with beginner conversation phrases | Grammar and vocabulary |
Available on | Mobile and Desktop | Mobile and Desktop |
Average iOS/Play Rating | 4.7 | 4.5 |
The Best | Attempts to mimic real world conversations. | Gamification helps some people keep motivation |
The Worst | Less popular languages have fewer content | Speaking is not trained |
Babbel vs Duolingo: Duolingo Pros and Cons
Duolingo is probably the most popular platform for language learning. Many people love using Duolingo because it is entirely free and there are many languages to choose from. What made it truly popular, however, was the gamified learning process. Every lesson is a game and there are “levels” that you must pass to unlock more lessons.
Most of us cannot persist on language learning. Duolingo’s Gamification will make it easier for you to open your app and start your lesson day by day.
Duolingo Pros | Duolingo Cons |
Many different languages available | Not meant for those with higher levels of fluency |
Duolingo lessons adapt to your learning style | Limited speaking practice |
Gamification poured into every lesson | Translating can be confusing |
Free | Grammar and writing systems are barely explained |

Babbel vs Duolingo: Babbel Pros and Cons
Previously, we published a comprehensive Babbel review. It is another popular language learning app. Millions of people are learning languages with Babbel — the app built by language learning experts.
Different from Duolingo, Babbel is a premium, subscription-based language learning app for web, iOS and Android. It seeks to give you the shortest path to real-life conversations, not generic textbook phrases. At present, it offers 14 different languages courses.
Babbel Pros | Babbel Cons |
Well-structured courses | Only 14 languages are available |
10 to 15 minute bite-sized lessons | Not highly engaging |
Good for foundational vocabulary & grammar | No content for upper intermediate and beyond |
Offline mode supported | Content quantity varies by language |

Babbel vs Duolingo: Popularity Comparison
Which is Better: Babbel or Duolingo?
Different apps fulfill the needs of different learners.
Duolingo is completely free, so this is great for those on a budget or those who do not want to spend any money. Plus, the gamified aspects of this platform will motivate you to learn every day. What I like Duolingo best is that there are so many languages to choose from. The better thing is that you don’t have to be a native English speaker to use this app.
How about Babbel? Developed by over 100 linguistic experts, Babbel training is structured into easily digestible 10 to 15 minute lessons that can fit effortlessly into your schedule. Moreover, Babbel seeks to empower users to start speaking in new tongues. Lessons are divided into real-world topics which ensures that you can start having real, meaningful conversations as soon as possible.
So which is better, Babbel or Duolingo? Neither is better or worse in my opinion. Both have their pros and cons. However, if you are undecided for which one to go for, I suggest using Duolingo first to get your bearings and understand the complete basics of your chosen language. At least, Duolingo is free to start.