Babbel Review: A Complete Guide (for 2023)

The Babbel language learning tool is right for you if you are looking for a language learning app that suits your needs. It provides a suitable language learning structure to match your goals and supplies the appropriate resources for every language learning need. So, whether you want to learn a new language with lessons, podcasts, or live lessons, you can select your most preferred language learning style on Babbel.

It offers several languages for you to explore; from German to French, Danish, Polish, or Indonesian, there are multiple choices for you to select from. If you are about to choose the Babbel app for your language learning needs but are unsure about it being the best choice for you, this article will help. It discusses everything you need to know, including its learning structure and experience, pricing, and how it works. 

Let’s get started. 

What Is the Babbel App? 

The Babbel software is a language learning tool. Established in 2007, it prides itself as one of the top language learning apps. People love Babbel because it supplies the necessary support to help them reach their learning goals. It relies on experts to create the best content for users, including polyglots, editors, linguists, language teachers, etc. 

It’s subscription-based and breaks lessons into short sessions for easy consumption and understanding. You can customize your learning experience to achieve your goals with Babbel. For example, you can choose how many minutes you’d like to learn daily and select your best learning method. 

Babbel adopts science-backed learning methodologies to help you understand a new language quickly. This way, you don’t have to invest much time in grasping your desired language. 

The most prominent perks of using Babbel include speech recognition and learning hacks, and customized review sessions synced across your devices so that you can learn anywhere and at any time. 

Every lesson is channeled towards helping you to understand and hold real-life conversations effectively. Additionally, audio discussions and lectures are spoken by native speakers of a language, allowing you to speak phrases correctly. It also adopts effective cognitive techniques that allow you to learn languages fast. 

Lastly, there are several learning methods you can pick from to learn a new language in the most practical ways, including stories, podcasts, and games. 

Is Babbel a Free Language Learning App? 

Registering on Babbel is free, and so is the first lesson in every course. This allows you to check out the classes’ details and review your experience to know if Babbel’s learning structure and style are what you are looking for. 

However, if you want full access to Babbel’s courses after this, you’ll have to choose a subscription plan that works for you. You can choose either the regular Babbel subscription or the Babbel Live subscription. 

Let’s check out Babbel subscription pricing below:

• 1 Month =$15.99
• 3 months = $32.97
• 6 months = $56.94
• 12 months =$95.88

Subscribing to Babbel gives you complete access to all courses and levels in your selected language. For example, you can start with the Newcomer level depending on your proficiency in the language. Then, you can progress to supplementary lessons to explore different topics, including grammar, phrases, travel, culture, etc. 

Registering on Babbel means you don’t have to start from scratch if you already know the basics of a language. You can select the courses from the courses menu and learn what’s appropriate for your proficiency level. 

A subscription also lets you access the “review feature.” It keeps all your words, phrases, and grammar, enabling you to revisit them whenever possible. However, you need a separate subscription plan to access “Babbel Live.”

Generally, Babbel offers discounts for general subscriptions. However, it offers extra discounts for students in the US and military personnel. It also provides discounts during specific periods, including significant holidays. 

US students who register with their school email addresses enjoy 65% discounts. Military personnel or their immediate family members also get a 65% discount. 

Babbel also offers discounts for healthcare workers, including nurses, hospital workers, medical providers, etc. 

Lastly, while Babbel’s regular subscription gives you access to one language, its lifetime access, a one-time payment of $248, provides access to all language courses.

How Does Babbel Work? 

Babbel app lets you learn new languages through multiple lessons. It supplies a series of digital module courses that enable you to learn at your pace. Babbel Live, on the other hand, enables you to connect with instructors virtually through online classes. 

Every class combines various activities to help you learn effectively. This includes matching games, quizzes, audio lessons, and phrase repetition. 

Depending on your proficiency level, you can kick start on Babbel by learning the most critical phrases you use daily. For example, if you are learning French, you can start with the most typical terms around greetings, food, etc.

However, the Babbel course format differs across languages. While the Spanish language classes are a mix of audio conversations and games, other languages like Portuguese use “fill-in-the-blank” learning exercises to test your knowledge around specific topics. 

Getting Started 

You will need to create an account to use Babbel. Afterward, select the best language for your goal and figure out your language proficiency level. 

What Languages Can You Learn on Babbel? 

Babbel offers 14 languages for users. This includes Spanish, French, Italian, English, German, Danish, Dutch, and Indonesia. Additionally, you will learn Turkish, Swedish, Russian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, and Norwegian. 

The various languages available give you options to choose from. Also, you don’t have to restrict yourself to learning one language. You can switch between learning multiple languages if you like.

Babbel saves your progress on each language so you can pick up from where you started when you switch from one language to the other. After choosing your desired language (s), you can select your proficiency level and choose an appropriate course. 

Babbel Learning Structure 

Babbel’s learning structure is straightforward to follow. Every language comprises quality content, engaging exercises, and intensive activities to help you learn successfully. Lessons are structured to enhance the four most critical aspects of learning. Babbel’s learning structure enhances the following: 

• Listening and repetition: Lessons require you to listen and repeat phrases out loud. Afterward, the feedback recognition corrects you if you get the pronunciation wrong. 
• Speaking: Exercises encourage you to speak into the speech recognition software and receive instant feedback on your performance.
• Writing: You can improve your spelling when you type out words during activities. For example, you can write answers about what happened in recorded conversations. You can also practice writing through fill-in-the-gaps exercises.
• Reading: Babbel lessons enhance your writing skills by enabling you to choose the correct words based on the translation, context, and grammar rules you’ve learned. You can also read texts and answer preceding questions. 

Every course on Babbel comes with unique features, which is why lessons are structured per language. The numbers of classes vary from course to course. However, there are often 8-10 lessons for each course. 

You can choose your classes in order of your preference. So, if you’d prefer to skip the first three lessons and start from the fourth, you can.

The lessons focus on activities that help you lead realistic situations effectively. The grammar, vocabulary, and exercises are obtained from real-life experiences to help you understand and speak a new language in the best way possible. Also, it provides practical activities to speak a new language naturally. For example, you can match audio recordings with the correct phrases, complete dialogues, and repeat after native speakers. You will also learn real-life conversations to immerse you in the language, including topics around self-introduction, traveling, dining, etc. 

Other than practical conversations, Babbel supplies tons of grammar explanations for faster understanding. However, it gets more challenging as you progress with the lessons. For instance, instructions are written in your target language rather than a selected language to keep learning challenging and fun.  

Reviews 

Babbel offers a review session after lessons. You’ll also find effective practice sections to track your vocabulary improvements through exercises, flashcards, etc.

 The space recognition feature also reviews your performance constantly. When you answer correctly, you move to a higher stage. You reach the last stage after understanding and retaining what you’ve learned. However, the app brings what you’ve learned back after six months for review.

Below is how the typical stage interval is: 

• Stage 1: One day 
• Stage 2: Four days 
• Stage 3: Seven days 
• Stage 4: Fourteen days
• Stage 5: Sixty days
• Stage 6: Six months 

If you make a mistake, the word or sentence remains on the same stage for a day. If you make the same mistake the following day, it moves down a stage. 

Lessons 

Once you sign up on the app, you will be welcomed by a survey to determine the lessons that work best for you. The survey questions address your proficiency level and goals for selecting the target language. Beginners often start with the Newcomer category till they progress on their proficiency level. 

If you are an advanced learner with the basic knowledge of a target language, you will be given a quiz to evaluate your understanding of the language.  

Depending on your answer, you will be categorized based on the following: 

• Beginner I = 4 courses with 40 lessons
• Beginner II = 4 courses with 47 lessons
• Pre-Intermediate = 2 courses with 18 lessons
• Intermediate = 4 courses with 36 lessons
• Independent = 2 courses with 18 lessons
• Advanced = 1 course with 9 lessons

All lessons are broken down into small bits to prevent you from getting overwhelmed. It then uses a spaced repetition method to evaluate your performance and ensure you practice constantly till you understand what you’ve learned. You may answer multiple choice questions, match words, arrange letters, etc., to practice new words to perfection.

Babbel Live 

Babbel Live is explicitly designed to immerse you in a new language. You can join hundreds of classes virtually to hear native speakers speak. Also, you can browse through the options available to choose the lessons you want. Additionally, Babbel links you to five other participants for an engaging experience. 

Babbel Learning Experience 

Babbel’s learning experience is engaging and effective. Its clean, uncluttered user interface makes it easy for you to learn on the app. It also lets you perform tasks efficiently through its intuitive and minimalistic design. 

However, apart from an intuitive user interface, Babbel offers functional features to create a worthwhile learning experience for users. 

Let’s review them below:

Gamification for a More Accessible and Engaging Lesson 

Babbel adopts a gamification approach backed by science to help users learn better. Different activities make the learning challenging, fun, and effective. This includes spelling words, recording yourself, and matching and arranging letters. 

Other than this, Babbel introduces mini-games to entertain and help you learn. So, if you need a break from the serious aspect of the app, you can explore the games to try fun activities. 

Live Feature for Language Immersion 

Babbel’s unique live feature makes learning immersive. Rather than learn abstract words and be unable to string them together as sentences, Babbel connects you with thousands of native speakers to help you listen and speak a new language. There are many topics on Babbel Live, and you can pick the one that aligns with your interests and goals. 

Apart from the Live lessons, Babbel structures its classes on Babbel to help you learn a new language naturally. Conversations are built around real-life discussions to help you understand the language effectively.

Personalized Reviews to Track Your Progress 

You can identify your performance level with Babbel’s personalized reviews. Its speech recognition technology provides instant feedback on your spoken performance, including word choice, sentence structure, and pronunciation. This way, you can identify your strengths and weaknesses and improve. 

Finally, learning on Babbel is fun, engaging, and immersive, allowing you to learn a new language quickly.

Babbel Compared to Other Language Apps

Babbel offers courses that cover basic vocabulary, grammar, and conversation. Babbel is more comprehensive and provides more in-depth explanations of grammar rules than many other apps. Also, Babbel is more affordable and offers more conversational practice. Babbel teaches natural-sounding sentences and phrases in its language courses. This makes it a popular choice for learners of all levels.

While other language learning apps may excel in certain areas, Babbel’s personalized study plans and comprehensive curriculum make it a popular choice for learners of all levels.

Additionally, Babbel offers live classes. Babbel provides hundreds of live classes each week that cater to all levels of learners. These small-group classes accommodate no more than six students per session and typically run for 60 minutes, covering a diverse range of topics.

	Babbel	Rosetta Stone	Duolingo	Mondly	Lingopie
Price	$50.70/ 6 months	$35.97/3 months	$6.99	$9.99/month	$12.00/ month.
Free trial	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Learning structure	Teaches grammar, vocabulary, and conversational practice	Uses repetition method across lessons	Gamified and engaging lessons	Short lessons that focus on specific concepts	Users learn with tools such as video resources like shows and movies.
Languages	14	25	43	41	9
Oral learning	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Avaliable on devices	iPhone, Windows, Mac, and Android	iPhone, Windows, Mac, and Android	Mac, Apple, PC, Android	iPhone, Android, Mac, PC	iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows
Ranking	#2	#3	#1	#4	#5
Recommended for	Intermediate and advanced learners who want to improve their language skills by watching TV and movies	Beginners wanting to achieve low intermediate	People looking for a personalized language learning but looking for the freedom to study independently	Works for all learners	People wanting to learn on the go

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a fun and exciting way to learn languages naturally, the Babbel app is an excellent pick. It comes with a detailed learning structure to help you learn effectively. It also offers specific features to make learning immersive. These features include Babbel Live, speech recognition feature, and spaced repetition method. 

Babbel Review—FAQ

Is Babbel App Any Good?

Babbel app is excellent for language learners of any proficiency level, whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced learner. It gives you the resources, tools, and support you need to learn the language of your choice effectively.  

Can You Become Fluent With Babbel? 

Yes, you can become fluent in a new language with Babbel. It provides an immersive language learning approach that lets you understand and speak a language intuitively. You will also have access to native speakers who all teach you how to pronounce the words correctly. 

How Can I Start Babbel for Free? 

The way to get started on Babbel is to register, choose your preferred language and begin. The first lesson is free, but you can sign up for a paid subscription when you are familiar with the learning structure. 

What’s the Best App to Learn a Language?

The best app to learn a language is the app that suits your goals and offers a learning experience that enhances an excellent learning process. Babbel is a functional app that helps users learn a new language practically. It supplies the right tools, lessons, and learning methods to aid your learning experience. 

How Do I Add Languages to Babbel? 

You can add languages to Babbel on any iOS or Android device. First, open the Babbel app to get started. Then, tap on the profile and the settings. Afterward, tap “My Languages” and select the language you want to learn.