Babbel - Language Learning reviews
What users love and hate, from real reviews
A grammar-first language app built around real-life dialogue that many rate above Duolingo, but which alienates people with a hard paywall after lesson one and broken speech recognition.
What users love
Teaches grammar and the "why", not just rote drills
The top reason people switch here from Duolingo: lessons actually explain grammar, conjugation and the logic of the language instead of just drilling cards. Topic structure and "did you know" notes make it feel like learning a language, not farming streaks.
I like how it tells you WHY you're doing things as you go through the lessons, it's not just repetition and gamification like Duolingo.
Much better than duolingo. Interesting lessons and a variety of ways to do them without the annoying "streak" guilt trip nonsense.
It actually explains the grammar and literal translations, helping a broad grasp of the language as opposed to simply gathering vocabulary.
Real-life dialogue and usable phrases, not textbook lines
People like that the phrases sound natural and actually come in handy in real life — especially before a trip. The dialogues feel like genuine conversation, and the podcasts add real-world context; this is exactly what many are happy to pay for.
Great app that teaches me real phrases I can use. The podcasts are a great addition that give better real world experience.
Much better than any other language app. You actually really learn a language and not just tick off tasks which don't help you in real life.
Best app I've found for learning new languages in a way that matches natural speech
Short lessons and a choice of mode: read, write, listen, speak
A format strength: short two-minute lessons that slot into a busy day, plus the freedom to choose how you review — flashcards, listening, writing or speaking. People with ADHD and busy schedules love it, and the calm, gamification-free interface gets praise.
perfect for ADHD brains! short little lessons im able to absorb!
I like that there are several ways to practice and learn and there's no games and annoying rewards and leagues. Just learning!
I love the "bite-sized lessons" and mix of reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
What users hate
One free lesson, then everything is locked
People praise the content but complain in unison: you get exactly one free lesson, and lesson two onward requires a subscription. They call it pointless — one lesson isn't enough to judge whether it's worth paying for.
Exactly 1 lesson before you need to subscribe to their premium plan
gives you ONE free lesson before requiring you to pay. not worth it at all
tried to learn French lesson 1 was free but lesson 2 wtfdym I have to subscribe??
"Free trial" auto-charges a full year with no warning
The trial requires a card and silently rolls into a paid plan: people report being charged a full year with no notice, no month-to-month option, and a separate fight with support to get a refund. Many call it dishonest and predatory.
The so-called "free trial" requires you to sign up to an auto-renewing payment plan, leaving the onus for cancellation on the user. I consider this to be very unethical
Predatory subscription feature that automatically charges you for a full year after the trial, no month to month option either.
the learning process is alright, doesn't start simple enough for beginners. I did the trial, but they didn't give me a warning before taking $107.99 from my account.
Speech recognition rejects correct pronunciation
The most frequent technical gripe: speaking exercises reject a word even when native speakers say it perfectly. People repeat a single word 10-20 times, while a deliberately exaggerated accent somehow passes. With no hint about which part is wrong, the exercise is useless for learning.
I SAID DOUZE PERFECTLY SO MANY TIMES THAT IT'S SEERED INTO MY MIND.
i said it correctly over 20 times, but it counted it as wrong every single time. eventually i got tired saying SEI so many times i just gave up.
the ai that listens to your pronunciation is extremely hit or miss. often saying the exact same thing the exact same way will pass a failed phrase. yelling in your most obnoxious face Italian accent will pass almost every time though.
Speaking is required — but disabled for most languages
A distinct pain: for many languages the speaking feature simply doesn't work or is disabled on Android, with no warning. People pay for a year specifically for speaking practice, then find it missing, and support leaves it unfixed for years.
the speaking option is only available for main languages and not most of them. they stopped the feature on Android about a year ago
The speaking function of Dutch language doesn't work. Could you please fix it?
Couldn't even start learning as the voice input is broken. Even after trying everything possible.
Decline AI voice-data consent and speaking is blocked
A recent change that enraged long-time users: to do any speaking you must now consent to recording, storing and using your voice to train AI. Decline and you're left with flashcards only. Paying users of many years are uninstalling on principle.
In order to utilize the full functionality of the app, you are required to give Babbel permission to use your voice to train their AI.
You can no longer do any lessons without agreeing to their AI T&C, hitting decline COMPLETELY stops you from doing anything but flashcards.
I can no longer access any lessons without being forced to accept permissions to "record, store, and use my voice" for "AI-powered features".
Narrow, heavily European language selection
A huge number of people install it and can't find their language: no Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Greek, Arabic, Hindi, Thai. The list is almost entirely European, and its narrowness often isn't flagged before install. Many never even start.
the language selection is highly Eurocentric. There is one non-European language available to learn.
Very small number of languages to choose from. No Japanese. No Greek.
seems like a good app! but it doesn't have any Asian languages which are specifically the languages I wish to learn (Japanese and Korean)
Russian missing while Ukrainian is offered upsets Russian speakers
A notable group of Russian speakers is upset that the interface supports Ukrainian but completely ignores Russian — one of the most widely spoken languages in Eurasia. For them it means the app is simply unusable.
A language-learning app without Russian is a strange decision. The interface includes Ukrainian but completely ignores Russian
I speak Russian and Kazakh, it means I can't use this App, because this not suitable for Russian speaking people ( millions) !
I am disappointed that Russian is currently not supported in this app. This was not clearly communicated in advance
Dark onboarding: long questionnaire, then "pay up"
Before you start, the app runs you through a long "personalized" questionnaire and asks for your email, only revealing at the very end that there's no free option. People call it manipulative — harvesting your contact and time before disclosing it's all paid.
Manipulative personalization process. The app put me though a long personalization process with long pauses after asking each simple question. Only at the end did the app inform me there was no free option
App asks a bunch of set up questions for 5 minutes, after which it tells you its not free and you need to subscribe.
makes you go through 20 options and sign up THEN says you need to pay for it absolute trash
Pacing spikes: hard phrases dumped without buildup
A common gripe about the method itself: it jumps abruptly from simple sentences to long phrases full of words never taught first. Basics like the alphabet, numbers and colours are skipped and repetition is thin — beginners lose the thread and their interest.
It just keeps ramming longer words at you without any basics like the alphabet, pronunciation, verb conjugation.
It uses words that it doesn't teach you ahead of time.
they throw full conversations at you full of vocabulary that you don't know
No free review: the app forces you forward
Even paying users complain they can't reinforce material at their own pace: the app blocks review and pushes you into new lessons you're not ready for. And a couple of mistakes often means redoing the whole lesson, not just the misses.
you're not allowed to endlessly practice on your own pace. the app simply doesn't allow that unless you forcibly learn new lessons.
the app refuses to let you do much review, so if you have a decent amount of time to dedicate each day, the only real option you have is to continue with the lessons, so you end up in lessons you're not really ready for.
Often you've made a couple of mistakes and the app forces you to retake the whole lesson rather than just the bits you got wrong.
Crashes, black screens, locked out of a paid account
A noticeable share complains about stability: the app hangs on loading, opens to a black or white screen, and forces landscape on tablets and folds. It stings most for people who've already paid but, on login, see only the payment screen.
App always forcibly goes into landscape mode on tablet and stuck on loading screen with latest update
Updated the app and now I can't even do a lesson. I can tap a lesson but the screen goes black and I have to close the app.
I like Babbel. However I am paying for it and can't use it. When I try to log on it tells me how to pay for the service.