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Duolingo vs Babbel: which should you pick?
Both teach through short lessons. They differ most on price and on how guided the course feels.
At a glance
| Feature | Duolingoduolingo.com | Babbelbabbel.com |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Cost model | Free with ads; optional Super and Max plans | Paid subscription (1, 3, 6 or 12 months) |
| Free to try | Yes, the courses themselves are free | The first lesson of every course |
| How you learn | Short, game-like lessons; a Practice Hub for reviewing mistakes | Lessons built around real situations, speech recognition, spaced-repetition review |
| Languages (as each service states) | See Duolingo’s course list | 14 |
Checked on 30 October 2026 against each product’s own website. Prices, plans and features change often: confirm on the official sites.
How they differ
- Cost: Duolingo’s courses are free, with ads. Babbel is a paid subscription after the first free lesson of each course.
- Style: Duolingo is game-like and keeps a streak. Babbel builds its lessons around real-life situations and adds speech recognition and a spaced-repetition review.
- Extras: Duolingo has a Practice Hub for reviewing mistakes. Babbel’s live classes (Babbel Live) are no longer offered to individual learners.
Which one for you?
Choose Duolingo if…
- You want to start for free.
- A streak and game elements keep you coming back.
Choose Babbel if…
- You prefer a guided, ad-free course built around everyday conversations.
- You are ready to pay for it.
These suggestions are our opinion. The comparison table is from the sources listed.
Where our apps fit
We build four small language apps, so we are not neutral here. You can try each one without signing up.