Babbel Review

Babbel currently offers courses in 14 different languages:

Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch, Swedish, Turkish, Polish, Norwegian, Danish, Indonesian, and English for non-native speakers.

Babbel was founded in Germany in 2007 as the world’s first language-learning app. It’s now the best selling, with over 10 million purchased subscriptions. It has a strong focus on intuitive lessons that center on learning a new language through real-life conversations

Babbel’s methods have been developed by 150+ language experts and the platform now has 13,000+ hours of content across 14 languages. It uses proven techniques that move new vocabulary through all your brain’s memory stages before cementing it into long-term memory.

In a study of Babbel’s teaching methods by Yale University, researchers found that 100% of participants improved their language proficiency by a statistically significant margin

All Babbel’s courses are unique and take into account the similarities and differences between ‘language pairs’. That is, your native language and the one you’re learning. This accelerates progress and helps develop cultural sensitivity.

Babbel also provides customized experiences that adjust to your progress and preferred way of learning. It recently added live instructor-led classes to create a more immersive and interactive experience for anyone serious about language learning.

Babbel is a subscription service available on both desktop and mobile, providing portability if you want to learn on the go. Lessons are self paced so you can fit learning around your schedule.

Core lessons are arranged by Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels. Additional lessons are grouped by language-specific skills and themes so you can pick and choose based on what you want to develop. This combo of both structured and flexible approaches lets you progress through the material in a logical but personalized manner.

The Babbel method:

• Is grounded in real-world conversations to get you speaking right away
• Promotes cross over learning by building grammar and vocabulary in each new language using “language pairs”. That is, similarities and differences between your native language and the one you’re learning
• Supports learning by teaching you in your preferred style, be it by reading, writing, speaking, seeing or listening
• Trains your brain to learn constantly with spaced repetition, periodic prompts and reviews 

• Uses audio dialogue examples recorded with native speakers (not bots)

  You’ll also learn about the history of your target language, discover recipes and songs, and gain tons of helpful cultural tips.

Babbel tracks your progress and displays it on a leaderboard. This gamified approach encourages healthy competition among learners and makes language learning more motivating.

To get started you simply select the language you want to learn and answer some questions about why and how you want to learn, how much time you’re willing to commit each week, your age range and where you heard about Babbel.  You then either select a subscription or scroll down the page for a free trial.

• Self-paced lessons that teach new material through context-based exercises
• Easy-to-understand grammar instruction 
• Voice-recognition software to perfect your accent
• Babbel Live virtual instructor-led classes

Lessons take about 10 to 15 minutes to complete and are broken down into bite sized chunks.

Babbel introduces you to new vocabulary through context-based exercises, accompanied by images and native-speaker audio. This helps you memorize the vocabulary and understand how to use it in real-life situations. A combination of matching, fill-in-the-blank, sorting, writing and speaking exercises are mixed in with cultural and grammar tips.

Babbel's speaking lessons utilize voice recognition technology. You mimic a native speaker’s  pronunciations and get instant feedback to help you perfect your accent.

Babbel also offers Babbel Live, which features live group classes led by certified language teachers. These sessions allow you to practice newly acquired skills with fellow students, receive real-time feedback, and engage in conversation.

Babbel offers a range of pricing plans to suit different budgets and learning needs. They’re a bit complicated, so I put together the below table to give you a better idea of the pricing.

NB:These prices reflect the discount offered to new learners

You can request a refund within 20 days of your initial purchase. This gives you enough time to dive into the courses and evaluate whether Babbel meets your language learning needs and expectations.

To request a refund, simply contact Babbel's customer support team via their website or email, and they will guide you through the process.

The refund policy applies only to the initial subscription purchase and not to any subsequent renewals or additional purchases made within the platform.

I reviewed Babbel by mimicking the experience of two types of learners: complete beginner and intermediate learner. To do this, I spent one week using Babbel for a few hours a day, alternating between Portuguese, and Spanish -- languages in which I have varying levels of proficiency.

In Portuguese, I had no experience so went for the A1 level. The pace was a little slow, but I recognized the importance of mastering the basics. I also explored grammar courses by theme and practiced more advanced grammatical forms through the "Explore" tab.

In Spanish, I tried the B1 level courses. About half of the content was familiar, while the other half helped me sound more authentic. I also visited the "Explore" tab to try out advanced grammatical forms.

To fully review Babbel, I opted for the Babbel Live package, which allowed me to enrol in instructor-led classes hosted on Zoom.

What I liked about Babbel

Comprehensive

Babbel lessons strengthen your skills in all four elements of language learning - speaking, listening, reading and writing.  A combination of matching, fill-in-the-blank, sorting and speaking exercises are mixed in with cultural and grammar tips that bring the language into context.

Access to native speaking teachers through Babbel Live

Babbel Live offers live virtual classes taught by native (or CEFR C2) language teachers.

After completing a Spanish lesson, I checked out Babbel Live and found a C1-level class was just about to start. The classes, limited to 6 students, are hosted on Zoom and focus on specific themes.

You can take an unlimited number of small-group classes with a Babbel live subscription. Though the cost seems a little high at first, if you really take advantage of this feature by maxing out on live lessons it works out way cheaper than in person teaching.

Adaptable

Babbel offers customizable learning paths and a review manager to help identify  weaknesses. A nice feature of the review manager is that you’re asked how you want to review: through speaking, writing, or listening. This lets you customize your learning journey according to your learning style and preferences.

In addition, the Explore tab allows you to discover special courses tailored to your needs, such as tongue twisters, false friends, idioms, professional working language, and pronunciation help.

Flexible - available on both web and mobile platforms

With Babbel's mobile app, you can learn and practice anytime and anywhere. The app is user-friendly and synchronizes across devices, so you can switch between your phone, tablet, and computer without losing progress.

This level of flexibility helps you make the most of any spare time during your day. So moments like waiting in line or commuting become opportunities for language practice. And with Babbel's offline mode, you can download lessons and never miss a learning opportunity, even in areas with limited connectivity.

Immersive and relevant

Babbel regularly updates content and uses a conversational approach, emphasizing relevant, real-life situations and dialogues.

Babbel also offers a podcast series that immerses you in authentic conversations and cultural insights, further enhancing your language learning journey.

These podcasts expose you to native speakers discussing various topics, helping you develop a better understanding of the colloquialisms, rhythm and tone. Listening to podcasts can also improve your listening comprehension skills, making it easier for you to follow and participate in real-life conversations.

Promotes cultural savviness

Understanding the culture connected to a language is vital to fully mastering it. Babbel uses Culture Bites and Babbel Magazine to provide insights and context. Some Culture Bites lessons are locked until you reach higher levels. But when you unlock them they support your learning experience by adding depth and cultural understanding.

Pacing a little slow

The short, bite-sized chunks can make it feel like you’re progressing too slowly and seem  somewhat repetitive. This is partly due to my learning preferences - I favor longer classes of 15-30 minutes to maintain momentum.

That said, Babbel Live sessions are an hour long and I found them really engaging. But it’s worth noting that pacing and lesson structure preferences vary among learners – you might  appreciate squeezing the bite-sized lessons into breaks in a busy schedule.

Fewer languages than its competitors

Compared to its close competitor, Rosetta Stone, Babbel offers fewer (mostly European) languages (24 vs 14). If the language(s) you want to learn are offered by Babbel it’s a great way to learn. But if you’re interested in learning Asian languages, you might need to look elsewhere.

Interface Annoyances

While using Babbel on a desktop computer, I encountered some awkwardness with the interface. The software seems better suited for touch-screen tablets or smartphones. On the bright side, Babbel Live worked seamlessly on my desktop. Additionally, when using Babbel on a smartphone, there's no in-app keyboard for special characters. This minor annoyance forces you to download the language-specific keyboard on your phone. If using the desktop version, Babbel provides codes for typing special characters, like "a//" for "à" in Portuguese.

Babbel is an appealing and versatile language learning platform that’s great for a wide range of learners. That said, I’d say Babbel is best for the following learners:

Anyone who’s:

• Learning a new language from scratch
• Keen to improve their intermediate skills in another language
• Interested in applying language-learning to real-life scenarios
• Keen to join regular small group live tutorials
• Appreciates short, sharp bite sized lessons
• Needing to learn flexibly on any device

• Flexible learning with offline mode
• Personalized approach
• Speech recognition technology for pronunciation practice
• Babbel Live virtual group classes with certified teachers and native speakers
• Review Manager for reinforcing learned content
• Regularly updated content to ensure freshness
• Podcast series to aide language immersion
• Gamification
• Cultural insights and grammar tips

Flexible learning with offline mode

Babbel offers short, focused lessons that can easily fit into your daily schedule, allowing you to learn at your own pace and according to your unique learning style.

It’s available from anywhere - even places without an internet connection thanks to offline mode.

Personalized learning

Though core lessons are arranged by CEFR levels, other lessons are grouped by skills and themes. They focus on aspects such as grammar, vocabulary, and conversation and allow  you to dive deeper into areas that interest you or address weaknesses in your language abilities.

These targeted learning experiences mean you can tailor your studies to meet your individual needs effectively. Combined with Babbel’s flexibility, this approach lets you progress through the material in a logical but personalized manner.

Speech recognition technology for pronunciation practice

Babbel’s advanced speech recognition technology helps you perfect your pronunciation and speak more confidently in your target language. By providing immediate feedback, Babbel enables you to correct mistakes and develop a more authentic accent.

This feature is particularly valuable for beginners who feel shy about speaking aloud in front of others.

Babbel Live virtual group classes with certified teachers

Babbel Live offers small (6) virtual group classes led by certified language teachers. They provide an interactive and engaging learning experience and allow you to practice speaking and listening skills in real-time with fellow learners, ask questions, get instant feedback and learn from other students.

By combining flexible, bite-sized lessons with instructor-led Babbel Live classes, you can supercharge your language learning experience. This blended approach is widely considered one of the most effective methods for mastering a new language. It combines the convenience of self-paced learning with the guidance and support of experienced teachers.

Review Manager for reinforcing learned content

Babbel's Review Manager helps cement new knowledge by providing regular review sessions based on a spaced repetition system. This scientifically proven method tracks your progress and schedules reviews at optimal intervals to reinforce your memory.

Regularly updated content to ensure freshness

Babbel continuously updates its content to keep lessons relevant, fresh and up-to-date, This means you'll always have access to new challenges and insights, preventing your learning experience from becoming stale.

Podcast series to aide language immersion

Babbel has a podcast series that exposes you to native speakers discussing various topics. They help you develop a better understanding of rhythm, tone, slang and idiom. Listening to podcasts can also improve your comprehension skills and make it easier to follow and participate in real-life conversations.

Gamification

Babbel tracks your progress and displays it on a leaderboard to promote motivation and healthy competition. This feature is less developed than on other apps, like Duolingo which uses points, streak counts and more colorful graphics.

Cultural insights

Babbel doesn’t just focus on vocabulary and how to use words in sentences. It also teaches you cultural and grammar tips about your target language. These include regional differences or how your target language’s grammar is different from that of your native language. This adds depth and understanding to your language learning experience.

Babbel key facts:

• Our score: 9.53/10
• Number of users: 10 mlllion subscriptions sold
• Avg lesson length: 10 minutes
• Number of lessons: N/A
• Downloadable lessons: Yes
• Starting proficiency test: Yes
• Provides certificate: Yes
• Adaptive to user: Yes
• Number of languages taught: 14
• Pricing: From $7.45 per month
• Desktop: Yes
• Mobile: Yes
• IOS: Yes
• Android: Yes

• Our Score 9.5 /10
• Trustpilot 3.8 /5 based on 19.5k reviews
• Apple App Store 4.7 /5 based on 65.6k reviews

• Google Play 4.5 /5 based on 886k reviews

  “French, Italian, and other “classical” languages to learn are pretty well organized and can hold you over till A2-B1 however … I don’t think it’s a great tool on its own, it’s repetitive, sometimes dull, but it does offer explanation on grammar choices, and offers a number of examples.” - Comment from Reddit user

The criticism that Babbel can feel repetitive is a valid critique. However, if you start feeling this way you can use the Explore tab to find lessons that focus on specific or more engaging aspects of the language. This can help break up the monotony and make your language learning journey more enjoyable.

“I am surprised not at myself, but at how effective the classes have been for me. I am conversational and satisfied with my level, and I have gotten more confident with each class. I can say now that I speak another language, and at this point I get by just with these classes after finishing the app course as well.” - Comment from Reddit user

This user is speaking of Babbel Live classes and how they enhanced their conversational abilities and boosted their confidence. Speaking from experience Babbel Live allows you to easily transition from finishing the app course to participating in real-life conversations.

And Babbel Live not only provides an effective language learning experience, but is also a more budget-friendly alternative to platforms like italki that connect you with native speaking language teachers.

On balance, Babbel has a lot going for it if you want to learn a new language.

For a start, it’s more than just an app for acquiring vocabulary and phrases. It integrates cultural understanding into its programs because Babbel understands that language and culture are closely tied. An understanding of how a different culture works helps you learn the mechanics of the language associated with it.

Likewise, Babbel's grammar explainers ease you into complex concepts, whereas other apps rely on your learning grammar intuitively by constantly seeing it used in context.

And the addition of Babbel Live virtual classes addresses the shortcomings of purely pre-set programs. They're engaging, effective, affordable and absolutely no limit on the number you take.

The pacing and structure of core lessons may not be to everyone’s taste and may feel a little repetitive. But they could be ideal for time starved students who need to squeeze in some language learning into their daily hustle and bustle. And the Explore tab is always there in case you get a bit burnt out on the meat and potatoes in the primary lessons.

And while Babbel may not cater to all the Asian language enthusiasts out there, it's a goldmine for Euro-language lovers.

And with the free trial and generous refund policy, there’s really no reason not to give it a shot.