Babbel vs Busuu: which to choose, and what each costs
Prices checked 6 Sept to 6 Oct 2026 · How we check
Babbel if you want grammar explained and more than one language for one price.
Busuu if you want native speakers to correct you and a course with named CEFR levels.
| Question | Babbel | Busuu |
|---|---|---|
| A year costs | $107.40 a year, or $17.99 month to month | $72.99 a year |
| A lesson is | 10 to 15-minute lessons built on short dialogues, with grammar notes in English and speaking exercises. | Short lessons with dialogues, grammar tips and exercises; you can send spoken or written answers for the community, native speakers included, to correct. |
| Try it | The first lesson of every course is free. | A free account, then a 14-day money-back guarantee on your first Premium payment. |
How a lesson works in each
Both are course apps, so a lesson has the same shape
Side by side, as published
| Compare | Babbel | Busuu |
|---|---|---|
| CEFR levels stated | A1 to C1 | — |
| A year costs | $107.40 a year, or $17.99 month to month | $72.99 a year |
| What it is | Course app: Short structured lessons with grammar notes and review sessions | Course app: Course app with corrections from native speakers and CEFR-labelled levels |
| Per month at annual billing | $8.95/mo ($107.40 a year) | $6.08/mo ($72.99 a year) |
| Monthly plan | $17.99 | — |
| Lifetime plan | $299.99 once, all languages | none |
| Free tier | Free account; the first lesson of every course is free, and up to 80 free lessons depending on the language. | Free account with limited features; paid tiers remove ads and add review tools. |
| Languages offered | 14 | 14 |
| Speech recognition | Yes | Yes |
| Live tutoring | No · Babbel Live is no longer available to individual consumers | No · Live Lessons are exclusive to Busuu for Business, outside the consumer subscription |
| Offline mode | Yes · Downloaded lessons, vocabulary review and podcasts in the mobile app | Yes |
| Placement test | Yes · Spanish, French, Italian and German | Yes · Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish |
| Refund or trial | Direct purchases: 14-day withdrawal where applicable, excluding US residents; early service can reduce the refund. US terms do not promise a pro-rata cancellation refund. App Store purchases follow store terms. | 14-day money-back guarantee on the initial Premium payment; no renewal refunds. Apple and mobile-operator purchases require a refund from that provider. |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web | iOS, Android, Web |
| Company | Babbel GmbH (Lesson Nine GmbH), Germany | Busuu Limited, United Kingdom |
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$107.40 a year $8.95 a month, billed yearly$17.99 on the monthly plan
Short dialogues and grammar notes help you understand why a sentence works. Speaking exercises let you practise saying it aloud before you need it in conversation.
- Free tier
- Free account; the first lesson of every course is free, and up to 80 free lessons depending on the language.
- Languages
- 14
- Speech recognition
- Yes
- Live tutoring
- No · Babbel Live is no longer available to individual consumers
- Offline mode
- Yes · Downloaded lessons, vocabulary review and podcasts in the mobile app
- CEFR levels
- A1 to C1
- Refund or trial
- Direct purchases: 14-day withdrawal where applicable, excluding US residents; early service can reduce the refund. US terms do not promise a pro-rata cancellation refund. App Store purchases follow store terms.
Busuu
Course app
In our comparison: strongest on teaching depth and price, weakest on speaking practice.
$72.99 a year $6.08 a month, billed yearly · Premium
A structured course gives you a path through lessons, with corrections from native speakers. You can start with a free account before deciding whether the paid extras are useful.
- Free tier
- Free account with limited features; paid tiers remove ads and add review tools.
- Languages
- 14
- Speech recognition
- Yes
- Live tutoring
- No · Live Lessons are exclusive to Busuu for Business, outside the consumer subscription
- Offline mode
- Yes
- CEFR levels
- —
- Refund or trial
- 14-day money-back guarantee on the initial Premium payment; no renewal refunds. Apple and mobile-operator purchases require a refund from that provider.
Both are course apps with short lessons, grammar notes, speech recognition and offline use. The differences are what you pay for and who checks your work: Babbel's yearly plan covers all 14 of its languages, while Busuu's covers one and adds corrections from other learners, native speakers included.
Which one, for whom
You learn more than one language, or might
Babbel
Babbel's yearly plan was $107.40 ($8.95 a month) for all 14 of its languages. Its grammar notes are written in English for English speakers.
You want someone to read what you write
Busuu
Busuu lets you send written and spoken answers for other learners, native speakers included, to correct. Premium is $72.99 a year ($6.08 a month) for one language, and the first Premium payment has a 14-day money-back guarantee.
You are aiming for a named level
Busuu states its levels
Busuu states its Spanish, French and German courses run from A1 to C1. Babbel's ceilings vary by course: its European Spanish reaches C1, its Mexican Spanish B1. Neither is exam preparation; a course's stated level is not proof you would pass an exam at it.
Where they really differ
- Price: Babbel: $107.40 a year, or $17.99 month to month. Busuu: $72.99 a year.
- A lesson: Babbel: 10 to 15-minute lessons built on short dialogues, with grammar notes in English and speaking exercises. Busuu: Short lessons with dialogues, grammar tips and exercises; you can send spoken or written answers for the community, native speakers included, to correct.
- A real person: Neither has live tutors.
- Levels: Babbel states CEFR levels A1 to C1. Busuu states CEFR levels A1 to C1 in Spanish, French and German.
- Trying it: Babbel: The first lesson of every course is free. Busuu: A free account, then a 14-day money-back guarantee on your first Premium payment.
- Both: Listen to you speak and work offline.
Every published plan
Babbel
| Plan | Billing | Price | Per month | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 monthsSold as "Save 50%" against $215.40, which is twelve months at the monthly price. Apple's US App Store sells the same plan for $107.99. | Annual | $107.40 | $8.95/mo | all languages |
| 3-month plan (iOS in-app purchase)Apple's US App Store price for one language. | Every 3 months | $45.99 | $15.33/mo | one language |
| 1-month plan (iOS in-app purchase)Apple's US App Store price for one language. | Monthly | $17.99 | $17.99/mo | one language |
| LifetimeBabbel sells Lifetime for less during sales: a Labor Day sale offered it for $199. | Lifetime | $299.99 | one-time | all languages |
Busuu
| Plan | Billing | Price | Per month | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium, 12 monthsPremiumA sale price; the crossed-out $149.88 is twelve months at the monthly rate. | Annual | $72.99 | $6.08/mo | one language |
| Premium Plus, 12 monthsPremium PlusA sale price, against a crossed-out $178.80. Adds AI conversations, pronunciation practice and extra content to Premium. | Annual | $87.90 | $7.33/mo | one language |
| 1 monthPremiumBusuu's site doesn't show its monthly price. Apple's US App Store lists a "Monthly Premium Plan" at $23.49. | Monthly | — | — | one language |
What will Babbel cost you for the months you study?
Total billed over 12 months
$108.48 less on annual billing1 full annual payment · $107.40 at the start of each year.
Check coverage. Monthly: one language. Annual: all languages. Features and language coverage may differ.
Questions people ask
Is Busuu cheaper than Babbel?
For one language, yes: Busuu Premium was $72.99 a year and Babbel $107.40. Babbel's price covers all 14 of its languages; Busuu's covers one.
Which is better for grammar, Babbel or Busuu?
Both explain grammar. Babbel's notes are built into every lesson in English; Busuu adds grammar tips and corrections from native speakers on what you write.
Do Babbel and Busuu have free versions?
Babbel's first lesson of every course is free, up to 80 free lessons depending on the language. Busuu has a free account with limited features.