Babbel vs Mango Languages: which to choose, and what each costs
Prices checked 6 Oct 2026; Babbel's on 6 Sept 2026 · How we check
Babbel if you want to pay once rather than subscribe.
Mango Languages if you want the course free with a library card.
| Question | Babbel | Mango Languages |
|---|---|---|
| A year costs | $107.40 a year for all 14 languages, or $17.99 month to month | About $120 a year for all 73 languages, or $13.99 month to month |
| A lesson is | 10 to 15-minute lessons built on short dialogues, with grammar notes in English and speaking exercises. | Hear a conversation, break it into phrases and repeat them, with notes on grammar and culture. |
| Try it | The first lesson of every course is free. | Free through many public libraries; otherwise a free trial and the first lesson of any language. |
| App Store rating, 10 Oct 2026 | 4.7 out of 5 from 755,567 ratings | 4.8 out of 5 from 44,322 ratings |
| Google Play rating, 11 Oct 2026 | 4.6 out of 5 from 1.1 million ratings | 4.8 out of 5 from 24,609 ratings |
How a lesson works in each
Both are course apps, so a lesson has the same shape
Side by side
| Compare | Babbel | Mango Languages |
|---|---|---|
| CEFR levels | A1 to C1 | A1 to B1 (by course) |
| A year costs | $107.40 a year for all 14 languages, or $17.99 month to month | About $120 a year for all 73 languages, or $13.99 month to month |
| What it is | Course app: Short structured lessons with grammar notes and review sessions | Course app: Conversation-based courses, often free through a library card |
| Per month at annual billing | $8.95/mo ($107.40 a year) | $10/mo (— a year) |
| Monthly plan | $17.99 | $13.99 |
| Lifetime plan | $299.99 once, all languages | No lifetime plan |
| Free tier | Free account; the first lesson of every course is free, and up to 80 free lessons depending on the language. | Free trial on both personal plans; the first lesson of any language is free; 10 endangered and indigenous language courses are free; free full access through participating public libraries |
| Languages offered | 14 | 73 |
| Speech recognition | Yes | No |
| Live tutoring | No · Babbel Live is no longer available to individual consumers | No |
| Offline mode | Yes · Downloaded lessons, vocabulary review and podcasts in the mobile app | Yes |
| Placement test | Yes · Spanish, French, Italian and German | Yes |
| Refund or trial | Bought from Babbel in the US: no refund promised if you cancel early. Outside the US: 14 days to change your mind, less what you have used. App store purchases: the store's rules. | Free trial on Individual and Family plans; cancel before it ends and you are not charged |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web | iOS, Android, Web |
| Company | Babbel GmbH (Lesson Nine GmbH), Germany | Mango Languages, United States |
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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.
Mango Languages
Course app
In our comparison: strongest on the number of languages and teaching depth, weakest on speaking practice.
About $120 a year $10 a month, billed yearly · Individual$13.99 on the monthly plan
Conversation-based lessons help you rehearse useful exchanges. A participating library card can give you the whole course without a subscription bill.
Babbel is a course app and Mango Languages is one too. Both teach French, Spanish, German, Italian and 10 more languages.
Which to choose
You would rather pay once than subscribe
Babbel
Babbel can be bought once and kept: $299.99 once, all languages. Mango Languages' paid plans are subscriptions.
You want to learn without paying
Mango Languages
Mango Languages is free through many public libraries; Babbel gives only its first lessons free. What each free route includes is in the table above.
You want to practise speaking
Babbel
Babbel: Speech recognition scores how you say words. Mango Languages: Nothing scores what you say.
You want a trial, or your money back if it doesn't suit you
Mango Languages
Mango Languages: Free trial on Individual and Family plans; cancel before it ends and you are not charged. Babbel: Bought from Babbel in the US: no refund promised if you cancel early. Outside the US: 14 days to change your mind, less what you have used. App store purchases: the store's rules.
Where they really differ
- Price: Babbel: $107.40 a year for all 14 languages, or $17.99 month to month. Mango Languages: About $120 a year for all 73 languages, or $13.99 month to month.
- A lesson: Babbel: 10 to 15-minute lessons built on short dialogues, with grammar notes in English and speaking exercises. Mango Languages: Hear a conversation, break it into phrases and repeat them, with notes on grammar and culture.
- A real person: Neither has live tutors.
- Levels: Babbel states CEFR levels A1 to C1. Mango Languages states a CEFR range for each course, up to B1.
- Speaking: Babbel listens to you speak. Mango Languages doesn't listen to you speak.
- Trying it: Babbel: The first lesson of every course is free. Mango Languages: Free through many public libraries; otherwise a free trial and the first lesson of any language.
- Both: Work offline.
Plans and prices
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 |
Mango Languages
| Plan | Billing | Price | Per month | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual (billed annually)IndividualMango states only the monthly figure for the yearly plan, about $120 a year. Many public libraries give the whole course free. | Annual | — | $10/mo | all languages |
| Family (billed annually)FamilyMango states only the monthly figure for the yearly plan. | Family | — | $12.50/mo | family up to 5 |
| Individual | Monthly | $13.99 | $13.99/mo | all languages |
| Family | Family | $19.99 | $19.99/mo | family up to 5 |
What will Babbel cost you for the months you study?
Total billed over 12 months
$108.48 less on annual billingOne yearly payment of $107.40.
What each plan covers. Monthly: one language. Yearly: all languages.
Questions people ask
Is Babbel better than Mango Languages?
Neither is better for every learner. Choose Babbel if you want to pay once rather than subscribe and more speaking practice. Choose Mango Languages if you want the course free with a library card, a trial or money back and more languages to choose from. In our comparison, Babbel is strongest on teaching depth, weakest on the free tier, and Mango Languages strongest on the number of languages and teaching depth, weakest on speaking practice.
Which is cheaper, Babbel or Mango Languages?
Babbel costs less by the year: $107.40 for all 14 languages, where a year of Mango Languages is about $120 for all 73 languages. Month to month, and with any lifetime plan, the plans tables above give both.
Do Babbel and Mango Languages teach the same languages?
Babbel lists 14 languages and Mango Languages 73, each counting varieties its own way; 14 languages are taught by both. Each app's page here lists its languages, with a page for each language two or more apps teach.
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