Babbel vs Speakly: which to choose, and what each costs
Prices checked 14 Oct 2026; Babbel's on 6 Sept 2026 · How we check
Babbel if you want a course with lessons in order.
Speakly if you want to build vocabulary a few minutes a day.
| Question | Babbel | Speakly |
|---|---|---|
| A year costs | $107.40 a year for all 14 languages, or $17.99 month to month | $47.99 a year for all 11 languages, or $15.99 month to month |
| A lesson is | 10 to 15-minute lessons built on short dialogues, with grammar notes in English and speaking exercises. | Learn the next most-used words with spaced repetition, write and say whole sentences with them from the first day, then use them in a real-life scene and a listening exercise. |
| Try it | The first lesson of every course is free. | A 7-day free trial; Speakly doesn't say which features stay free after it. |
| App Store rating, 10 Oct 2026 and 14 Oct 2026 | 4.7 out of 5 from 755,567 ratings | 4.4 out of 5 from 847 ratings |
| Google Play rating, 11 Oct 2026 and 14 Oct 2026 | 4.6 out of 5 from 1.1 million ratings | 4.4 out of 5 from 14,698 ratings |
How a lesson works in each
Babbel: course app
Speakly: vocabulary app
Side by side
| Compare | Babbel | Speakly |
|---|---|---|
| CEFR levels | A1 to C1 | — |
| A year costs | $107.40 a year for all 14 languages, or $17.99 month to month | $47.99 a year for all 11 languages, or $15.99 month to month |
| What it is | Course app: Short structured lessons with grammar notes and review sessions | Vocabulary and flashcards: The 4,000 most-used words in order of how often they are used, practised in whole sentences you write and say |
| Per month at annual billing | $8.95/mo ($107.40 a year) | $4/mo ($47.99 a year) |
| Monthly plan | $17.99 | $15.99 |
| 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. | Speakly says some features are free without saying which; a 7-day free trial opens the paid plans. |
| Languages offered | 14 | 11 |
| Speech recognition | Yes | Yes |
| Live tutoring | No · Babbel Live is no longer available to individual consumers | LIVE© course: eight 45-minute sessions a month with your own tutor, the app included, sold apart from the app plans. |
| Offline mode | Yes · Downloaded lessons, vocabulary review and podcasts in the mobile app | No |
| 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. | A 7-day free trial. Bought on Speakly's website: 14 days to withdraw if you live in the EU, the EEA or the UK, and the Lifetime page promises a full refund if you email within 14 days. App Store and Google Play purchases go through Apple or Google. |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web | iOS, Android, Web |
| Company | Babbel GmbH (Lesson Nine GmbH), Germany | Speakly OÜ, Estonia |
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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.
Speakly
Vocabulary and flashcards
In our comparison: strongest on price and speaking practice, weakest on the free tier.
$47.99 a year $4 a month, billed yearly$15.99 on the monthly plan
The 4,000 most-used words in order of how often they are used, practised in whole sentences you write and say. Live tutoring sold beside the app (LIVE© language course).
Babbel is a course app and Speakly is a vocabulary app. Both teach French, Spanish, German, Italian and 5 more languages.
Which to choose
You want a course with lessons in order
Babbel
Babbel is a course app: 10 to 15-minute lessons built on short dialogues, with grammar notes in English and speaking exercises.
You want to build vocabulary a few minutes a day
Speakly
Speakly is a vocabulary app: learn the next most-used words with spaced repetition, write and say whole sentences with them from the first day, then use them in a real-life scene and a listening exercise.
You want the smaller yearly bill
Speakly
A year of Speakly costs $47.99 for all 11 languages; a year of Babbel, $107.40 for all 14 languages.
You would rather pay once than subscribe
Babbel
Babbel can be bought once and kept: $299.99 once, all languages. Speakly's paid plans are subscriptions.
Where they really differ
- Price: Babbel: $107.40 a year for all 14 languages, or $17.99 month to month. Speakly: $47.99 a year for all 11 languages, or $15.99 month to month.
- A lesson: Babbel: 10 to 15-minute lessons built on short dialogues, with grammar notes in English and speaking exercises. Speakly: Learn the next most-used words with spaced repetition, write and say whole sentences with them from the first day, then use them in a real-life scene and a listening exercise.
- A real person: Babbel has no live tutors. Speakly sells live tutoring alongside the app (LIVE© language course).
- Levels: Babbel states CEFR levels A1 to C1. Speakly doesn't state CEFR levels.
- Offline: Babbel works offline. Speakly needs a connection.
- Trying it: Babbel: The first lesson of every course is free. Speakly: A 7-day free trial; Speakly doesn't say which features stay free after it.
- Both: Listen to you speak.
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 |
Speakly
| Plan | Billing | Price | Per month | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AnnualPremiumApple's US App Store price for the plan named "Annual"; it also lists discounted 12-month offers. speakly.me shows this server the same plan as 47.99 EUR a year. | Annual | $47.99 | $4/mo | all languages |
| MonthlyPremiumApple's US App Store price for the plan named "Monthly"; it also lists a discounted Monthly at $9.99. speakly.me shows this server the same plan as 15.99 EUR a month. | Monthly | $15.99 | $15.99/mo | all languages |
| LifetimePremiumOne payment, one account, all languages. Apple's US App Store lists Lifetime at $84.99 and at $89.99; speakly.me shows this server 69.99 EUR. | Lifetime | — | one-time | all languages |
| Family LifetimeFamilyOne-time payment for up to 4 individual accounts, all languages. speakly.me shows this server only euros: 139.99 EUR (~€34.75 per person). | Lifetime | — | one-time | all languages, up to 4 accounts |
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 Speakly?
Neither is better for every learner. Choose Babbel if you want a course with lessons in order, to pay once rather than subscribe, a course that states its CEFR levels and lessons that work offline. Choose Speakly if you want to build vocabulary a few minutes a day, the smaller yearly bill, more speaking practice and a trial or money back. In our comparison, Babbel is strongest on teaching depth, weakest on the free tier, and Speakly strongest on price and speaking practice, weakest on the free tier.
Which is cheaper, Babbel or Speakly?
Speakly costs less by the year: $47.99 for all 11 languages, where a year of Babbel is $107.40 for all 14 languages. Month to month, and with any lifetime plan, the plans tables above give both.
Do Babbel and Speakly teach the same languages?
Babbel lists 14 languages and Speakly 11, each counting varieties its own way; 9 languages are taught by both. Each app's page here lists its languages, with a page for each language two or more apps teach.