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Babbel Reviews 2023 - Pricing, Features, Alternatives, and more

Cons:

  • Low price and money-back guarantee.
  • Skip levels if you are more advanced.
  • Good for foundational vocabulary and heavier grammar.

Cons:

  • Little repetitive after a while.
  • Voice recognition does not achieve complete accuracy.

Average Rating: 4

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How badly do you want to learn Spanish, or Italian, or maybe Danish? Just imagine being able to order your espresso in Italian, in Italy! Amazing!

But, learning a new language requires effort, resources, and time. Finding the right teachers, or, even yet, finding someone who speaks fluent, is even more challenging (most of the time). And, imagine that all of those obstacles disappear. Are you willing to give it a try? No hassle from your comfy sofa?

Today’s article is going to cover an online language application – Babbel. With Babbel, you won’t ever have to find excuses why you never learned a foreign language.

Stick around and find out all of the essential information in this Babbel review. You’ll get to understand how to enroll with it, what’s the price, do they have any pricing plans, and all of the features it comes with.

With no further ado, here’s a list of all the topics we will elaborate on:

Contents:

  • Babbel Brief Company Overview
  • Babbel’s Awards and Recognitions
  • Platform Key Details
    • Who uses Babbel?
    • What does Babbel provide?
  • Babbel Key Features
  • Babbel Pros and Cons
  • Babbel Plans and Pricing
    • Free trial or money-back guarantee?
  • Cancellation policy
  • Usability of the Babbel App
    • But can you learn offline?
  • Customer Help and Service
  • Customer Ratings and Accreditation
  • Babbel Customer Reviews
  • Babbel Alternatives
    • Rosetta Stone
    • Duolingo
    • Why choose Babbel?
  • Conclusion
  • FAQs

Babbel Brief Company Overview

What is Babbel?

Babbel is an e-learning language platform that offers affordable and flexible foreign language learning classes. It was founded in 2007 in Germany and has branded itself as the first language learning app in the world.
They offer language learning classes in fourteen different languages (stay with us and reveal what languages are those) for native English speakers. In brief, Babbel services include the whole language package: reading, listening, speaking, and writing.

Babbel Awards and Recognitions

Thirteen years of existence and is the first language learning app are not to be underestimated. Therefore, in 2011, Babbel received the “Erasmus EuroMedia Seal of Approval” and the “Comenius EduMedia Seal” award.
However, earlier before, in 2009, it’s of high importance to mention that even though Babbel didn’t win this next award, still, it was a finalist. It was among the finalists for the “Best Web Application or Service” award, organized by TechCrunch’s European Awards.

Furthermore, in 2013, they were rewarded with two, not just one, awards, “Innovate 4 Society” and “digita 2013.” This was followed with a valuable recognition in 2016—’The Most Innovative Educational Company’ by Fast Company.

And last but not least, the most recent award and recognition are the one from 2020, where Babbel was voted out as the winner in the IELA e-learning awards.

Platform Key Details

Who uses Babbel?

Babbel’s good foundational vocabulary and grammar learning techniques make the platform a perfect choice for beginners who are just starting to learn a new language.

It is cheaper and more affordable than other platforms out there. Moreover, Babbel is the most beneficial for beginners who want to increase their vocabulary and sentence structures. However, if you feel like you’ve overcome that basic level of a particular language, there is an option to go to the next level, a more advanced one. In particular, this makes Babbel suitable for people who have advanced knowledge in the language they are learning since they don’t have to waste their time repeating what they are already confident that doesn’t challenge them.

This is something that other competitors don’t have, and it makes it more alluring for advanced users to use this app. In the end, this language app is of great value to both beginners and more advanced learners of a language.

What does Babbel provide?

Apart from the excellent platform interface and enhanced user experience, plus the ability to learn a new language from the comfort of your home or out on the go, Babbel also offers fourteen different language courses. Those are the following:

  • English, Italian, German, French, and Spanish,
  • you can also learn Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, as well as, Indonesian, Turkish, Polish, Dutch,
  • and for the Scandinavian fans, there’s Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish.

Except for the perks and languages mentioned, Babbel has over 60.000 courses that you can choose from. You can learn over 3000 words—in English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Portuguese (Brazilian), and Swedish.

As far as other languages go (Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Indonesian, Polish, Russian, and Turkish), you can enrich your vocabulary with over 2000 words. It’s just as important to remind you that the courses mainly include beginner and intermediate level grammar courses and vocabulary lessons.

Babbel Key Features

Before we say anything else, the most significant Babbel feature is exactly the Babbel method of learning. What is the Babbel method consisted of? Let’s find out.

  • Get prepared for real-life conversations – Babbel teaches you grammar and vocabulary skills to use in practical situations. The main goal is to start learning from the very start, don’t see it as an introduction to the language only. Additionally, the audio conversations and vocabulary you hear are recorded by native speakers of the language you’re learning.
  • Speak a language with confidence – There are plenty of dialogue/role-playing texts to get you well prepared on how to start, handle, or finish a conversation.
  • Learn and memorize – This is why the lessons are constructed and look like small bite-sized portions. This way, you can absorb everything that has been lectured to you. Therefore, the lessons last between 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Speech recognition technology – One of the primary goals of Babbel is to get you speaking. This is good because you can practice and be able to speak correctly.
  • Courses designed by language experts – The courses are tailored by a team of language experts, made for you to comprehend them in your native language and the language you want to learn.
  • Helpful tips in your native language – Babbel assists you by throwing hints in your native language, making learning more manageable and the process itself much smoother.
  • Personalized review sessions – The Babbel application has a Review Manager that allows you to review the critical information.
  • Variety of topics – Their topics cover everyday occasions, situations, and places, though business, travel, and much more topics you might stumble upon are broadly covered too.
  • Grammar tips – The app introduces easy-to-understand grammar tips, so you grasp grammatical concepts quickly and correctly.
  • Platform and app synchronization – You don’t have to worry about losing track if you’re using the desktop app and the mobile app simultaneously. Babbel has enabled full learning synchronization between devices.

Babbel Pros and Cons

Don’t be surprised. There are no platforms/apps that have pros but no cons. 🙂 Let us see if their cons are that bad or just something you can live with.

Pros

  • Low price and money-back guarantee.
  • Skip levels if you feel that you are for something more advanced.
  • Good for foundational vocabulary and learning heavier grammar.
  • Free trial (the first lesson in every course is free).

Cons

  • Little repetitive after a while.
  • Voice recognition does not achieve complete accuracy.
  • Some courses have less content than others.

Babbel Plans and Pricing

Babbel is available in monthly and yearly subscriptions. The price ranges from $12.95 to $6.95 a month, and sometimes these prices can vary – this is because Babbel does offer occasional discounts.

There are several subscription options that you can choose from one month, three months, six months, and twelve months.

As follows:

  • One month’s subscription goes for $12.95.
  • Three months subscription is available for $8.95 a month.
  • Six months subscription will cost you $7.45 a month.
  • A one-year subscription costs no less than $6.95 a month.

If you are a beginner and are not 100% sure whether this language learning app is for you, you can try the free version or go for a single-month subscription.

But if you are looking for an affordable price and need to learn a language in a year, then paying upfront for an entire year is the option that will suit you the best.

Free trial or money-back guarantee?

The free trial is, in fact, the first free lesson in every course. However, there are available promo codes that give you specific discounts from one to sixty percent and higher. You can find out more about this on RetailMeNot.

And yes, they do have a money-back policy. There is a 20-day money-back guarantee on all courses. Meaning, within the first twenty days, you can contact Babbel and ask for your money back.

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel your subscription at any time. But bear in mind and calculate to make the cancellation a day right before your subscription expires. Think of this as a way to make the most and use the time that you have left up until the day before your subscription.

Here are a couple of things you need to know before canceling a subscription with Babbel:

  1. If your initial enrollment to the platform was via Babbel’s official website, then you will have to cancel through the same.
  2. Check your initial invoice to see whether you paid through Apple Application Store or the Google Play Store.
  3. If you want to transfer your subscription via Babbel directly, but you’ve paid through any of the app stores mentioned, then you need to first cancel your subscription on any of those two apps and then transfer to Babbel.

Usability of the Babbel App

Based on the thorough research on the Babbel app, we realized the app generally comes with a good design, and it’s simple, straightforward, and easy to use. The navigation is great and easy to find your way all through the application. There’s even an option to set your language.

Babbel is compatible with various devices, desktop or mobile. For instance, for all those using a PC with an operating system such as Windows 7 or above, or maybe a Mac OS X 10.12 and above – you have nothing to worry about.

As you are already aware, Babbel is available on both iOS (Apple) and Android versions. However, if you own an iPad or an Apple iPhone, you need to have iOS 12.0 update or above.

Consequently, once you download the app on your device and log in with your credentials, the synchronization process will start. In other words, the mobile version offers an option to view and track your in-course progress. You can find your course name and lesson progression at the top of the Home screen at no time.

But can you learn offline?

Yes, you can. The app is designed to encourage learning anytime, anywhere and make language learning a habit. If you have an iOS or Android device, you can use the application without being connected to the internet. But, this doesn’t apply to the ones of you using a desktop PC. You will have to stay connected to the internet if you wish to open a lesson and study.

Customer Help and Support

This great e-learning language program comes with great support too. If you have any problems, you can contact Babbel by phone and email. But, you can’t contact Babbel via phone; instead, you can contact them at [email protected].

Nevertheless, there are other ways to get in touch with Babbel’s support team. For example, one way would be you choosing “Contact” in the upper right-hand corner of any Babbel lesson and message them directly. Or, another way is to go over to their website and look for that ‘Help’ button. Hang on; there are still many other ways to connect with them in emergency or necessity.

You can make an online request by clicking the “Contact Us” link at the bottom of the Help Center page. And in the end, if none of the mentioned options don’t help, you can contact them via their social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn.

On top of all, Babbel also has a community website for learning Swahili, Arabic, and other Middle-Eastern and African languages, which might be of great interest to some of you. There is also a Babbel Magazine with many blog topics, which most customers find pretty helpful.

Customer Ratings and Accreditation

There are a lot of reviews out there about Babbel, and most of them are positive. Let us see how great or not that great Babbel is placing on some of the most reputable review sites.

  • Amazon: Babbel has a 4 star-rating/5 on Amazon based on no less than 22 customer reviews.
  • Trustpilot: On Trustpilot, Babbel received a high-top 4.6 stars/5, a rating made upon 17.148 reviews.
  • FluentIn3Months: This review rating site gave Babbel an excellent 4 star-rating/5.
  • BBB (Better Business Bureau): Babbel isn’t BBB accredited, and unfortunately, we weren’t able to find a rating by this organization. However, the BBB gave Babbel a D+ grade. From what we were able to find out, there was only one complaint closed in these last three years. That being said, it doesn’t sound like a bad thing.
    Babbel Customer Reviews

Customer Reviews

Positive Customer Reviews

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(The screenshots are taken from verified review websites.)

Critical Customer Reviews

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(The screenshots are taken from verified review sites.)

To sum up. Customer reviews are individual experiences. Everyone has a different way of understanding and therefore acquiring a new language. The best and most truthful experience is to try and enroll with them and see how you will handle the Babbel method.

Babbel Alternatives

Babbel has many competitors, therefore, many alternatives. But, this way or another, they come with similarities and differences. Some of its competitors/alternatives are Rosetta Stone, Duolingo, Mondly, Busuu, Lingoda, Pimsleur, and Rype.

But, we will stay focused on just two of these. We will make a comparison between Babbel, Rosetta Stone, and Duolingo.

What do all of them have in common?

Speech recognition technology and synchronization across devices.

What do Babbel and Rosetta Stone have in common?

They both strive to make learning as close as to be able to handle real-life conversations. Furthermore, their courses are designed by language experts that are, in fact, native speakers of different languages. And, additionally, they both offer personalized reviewing sessions.

What do Babbel and Duolingo have in common?

They both specialize in making lessons shorter (10-15 minutes) to make them more understandable and easier to memorize.

What Babbel offers that others don’t have?

Unlike the other two language apps, Babbel lets you have a free first class. It also makes sure that the grammar you encounter for the first time is easy to understand, and it does this by giving you simple grammar tips accompanied by helpful tips in your native language. Moreover, it’s a must to mention that it comes with low and affordable plans and subscriptions compared with its competitors.

Why choose Babbel?

Babbel represents a modern pioneer in its expertise, and it has proven to be one because the first platform of this kind, an e-learning language platform, emerged precisely by them.

There’s a first free lesson for those in doubt whether they will make the right choice. But, if a free lesson isn’t enough, it offers low and competitive budget-friendly prices so you can take at least a one-month subscription.

Babbel also has arranged for you fourteen different languages, and they have language experts that are native speakers for each of the languages on their platform.

If we continue numbering reasons why you should choose them, there are plenty of positive and satisfied customer reviews in general. The app is well-liked too. What’s interesting and convenient about their application is that it can run in offline mode.

On top of all that we just said, it’s in your interest to know that all of the courses have a twenty-day money-back guarantee – a full refund.

Conclusion

While learning a new language can be intense and a bit stressful, Babbel goes out of its way as an online language platform to give you the best possible and financially convenient conditions. It does this through all sorts of perks that are going on: native speakers, a wide range of languages in one place, shorter but understandable, and easy to memorize lessons. And remember, the lessons come with well-explained grammar tips, tips in your native language – amazing!

We hope that this Babbel review made you realize that enrolling in an online language course isn’t bad at all. Now you have the chance to learn that long wanted Danish or Spanish language course, and enrich the list of languages you speak already.

FAQ

1. How much time should I invest to Babbel?

You decide how much time in the day/week you will invest since you have the freedom to learn at your own pace. A lesson lasts from ten to fifteen minutes. And if you don’t have an internet connection, but you do have Babbel on your phone, you can do that even if you’re offline.

2. Am I too old to learn a new language?

There’s no age limit when it comes to learning a new language. There are even a few advantages when learning a new language at an older or more mature age. This is because you gain many skills over the years that make it easier for you to learn one. Interestingly enough, one of Babbel’s users, Gianni, is over a hundred years old, and he went ahead and started learning English with Babbel’s team.

3. How long until I can speak my new language?

The answer is that this depends primarily on yourself, one’s pace, time, and effort willing to invest in it.

For instance, according to an independent study on learning languages, in no more than 3 weeks of learning Spanish with Babbel’s team of experts, you might also be able to handle a conversation in Spanish.