Babbel review 2025: Is Babbel a good way to learn French?

Note: Prices are in USD. App pricing and features change frequently. All prices mentioned in this article were verified in November 2025.

Launched in 2008, Babbel is one of the most famous language learning apps on the market today.

Although it covers nearly every aspect of French learning, is Babbel a good choice for French learners, and is it a better choice than conversational French apps like French Together or its more popular rival Duolingo?

I recently sat down and put Babbel to the test, focusing on two different learning levels: the equivalent of beginner, Newcomer, which corresponds to CEFR level A1, and the app's most advanced level, Upper Intermediate, which corresponds to CEFR level B2.

Here's what I found.

Is Babbel the best French learning app?

With its variety of lessons and exercises, it's understandable why Babbel has had so much success. If you want a good overview of French that covers a lot of ground (listening, reading, speaking, writing, and culture) but may not go super in-depth into any one area, Babbel is a good option.

But if you want to learn about a particular aspect of French in a more in-depth way, you'll need some additional French learning resources. For instance, if you want to focus on conversational French with pronunciation feedback, you may want to use French Together along with Babbel.

Read on if you'd like to know more about what's good and bad about Babbel.

What is Babbel?

Developed by educators and linguists, Babbel is a language learning app that offers French lessons for beginners to upper intermediate level.

It's available as both a web app that you can use on your computer and as a mobile app that you can use on your Android or iOS device.

Each Babbel course is made up of nine lessons that each take roughly 10 minutes or so to complete. The lessons include a wide variety of exercises.

Babbel covers most basic parts of French learning: listening, reading, speaking, writing, and features grammar and even culture-related explanations.

What's good about Babbel?

Here's what I like most about Babbel.

• Babbel's interface is clean-looking, very easy to use, and intuitive. This is great for everyone, especially people like me, who aren't great with complicated or flashy tech.

• Regardless of your learning level, you have access to all of Babbel's course levels in the language you're studying. So if you want to start learning or revising by doing something easier, or if you want a challenge or test of your current French abilities, that is absolutely an option.

• Varied exercises keep things interesting. At first, Babbel's lessons seem like they could be repetitive, since they focus on specific vocabulary and a dialogue. But as many fellow reviewers of Babbel have pointed out, the app's creators are very skilled at varying exercises. So, one time you might have to say a vocabulary word into your computer or phone's microphone and in the next part of the lesson you might have to do a word scramble.

• All audio is provided by native French speakers (just like French Together), so you'll get to train your ear by listening to actual French people.

• When Babbel's AI doesn't understand your pronunciation, you'll see a transcription of what it thinks you said. This can help you notice if you have a problem pronouncing specific words or sounds (and what native French speakers might hear instead).

• Vocabulary words are associated with images, which may help some learners remember them better.

• As you learn vocabulary, the lesson adds scenarios, words, and contexts that show you how you can apply that knowledge in practical situations. For instance, using prepositions can be applied to asking directions if you're visiting a French city.

• In some lessons, a little window will pop up at the top of your screen to offer additional information, grammar tips, or a warning about a potentially embarrassing faux ami. Very helpful! I also enjoyed that some of these tips are very specific things about art or culture (for example, popping up to cite Courbet's Un enterrement à Ornans in a fill-in-the-text activity where it wasn't absolutely necessary). That gets major props from an art lover like me!

• Challenging lessons. The highest level you can take in Babbel's French offering is Advanced Intermediate (the equivalent of CEFR level B2). I was pleasantly surprised that these lessons were truly challenging, with all text, including instructions, completely in French, and audio that was at a normal speed or only slightly slower, with people sometimes swallowing or slurring words, even proper names (just as they might in real life). The word scrambles and other exercises at this level were also sufficiently challenging.

• Lessons at all levels can be rigorous on Babbel, but I love that they're not timed, so you can sit for a moment and think about your answers if you need to (or even take an emergency bathroom break!)

• Babbel features a lot of review options, from additional exercises to flashcards and audio practice.

What's not so good about Babbel?

Here's what I didn't like about Babbel.

• Like just about any language learning app out there, Babbel alone will not make you fluent in French. You'll need additional help for that (more on this further on).

• The online courses offered on Babbel cost extra. These courses seem like they would be a really interesting and helpful supplement to the rest of the app. But despite the fact that you're already paying for Babbel, if you want to take these courses, you'll have to pay more, after one free trial lesson.

• Pronunciation evaluations could be stricter. While the quality of Babbel's tech when it comes to processing audio from you microphone is impressive, it's a bit relaxed when it comes to evaluating pronunciation. It's understandable that the AI wasn't programmed to expect language learners to have the same accents as native French speakers. After all, no matter how advanced their level of French is, just about every non-native speaker will have at least a slight accent. But it would be nice if it was a bit more demanding at times, or if there were an option where you could practice tricky sounds.

• You can't do much with dialogues besides listen to them. It's good that all audio is from native French speakers, and that dialogues are generally spoken at a normal or only slightly slower speed than usual. That said, if you'd like to really take the time to break down words and dialogues (something many other language learning apps, including the French Together app offer), that isn't possible here. For instance, there doesn't seem to be an option to slow down audio or to listen to audio at both slow and normal speeds.

• There are no dialogue transcripts. Babbel's dialogues are shown in writing line-by-line in certain exercises, but it would be very helpful to have a review option that lets you go back and listen to the dialogues alongside the text. This is especially useful for a language like French, where the way a word is written and the way it's pronounced can often be very different. And as someone who's both a visual learner and slightly hard of hearing, transcripts are always appreciated.

How much does Babbel cost?

Babbel offers several subscription lengths, with better value for longer commitments:

US Pricing (Single Language):

• 1-Month: $17.95/month
• 3-Month: $15.25/month (total $45.75)
• 6-Month: $13.45/month (total $80.70)
• 12-Month: $8.95/month (total $107.40)

Lifetime (All 14 Languages):

• $299.99 (one-time payment)

These prices include Babbel's standard promotional discounts. The 12-month plan offers the best value at 50% off the monthly rate.

Babbel provides one free lesson per language and a 20-day money-back guarantee.

You can check Babbel pricing in your region's currency on Babbel's Prices page.

Babbel vs French Together: Which is better for speaking French?

If your main goal is to speak French confidently in real conversations, here's how Babbel and French Together compare:

Feature	Babbel	French Together
Pronunciation feedback	⚠️ Basic recognition	✅ 0-100% AI scoring
Audio speed options	❌ One speed only	✅ Slow + normal speed
Dialogue transcripts	❌ Not available	✅ Always visible
AI conversation practice	❌	✅ 100 messages/day
Focus	General overview	Conversation mastery
Annual cost	$107	$174
Best for	Variety & structure	Speaking confidently

The honest truth: Babbel is excellent for well-rounded practice with varied exercises. But if your specific goal is to speak French fluently, French Together's focused approach gets you there faster.

Think about it this way: Babbel teaches you about French. French Together teaches you to speak French.

Why French Together users speak faster

Most students go from 60% to 90%+ pronunciation in 30 days with French Together. Here's why:

1. You get actual pronunciation scores (0-100%)
Not just "try again" or a green checkmark. You see exactly which sounds need work. Track your progress daily. Most Babbel users have no idea if they're pronouncing words correctly or if the AI is just being lenient.

2. You practice at two speeds
Start with slow audio to catch every syllable. Progress to natural speed when ready. Babbel only offers one speed, so you either struggle to keep up or never challenge yourself with real conversation pace.

3. You can see what you actually said
Speech-to-text shows your exact words. Catch mistakes immediately. Understand why French people might misunderstand you. Babbel doesn't show you this.

4. You actually have conversations
100 AI messages per day means unlimited practice. Not exercises about conversations. Real back-and-forth dialogue where you respond naturally. Babbel's speaking practice is limited to repeating pre-written phrases.

5. Every lesson builds conversation skills
90 interactive lessons covering situations you'll actually encounter: ordering coffee, asking directions, making plans. Not "the apple is red" or random vocabulary that sounds good in an app but never comes up in real life.

Real results from French Together users:

"I live in Paris, and since I started using French Together, people I interact with regularly have been commenting on how much my French has improved." – Stephanie A.

"Passed B1 oral with 92% pass rate. No way would have achieved that without this course." – Chris H., Switzerland

"This course has given me more confidence in my pronunciation... I really only had about 2 months with your program and already felt more comfortable." – Rebecca S., United States

Should I use Babbel to learn French?

Babbel French covers a lot of ground, and its varied exercises keep practice interesting. It's also a great way to see how what you're learning can be used in practical situations. But, like most language learning apps, Babbel can't do it all.

Here's my recommendation based on your goal:

If you want varied practice across all skills:

Use Babbel. It's excellent for getting exposure to reading, writing, listening, and basic speaking with structured lessons.

If you want to speak French confidently:

Start with French Together's 7-day free trial. The focused conversation approach will get you speaking faster, and you can always add Babbel later for supplementary grammar practice.

If you're on a tight budget:

Try Duolingo (free) first, then consider which paid app addresses your specific weak points.

Want the best of both?

Many learners use Babbel for general practice and French Together for intensive conversation and pronunciation training. This combination works especially well.

My honest take: What worked for me

After testing both apps extensively, here's what I found:

Babbel excels at:

• Structured variety (never boring)
• Cultural context and grammar tips
• Flexible difficulty levels
• Good value for comprehensive practice

But for conversation practice specifically:

• Pronunciation feedback isn't detailed enough
• Can't adjust audio speed for practice
• No way to have extended conversations
• Limited speaking practice overall

That's exactly why I built French Together. If you complete Babbel's entire French course but still can't order coffee confidently in Paris, that's a problem. French Together fills that specific gap.

Let's address the elephant in the room

"Do I really need to pay for this? Can't I just use free apps?"

You can. And in 2 years you'll still be learning that "the apple is red." Free apps make money by keeping you addicted, not by teaching you French. We make money when you actually learn to speak. Big difference.

"What if I sign up and then don't use it?"

That's why we send daily reminders (that you can turn off). But honestly? When you see yourself going from 60% to 85% pronunciation in a week, you'll want to practice. Progress is addictive.

"Is the 7-day trial really free?"

Yes, but we do ask for payment info upfront (like Netflix). Why? We're a small team and this helps prevent fraud and abuse. It keeps the app running smoothly for serious learners like you. You can cancel in literally one click from your account settings if it's not for you. No phone calls needed.

"What's your refund policy?"

30-day money-back guarantee. No questions, no "please tell us why you're leaving" surveys. Just email us, we'll refund you. We only want happy, speaking students.

Your next step

Don't just take my word for it. Try both and see which feels right:

→ Want to speak confidently? Try French Together free for 7 days (0-100% pronunciation scoring, 100 daily AI messages, cancel anytime) + 30-day money-back guarantee

→ Want varied, structured lessons? Try Babbel (one free lesson per language, 20-day guarantee)

→ Not sure yet? Start with Duolingo (completely free) to see if app-based learning works for you

The truth is: No app can make you fluent alone. But combining the right tools for your specific goals makes all the difference.

For general French practice: Babbel is excellent.
For speaking confidently: French Together is purpose-built for that.
For complete fluency: Use both + conversation partners + immersion.

Most French Together users see their pronunciation score improve 15-20 points in their first month. Want to see your score by next week?

→ Start your free trial now (7 days free, then $14.50/month when paid annually - cancel anytime with no charge)

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I hope this Babbel review was helpful. Whichever app(s) you choose to learn or practice French, good luck and enjoy your French learning journey!

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Last updated: November 11, 2025

*This article contains an honest comparison based on real testing. Prices verified November 2025.