Learning a new language remains a popular hobby, and sometimes it’s a must when you make a new friend who speaks a different language, you want to travel and not struggle, or you have to move for work.
Online language-learning apps have made it so much easier to learn a new language, and with most of the platforms, you can learn a bit of the language with a small daily time commitment.
Babbel and Memrise are popular options, but who wins the battle and teaches you better?
I’ve reviewed countless language-learning solutions, and since I’m a polyglot, I know the value of a good platform and suitable teaching approaches.
Here’s a breakdown of Babbel vs Memrise so you can decide which one is ideal for you.
Begin learning a new language with Babbel! 🌟 Unlock up to 55% OFF your Babbel subscription today!
What Is Babbel?
Founded in 2007, Babbel is a German-owned company. The app is the first online language-learning solution.
Babbel aims to immerse you in a target language and get you conversational ASAP.
Here are key statistics about Babbel:
You can learn on the Babbel website and its iOS and Android mobile apps.
50+ million people have downloaded the app from Google Play.
The Babbel site is relatively accessible since it’s available in 9 languages.
In February 2024, 10.4 million visitors checked out Babbel’s website. (similarweb)
The main sources of web traffic are from the U.S., Germany, Italy, France, and Brazil.
PROs
- Clean, user-friendly interface suitable for teens and adults
- Free trial and 20-day money-back guarantee
- Various interactive exercises per lesson
- Effective vocab trainer and native speaker recordings
CONs
- It's quite pricey for a single-language subscription
- Limited for upper-intermediate and advanced learners
- Restrictions and booking issues for live group classes
- Limited language options
Special Features of Babbel
- Learn via the interactive lessons, live group lessons, games, podcasts, videos, and the Babbel magazine.
- Download Toucan to immerse yourself in the target language as you explore the internet.
- Create goals for motivation.
- Learn online and offline.
- Use the special lessons if you want to focus on a specific topic.
- Start at the beginning, skip to what you want to learn, or do a placement test.
Want to learn more? Here my articles listed below:
How Does Babbel Teach You a New Language?
Babbel’s language-learning method is geared to develop your conversational skills. You learn the target language while you get an idea of the local culture.
The language courses are researched-backed and designed by more than 150 experts.
With Babbel, you learn via:
- Real-world conversations.
- Authenticity with native audio.
- Proven techniques to get you to learn, review, and retain the new knowledge of the target language.
Who Should Use Babbel?
Since Babbel’s interface is minimalist and has a grown-up feel, the app is ideal for teens and adults.
Babbel is also best for beginner students who know nothing or very little about the target language. Intermediate users can benefit from Babbel if they use the app to review the target language or want to practice vocab they aren’t a pro at.
Unfortunately, advanced students won’t find much use in Babbel since the platform doesn’t have good enough material for these learners.
What Is Memrise?
Created in 2010, Memrise is managed from London, the U.K. The language-learning platform is based on the founders’ interests (neuroscience and psychology) and they used what they know to create the app.
Here are key statistics about Memrise:
You can learn via the Memrise website and the mobile app that’s available on Google Play and the App Store.
More than 10 million people have downloaded the Android version of Memrise even though the app has 65 million registered users. (Business of Apps)
The website is very accessible, since it’s available in 20+ languages.
The website gets nearly 4 million monthly visitors. (similarweb)
Most of the site traffic comes from the U.S., the U.K., Vietnam, Poland, and Turkey.
PROs
- Freemium version allows learning across all languages
- Compact, interactive lessons compared to other platforms
- Videos featuring native speakers
- Customizable learning plan
CONs
- Lack of clarity on available languages and restrictions
- Slow-loading videos on the desktop version
- Discrepancy in features between the website and app
- Limited benefits for intermediate and advanced learners
Special Features of Memrise
- Learn via the interactive vocabulary builder lessons, listening (or video) lessons, and speaking (AI conversation) exercises.
- Use the Phrasebooks on the website to learn more or look up a term or phrase.
- Personalized review plans.
- Official language courses and user-generated content.
How Does Memrise Teach You a New Language?
Memrise wants you to learn a language as quickly and easily as you can, and thus, it’s based on teaching you, immersing you in the language, and developing your communication skills.
These three “legs” form what the founders call the “Memrise stool.”
And the language courses are research-backed, too.
Who Should Use Memrise?
Beginners will benefit the most from using Memrise. However, these newbies should be teens and adults since the learning process isn’t child-friendly.
Intermediate learners can also review their language skills with Memrise, and as with Babbel, advanced students should steer clear.
Babbel vs Memrise: How Many Languages Can You Learn?
You can learn 14 languages with Babbel, while Memrise offers 25.
What language courses are available to you depends on your native language.
Here’s a breakdown of the languages available on Babbel and Memrise:
Language | Babbel | Memrise |
|---|---|---|
Arabic | No | Yes |
Chinese | No | Yes – Mandarin |
Danish | Yes | Yes |
Dutch | Yes | Yes |
English | Yes – British | Yes – British & American |
French | Yes | Yes |
German | Yes | Yes |
Icelandic | No | Yes |
Indonesian | Yes | No |
Italian | Yes | Yes |
Japanese | No | Yes – With + without script |
Korean | No | Yes |
Mongolian | No | Yes |
Norwegian | Yes | Yes |
Polish | Yes | Yes |
Portuguese | Yes – Brazil | Yes – Portugal & Brazil |
Russian | Yes | Yes |
Slovenian | No | Yes |
Spanish | Yes – Spain & Mexico | Yes – Spain & Mexico |
Swedish | No | Yes |
Turkish | Yes | Yes |
Yoruba | No | Yes |
Begin learning a new language with Babbel! 🌟 Unlock up to 55% OFF your Babbel subscription today!
Babbel vs Memrise Costs
There’s quite a big cost difference between Babbel vs Memrise, so let’s have a look:
Babbel
You can use Babbel for free, but there isn’t much you can do. With the free trial, you can do a few interactive lessons and complete 2 live group lessons.
Babbel offers 2 subscription options:
- Babbel Self-Study
- Babbel Live
You can complete interactive lessons, watch videos, access planning tools, and listen to podcasts with Babbel Self-Study.
The subscription costs US$13.95 per month (excluding discounts), and you can choose if you want to sign up and pay monthly, every 3 or 6 months, or yearly. With these options, you can only learn one language.
There’s also the Lifetime subscription, which gives you access to all of Babbel’s 14 language courses.
The other option is Babbel Live. You get everything in Self-Study, plus unlimited live group classes.
The subscription is pricey at US$99.00 per month (excluding discounts).
Memrise
Memrise has a limited freemium version with access to all of its language courses. You can watch two videos daily and complete some vocabulary builder lessons, but there are ads.
There are no restrictions with the Pro plan, and it costs (excluding discounts):
US$27.99 per month
US$130.99 per annum (once-off)
Or choose the Lifetime plan for forever access at a once-off US$199.99.
Babbel's Pros and Cons
Pros
- The clean interface is user-friendly, suited for teens and adults.
- A free trial so you can see how the platform works. And there’s a 20-day money-back guarantee if you’ve subscribed and aren’t satisfied.
- Various interactive exercises in a lesson, ensuring you won’t be bored.
- The vocab trainer is great, ensuring you remember what you learned. Plus, you can review the target language’s vocabulary too.
- You are exposed to natural language usage since native speakers recorded all the audio in the lessons.
- Basic grammar explanations, but that’s ideal if you aren’t the kind of learner who likes to drown in the details of how a language works.
- Babbel helps get you conversational, though their promise of doing so in a mere 3 weeks is unrealistic.
- Babbel Self-Study is affordable, and there’s the option of live classes if you enjoy that.
Cons
- Babbel is pricey if you consider that you can only learn one language per subscription. Plus, Babbel Live is costly too.
- Upper-intermediate and advanced learners won’t benefit much – if any – when using Babbel since the platform doesn’t have language material that’s challenging enough.
- I didn’t like the live group classes. It’s limited to 6 students, which isn’t bad, but you have to learn quite a bit of the target language before you can join a lesson. And, you need to book the live lessons in advance since they are booked out quite quickly.
- Babbel only offers 14 languages, so if you want to learn an African language or Chinese, for example, you’re out of luck.
- Kids won’t like the platform, and there are no family plans.
Begin learning a new language with Babbel! 🌟 Unlock up to 55% OFF your Babbel subscription today!
Memrise's Pros and Cons
Pros
- Memrise has a freemium version so you can learn quite a bit. Plus, you can study all the languages the platform has to offer!
- The lessons are interactive and even more compact compared to Babbel’s lessons.
- It’s nice to see videos of native speakers talking and interacting, helping you learn about the language and culture.
- Male and female native voice actors recorded the audio when you do the vocabulary builder exercises, and you can listen to both versions, helping you learn. This also prepares you when you have to interact with natives in real-life situations.
- You can customize your Memrise learning plan, choosing the lesson you want to focus on first. The app also tailors what you learn according to how little or much you know of the target language.
- The subscription options are affordable and you don’t have limitations on how many languages you can learn. Plus, the once-off lifetime plan is ideal if language-learning is a hobby.
- The platform offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you aren’t satisfied.
Cons
- When you check out the Memrise website, it’s not clear what languages you can learn. It’s only when you do the math and look at the native language-target language matches that you realize that Memrise has 25 official language courses.
- Your native tongue or language you are proficient in can prevent you from learning a language you would like to study. For example, Polish speakers can only learn 5 languages, while British English speakers have access to all of Memrise foreign languages (excluding British and American English, of course).
- I found that the videos in the exercises for the desktop version took long to load and that was frustrating.
- Learning a language on Memrise website versus the mobile app isn’t the same. Not all features on the app are available for desktop students, so it’s best to just learn via the mobile app.
- Memrise is ideal for beginner students; however, intermediate learners can benefit from the platform somewhat. Advanced students won’t be able to take advantage of what Memrise has to offer to further their language skills.
- The freemium version of Memrise is very restrictive. It’s great if you mostly want access to the vocabulary builders.
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Final Verdict: Which Language-Learning App Is Best for Me?
Memrise is better at teaching you vocabulary, but I love the vocab review feature on Babbel. You’ll also benefit more and improve your conversation skills on Babbel, even though the videos on Memrise are such a value-add.
Ultimately, the best language-learning platform for you depends on:
Your budget
What the app offers in terms of free vs paid features
The language you want to learn
Your learning style
How you use the app
Both Memrise and Babbel, however, are starting tools, and you must use other resources if you are serious about learning a new language.
If you enjoyed my article, please feel free to share it. Have any questions? Don't hesitate to email me!
Disclaimer: I select and review independently. If you buy through affiliate links, I may earn commissions that help support my testing at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure for more information.
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