Babbel vs Duolingo: Which One to Choose in 2024?

Are you a language learner and looking for a perfect place to learn a new language? There are multiple platforms where you can learn a new language while sitting at your home. But with multiple options, also comes huge confusion of which platform to choose. The two most successful running language learning platforms are Duolingo and Babbel. Therefore here we will help you to give a detailed guide on Babbel vs Duolingo, which will help you to understand which platform should you choose.

Quick Takeaways

• Duolingo is a language learning platform that follows the gamified approach to learning a new language.
• Babbel is a platform that follows the in-context approach to teach you a new language.
• Babbel only offers 14 languages where as Duolingo offers more than a hundred languages.
• The lessons on Duolingo are more like a game and the lessons on Babbel are more contextual based.
• If we talk about Duolingo, there is a paid as well as a free version. On the other hand, Babbel is a purely subscription-based platform.

However, you must read till the end so that you get a better understanding of Babbel vs Duolingo.

What is Duolingo?

Duolingo is a language learning platform that helps you to learn the language on your own by following the gamified approach. It is a platform on which you get different exercises that you need to perform to learn the language. This platform has different features like unlimited health that help to be careful when you are practicing the language. Further, this platform also has special features known as Duolingo gems. It is like a currency that helps you to buy boosters or unlock new lessons. It is a platform that follows the gamified approach which means that all the lessons on this platform include a lot of different games.

What is Babbel?

Babbel is another language-learning app that helps you to learn the language while sitting at your home. It is a platform where you can learn different languages by paying a subscription plan. According to its official website, Babbel is the first language-learning app in the whole world. There have been 10 million subscribers on this platform that have learned a new language through it. The lessons on this platform are detailed. There are only 14 languages that are available on this platform. Following is the list of the languages available on Babbel-

• Indonesian
• Polish
• Italian
• Spanish
• French
• Danish
• Dutch
• English
• German
• Norwegian
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Turkish
• Swedish 

Babbel vs Duolingo: Which one to choose?

If you are a language learner and have a particular budget then choosing Duolingo is a better option. Additionally, if you are looking to learn a language just for fun or because you want to have a conversation with another person then you must choose it. On the other hand, if you are looking for a platform that has detailed courses then you must choose the Babbel platform. However it is based on a subscription plan and therefore, if you are on a particular budget then you must avoid taking this platform. Which platform should you choose also depends upon various factors. Therefore further we have discussed differences between both platforms based on different factors.

Related: Babbel vs Rosetta Stone: Which One to Choose in 2024? (Detailed Comparison)

What is the difference between Babbel and Duolingo?

Following are the points that you must remember when you are looking up the difference between Babbel and Duolingo-

1. Languages 

The first thing that you need to choose while learning a new language is the range of the language available on the platform. As we mentioned above, if we talk about Babbel there are only 14 languages offered on this platform. When you are using Duolingo, it has a wide range of languages that you can choose from. It means there are high chances of overlapping of the languages on both of the platforms. Following are some of the common languages that are available on both of the platforms-

• Dutch
• Italian
• Turkish 
• Russian 
• Dutch 
• French 
• Spanish 
• German
• Swedish 
• Polish

However, an important thing that you must remember over here is that the course structure of different languages is different on Duolingo. On the other hand, if we talk about Babbel, all the courses that are available on the platform are designed equally. It means that whether you are learning an old language or a new language you will find equal opportunities for all languages. 

2. Course structure

The structure of courses on Duolingo is very engaging and is mostly created in the form of different games. Whereas when you are using Babbel for learning a new language then it will have high-tech textbook content in it. Many of the users are confused about the exercises on Duolingo which results in spending a lot of time speaking the words. Whereas on Babble, you will find the context more complex. Further, as it has a context that is complex in nature, It will also make it boring for you as there will be no fun activities in between the content. The lessons on this platform focus on conversational languages, grammatical concepts, verbal practices, and feedback mechanisms.

It means that you can get instant feedback on exercises that help you to understand your mistakes and learn them properly. On the other hand, if we talk about the Duolingo platform, then the lessons on this platform are based on a gamified approach and interactive exercises. There are also streaks and rewards that you get when you are performing your exercises regularly.

It means that this platform also believes in high motivation. If you find a concept that is too tough to understand there is also an additional practice feature that will help you to learn the language properly. Also when you are using this platform you will find that the units are divided into different modules. These modules include different topics like food, animals, phrases, traveling, etc.

3. Pricing 

Both of the platforms have subscription plans but the prices are different for each of them. Duolingo is a platform that is well known for its free courses for learning the language. Whereas if we talk about the Babbel platform, you will have to buy the subscription plan to use it. If you are tight on budget then you can always use the free version of the platform. When you are using the free version you are unable to get unlimited health.

As mentioned, it also has a premium subscription which will help to get unlimited health and removal of unnecessary ads. When you take up the subscription plan you become a member of Duolingo Plus or Super Duolingo. The price for the subscription will depend upon the type of subscription taken and the duration of the subscription. On the other hand, the constant price on the Babbel platform is $12.95 per month and if you get the subscription plan annually then it is $6.95 per month. 

4. Grammar lessons

Lessons on Babbel are very detailed and thus have great grammar explanations. Although on this platform in starting you may only have to listen to different sentences but with time you will be shifting on the grammatical lessons. Whether you are learning French, Spanish, or Italian, you must be getting a lot of grammatical rules on this platform. On the other hand, if we talk about Duolingo, it is a platform which not give importance to grammar exercises.

If you are learning a language not for conversational purposes then you must avoid using the Duolingo platform. It is because this platform is best for learners who want to improve their speaking and listening skills. The grammar exercises on Babbel are very short and only include one or two-line explanations in English.

5. Community support

Whenever we use a new platform it is very crucial to understand how the spot system of the platform works. Babbel is a platform that has a lot of supportive community and resources that help to enhance your learning experience. Starting with this platform offers a community system where learners from different parts of the world connect with each other and share their experiences. They also ask questions and even find language exchange partners that help them to develop their language skills. The next feature that you get on this platform is the customer support.

Whether you are having technical issues or billing queries this platform has its own support team that will help you to deal with the problems on the platform. There is also a magazine that has a lot of helpful posts for language learners. The magazine has a different website and has a lot of articles and tips for learning a new language.

On the other hand, if we talk about Duolingo, the only feature they have with respect to your support is the help center. You can get in touch with the support system of the platform and tell them the issue you facing. However, earlier it also had Duolingo forums where you can vote for the language you want to learn or can post your queries for questions related to the language you are learning. An important point that you must remember is that it can be a popular reason why Duolingo does not have languages like Tagalog, Serbian, etc.

6. Additional features 

Both platform also offers additional features to make you practice more and develop your language skills. If I talk about, Babbel, here you will be getting live classes that will help you to learn the language by certified teachers. It will help you to get an opportunity for real-time interactions and also instant feedback. On the other hand, if we talk about Duolingo, there are Duolingo events where a post invites learners from all over the world to connect with different learners.

In these events, you can either practice your target language or connect with other people and become friends with them. You also get Duolingo stories which helps you to build up your various skills like reading and listening. On the other hand, as discussed above Babbel offers you with magazine that helps you to boost up your language knowledge.

Conclusion

Babbel and Duolingo are the two main platforms that help you learn a new language while sitting at home. However, if you are confused about which platform to choose then it is very important that you have a quick comparison between Babbel vs Duolingo. If you are a person who has a budget then Duolingo is a perfect choice for you.

Whereas, if you want to get in detailed grammar explanation and you do not have a low budget then you must go for the Babbel platform. However, an important point you must remember is that there are only 14 languages offered on this platform. Thus, if you want to learn a language other than these 14 then you must choose the Duolingo platform.