Duolingo vs Babbel
Duolingo costs nothing to start and pays for itself through ads and two paid tiers, while Babbel sells guided lessons for a fee and publishes the amounts. The choice is between a free daily habit and a structured paid course. Duolingo's pricing pages could not be read by us, so only Babbel has numbers here. Babbel adds a one-time lifetime payment, which Duolingo does not mention in anything we read.
Sebastiaan SmitsFounderVendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
Choose Duolingo ifyou want to start for free, like short game-style sessions, and are fine with ads unless you upgrade.
Choose Babbel ifyou want a guided path in one of 14 languages, prefer a stated price, and would rather pay once or for a fixed term than see ads.
Duolingo and Babbel side by side
| Duolingo | Babbel | |
|---|---|---|
| Our language learning apps rank | #12 of 12 | #6 of 12 |
| Established in | United States | Germany |
| List price, 2 November 2026 | Ad-supported free use; paid Super and Max tiers (no amounts could be read on the fetched pages) | Pay 17.99 euro monthly on a 3-month term, 8.99 euro monthly on a 12-month term, or 299.99 euro once for Lifetime |
| Free tier | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Casual beginners who want a free daily habit across many subjects | Adults who want guided lessons in a major European language |
| Not for | Learners who need speaking practice with people | Learners seeking rare languages or live teacher time |
Both are reviewed in full in our language learning apps ranking: Duolingo and Babbel.
Where they differ
Duolingo 1 · Babbel 3 · open 1- 01
What the first day costs
Duolingo says its courses are free to use and are funded by ads plus the Super and Max subscriptions. Babbel starts with paid terms. If you only want to try a language this week, Duolingo asks for nothing.
Edge: Duolingo
- 02
Which prices we could confirm
Babbel's page shows 17.99 euro per month on a 3-month term, 8.99 euro per month on a 12-month term and 299.99 euro once for lifetime. Duolingo's Super page is client-rendered, so we state no amount for Super or Max. A buyer who wants a number before signing up gets one from Babbel only.
Edge: Babbel
- 03
Removing ads and adding AI
On Duolingo, Super is the ad-free tier and Max sits above it with Video Call and Roleplay. Babbel lists an AI speaking partner, Babbel Speak, which is still a beta that may be charged for later. Both keep AI practice in an unsettled or top-tier position.
Depends on the buyer
- 04
Ending the spending
Babbel offers a lifetime option that ends the renewal question after one payment, though lifetime terms should be read before buying. Duolingo's free version has no end date either, but ad-free study needs a subscription we could not price.
Edge: Babbel
- 05
Where each company is based
Our data lists Babbel in Germany, as Babbel GmbH in Berlin. Duolingo is listed in the United States, and its blog places its headquarters in Pittsburgh. For a buyer who prefers a European vendor, Babbel fits.
Edge: Babbel
When neither fits
If you need live conversation with a person, neither app gives you that. Preply and italki are the tutor routes in this category.
Duolingo or Babbel: questions
3 answersIs Duolingo really free?
Per its blog, every course is free to use and paid for by ads and the Super and Max subscriptions. Super removes ads.
Does Babbel have a lifetime price?
Yes, a one-time lifetime payment of 299.99 euro, listed beside 3-month and 12-month subscriptions that cover 14 languages.
Why is there no Duolingo price here?
Its pricing pages are client-rendered and we could not read them, so we state none rather than guess.
Sources
Checked 2 November 2026- Duolingo blog: is Duolingo free: free courses paid for by ads and by the two tiers; Super removes ads.
- Duolingo blog: Duolingo Max: Max ranks above Super, with Video Call and Roleplay.
- Duolingo Super page: client-rendered, price unreadable.
- Babbel prices page: term prices, lifetime payment, lesson count, language count and the speaking partner in beta.
- Babbel imprint: registered as Babbel GmbH in Berlin.