This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Ian Ferdock. Find him on Instagram at @ianferdock. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
The advent of the internet and the proliferation of cell phones have put boundless information at our fingertips. While most of us use our phones to scroll on TikTok, there are plenty of more practical uses. A growing genre of mobile applications is centered around language learning. Learning a new language has numerous benefits. You can learn more about foreign cultures, which is especially useful if you like to travel. Plus, you can add practical skills to your resume if you reach a fluent level. However, like most things today, there are a lot of choices out there. Two of the leading apps that help people learn new languages are Duolingo and Babbel. Both have a ton of utility, but which is better?
My Experience With Language Learning
One of the requirements for my degree in history was to reach an intermediate level of proficiency in a foreign language. Selecting German was not bold enough, because I took an alternate route of teaching myself German instead of taking traditional courses. It was undoubtedly a difficult journey, but I utilized Duolingo and Babbel to help me reach my goal. While I did use plenty of outside resources, the ease of having content on my phone facilitated more immersive learning. It didn’t matter where I was or what time of day, since I almost always have my phone, I could use both apps to continuously learn. However, each app has strengths and weaknesses. One platform may be more well-suited to your goals than the other.
Duolingo vs Babbel: The Cost
The most important element to discuss is cost. Duolingo is more accessible when it comes to pricing. They have a free version of their app whereas Babbel only has a very limited free trial.
On the free version, Duolingo does have certain limitations. You must deal with pesky ads and limited lives. Each time you make a mistake you lose a heart. Once you run out of hearts, you have to watch more ads or wait to accumulate more hearts. This is especially frustrating when you are doing a tough lesson. Repetition is everything and having to stop and wait for more hearts can get annoying.
Luckily, there is a paid version. When you decide to upgrade the app, you get unlimited lives and additional features. The starting price for Super Duolingo is $12.99 a month or you can opt for a reduced annual rate of $83.99. You can get even more features with Max Duolingo which will set you back $29.99 each month or $167.99 annually. There are family plans too which of course cost more. The tradeoff is you can have more than one user on the account.
When you download Babbel, there is a limited free trial. However, if you don’t want to pay up you really can’t use their app. Babbel also does not offer single-month subscriptions either. They offer a 3-month subscription for $45.75 and an annual subscription for $107.40. Or you could make a steeper commitment with a $599 lifetime subscription. This renders Babbel the more expensive option. I would argue that it is reasonable because the app has a lot more functionality and content compared to Duolingo. Babbel has only one subscription tier, so you get access to all features. Plus, they often have discounts and sale prices.
How They Work: Duolingo vs Babbel
Duolingo
Duolingo has a pretty straightforward setup. You essentially have a path laid out for you that is broken down into various sections relating to the level of difficulty. You complete one lesson to unlock the next. Along the path, some lessons focus on speaking and conversations as well as listening and reading. If you decide to subscribe to the Super or Max versions of the app, you also get additional features. These extras allow you to practice outside of the normal lesson pathway. This is great because you can spend time focusing on improving specific weaknesses.
Another positive aspect of Duolingo is being able to interact with other users. Each week there is a leaderboard that allows you to compete with other language learners. For every lesson you do, you get a certain amount of XP. Different lessons will give you a different amount of XP, usually depending on their difficulty. You can also complete certain goals which will give you a double XP boost. I was a big fan of this feature because the idea of a competition made me more diligent and motivated.
The biggest downside of Duolingo is its limitations in choice. Along the normal learning pathway, you don’t get to choose the order you take lessons. The only way to alter the prescribed course is to take an exam to test out of a section. Furthermore, while there are practice features outside of this content your choices are still somewhat limited. You can decide if you want to focus on speaking or listening, but not necessarily which vocabulary you want to practice.
Another important thing to consider is how often Duolingo has changed. I used the app for about 2 years, and a lot changed during that time. Sometimes I liked the changes, and sometimes I didn’t. The point is, before you spend money just be aware that the way the app looks today may be different tomorrow.
Babbel
Some of you may be put off by the price of Babbel, but it’s worth understanding what it has to offer. Other than a higher price tag, Babbel does offer learners a much more personalized experience. Like Duolingo, lessons on Babbel are broken down into sections based on difficulty. However, where it departs is the ability to choose what lesson you want to do. At any point, you can take any lesson. There is no waiting or unlocking lessons. That allows users to either follow the suggested path or do their own thing. I think this is a big benefit because each user will have different needs. Furthermore, if you want to go back and understand a concept better by retaking a lesson it’s much easier to find. The lessons on Babbel are well-labeled, which makes it easier to navigate the content.
One similarity to Duolingo is the ability to practice. Babbel also has different practice lessons that allow you to focus on specific skills. What sets these apps apart is yet again the element of choice. When using Babbel, you practice a specific skill, and you can choose which set of vocabulary words you want those practice lessons to focus on. You can even create specific vocabulary lists to help you better organize the content to meet your needs. It is worth noting that it is crucial to utilize the practice lessons in Babbel. Their lessons move a lot quicker compared to Duolingo. The best way to retain the information will always be to practice, practice, practice. Since the lessons have less repetition than Duolingo, you must make sure you get that repetition in the practice lessons.
Besides possessing a higher level of personalization, Babbel has overall more content. They have more basic lessons like Duolingo that guide you along a traditional learning path. However, they also have more subsections. These subsections may focus on a specific vocabulary theme. Or they could further explain a particular grammar concept. They even have sections that fixate on cultural nuisances associated with a specific language.
The Final Verdict: Duolingo vs Babbel
After reviewing the strengths and weaknesses of Duolingo and Babbel, you may be wondering which option is best. Honestly, it depends on what you want out of your language-learning experience. I would recommend starting with Duolingo. It has a free version which allows you to see if it’s a good fit and the subscription has less expensive options. Another big benefit of Duolingo is its level of repetition. You see a lot of the same words and phrases so it’s easier to retain information. There is support for optional practice lessons, but they aren’t necessary because of how repetitive the lessons are. In that sense, the lessons themselves provide a lot of practice.
I found it was easier to use Duolingo more regularly because the experience was more game-like. This makes it ideal for casual learners. With a low-cost and game-like environment, if you are learning a language for fun this is probably your best option.
If your goal in learning a new language is to strive for a higher level of proficiency Duolingo may still be a good start. However, it is ultimately a bit limited. Even though there has been an increased focus on integrating artificial intelligence into the app expanding its complexity, Duolingo is more focused towards the beginning stages of learning a language. Duolingo is great for expanding vocabulary through repetition and it’s a more fun experience. There is some focus on grammar as well, but ultimately Babbel is more comprehensive.
If you are serious about attaining fluency, you will need something with more content like Babbel. It is more expensive, but I would argue you get a lot more value out of the app. You can also pay more to have actual lessons with real teachers, which right now Duolingo does not offer. The one caveat of Babbel is it does require more discipline. There isn’t a ton of repetition in the main lessons. That means you must go out of your way to use the practice tools to retain new concepts. On the bright side, both Duolingo and Babbel have ways to set reminders and notifications to keep you on track.
Other Language Learning Tips
If you have been contemplating learning a new language, or if you are required to for academic credit, I highly recommend investing some time in these options. It’s great to have an easy way to learn at all times. That said, I will be honest with you. Learning a language is tough. For some people, it will be easier than others. However, it undeniably takes a lot of commitment. Neither of these two apps will be all you need. It’s crucial to use as many sources as possible. There are tons of other free websites with content available as well.
One strategy that was helpful for me was to watch TV shows and movies in German. I also read short stories online or from books on Amazon. The main thing is finding out what works for you. Give yourself a reasonable budget for how much you want to invest your time and money.
Let us know what resources you have used to learn a new language in the comments below!
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