Babbel vs Duolingo: I Used Both—Here’s What Actually Helped My Spanish

1. Do you want to learn phrases you’ll actually use in real life, not just “this panda does not speak Chinese”?

This one’s huge for me. I didn’t move to Spain just to learn how to say “the ducks are reading the newspaper.” I wanted to be able to ask where the bathroom is, order food, or explain that I’m still learning Spanish without sounding like a robot. So here’s how Babbel and Duolingo compare when it comes to teaching you useful, real-world language:

Babbel

From the very first lesson, Babbel will teach you phrases you can actually use in everyday situations—like ordering a coffee, checking into a hotel, or chatting with a local. The lessons are built around real conversations, and they always give you the context behind what you’re saying. You’re not just translating random words—you’re practicing how people actually talk. And this was a huge help for me.

Duolingo

Now don’t get me wrong—Duolingo is fun. But sometimes it gets a little too caught up in being quirky. You’ll definitely come across sentences like “My cat drinks wine.” It’s entertaining at first, but after a while, you start wondering if any of it will actually help you when you’re trying to open a bank account or explain a problem at the pharmacy. They’ve added more practical content recently, but those weird sentences still pop up. If you’re learning for fun, it might not bother you. But if you’re trying to survive in a new city, it can feel like a waste of time.

Winner: Babbel

2. Do you want to actually remember what you learned a week, a month, or a year from now?

Let’s be honest—what’s the point of learning a new word today if you can’t remember it tomorrow? Or next week? I’ve had moments where I felt great finishing a lesson, only to blank out completely the next time I tried to use the same word in real life. That’s why retention matters more than streaks.

Babbel

Babbel doesn’t just teach you new words and move on—it actually helps you review them at the right time, so they stick. Their review system is based on spaced repetition (SRS), which basically means it shows you a word just before you’re about to forget it. And it works. You can review words through flashcards, typing, listening, even speaking. The more you practice a word, the stronger it gets in your “memory bank.” You can literally see which words you’re good at and which ones need more work. It’s structured, smart, and actually helped me remember.

Duolingo

Duolingo also reminds you to review what you’ve learned, but the way it does it isn’t as effective (for me at least…). Sometimes it brings back words I just saw, even though I don’t need to review them yet. Other times, it waits too long and I´ve already forgotten the word. It feels more like the app is following a fixed schedule, not really adapting to what I personally need to review. So while it does help with memory to some extent, they´re system is not as smart as Babbel’s.

Winner: Babbel

3. Do you want a bit of grammar support, just enough to help you pick up language patterns?

Many learners search for “best app to learn grammar” or ask, “does Duolingo teach grammar?” That tells us people want grammar help—but not boring conjugation tables. Here’s how Babbel and Duolingo stack up:

Babbel

Babbel explains grammar in a way that’s easy to follow. While you’re learning a new sentence, you’ll get quick tips like “Why do adjectives come after the noun in Spanish?” or “Here’s how gender agreement works.” They keep it short, and you get to apply what you just learned right away.

There’s also a dedicated Grammar section where you can practice specific topics—like articles, verb conjugations, or question structure—on demand. It’s super useful if you want to focus on one weak spot. But to be honest, it only covers the basics. As you get into more advanced grammar, you’ll probably need extra resources or tools outside the app to go deeper.

Duolingo

Duolingo also has a bit of grammar support and when a say “a bit” I mean it´s very subtle I sometimes barely notice it. It´s as if Duolingo wants you to  “figure it out as you go.” You’ll spot patterns after repeating certain structures again and again, but unless you already have some background knowledge, it can be hard to understand why something is right or wrong.

That said, Duolingo Max now includes an “Explain My Answer” feature (powered by AI) that gives clearer grammar breakdowns when you make a mistake. It’s a step in the right direction—but it’s only available on the paid Max tier and it´s very pricy if you ask me.

Winner: Babbel and Duolingo Max (not Duolingo free version) are tied here, but both still need work. Their grammar support is helpful, just pretty basic.

4. Do you want to actually practice speaking, not just tap through lessons and move on?

It’s one thing to recognize words on a screen; it’s another to say them out loud—and have someone understand you. If you’re looking for an app that helps you actually speak, not just guess the next word in a sentence, here’s how these two compare:

Babbel

Babbel includes an AI conversation partner, and it gave me a space to practice Spanish without a real person in front of me. It works like this: you get short, realistic role-play scenarios—like ordering at a café or making small talk at a party—and you respond out loud in your own words, just like you would in real life. The AI listens, responds, and helps you stay in the flow.

On top of that, Babbel also has pronunciation checks built into each lesson. Even if you’re not using the AI feature, you still get to practice speaking.

Duolingo

Duolingo (free version) has speaking practice too, mostly in the form of reading sentences out loud or translating what’s on the screen. It’s simple and repetitive, which is helpful for beginners getting used to pronunciation.

If you upgrade to Duolingo Max (the premium version), you now get AI-powered conversations as well. These are short, scenario-based speaking exercises where the app actually replies to what you say—kind of like Babbel’s role-play tool. It’s a fairly new feature, and I think it’s a good addition to Duolingo. But it still has a lot of room to grow. The responses can feel a bit inconsistent, and sometimes the interaction doesn’t flow as naturally as you’d expect. Considering the price, I’d say it’s a bit of a gamble—but if you’re curious and like trying new tech, it might be worth exploring.

Winner: Babbel

5. Do you want a clear learning path that shows real progress, not just random lessons with no direction?

When you’re learning a new language, it helps to know exactly where you are—and where you’re headed. Otherwise, it just feels like you’re tapping through random exercises hoping something works.

Most serious language apps are structured around CEFR levels, so understanding how they work is an essential. Read my full guide to CEFR here to understand what level you’re in, what you should be learning, and why it matters.

Babbel

Once you sign up, Babbel offers a placement test to estimate your current level—whether you’re A1, A2, B1, B2, or C1. Based on your results, it recommends where to begin so you’re not wasting time on stuff you already know.

From there, the lessons follow a logical sequence: grammar, vocabulary, and real-life phrases are all tied to your level, and each one builds on the last. That way, what you learn in one lesson actually helps you understand the next. You’re not just swiping through random lessons—you’re working through a curriculum that makes sense. Each lesson contains relevant topics that are suited to your level.

You can even retake the placement test later to see if you’ve moved up a CEFR level, which is great if you want to track your progress over time in a measurable way.

Duolingo

Duolingo also structures its courses around the CEFR levels and provides a placement test too. In theory, you can reach up to B2, which is solid for holding everyday conversations. But in practice, I feel like the path doesn’t always feel clear. The app uses a “skill tree” that looks interactive and fun, but I feel like I´m just moving sideways instead of upward.

Even as I unlock more advanced units, the phrases and sentence structures often stay pretty basic and simple. There’s a lot of repetition—which is good for review, but sometimes it feels like the app is more focused on keeping me entertained than actually challenging me.

Winner: Babbel

6. Do you need motivation to stay consistent, even on the days you don’t feel like studying?

Let’s be honest—there are days when learning a language is the last thing you feel like doing. I’ve had plenty of those. That’s why I really started paying attention to how these apps keep you going when the excitement wears off. Some do it in a way that actually helps you build a habit. Others just throw numbers and pressure at you.

Babbel

Babbel isn’t gamified in the same way like Duolingo. It’s more structured and geared toward serious learners, so the lessons themselves feel more like focused study sessions. Sometimes the lessons feel like a drag because they are too lengthy (20 to 30 mins.) There are motivation features—like streak tracking, learning goals, and reminders—but they’re subtle. Personally, I had to build my own habit around using it. 

Duolingo

Duolingo is built to keep you coming back. Between streaks, XP points, daily challenges, leagues, and leaderboards, there’s always something pushing you to keep going. It turns language learning into a game—and for a lot of people, that works. It makes it fun, addicting, and easy to stick with, even if you’re just doing five minutes a day. That’s probably one of the biggest reasons why Duolingo is so popular—it knows how to keep you engaged.

Winner: Duolingo

Special Features

Duolingo Special Features

→ Read my full Duolingo review here — Everything from the gamified lessons to Duolingo Max and how far it really takes you.

• Skill-Focused Practice: You can focus on specific skills—like speaking full sentences out loud, listening to audio, or revisiting words you’ve already learned. Some languages also include Duolingo Stories—short, simple dialogues that help with everyday conversations without feeling like a grammar lecture.
• Mistake Tracking: Duolingo remembers what you got wrong and brings those mistakes back later, so you get more chances to practice and improve. It’s a subtle but effective way to reinforce what you learn.
• Leaderboards: If you’re even a little competitive, you’ll enjoy this. Earning XP and seeing where you rank against others gives you a small boost when motivation dips. Honestly, this feature alone has kept me going on days I didn’t feel like doing a full lesson.
• Quests: These are mini-goals you can complete daily or weekly, like practicing a certain skill or hitting an XP target. It keeps things interesting and gives you small wins that add up.
• Add Friends: You can follow your friends who are learning too. It adds a bit of encouragement—and a little friendly rivalry—to the experience.
• Duolingo Podcasts: Available in Spanish and French (and targeted at intermediate-level learners), these bilingual podcasts let you follow real-life stories—with scripted English explanations—to improve your listening and reading skills through engaging content.
• Discussion Forums & Tips: On the web version, the Discussion tab is a gold mine. If you question why an answer was marked wrong, you can tap into community threads for explanations and language nuance. It’s useful, especially when algorithms miss the mark.
• Duolingo Max (Paid Version)
  
  • Explain My Answer: If you get something wrong, the app explains why (though the quality of explanations can vary).
  • AI Conversations: A newer feature where you speak with the app in short, scenario-based dialogues and get replies. It’s a fun idea and definitely a step forward, but to be honest, the responses still feel a little inconsistent. For the price, it feels a bit risky—but if you’re curious and want to test out speaking more interactively, it could be worth trying.

Babbel Special Features

→ Read my full Babbel review here — how it works, what I liked, what’s missing, and if it’s worth paying for.

• Speech Recognition: Built into speaking exercises, Babbel checks your pronunciation in real time. It helps you get a feel for how close you are to sounding like a native speaker—without needing to overthink every syllable.
  
• Grammar Guide: Babbel doesn’t just throw grammar rules at you—it gives you space to practice them. Whether it’s personal pronouns, reflexive verbs, or forming the present continuous, the structure is there to help you understand and use the grammar naturally.
  
• Guided Conversations: These lessons walk you through real-life dialogues. You listen, then speak your part with voice recognition support. It’s a great stepping stone if you’re still building confidence in speaking.
  
• AI Conversation Partner: One of my favorite additions. You’re given short, everyday scenarios where you need to respond out loud—kind of like a role-play. It pushes you to actually use what you’ve learned, not just recognize it.
  
• Audio Recap: After a lesson, you can listen to a short audio recap that reviews key vocabulary, grammar points, and pronunciation. I like using this when I’m walking or cooking—it’s perfect when you don’t feel like staring at a screen.
  
• Spaced Repetition System (SRS): Babbel’s review tool brings words back right before you’re likely to forget them. It’s built into the app automatically, so you’re reinforcing your memory without needing to manually plan reviews.
  
• Correct Mistake Section: Any mistakes you’ve made during lessons are saved in one place. You can go back, re-practice them, and actually fix what you got wrong. It’s super useful, especially if you’re the type who likes to double back and improve.
  
• Vocabulary Manager: You can favorite or mark words and phrases, and review them later in different formats—writing, listening, speaking, or flashcards. Great for building your personal word bank.
  
• Podcasts + Cultural Tips: Once you get past the basics, Babbel includes short podcasts and cultural notes that make the language feel more alive. It’s not just vocabulary—it gives you context and personality behind the words.

Quick Comparison Table: Babbel vs Duolingo