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Education · head to head

Babbel vs Brilliant

Babbel logo

Babbel

Education

Language learning that works

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Brilliant logo

Brilliant

Education

Learn math and science through problem-solving

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Brilliant has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Babbel the App Store listing for Babbel (seller of record: Babbel GmbH) states that subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, with payment charged to the buyer's Apple account; plans are sold in 1, 3, 6 and 12 month terms, and the listing itself discloses no price figure, so the actual monthly-equivalent cost is not visible without proceeding into a purchase flow.; Brilliant requires active daily engagement to maintain learning streaks, which can feel gamified
  • They diverge on capability: Babbel covers Bite-sized lessons, Brilliant covers Interactive lessons.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Babbel and Brilliant actually diverge.

Attributes where Babbel and Brilliant differ
AttributeBabbelBrilliant
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
Founded20072012

Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Babbel

  • Bite-sized lessons
  • Speech recognition
  • Review sessions
  • Podcasts
  • Games
  • Live classes
  • Offline mode

Only in Brilliant

  • Interactive lessons
  • Problem-solving
  • Daily challenges
  • Guided paths
  • Offline access
  • Mobile learning

Both cover

  • Progress tracking
  • Mobile apps
  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Babbel

  • Language learningnot Brilliant
  • Travel preparationnot Brilliant
  • Career developmentnot Brilliant
  • Hobbynot Brilliant

Brilliant

  • Math learningnot Babbel
  • Science educationnot Babbel
  • Programming basicsnot Babbel
  • Problem-solving skillsnot Babbel

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Babbel

  • The App Store listing for Babbel (seller of record: Babbel GmbH) states that subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, with payment charged to the buyer's Apple account; plans are sold in 1, 3, 6 and 12 month terms, and the listing itself discloses no price figure, so the actual monthly-equivalent cost is not visible without proceeding into a purchase flow.

Brilliant

  • Requires active daily engagement to maintain learning streaks, which can feel gamified
  • Premium subscription needed for full course access; basic free tier is limited
  • Focuses only on STEM subjects; no humanities or social sciences
  • Interactive nature requires more time commitment than passive video learning

Pricing, plan by plan

Babbel

On request
  • 3 Months$8.95/month
    • 1 language
    • All lessons
    • Speech recognition
  • 6 Months$7.45/month
    • 1 language
    • Review sessions
    • Podcasts
  • 12 Months$6.95/month
    • 1 language
    • Games
    • All features
  • Lifetime$249/month
    • All 14 languages
    • Lifetime access

Brilliant

Free
  • Premium Monthly$24.99/month
    • Access to all 90+ courses
    • No ads
  • Premium Annual$150/year
    • Access to all 90+ courses
    • No ads

Which should you pick?

Choose Babbel if

  • You need bite-sized lessons.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want speech recognition.
Babbel review

Choose Brilliant if

  • You need interactive lessons.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want problem-solving.
Brilliant review

Questions people ask

Is Babbel or Brilliant better?
Neither clearly leads. Babbel starts at On request and Brilliant at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Babbel or Brilliant?
Brilliant has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Babbel and Free for Brilliant.
Does Babbel or Brilliant run on more platforms?
Babbel runs on Web, IOS, Android. Brilliant runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Brilliant for free?
Yes. Brilliant has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Babbel starts at On request.
What is Babbel best used for?
Babbel is most often used for language learning, travel preparation, career development, hobby. Of those, language learning and travel preparation are not what Brilliant is typically brought in for.
What can Babbel do that Brilliant cannot?
Babbel covers Bite-sized lessons, Speech recognition, Review sessions, Podcasts. Brilliant covers Interactive lessons, Problem-solving, Daily challenges, Guided paths. Both handle Progress tracking, Mobile apps, Web support, IOS support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Babbel: Does Babbel offer a free trial?

Yes. Babbel's free tier allows you to try the first lesson of every course at no cost. Depending on the language, you get access to up to 80 free lessons before a subscription is required.

Source
Brilliant: Does Brilliant offer offline learning?

Yes. The Brilliant mobile app allows users to download lessons and learn without internet connection.

Source
Babbel: What languages does Babbel teach?

Babbel offers 13 languages: Spanish (two variants), French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Danish, Dutch, Indonesian, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish, and Turkish.

Source
Brilliant: Is there a free tier for Brilliant?

Yes. Brilliant offers a free basic tier with access to some courses. K-12 teachers and their students can qualify for free Premium access.

Source
Babbel: What features are included with a Babbel subscription?

Subscription features include interactive lessons tailored to your proficiency level, speech recognition for pronunciation practice, AI conversation partners, podcasts, grammar tips, culture content, progress tracking, and real-time feedback.

Source
Brilliant: What subject areas does Brilliant cover?

Brilliant covers over 90 courses across mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry, and data science, taught by experts from MIT, Harvard, Google, and Microsoft.

Source
Babbel: Does Babbel offer different subscription tier levels?

Yes, Babbel offers multiple subscription plans, though the specific prices and plan details are not listed on the main page. A detailed overview is available in their support documentation.

Source
Brilliant: How does Brilliant's teaching approach differ from video lectures?

Brilliant emphasizes active learning through interactive problem-solving rather than passive video watching, similar to Duolingo's gamified approach.

Source
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