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Education · head to head

Babbel vs Lumosity

Babbel logo

Babbel

Education

Language learning that works

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lumosity logo

Lumosity

Education

Brain training game app from Lumos Labs, which paid an FTC settlement in 2016 over unsupported cognitive improvement claims

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Lumosity 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.; Lumosity lumos Labs settled with the US FTC in 2016 for 2 million dollars over deceptive claims that its games improved real-world cognitive performance and could delay age-related decline, and the company was barred from making such claims without solid supporting evidence, a fact any buyer evaluating cognitive benefit claims should weigh.
  • They diverge on capability: Babbel covers Bite-sized lessons, Lumosity covers Daily training set.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Babbel and Lumosity actually diverge.

Attributes where Babbel and Lumosity differ
AttributeBabbelLumosity
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree with a subscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Web
Founded2007Unknown

Identical on both: 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
  • Mobile apps

Only in Lumosity

  • Daily training set
  • Brain Performance Index
  • Game library by domain
  • Fit Test assessment
  • Insights and tips

Both cover

  • Progress tracking

What people use each for

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

Babbel

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

Lumosity

  • An adult wanting a short daily game habit with a cognitive theme, treated as entertainment rather than medical interventionnot Babbel
  • Someone comparing Lumosity against Elevate to decide between abstract cognitive games and practical skills practicenot Babbel
  • A user who wants a long historical performance trend across many game sessionsnot Babbel
  • A buyer evaluating whether the current marketing claims about cognitive benefit are consistent with the 2016 FTC settlement findings before subscribingnot 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.

Lumosity

  • Lumos Labs settled with the US FTC in 2016 for 2 million dollars over deceptive claims that its games improved real-world cognitive performance and could delay age-related decline, and the company was barred from making such claims without solid supporting evidence, a fact any buyer evaluating cognitive benefit claims should weigh.
  • The free tier is limited to a small daily set of games, and the personalised training programme the product is built around is a paid-only feature.
  • As with the brain training category broadly, evidence that improved performance on the specific games transfers to real-world cognitive ability remains contested, independent of the marketing claims addressed by the settlement.
  • The subscription auto-renews and, like most mobile subscriptions, requires cancelling through app store account settings rather than within the app.
  • The game library has not changed dramatically in years, and long-term subscribers report the exercises becoming repetitive well before a years subscription is up.

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

Lumosity

Free
  • Lumosity$11.99/month
    • Free tier gives a small daily set of games
    • Full subscription unlocks the complete game library and personalised programme
    • Annual plans typically run $59.99 to $79.99, cheaper per month than monthly billing

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 Lumosity if

  • You need daily training set.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want brain performance index.
Lumosity review

Questions people ask

Is Babbel or Lumosity better?
Neither clearly leads. Babbel starts at On request and Lumosity at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Babbel or Lumosity?
Lumosity has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Babbel and Free for Lumosity.
Does Babbel or Lumosity run on more platforms?
Babbel runs on Web, IOS, Android. Lumosity runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Lumosity for free?
Yes. Lumosity 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 Lumosity is typically brought in for.
What can Babbel do that Lumosity cannot?
Babbel covers Bite-sized lessons, Speech recognition, Review sessions, Podcasts. Lumosity covers Daily training set, Brain Performance Index, Game library by domain, Fit Test assessment. Both handle Progress tracking.

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
Lumosity: What was the FTC settlement about?

In 2016 the FTC found Lumos Labs advertising made unsupported claims that Lumosity games could delay cognitive decline, protect against conditions like Alzheimers, and improve real-world performance. The company paid 2 million dollars and was barred from such claims without solid evidence.

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
Lumosity: Is Lumosity still available and does it still make cognitive claims?

Yes, the app and games remain available, but the company is legally restricted from the specific unsupported claims covered by the settlement.

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
Lumosity: Is Lumosity free?

A small daily set of games is free. The full library and personalised training programme require a paid subscription.

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
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