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Education · head to head

Babbel vs Khan Academy

Babbel logo

Babbel

Education

Language learning that works

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Khan Academy logo

Khan Academy

Education

Free world-class education for anyone, anywhere

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Khan Academy 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.; Khan Academy the Internet Archive's capture of Khan Academy's homepage on 1 January 2021 stated it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and that its full library of practice and lessons 'is all free for learners and teachers', funded by donations rather than subscriptions.
  • They diverge on capability: Babbel covers Bite-sized lessons, Khan Academy covers Video lessons.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Babbel and Khan Academy actually diverge.

Attributes where Babbel and Khan Academy differ
AttributeBabbelKhan Academy
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20072008

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
  • Mobile apps

Only in Khan Academy

  • Video lessons
  • Practice exercises
  • Mastery system
  • Personalized learning
  • Teacher tools
  • Parent dashboard
  • Test prep
  • Google Classroom

Both cover

  • Progress tracking
  • 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 Khan Academy
  • Travel preparationnot Khan Academy
  • Career developmentnot Khan Academy
  • Hobbynot Khan Academy

Khan Academy

  • Free self paced learning across maths, science and humanitiesnot Babbel
  • Assigning practice and tracking student progress in a classroomnot 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.

Khan Academy

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Khan Academy's homepage on 1 January 2021 stated it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and that its full library of practice and lessons 'is all free for learners and teachers', funded by donations rather than subscriptions.

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

Khan Academy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Video lessons
    • Practice exercises
    • Progress tracking

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 Khan Academy if

  • You need video lessons.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want practice exercises.
Khan Academy review

Questions people ask

Is Babbel or Khan Academy better?
Neither clearly leads. Babbel starts at On request and Khan Academy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Babbel or Khan Academy?
Khan Academy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Babbel and Free for Khan Academy.
Does Babbel or Khan Academy run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, IOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Khan Academy for free?
Yes. Khan Academy 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 Khan Academy is typically brought in for.
What can Babbel do that Khan Academy cannot?
Babbel covers Bite-sized lessons, Speech recognition, Review sessions, Podcasts. Khan Academy covers Video lessons, Practice exercises, Mastery system, Personalized learning. Both handle Progress tracking, Web support, IOS support, Android 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
Khan Academy: Is Khan Academy free?

Yes. Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and states that it is a free tool for students, teachers and parents alike, with over 840 free courses and teacher tools provided at no cost. It relies on donor support rather than fees.

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
Khan Academy: Who is Khan Academy for?

Khan Academy serves students, teachers and parents, covering core academic subjects from K-12 through early college. The platform is available in more than 190 countries and over 55 languages.

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
Khan Academy: How is Khan Academy funded if it is free?

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Khan Academy is funded by donations rather than subscriptions. Its about page states that donor support is what keeps the classroom tools free.

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
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