Babbel vs Duolingo vs Memrise (2026)

Babbel is the best full course of the three, Duolingo the best free all-round start, and Memrise the best for hearing real people say everyday phrases. Memrise works beside a course, not instead of one.

Checked October 2026 · Babbel price: From €8.99/mo on the 12-month plan (€107.88 a year; €215.88 at the monthly rate); lifetime €299.99; first lesson free (checked 2026-10-09 (babbel.com/prices, shown from Germany))

Quick answers

Price

Babbel: first lesson free, then from €8.99 a month on the 12-month plan (€107.88 a year) or €299.99 lifetime, checked 9 October 2026 from Germany.

Duolingo: every course is free; Super is $9.99 a month or $79.99 a year on the US App Store, checked 6 October 2026.

Memrise: a free plan with limits and ads; Pro $61.99 a year or $329.99 lifetime on the US App Store, checked 9 October 2026.

Method

Babbel builds short lessons around real situations, explains the grammar in context in English and adds speaking practice. Duolingo teaches in bite-sized, game-style lessons that cover reading, writing, listening and speaking, with a streak to bring you back each day. Memrise teaches vocabulary and phrases with short videos of native speakers at a natural pace, with subtitles, plus speaking practice; it is phrase-learning, not a full course.

How far each takes you

Babbel's curriculum runs from A1 towards C1. Duolingo and Memrise realistically cover A1 to B1, and Memrise will not take you past the basics on its own. Plan your next step before you finish either.

Which should you choose?

If you want one free app to start with, choose Duolingo. It is a broader beginning than Memrise and costs nothing.

If you want one app to teach you a language properly, choose Babbel. It explains grammar and keeps going after the other two stop.

If you want to hear real people from the start, add Memrise. Its clips show native speakers saying phrases at a natural pace.

If you want a pair, Babbel or Duolingo as the course and Memrise's free plan for phrases and real voices overlap less than two course apps would.

What none of them does

Memrise's clips are short, Babbel's dialogues are scripted and Duolingo's sentences are recorded for learners. None of them gives you long stretches of real conversation or a person to talk to. Add longer real-speed listening and, as you reach A2, a weekly conversation. The two-way pages go deeper: Babbel vs Duolingo, Babbel vs Memrise and Duolingo vs Memrise. For one language in detail, see Babbel for French, Duolingo for French and Memrise for French.

Who it's for

Babbel: adults who want a structured course with grammar explained. Duolingo: anyone who wants a free daily habit. Memrise: beginners who want real voices beside their course.

Who it's not for

Learners past B1, and anyone hoping a phrase app alone will get them through a conversation with native speakers at normal speed.

Questions

Which is best: Babbel, Duolingo or Memrise?

Babbel as a course, Duolingo as a free start, Memrise as a supplement for real voices. Memrise is not a full course.

Which is cheapest?

Duolingo, because every course is free. Memrise also has a free plan, and its Pro plan ($61.99 a year on the US App Store, checked 9 October 2026) is the cheapest paid plan of the three.

Which has the most real speech?

Memrise. Its clips show native speakers saying phrases at a natural pace, with subtitles. Babbel's dialogues are scripted and Duolingo's sentences are short and recorded for learners.