Anki is the better app overall, scoring 8.8 to 8.4. Anki wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Babbel on 1.
Med students, language learners and anyone memorizing large volumes of facts
Adults who want structured, grammar-aware lessons for travel, work or a move abroad
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Anki | Babbel |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning | Learning |
| Category rank | #3 of 8 | #5 of 8 |
| Developer | Damien Elmes and AnkiHub | Babbel |
| Pricing | Free | Subscription |
| Usable for free | Yes | No |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
| Windows | ✓ | — |
| Linux | ✓ | — |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Strengths and weaknesses
Anki
- Smart scheduling means less review time for the same recall
- Free and open source on desktop, Android and the web
- Fully customizable cards, decks and study settings
- Dated interface with a steep learning curve
- The iPhone and iPad app, AnkiMobile, is a paid download
Anki is the most effective flashcard tool you can use, if you are willing to put in the work. Its spaced repetition scheduler, including the newer FSRS option, shows each card just before you would forget it. It is free and open source everywhere except iPhone, where AnkiMobile is a one-time purchase. The catch: the interface is dated and setup takes effort. Ideal for med students and serious language learners.
Full Anki review
Babbel
- Grammar is explained, not just drilled
- Lessons use practical, real-world dialogues
- No ads or game pressure, just steady progress
- Almost everything sits behind a subscription
- Fewer languages than Duolingo, mostly European
Babbel is the grown-up alternative to Duolingo. Lessons are built around practical dialogues, and grammar is explained clearly instead of left for you to guess. Review sessions, podcasts and optional live classes round it out. There is no real free tier, and it offers fewer languages than Duolingo, but the teaching is more structured. Get it if you want steady progress toward real conversations.
Full Babbel review
