Duolingo vs Babbel vs Busuu: which language app do learners fault?
Three popular language apps sell subscriptions to the same learners. Which one do reviewers fault for paywalls, lesson quality, streak pressure or bugs?
Shared comparison by OneStar · updated Oct 26, 2026By OneStar
Duolingo is the fun, free app for learning 40+ languages through quick, bite-sized lessons.
Store ratings: App Store 4.7 · Google Play 4.73,000 reviews read · Aug 3, 2026 to Oct 25, 2026Open the Duolingo reportBabbel is the award-winning language learning app with courses tailored to your native language, built by 200+ language experts and trusted by millions worldwide.
Store ratings: App Store 4.7 · Google Play 4.62,299 reviews read · Oct 26, 2025 to Oct 25, 2026Open the Babbel reportYou’ve just discovered it, with Busuu, a Chegg service – we’re the app that makes learning new languages easier, more fun and more effective for all.
Store ratings: App Store 4.7 · Google Play 4.72,272 reviews read · Oct 26, 2025 to Oct 25, 2026Open the Busuu report- Date overlap: The reports share 23% of the dates they cover between them.
Busuu leads on 4 of 7 measures, Babbel on 1; 2 are too close to call.
Scorecard
Each value comes with its 95% range. A leader is named only when the gap holds up to the test.
| Measure | Duolingo | Babbel | Busuu |
|---|---|---|---|
| ComplainShare of reviewers who complain about something, lower is better | 40%95% range 38% to 41% | 69%95% range 67% to 71% | 32%Leads95% range 30% to 34% |
| PraiseShare of reviewers who praise something, higher is better | 75%95% range 74% to 77% | 50%95% range 48% to 52% | 85%Leads95% range 83% to 86% |
| Said they leftShare of reviewers who say they quit or are leaving, lower is better | 2%95% range 2% to 3% | 5%95% range 4% to 5% | 1%Leads95% range 1% to 2% |
| Blame a changeShare of complaints tied to an update, redesign or price change, lower is better | 16%95% range 13% to 18% | 5%Leads95% range 4% to 6% | 8%95% range 6% to 10% |
| SpecificShare of reviews that name something concrete | 94%95% range 92% to 95% | 95%95% range 94% to 96% | 96%95% range 95% to 98% |
| Ask for featuresShare of reviewers who ask for something new or something back | 9%95% range 8% to 10% | 16%95% range 14% to 17% | 9%95% range 8% to 10% |
| SentimentMean feeling in the review text, 0 very negative to 4 very positive, higher is better | 2.82 | 1.85 | 3.09Leads |
| Star ratingMean stars of the reviewers the sample stands for, higher is better | 4.11 | 2.98 | 4.25 |
| Developer repliesShare of reviews with a developer reply, unweighted, higher is better | No data | 82%95% range 80% to 84% | 0%95% range 0% to 1% |
Top findings
- Fewer Busuu reviewers complain: 32% against 40% for Duolingo.
- Babbel is weak on pricing and fees: 16% of reviewers mention it against 6% for Duolingo, and those reviews average 1.4 stars lower.
- Busuu is weak on ads: 6% of reviewers mention it against under 1% for Babbel, and those reviews average 1.8 stars lower.
- Babbel draws more complaints about missing feature: 21% of reviewers against 8% for Duolingo.
Where complaints differ most
Share of each app's complaints
Where praise differs most
Share of each app's praise
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