Babbel vs Memrise at a glance
| Babbel | Memrise | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 freechecked 2026-10-09 (babbel.com/prices, shown from Germany) | Free plan; Pro $61.99/yr or $329.99 lifetime; monthly plan $24.99checked 2026-10-09 (US App Store in-app purchases) |
| Levels | A1–C1 (beginner to advanced) | A1–B1 (beginner and intermediate) |
| Free to use | No (trial or sample only) | Yes, at least in part |
| Real-speed French | No | Yes |
| Transcripts or subtitles | Not a feature | Subtitles |
| Taught in | English | English |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web | iOS, Android, Web |
| Best for | The most course-like app; a good spine for A1 to B1, light on real listening. | Native-speaker clips for beginners; a supplement, not a course. |
Prices as shown on the official site on the date given; they vary by country and change often.
Which is better for beginners?
Babbel, if you want one app to teach you French properly. Its short lessons are built around real situations, with grammar explained in context and speaking practice. Memrise teaches useful vocabulary and phrases with short videos of native speakers; it is phrase-learning, not a full course.
Which is cheaper?
Memrise, if you want to pay nothing: it has a free plan with limited lessons and videos and ads, and the US App Store lists Pro at $61.99 a year. Babbel lets you try one lesson free and then needs a subscription, from €8.99 a month on the 12-month plan (€107.88 a year) when we checked from Germany.
Which takes you further?
Babbel. Its curriculum runs from A1 towards C1, while Memrise covers about A1 to B1 and will not take you past the basics on its own.
Which teaches real spoken French?
Memrise gets closer, because its clips show native speakers saying phrases at a natural pace, with subtitles. Babbel's dialogues are scripted and recorded for learners. Neither gives you full conversations at real speed.
Which gets you speaking sooner?
Both include speaking practice, but neither makes you hold a conversation. Babbel's speaking practice is built into lessons around real situations, so you practise saying what you have just learned. Memrise has you repeat phrases after native speakers in its clips, which is good for pronunciation and short everyday exchanges.
Can you use both?
Yes, and the pair works: Babbel as the course, Memrise's free plan for phrases and real voices. They overlap less than two course apps would.
What neither does
Neither app gives you long stretches of real conversation or a person to talk to. Memrise's clips are short, and Babbel's dialogues are scripted. Add real-speed listening and a weekly conversation as you reach A2.
How it compares
| App | Price | Levels | Real-speed French | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babbel | From €8.99/mo on the 12-month plan (€107.88 a year; €215.88 at the monthly rate); lifetime €299.99; first lesson freechecked 2026-10-09 (babbel.com/prices, shown from Germany) | A1–C1 | No | The most course-like app; a good spine for A1 to B1, light on real listening. |
| Memrise | Free plan; Pro $61.99/yr or $329.99 lifetime; monthly plan $24.99checked 2026-10-09 (US App Store in-app purchases) | A1–B1 | Yes | Native-speaker clips for beginners; a supplement, not a course. |
| French with Amélie | Free weekly lesson; Premium $24/mo or $240/yr | B1–C1 | Yes, with a slow version and a transcript | Real-speed dialogues by email and a private podcast. Not an app. Visit |
Prices as shown on the official site on the date given; they vary by country and change often.
Read more
The full listings: Babbel (app) and Memrise (app). More like these: Apps like Duolingo for French.
Guides
- Babbel cost: every plan and what it works out per month (2026)
- Is Babbel free? Trial, free lessons, what's locked
- Is Babbel worth it for French?
- Is Memrise free? What changed
- Babbel French: what the course covers, level by level
- Babbel lifetime: is the one-off plan worth it?
- How to cancel Babbel
- Memrise after the AI change: still worth it for French?
- Memrise French: what's left of the courses