Babbel vs. Rosetta Stone, Rosetta Stone vs. Pimsleur.. which is the best online language learning program?
All of these are widely recognized as being among the best (if not the best) online or outside-of-the-classroom language learning platforms in the world.
I’ve tried all of these courses and they are all solid, but I like certain aspects and features of Rosetta Stone’s and Babbel’s platforms more than I like Pimsleur. That said, everyone has their own learning style so why not test these all out with a free trial and decide for yourself?
Here’s my breakdown of Babbel vs. Rosetta Stone vs. Pimsleur.
Babbel vs. Rosetta Stone vs. Pimsleur
Babbel
Babbel has really impressed me. A few years ago I tried out their free version and I thought they were simply a less serious online language learning platform like Duolingo. I was mistaken. I have recently signed up for a paid (one-year) account and I’m really enjoying my experience as well as learning a lot. This may be particular to me and where I’m at in my language learning journey, but I was looking for a program that challenged me, that offered more entire sentences and new vocabulary, advanced dialogue (where I have to type in words as well as pronounce words), and a more diverse mix of activities for learners who are at the Intermediate+ level.
Babbel offers a fantastic combination of advanced learning activities-from listening, speaking (they have responsive technology which will correct your pronunciation), reading, and writing to section review sessions. They also have a podcast that you can download to work more language learning into your day.
Babbel Free Trial Details
Babbel offers a three to seven-day free trial. Their free trial doesn’t offer full access to a course. In fact their trial version of the course is extremely limited. This is unfortunate because they have such a great course, they would certainly get even more signups if they let people peek behind the curtain!
In any case, if you would like to save some money on your Babbel subscription, here’s a deal for 35% off of a 3-month or 45% off of a six-month membership.
Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone’s online course is one of the best I’ve used (I was a paid online student for two years). It is interactive and responsive and offers a variety of different forms of activities. The platform is also very easy to use. You will get to speak, read, and write and the Rosetta Stone tech is responsive so you will get corrected when you pronounce words, hear sounds when you get something wrong, etc. You can also skip around from lesson to lesson or level to level if you feel you have reached a plateau and need a more intense challenge or want to change focus (ex: focus on travel-focused Spanish today instead of business-focused Spanish)
Rosetta Stone offers different rates depending on the type of package you purchase. Monthly rates range from $5.99/month to $11.99/month. Or you can purchase lifetime access (the best deal) for $199.
Rosetta Stone Free Trial Details
Rosetta Stone offers a three-day FREE trial during which you will have complete access to the entire course that you choose. This allows for moving back and forth between different activities and truly getting the ‘full experience’. They do not require a credit card either, so once your trial ends you can simply choose to sign up for a paid membership or course.
**Rosetta Stone is also currently running a promotion where you can get lifetime subscription for $179. This is a great deal, as you can choose a language and then start at a lower level and move up to a more advanced level over the years, all without having to pay a recurring fee.
Pimsleur
Pimsleur offers a variety of ways to consume their course content: CD’s for audio learning at home or in the car, online log-in from your laptop, or mobile learning through their app. I like Pimsleur, but it is less multi-dimensional than Rosetta Stone or Babbel, offering fewer different types of activities, less responsive technology, and an overall less dynamic experience.
As for the cost, Pimsleur is more expensive than both Babbel and Rosetta Stone. Pimsleur plans range from $14.99/month to $19.99/month.
Pimsleur Free Trial Details
Pimsleur offers a 7-day free trial. which requires you to give them your credit information. You must cancel before the end of the seven days in order to avoid being charged. You will, however, have access to their regular full course, so you will be able to see exactly what the experience is like before committing.
Babbel vs. Rosetta Stone vs. Pimsleur-The Verdict
While I really like both Rosetta Stone and Pimsleur, and I used Rosetta Stone for many years previous to using Babbel I find Babbel’s software and learning system to be more advanced and to offer more than the other two programs. Therefore, Babbel is my personal choice now for online language learning. However, I find Rosetta Stone to be a phenomenal choice for those who are at the very beginning of their language-learning journeys.
Pimsleur needs to update and upgrade its software and features to match the more advanced options that now exist (which did not when Pimsleur was first released on first tapes and then CDs…).
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