The lesson is a conversation
You say it out loud and the tutor answers. It corrects you in the middle of the sentence, the way a teacher does, not with a red cross at the end.
Babbel alternative · A1 → C2
A Babbel alternative where the speaking is the lesson.
Babbel’s lessons are written by real linguists and it shows: the dialogues are sensible, the grammar is explained properly, nothing is padded. What Babbel does not include is somebody to talk to — for that it sells Babbel Live classes with human teachers, separately. Saylore puts the conversation inside every lesson instead.
Free to start
Six languages, A1–C2
IELTS & TOEFL
Side by side
Saylore vs Babbel, honestly.
Every claim about Babbel below comes from Babbel’s own pages and is linked. Checked 13 September 2026 — prices and tiers change, so check theirs before you decide.
| Feature | Saylore | Babbel |
|---|---|---|
| How far the course goes | Complete CEFR ladder A1 to C2 in all six languages. | Courses run across A1 to B2, with some C1 material in the biggest languages. No C2 course.Source: Babbel Help Centre — Available languages |
| How many languages | Six: English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese. | Around 14, including Swedish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Polish, Turkish and Indonesian — languages we do not teach.Source: Babbel Help Centre — Available languages |
| What a lesson is | You speak the sentence out loud and the tutor answers, corrects you, and moves the conversation on. | Short dialogue-based lessons: you select, type and repeat, with review built in. |
| Talking to someone | Unlimited conversation with the AI tutor on Premium, any hour, in all six languages. | Babbel Live — group classes with human teachers, sold as a separate and more expensive plan.Source: Babbel Live |
| Pronunciation | Scored word by word; the app then drills the sounds you actually lose points on. | Speech-recognition practice inside the lessons. |
| IELTS / TOEFL | Exam paths with full-length mock tests and scored speaking and writing. | Not part of the product. |
| Free tier | Module 1 of your placement level and of every level below it, plus 5 AI tutor chats a day. | The first lesson of each level is free; after that it is subscription-only.Source: Babbel Help Centre — Available languages |
| Price | $9.99 / month or $59.99 / year, with a 7-day free trial. | Subscription, cheaper per month the longer the plan you buy. |
Sources: Babbel Help Centre — Available languages · Babbel Live
The other side
Where Babbel is the better choice.
We would rather you picked the right app than picked ours. These are real advantages, not throat-clearing.
Babbel beats us at:
- Lesson craft. Babbel’s dialogues and grammar notes are written and reviewed by linguists, and they are better written than most of what is on the market.
- More languages. Swedish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Polish, Turkish, Indonesian — if that is your language, we cannot help you at all.
- Real human teachers. Babbel Live puts you in a class with a person. An AI tutor is available at 3am and never judges you, but it is not a person.
- If you would rather read and type than speak, Babbel is the more comfortable place to be.
Switch to Saylore if…
You have done a lot of Babbel, you understand the grammar, and you still cannot hold a conversation — or you want to go past B2, or you need IELTS or TOEFL practice.
Stay with Babbel if…
You are learning one of the languages only Babbel covers, you value lessons built by human linguists above everything else, or you specifically want live classes with a teacher.
Why Saylore
What you get here instead.
Pronunciation scored word by word
You see which word cost you the point and which sound you keep missing — then the app drills that sound instead of the easy ones.
A1 to C2, all six languages
A placement test puts you on the right rung on day one, and the ladder actually reaches the top: English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese.
IELTS & TOEFL inside the app
Exam paths with full-length mock tests and scored speaking and writing — no second subscription.
Questions
Saylore vs Babbel — common questions
How is Saylore different from Babbel?
Babbel teaches you the language and then sells live classes separately if you want to speak it. Saylore makes the speaking the lesson: you talk out loud from the first minute, the AI tutor answers, corrects you mid-sentence and scores your pronunciation word by word.
Does Saylore teach as many languages as Babbel?
No. Babbel covers around 14 languages, Saylore six — English, Spanish, German, French, Italian and Portuguese. If you are learning Swedish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Polish, Turkish or Indonesian, Babbel is your option and we are not.
Does Saylore go beyond B2?
Yes. Babbel’s courses run A1 to B2 with some C1 material in its biggest languages. Saylore has a complete A1 to C2 course in each of its six languages.
Is there a free version of Saylore?
Yes. You get Module 1 of your placement level and of every level below it, plus five AI tutor chats a day, without paying. Premium is $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year, after a 7-day free trial.
Say your first sentence today.
Free on iOS and Android. You will be speaking within fifteen minutes.