Babbel Expands Beyond its App with Live Classes and New Content

Babbel, a language-learning platform headquartered in Berlin, has announced a significant expansion of its services. The company is now offering live classes in addition to its established app-based learning system.

New Live Classes

These conversation-focused classes are intentionally small, with a maximum of six students per session. They will be led by certified instructors and utilize Babbel’s proven learning approach.

Learners have the option to supplement their current Babbel subscription with live classes for an extra cost. Pricing begins at $110 per month for five classes. Alternatively, users can subscribe to live classes as a standalone service, which also includes access to the Babbel app.

Expanded Content Offerings

The updates don't stop there. Babbel is also introducing language-learning games within its app.

Furthermore, learners will now have access to short stories designed to reinforce new vocabulary, concise cultural insights, and a new collection of videos showcasing diverse locations and languages.

A Successful Year for Babbel

This launch builds upon a remarkably successful year for Babbel. The platform surpassed 10 million subscriptions sold and generated $150 million in revenue during 2019, according to Julie Hansen, Babbel’s U.S. CEO.

Revenue figures for 2020 are even higher, though specific numbers haven’t been publicly released. The U.S. market experienced particularly strong growth, with both revenue and subscriber numbers increasing by 100%.

Unexpected Growth During the Pandemic

Hansen initially anticipated a decline in business due to travel restrictions. However, the opposite occurred.

“People found in language learning — as they did in bike riding and sourdough bread baking — a creative outlet, self-improvement or a rewarding investment in themselves,” she explained.

Limited Initial Language Combinations

Currently, the availability of language pairings for the live classes is limited as Babbel scales the program. English speakers can enroll in Spanish and German classes. German speakers can access English and Spanish lessons.

The company intends to introduce additional language combinations throughout the year.

A Holistic Approach to Language Learning

Babbel’s overarching objective, as Hansen stated, is to cater to the diverse needs of language learners. This includes providing resources like videos and podcasts, alongside the new live lessons.

“It’s about embracing a more holistic view of the user’s language-learning experience and meeting their needs at more points along that journey,” Hansen said.

Focus on Quality Control for Live Classes

Providing a high-quality live learning experience is a priority. Babbel has invested significantly in teacher recruitment, training, and ongoing evaluation.

“We are giving them the tools to be successful. We’re not just saying: ‘hey, there’s the app, go figure it out.’ There’s materials for every lesson. There’s guidance,” Hansen added.

Scaling the Live Class Program

Babbel is currently collaborating with approximately 100 teachers. Following a quiet beta phase, the company now hosts thousands of students in classes each week.

Christian Hillemeyer, Babbel’s director of communications, anticipates expanding to a couple hundred teachers and tens of thousands of students weekly by the end of the year.

Combining App-Based Learning with Live Tutoring

While numerous language-learning apps and live tutoring services exist, Babbel may be the first at its scale to integrate both effectively.

Beyond live classes, Babbel is increasing its overall content production, including podcasts, short stories, cultural snippets, and free videos and podcasts on platforms like YouTube.

Improvements to Existing Lessons

The team also revised its existing lessons, making the content more concise and shortening overall lesson lengths based on feedback from its didactics team. A new onboarding process, including a placement test, was also introduced to ensure learners begin at the appropriate level.