Slova or Babbel: which one do you need for Russian?
They do different jobs. Babbel is a beginner course: it teaches you to read Cyrillic, listen and say your first sentences, and its Russian course goes to about A1 to A2. Slova teaches the grammar that a beginner course only introduces, the 6 cases and the verb system, and drills it with you until it sticks, from A1 to B1.
- Pick Babbel if you're starting from zero. You get the alphabet, audio in every lesson and speaking practice.
- Pick Slova if you can read Cyrillic and want to master the cases and verbs. A lesson explains each case and tense, then you type every form, and Slova tracks which case you miss most.
- Use both if you want the full picture. Babbel for listening and speaking, Slova for the grammar. They overlap very little.
Slova is our app. Below, we list what Babbel does better, and Slova's limits too.
Slova vs Babbel at a glance
| Feature | Babbel | Slova |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | 14 languages, one course format | Russian only |
| Level | A1, with some topics up to A2 (Babbel's help center) | A1 to B1 |
| Alphabet | Taught from the first lessons | Not taught. You need to read Cyrillic |
| Grammar | Explained in context, inside each lesson | Taught and drilled: a lesson for each case, tense and aspect, then typed drills on the 6 cases in singular and plural, tenses, imperative, aspect and verbs of motion |
| How you answer | Listening, speaking and writing exercises, mixed in each lesson | Type the form in a sentence, after an easier first step with options |
| Speaking | Speech recognition in lessons | None |
| Listening | Audio in every lesson | Listen button with the device's voice, no listening course |
| Your own words | Fixed course | Add any word, and the drills decline or conjugate it |
| Review | Review system across the course | Spaced repetition per word, plus tracking of each case on its own |
| Offline | Download lessons | Download your next 2 days of training |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, web | Web, Google Play. App Store coming soon |
| US price | $17.99 for 1 month, $45.99 for 3 months, $107.99 for 12 months (all languages). Lifetime plan available | $12 a month or $99 a year, 7-day free trial |
| Free option | First lesson of every course | 7-day free trial |
Babbel prices from the US App Store on October 11, 2026. Babbel's 12-month plan in that list covers all of its languages.
What Babbel does with Russian
Babbel's Russian course starts where most learners start: the alphabet, greetings and short dialogues. Babbel says you can learn in as little as 10 minutes a day, and the grammar comes as a short explanation when a lesson needs it.
The course is short. Babbel's own help center places Russian at A1, with some topics up to A2. A1 gets you through introductions, orders and signs. In most Russian syllabuses, the plural case forms and aspect pairs such as читать (chitat') and прочитать (prochitat') - to read come at A2 and B1, at the edge of Babbel's course or past it.
Where Babbel wins
- Absolute beginners. Babbel teaches the alphabet. Slova assumes you can already read and type Cyrillic.
- Speaking and listening. Babbel has audio in every lesson and speech recognition to check your pronunciation. Slova has neither a listening course nor speaking practice.
- A guided path. Babbel tells you what to do next, lesson by lesson. Slova's coach plans your sessions too, as drills on your weak spots.
- Other languages. The 12-month plan in the App Store covers all 14 of Babbel's languages. Slova only teaches Russian.
Where Slova wins
- The rules, explained. Each case has its own lesson: what it does, when to use it, the endings by gender and example sentences. Tenses, aspect and verbs of motion have lessons too, and the Rule button brings the ending table into any drill.
- The cases, in full. Every noun and adjective you learn comes with its 12 forms: the 6 cases in singular and plural. Slova opens them by level, from the accusative singular at A1 to the genitive plural at B2.
- You produce the form. The drill shows a sentence with a gap and you type the ending. After each typed answer, Slova names the word in the sentence that called for that case.
- Verbs past A2. Present, past and future tense, the imperative, aspect pairs and verbs of motion each have their own drill.
- It finds your weak case. A placement test sets your level, and Slova tracks each case on its own. If your dative lags, your sessions go to the dative.
- Your words. Add a word from a textbook, a tutor or a show, and the drills decline or conjugate it for you.
Slova's limits: no alphabet, no speaking practice, no listening course. It runs on the web and on Google Play. App Store coming soon.
Which one fits your situation
- You can't read Cyrillic yet: start with Babbel, or a free alphabet course. Slova will be useless until you can read.
- You finished Babbel's Russian course: Slova is the next step. You'll recognize the cases from Babbel's notes, and Slova drills them until you can produce them.
- You use both: Babbel for listening and speaking, 10 minutes a day. Slova for the endings, 10 to 15 minutes a day. They don't overlap much.
- You want one app past A2: Slova, plus a tutor or a language exchange for speaking.
For the rest of the market, see our ranking of the best apps to learn Russian, or the best Russian grammar apps if grammar is the reason you're looking.
Frequently asked questions
Is Babbel good for learning Russian?
Babbel is good for the first months of Russian. It teaches the alphabet, explains grammar in context and has speech recognition. The course is short: Babbel's help center places it at A1, with some topics up to A2, so you'll need another tool for the cases in the plural, aspect and anything past A2.
Does Babbel teach Russian cases?
Babbel introduces cases inside its lessons, with a short explanation when a dialogue uses one. Its course stops around A1 to A2, and in most Russian syllabuses the plural case forms come at A2 and B1. Slova explains each case in its own lesson, then drills all 12 forms of each noun and adjective, the 6 cases in singular and plural, and you type each one.
Is Slova or Babbel cheaper?
Slova costs $12 a month or $99 a year after a 7-day free trial. In the US App Store, Babbel costs $17.99 for 1 month, $45.99 for 3 months and $107.99 for 12 months, and that 12-month plan covers all of Babbel's languages. Babbel's first lesson is free.
Can I use Babbel and Slova together?
Yes. Babbel covers the alphabet, listening and speaking, and Slova covers the case endings and verb forms. A common split is a Babbel lesson and a Slova session each day, then Slova alone once Babbel's Russian course runs out.
Does Slova teach the Russian alphabet?
No. Slova starts once you can read and type Cyrillic, which takes most people 1 to 2 weeks. Babbel teaches the alphabet, and our guide to learning Russian has a 7-day plan for it.
Is Slova on the App Store or Google Play?
Slova is on Google Play for Android phones and tablets. The App Store version is coming soon. On iPhone, iPad and computers, train in the web app: open app.slova.be, add it to your home screen, and it opens full screen like an app.