Comparison

How Hi Zazoo compares to Duolingo, Babbel & Busuu

A straight, factual look at where each app's AI conversation practice is free, paywalled, or still in beta — updated July 2026. Features and pricing change often across all four apps, so we've noted our sources below.

You've probably tried at least one of these already. Duolingo, Babbel, and Busuu are all excellent at what they were originally built for — daily habit-building, structured courses, and community-corrected practice, respectively. All three have also started adding AI conversation features in the last two years. Here's exactly where each one stands today, so you can decide what's actually right for you.

Feature comparison

Hi Zazoo Duolingo Babbel Busuu
AI conversation practice Core feature — included free "Video Call" & "Roleplay," Max tier only1 "Babbel Speak" (beta) & AI Conversation Partner2 "AI Conversations," CEFR-tailored3
Where it sits in pricing Included in the free plan Paywalled — Max tier only Included with a language subscription Premium tier
Languages with AI conversation All supported languages 7 languages (from English)1 4 major languages (Spanish, French, German, Italian)2 Varies by CEFR level/language
Explains things in your language Yes — every response can explain in your home language No — explanations are English-based No No
Tap-to-translate mid-conversation Yes Not a dedicated feature Not a dedicated feature Not a dedicated feature
Slow, syllable-by-syllable playback Yes Not highlighted Native-speaker audio, not slowed playback Pronunciation feedback, not slowed playback
Native-speaker community corrections Not offered Not offered Not offered Yes — core feature (~90M-learner community)4
Gamification (streaks, XP, leagues) Yes (XP, streaks, levels, achievements) Yes — deepest gamification of the four Minimal Minimal
Multiple languages, one subscription Free: 1 language · Premium+: switch anytime Yes, one subscription generally covers multiple courses No — subscription is per language5 Varies by plan

1 Duolingo Max: $167.99/year as of 2026; Video Call and Roleplay are its two AI-powered conversation features, built on GPT-4, available for Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, and Korean learners (from English).

2 Babbel Speak launched in 2025 and remains in beta; the separate AI Conversation Partner is available in Spanish, French, German, and Italian as of 2026.

3 Busuu's AI Conversations feature adapts to CEFR level (A1–C1) and is positioned alongside — not replacing — Busuu's native-speaker community correction model.

4 Busuu's community-correction feedback is asynchronous — you submit an exercise and a native speaker corrects it later, rather than in real time.

5 A standard Babbel subscription covers one language only; a one-time lifetime plan (~$299 as of 2026) unlocks all languages.

Pricing and feature availability for Duolingo, Babbel, and Busuu were verified via public sources as of July 2026 and may have changed — please check each company's site directly before making a decision based on price.

So what does that actually mean?

Is Hi Zazoo really free, or is that just for a trial?
The core AI tutor conversation is included in the free plan — not a time-limited trial. Premium, Student, Family, Teacher, and School plans add extra capacity and features, but you don't need to pay to have real conversations with the tutor.
How is this different from Duolingo Max?
Duolingo Max adds AI conversation on top of Duolingo's existing gamified course, for $167.99/year, in 7 languages. Hi Zazoo's AI conversation is the core product from the start, included in the free plan, and every explanation can be given in your own home language — something Duolingo's English-based explanations don't do.
I already pay for Babbel — why switch?
Babbel's subscription only covers one language at a time, and its AI conversation features are still in beta or limited to four languages. If you're learning a language outside that list, or want to practice more than one language without paying for a separate subscription each time, Hi Zazoo may fit better.
Busuu's community correction sounds valuable — do you have that?
Not currently — that's a genuine strength of Busuu's model, and if getting corrections from real native speakers matters most to you, Busuu is worth considering. Hi Zazoo focuses instead on immediate, in-the-moment AI conversation and bilingual explanation, which trades the "real human" element for instant availability, 24/7, in any of our supported languages.
Will these features/prices still be accurate when I read this?
Language apps update pricing and features often — we've dated every competitor claim above and sourced it, and we'll revisit this page quarterly. If you spot something that's changed, we'd genuinely like to know — contact us.

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