In a Nutshell
pros
- Personalized study plans
- In-depth grammar and review lessons
- Large and active online community
cons
- Lessons are repetitive and could be more fun
- Limited choice of languages
Busuu Plans
Busuu gives users a chance to learn 1 language for free with its Basic plan. If you choose to stick with the Basic plan, you’ll only have access to this 1 course, so you’ll want to think carefully about which language you want to learn. Additionally, Busuu’s free version does not let you access any of its learning tools or online community.
For people who feel like they need more support to learn a language, Busuu offers its Premium plan. With the Premium plan, you can practice anytime and anywhere with offline mode, enhance your study with grammar lessons, and build upon your learning with AI-powered lesson reviews. However, Premium plan users still only get access to 1 language.
If you want access to all that Busuu has to offer, then its Premium Plus plan is the right choice for you. Premium Plus plan users get access to personalized study plans and can solicit feedback from Busuu’s community of language learners. Additionally, Premium Plus plan users can complete language certification tests created by McGraw Hill.
Basic
(best for users who want to use the platform for free)
Premium
(best for users who want to learn one language but need support)
Premium Plus
(best for users who want access to all of the platform’s features and languages)
✓
How much does Busuu cost?
If you don’t want to pay for its content, Busuu gives you access to all of the coursework for a single language free of charge on the Basic plan.
Users who want access to some learning tools can purchase a Premium subscription. A Premium subscription starts at $9.99 per month. However, you have the option of paying for 12 months at $5.83 per month (billed annually) or 24 months at $5.41 per month (billed every 2 years).
For more languages and all available tools, you can choose to purchase Busuu’s Premium Plus plan, which starts at $13.99 per month. The price for the Premium Plus plan falls to $6.66 per month for 12 months (billed annually) or $5.74 per month for 24 months (billed every 2 years).
Busuu offers a 14-day money back guarantee to all of its paying users. Additionally, you can cancel your subscription at any time.
How does Busuu work?
To get started with Busuu, you simply have to register for an account through its website or mobile app. Once you’ve created an account and chosen a language, you may be able to take a proficiency test to determine the level that's right for you. However, the placement test is only available if you're learning English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.
Before you start your first language courses, you can decide if you want to progress through the general course or cater your experience to the type of material you’re interested in learning. You can focus your study on topics related to business, culture, or travel. The courses are then tailored so that you complete lessons that match your language goals.
Busuu's courses aim to teach you four different language skills—reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Beginners start out learning vocabulary words through flashcards, but are also exposed to dialogue and phrases that teach them speaking and listening skills. In addition to the included course material, Premium users can access in-depth grammar lessons, take AI-generated reviews that test their progress toward their language goals, and complete lessons offline.
You can download the Busuu app through the iPhone App Store, through the Android Play Store, or directly onto your desktop. Alternatively, you can access Busuu's courses through a desktop or mobile browser.
Is Busuu reliable and safe?
At this time, there are more than 11,575 reviews of Busuu on Trustpilot. Its average score is 4.3 out of 5, which gives the company an “Excellent” rating on the site. Most complaints have to do with people expressing frustration about the company’s auto-renewal policy for its subscriptions. Some users also complain that they were forced to pay twice or that they had a difficult time canceling their plans.
As for security, Busuu claims to protect users’ data with physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards. It uses reCAPTCHA on its website and states that it works with secure payment service providers when collecting payments from premium users.
What’s special about Busuu?
One of the best features Busuu offers its Premium Plus plan users is the ability to create personalized study plans. When creating a study plan, you can choose grammar lessons based upon your language goals, whether you’re studying for business, travel, or overall language acquisition. Busuu also includes cultural tips that teach you more about the people who speak the language you’re studying.
Another one of Busuu’s standout features is its large and active online community. Premium Plus users can socialize with one another to ask questions, provide targeted feedback, and support one another with verbal or written responses.
Help and Support
Unfortunately, Busuu does not feature a hotline on its website for users who have questions. If you need support, you can send a secure message to Busuu’s customer support team by accessing the Contact Us page on its website. Simply provide your email address, question, subject, and a description of the problem, and a representative will respond to your inquiry within 1-2 business days.
Busuu does feature a FAQ page on its website where you can go to get answers. Topics include subjects such as profile settings, getting started with Busuu, using Busuu, troubleshooting, Busuu for business, and premium subscription and billing support. Additionally, although Busuu does not offer live support via chat, it features an automated chatbot on its website that can answer a limited number of inquiries.
Bottom Line
Although it offers a limited number of languages, Busuu is a great option for beginner-level learners. With access to Busuu’s active online community and personalized lessons plans, Premium Plus users get the most benefit out of the platform. That said, although the free version is limited, Basic plan users still get access to most of the same course material as premium users. The coursework can get repetitive at times, but overall, Busuu’s learning methods are suitably challenging and engaging enough for beginner and intermediate-level learners.
FAQs
Is Busuu completely free?
Busuu’s basic version can be accessed free of charge. You’ll need to register for a free account to access its language courses, and you may upgrade to a premium plan to unlock additional learning tools and languages.
Will Busuu make me fluent?
Learning a language solely through Busuu is unlikely to make you fluent, but it can improve your language skills if you practice regularly.
Is Busuu safe?
Busuu claims to use physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to protect its users’ personal information. Its site and apps are protected by reCAPTCHA, and it states that it works with secure payment service providers to ensure payments are secure for its premium plan users.