Pimsleur is an audio course in 51 languages. Each lesson is about 30 minutes, and you listen and answer out loud. Bubblegum is a reading and listening app. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you enjoy, and your saved words come back in later lessons.
How Pimsleur and Bubblegum Compare
Pimsleur is mostly something you hear and answer, and Bubblegum is something you read while you listen.
| Pimsleur | Bubblegum | |
|---|---|---|
| How you learn | Audio lessons of about 30 minutes that build listening and speaking | Poppy writes lessons, stories, and news at your level, and you read and listen |
| How words come back | Graduated Interval Recall brings words back at growing gaps, plus flashcards | Regenerative Review™: saved words come back in new lessons |
| Hands-free | Driving mode, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto | Lessons are read on screen |
| Phone apps | iPhone and Android | iPhone and Android |
| On the web | A web app at learn.pimsleur.com | Free guides and alphabet courses |
| Languages | 51 | 60 |
| Menu languages | 3 on its iPhone listing | 74 |
Who Each App Is Best For
Pimsleur
Pimsleur's lessons follow the method Dr. Paul Pimsleur designed, where new words come back at longer and longer gaps so you remember them. Pimsleur suggests that everyone start at lesson 1 of Level 1 and not stop to take notes. It works well for learners who want to speak from the start and who have time to listen, like on a commute.
- Each lesson is about 30 minutes of listening and speaking.
- Voice Coach gives you feedback on your pronunciation.
- Learn offline and hands-free, including in the car.
- Reading lessons teach you to read the language too.
MobileWeb
Bubblegum
Bubblegum is the best app for serious learners. You learn from text and audio you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Ask Poppy, your AI tutor, for a lesson about a hobby, like gardening or board games, and she writes one at your level. You see every word while you hear it, so you can tap anything new and ask her about lines you don't get. In many languages, you can also practice speaking with her in live voice chat.
The trade-off is that Bubblegum isn't an audio course you can follow with your eyes closed. For lessons you can do while driving or walking, Pimsleur is the better choice.
- Poppy writes your lessons around your level and the topics you bring her.
- Read each lesson while it plays, then switch to a story or the news.
- Tap a word you don't know, and ask Poppy about any sentence.
- Your saved words come back inside new lessons through Regenerative Review™.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- Lessons are read on screen, and there is no driving mode.
- It can't make lessons from books or articles you already have.
- A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
Choose Pimsleur if:
- You want to learn by listening and answering out loud.
- You'd like to study in the car or while you walk.
- You want a set path that starts at lesson 1 and builds from there.
Choose Bubblegum if:
- You want to see the words while you hear them.
- You'd like lessons about topics you pick, with Poppy to answer questions.
- You want a language Pimsleur doesn't teach, such as Catalan, Uzbek, or Maltese.
Using Both Together
Pimsleur trains your ear and your speaking while you're on the move, and Bubblegum gives you reading and listening when you can look at a screen.
Common Questions
Which app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning a language, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or start with Pimsleur if you'd like an audio course that has you speaking from the first lesson.
Can I hear Bubblegum lessons out loud?
Yes. Every lesson has audio, so you can read a line and hear it at the same time. You can also go back and read a lesson again on your own when you want to go slowly.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- Pimsleur: 51 languages, Voice Coach, driving mode and flashcards
- Pimsleur: The Pimsleur Method and Graduated Interval Recall
- Pimsleur: The app on iPhone, Android and the web
- Pimsleur: Frequently asked questions
- Pimsleur: iPhone App Store listing
- Bubblegum: Every language you can learn
- Bubblegum
Checked on October 14, 2026 against each app's own pages.
