Learning a new language can feel like opening a door to a whole new world, and having effective lessons from excellent platforms and websites is key to making that progress smoother and faster. Babbel is definitely one of the popular language learning websites, offering effective courses for various languages. However, if your heart is set on learning and mastering the Japanese language and culture, you've likely asked the big question: “Can I learn Japanese with Babbel?”
In this article, we’ll uncover the honest truth about learning Japanese with Babbel and also discuss some fantastic alternatives for 2026. These include Japademy (that's us!), Akamonkai Japanese Language School, and Coto Academy, all of which offer quality Online Japanese Courses. So, let's get right into it!
Just a quick note: all prices and features mentioned here are accurate as of the time of writing, but they are always subject to change.
Babbel: A Popular Language Learning Platform (Without Japanese)
Babbel is a comprehensive language learning website that’s popular among casual learners and even polyglots. It covers a good range, offering lessons in 13 languages. Plus, it has a great, easy-to-use interface and boasts structured, effective courses.
But to give you the straightforward answer to whether you can learn Japanese with Babbel: The answer is a resounding NO. Japanese is simply not currently part of Babbel's course offerings. It’s a bit disappointing, isn't it? While Babbel really shines in providing excellent instruction for other languages, if you were hoping to use it to reach Japanese fluency, you'll unfortunately find a Japanese-sized hole in their course catalog.
Why Doesn’t Babbel Teach Japanese?
It's strange, right? Given the incredibly high demand for online Japanese courses, you’d think Babbel would jump on it. Yet, they’ve never included Japanese in their offerings. There are a couple of compelling reasons that might explain this strategic choice:
1. Linguistic Challenges
Japanese is a true linguistic adventure, differing wildly from most Western languages. The combination of its three writing systems, Hiragana, Katakana, and the mighty Kanji, along with intricate grammatical rules and a distinct sentence structure, makes it a unique challenge. It’s likely just too difficult to teach using Babbel's current framework and methodology.
2. Babbel’s Priorities
Historically, Babbel has focused mostly on European languages that share some relation to English, such as German, Spanish, and French. Their structured, conversation-based learning approach might simply not be the best fit, or at least, they might not feel it’s the best fit, for the unique demands of teaching Japanese.
What Are the Best Alternatives to Babbel for Learning Japanese in 2026?
Since Babbel won't be your co-pilot on your Japanese journey, where should you turn? Don't worry, the market is rich with excellent Japanese language learning websites that provide high-quality lessons taught by professional Japanese teachers.
1. Japademy (That's Us!)
If you're serious about learning and mastering the Japanese language, we believe Japademy is your go-to destination. Our exclusive focus is entirely on teaching Japanese, which allows us to set a new benchmark for learning the language and fill the gap left by platforms like Babbel.
What makes us different?
Expert, Native Teachers:
All of our Japanese teachers are native speakers and fully certified professionals. This is important, as it sets us apart from other sites where teachers might be native but lack official teaching training. Our teachers use their deep knowledge of grammar and language rules to accurately explain topics and ensure you learn effectively.
Experience Across Levels:
Our teachers have at least three years of experience teaching Japanese to students of all levels, so they can absolutely help you achieve your language objectives, no matter where you are starting from.
Personalized Learning:
We know that everyone learns in their own unique way. That's why we offer tailored feedback based on your specific objectives, challenges, abilities, and shortcomings, fostering growth with a motivating and upbeat direction.
Comprehensive Focus:
Our core areas include daily discussions, vocabulary, grammar, kanji, JLPT preparation, and N5 readiness. Whether you choose our 10-week Japanese Online Courses or Japanese Online Private Lessons, you'll get a complete package.
- Live Lessons: In our 10-week courses, you join live lessons with other passionate learners for over 105 minutes weekly. For our private lessons, each session with your native teacher is 55 minutes long and is completely tailored to your personal goals. All live lessons are conducted via Zoom.
- Extra Resources: As an enrolled student, you get free access to our pre-recorded Japanese video courses, which you can use to study before or after your live sessions to deepen your grammatical understanding. We also give you access to our free Japanese practice app to help you master Hiragana and Katakana, memorize vocabulary, and even practice conversations with an AI tutor. No need to buy extra books either, we provide all the exclusive learning material. We also provide our students with practice flashcards, and you can also browse through our interesting and insightful Japanese language blogs.
- Certification: Once you finish a level, you get a completion certificate via email in PDF format with a unique number to confirm its authenticity.
Lessons and Pricing
When it comes to pricing, we believe we offer some of the most reasonable options for learning Japanese with native speakers. If you opt for our structured 10-week Online Courses, the general price is just $279 USD (or $379 CAD or $399 AUD), but if you catch the early-bird special, it drops to $259 USD (or $349 CAD or $369 AUD). This package gives you over 17 hours of live instruction and access to all our supplementary materials, leading to an hourly cost of roughly $14 USD.
If you're looking for more flexibility and a one-on-one approach, our Online Private Lessons are available in different packages: a 5-lesson package is $149 USD, a 10-lesson package is $299 USD (currently discounted at $269 USD!), and a 15-lesson package is $449 USD (currently discounted at $379 USD), with prices in CAD and AUD also available. This pricing structure for our private lessons still translates to a very competitive hourly rate, ensuring you get personalized, high-quality instruction without breaking the bank.
2. Akamonkai Japanese Language School
If group lessons are your preference and you’re looking for a serious time commitment, Akamonkai is a strong contender. Live lessons are a notable part of their teaching approach. Their online courses, led by professional Japanese teachers, offer a dynamic and engaging educational experience. Their teachers are very careful to tailor lessons to meet the individual needs of every student. A great benefit of these live classes is the immediate feedback, constructive criticism, and helpful guidance you receive from your teacher. This structure helps students track their progress and adjust their learning strategies, ultimately helping them become more proficient in Japanese.
For those looking for an affordable choice without compromising on quality, Akamonkai's online group lessons are priced around $901 USD (¥135,000) for a 16-week program. This includes three 1.5-hour lessons per week. That works out to a very reasonable hourly charge of about $12.50 USD. Just remember that this price is specifically for online group lessons, not private one-on-one instruction.
3. Coto Academy
Coto Academy has a slightly more complex, simple point-based monthly subscription plan. With this method, students exchange points for lessons. Here’s the catch, though: any points you don't use up expire monthly.
An online private lesson, which lasts 60 minutes, is estimated to cost around $37.50 USD. I know that cost structure might seem a bit high, especially if you're a younger student, but the excellent caliber of their teaching approach and the personalized nature of their instruction make it a worthwhile investment if you're serious about fluency.
A big plus for Coto Academy is its flexibility. They offer flexible start dates and lesson plans. You can join their classes any month of the year since lessons start monthly. This also gives you the freedom to choose between morning or afternoon Japanese classes, which is super helpful for people juggling busy work or study schedules.
Bottom Line
The journey of learning Japanese is an exciting one, but like any adventure, it has its ups and downs. That's why choosing the right learning method or Japanese website that aligns with your specific goals is incredibly important for overcoming challenges.
While Babbel is undoubtedly popular for teaching various languages, it's a letdown for us Japanese learners that they don't include Online Japanese Courses, meaning you simply can't learn Japanese with Babbel. But please don't let that stop you! As you can see, there are many better alternatives for learning and mastering the Japanese language in 2026, and yes, we certainly believe Japademy is one of them.
If you're persistent and truly serious about diving into Japanese and the beautiful culture that comes with it, don't let Babbel's limitations hold you back. Explore high-quality, effective Japanese Online Courses from providers like us at Japademy. So, why wait? Take your first step toward Japanese fluency today, and happy learning!
Frequently Asked Questions about Japademy's Online Private Lessons
Since the article touches upon personalized learning, here are a few quick answers about our Private Lessons:
How do I book a trial lesson?
After you fill out our enrollment form, we will match you with the most suitable teacher based on your Japanese language experience and availability. You'll then be given a free 30-minute trial lesson with your allocated teacher.
What if I'm a complete beginner?
No Japanese knowledge is needed to get started. Our native Japanese teachers can quickly introduce you to the basics, even if you’ve never studied Japanese before. Plus, you get free access to our pre-recorded video lessons to start learning before your first lesson.
What happens if I'm not happy with my teacher?
Your free trial lesson is a great opportunity to meet your teacher with no commitment. If you aren't satisfied, we can absolutely allocate you to a different teacher who is a better fit for your learning needs.
What is the age requirement for lessons?
Our online private lessons are designed for learners who are 14 years old or older. For younger learners, we recommend looking into alternative options specifically for that age group.
Japanese 10-week online course
Become a proficient speaker with the help of native Japanese teachers.
