Yabla
Yabla is a bootstrapped video-based language learning platform offering 30,000+ authentic native-speaker videos across six languages, serving individual self-learners via subscription and 1,000+ K-12 and university institutional customers via volume licensing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Yabla does
Yabla, Inc. is a privately held, bootstrapped language learning company founded in 2001 and headquartered in Union City, New Jersey. The company operates a video-based immersion platform that delivers 30,000+ authentic native-speaker videos across six languages (Spanish, French, Italian, German, Chinese, and English), licensed from content partners including Sony, Universal, France2, TV Peru, and Gallovision. The platform layers interactive learning tools on top of its video library: proprietary Smart Subtitle technology with one-click dictionary lookup, pitch-adjusted playback, and looping; six game-based activities including the patented Scribe dictation game (US 10,262,550) and Revo reverse translation game (US 10,796,594 B1); vocabulary flashcards with adaptive spaced repetition; the Fluency Club daily circuit (Spanish only); and Live Classes with native-speaker teachers (Spanish only).
Yabla monetizes through two core channels. Individual self-learners pay an annual subscription (~$99.95 USD for 12 months) via a self-serve PLG funnel with a 7-day free trial, credit card / PayPal / Apple Pay, and gift subscriptions in 3-, 6-, and 12-month tiers priced in 13 currencies. Institutional buyers—K-12 schools, universities, and government programs—purchase volume-based annual subscriptions through a dedicated school sales team, with custom enterprise pricing for districts of 1,000+ language students, supported by FERPA, COPPA, and NY Ed Law 2-d compliance, and integrations with SAML 2.0, Clever, and IMS OneRoster. Yabla claims 1,000+ partner schools including Brown University, University of Michigan, and Iowa State University, alongside an iOS app and Progressive Web App for mobile distribution. The company is independently operated by founder and CEO John DuQuette and CTO John Campbell, with no disclosed institutional investment, M&A activity, or public financial reporting.
Yabla firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Yabla
- Legal name
- Yabla, Inc.
- Website
- https://yabla.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Yabla is a bootstrapped video-based language learning platform offering 30,000+ authentic native-speaker videos across six languages, serving individual self-learners via subscription and 1,000+ K-12 and university institutional customers via volume licensing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Yabla industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Language Learning Software
- NAICS
- Language Schools (61163)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Language Learning Content (Apps, Online Courses, Mobile-first) (EDAGAHAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Language Assessment, Placement Testing & Proficiency Certification Tools (EDAFAOAH)
Keywords
Where Yabla is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Yabla business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Individual Subscriptions: Recurring annual subscriptions for individual language learners. Subscribers get access to authentic videos, interactive games, flashcards, Fluency Club, and live classes (Spanish only). 7-day free trial available for new users. Recurring billing can be turned off at any time.
- School/Organization Subscriptions: Volume-based annual subscriptions for K-12 schools, universities, and language programs. Pricing varies by number of users and language. Supports purchase orders, checks, and credit cards. Schools can add users mid-subscription with prorated billing.
- Gift Subscriptions: Prepaid gift subscriptions available in 3, 6, and 12-month durations. Recipients choose their language upon redemption.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Gift Subscription - 3 months |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Gift Subscription - 6 months |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Gift Subscription - 12 months |
| Subscription | Annual | School/Organization - Volume-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Yabla product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Yabla designs and operates an immersive video-based language learning platform providing access to 30,000+ authentic native-speaker videos across Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, and English, paired with interactive tools including Smart Subtitles, patented Scribe and Revo games, pronunciation practice, spaced-repetition flashcards, daily Fluency Club sessions, live Spanish classes, and a separate Yabla for Schools classroom solution with gradebook and rostering.
Product overview
Yabla is a language learning platform offering immersive video-based education across six languages (Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, and English). The core platform centers on 30,000+ authentic native-speaker videos paired with interactive learning tools: Smart Subtitles with clickable dictionary, vocabulary flashcards with spaced repetition, and six distinct game-based activities (Scribe dictation, Speak pronunciation, Revo reverse translation, Multiple Choice, Fill in the Blank, and Comprehension Quiz). The platform also includes Fluency Club for guided daily practice and Live Classes for Spanish learners. Yabla operates two distinct offerings: individual subscriptions providing self-directed learning with progress tracking, and Yabla for Schools—a comprehensive classroom solution featuring teacher accounts, class management, video assignments, a Gradebook for monitoring student performance, and content filtering appropriate for K-12 institutions. The company holds two US patents for its Scribe and Revo games, offers a native iOS app alongside a Progressive Web App, and provides educational pricing with Single Sign-On integrations via SAML 2.0 and Clever for institutional customers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fluency Club: A guided daily circuit of targeted learning activities, matched to the user's level. Currently available for Spanish only.
Products and services
- Yabla Individual Subscription Annual subscription for individual learners giving access to 30,000+ authentic native-speaker videos across six languages with Smart Subtitles, interactive games (Scribe, Speak, Revo, Fill in the Blank, Multiple Choice, Comprehension Quiz), spaced-repetition flashcards, the daily Fluency Club circuit, structured lessons, live Spanish classes, and progress tracking. Includes a 7-day free trial.
- Yabla for Schools Volume-priced annual subscription for K-12 schools, universities, IB programs, and government language programs, bundling the full Yabla video library with teacher accounts, class rosters, video assignments, the Teacher Gradebook with CSV/JSON exports, a Printable Quiz Builder, age-appropriate content filtering, and Single Sign-On via SAML 2.0 and Clever, plus automated rostering via IMS OneRoster.
- Yabla iOS App Native iOS mobile application that delivers the Yabla language learning experience on iPhone and iPad, with in-app subscription purchases processed via Apple and full access to videos, games, flashcards, and progress tracking for active subscribers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Students can progress from beginner to advanced (A1-C1 CEFR levels) through structured video-based curriculum
Companies that use Yabla
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Yabla technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
AI capability3 records
Feature6 records
Yabla partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Sony LatinocoreLicensing partnership for authentic Latin American music videos and entertainment content, driving student engagement with contemporary meaningful culture.
- Sony FrancecoreLicensing partnership for authentic French music videos and entertainment content.
- Universal LatinocoreLicensing partnership for authentic Spanish-language music videos and content.
- Universal EuropecoreLicensing partnership for European music videos and entertainment content.
- Tv PerucoreLicensing partnership for Peruvian documentaries and cultural content covering science, technology, ecology, economy, and history.
- GallovisioncoreLicensing partnership for educational and cultural documentary content.
- France2coreLicensing partnership for French public broadcasting content including documentaries and news.
- Linode, Inc.coreData center provider hosting Yabla's servers in the US with strong physical security. Yabla's servers are managed by Linode for production data.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS S3)coreAWS S3 used for data backup storage in US East region.
- StripecorePayment processing provider for credit card transactions. Yabla does not store credit card numbers.
- PayPalcorePayment processing provider for alternative payment method.
- Apple (App Store/In-App)coreiOS app distribution through App Store with in-app purchase capability for subscriptions.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Yabla competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- FluentU: FluentU is a video-based language learning platform that converts authentic native-speaker videos (music videos, movie trailers, news) into interactive lessons with clickable subtitles, flashcards, and comprehension quizzes — virtually the same core product concept as Yabla, competing directly for the same self-learner and education segments.
- Duolingo: Duolingo is the market-leading consumer language learning app with gamified lessons, AI tutor features, and 40+ languages. It overlaps Yabla on individual subscriptions and school adoption (Duolingo for Schools), and competes for the same self-learner and K-12 buyer.
- Babbel: Babbel is a subscription-based language learning platform offering 15+ languages with structured lesson paths, speech recognition, and live classes. It directly competes with Yabla for paying adult self-learners and increasingly for institutional buyers.
- Rosetta Stone: Rosetta Stone is an established language learning subscription product (now under IXL Learning) with both consumer and institutional/enterprise editions. It overlaps with Yabla for individual learners, K-12 districts, and government/enterprise training programs.
- Busuu: Busuu is a subscription language learning app offering 14+ languages with community feedback, AI-powered study plans, and a Premium Plus tier with human tutors — competing for the same self-learner segment that Yabla targets with its subscription model.
- Memrise: Memrise is a language learning platform with authentic native-speaker video clips, spaced repetition flashcards, and AI conversation features. It targets the same self-directed learner demographic and adjacent travel/hobbyist use cases as Yabla.
- Mango Languages: Mango Languages offers subscription language learning via web and mobile apps with a heavy institutional footprint (public libraries, K-12, government, corporations) — directly comparable to Yabla's institutional channel and pricing model.
- Pimsleur: Pimsleur is an audio-first language learning subscription product owned by Simon & Schuster. While Yabla emphasizes video immersion and Pimsleur emphasizes audio lessons, both compete for adult self-learners seeking structured, paid language programs.
Emerging players
- Lingoda: Lingoda is a subscription language learning service focused on live small-group and 1-on-1 online classes with native speakers — most directly comparable to Yabla's Live Classes offering for Spanish and a potential competitor as Yabla extends live instruction to additional languages.
- italki: italki is a marketplace connecting language learners with community tutors and professional teachers for live online lessons. It is comparable to Yabla's Live Classes component and to its broader self-directed learner market, though it is structured as a marketplace rather than a packaged curriculum.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Yabla social profiles
Digital presenceYabla compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Yabla financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Yabla leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Yabla funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Yabla M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Yabla
What does Yabla do?
Yabla designs and operates an immersive video-based language learning platform providing access to 30,000+ authentic native-speaker videos across Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, and English, paired with interactive tools including Smart Subtitles, patented Scribe and Revo games, pronunciation practice, spaced-repetition flashcards, daily Fluency Club sessions, live Spanish classes, and a separate Yabla for Schools classroom solution with gradebook and rostering.
Is Yabla a public or private company?
Yabla is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Yabla founded?
Yabla was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Yabla based?
Yabla is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Yabla make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are school/Organization Subscriptions and gift Subscriptions.
Who are Yabla's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are FluentU, Duolingo, Babbel, Rosetta Stone, Busuu, Memrise, Mango Languages and Pimsleur. Emerging players are Lingoda and italki.
Does Yabla have an API?
No public API is recorded for Yabla.
What industry is Yabla in?
Yabla's product category is Online Language Learning Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGAHAM, Digital Language Learning Content (Apps, Online Courses, Mobile-first), with a secondary code of EDAFAOAH, Language Assessment, Placement Testing & Proficiency Certification Tools. Its NAICS code is 61163.