The Best Online German Classes for Beginners, Busy Schedules, and Small Budgets

Best Overall: Lingoda

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Key Specs

• Price: Starting at $15 per group class; $35 per private class
• Platforms: Online
• Certificates: Yes

Why We Chose It

Lingoda provides a robust personalized path to learning the German language at an affordable price. Lessons are taught live, one-on-one, or in a group setting, and your needs drive the curriculum. There's also Lingoda's Language Sprint designed to have you comfortably speaking German in two months. The best part is that if you complete the course without missing one class, you get your money back.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• One-on-one tutoring
• Materials for lessons, homework, and exams provided
• Flexible schedules

Cons

• You could have a different tutor for each session
• Zoom classes only
• Language Sprint courses are not always available

Overview

Lingoda provides tutoring for every level of language learner from beginner basics to fluency to courses that include receiving the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) certificate. You can choose between one-on-one tutoring sessions, group lessons with four other students from across the globe, or the intensive Language Sprint that has you attending classes every day or every other day. All classes are taught live to provide an immediate immersion into learning, listening to, and speaking the language.

Before starting lessons, there is a placement test to help you, and your tutor, understand how much of the German you already know. The results of the test range from an A-level (Absolute Beginner) up to a C-level (Advanced). Since Lingoda is an internationally offered program, classes are available around the clock to ensure every timezone is covered. So no matter how crazy your schedule is, you will be able to find a time that works for you. You can also choose between 30-minute sessions all the way up to two-hour sessions.

For beginingers, a wealth of free resources are available on the website to help you get started in your pursuit of learning German. Once you decide to take your learning to the next level, there is a 7-day free trial that unlocks the premium features. To opt into the trial, you will need to gauge your expected commitment (four classes a month up to 40 classes a month), then enter your payment details so you can be charged once the trial ends. So if you don't love the program, make sure you cancel before the trial is over.

Best for Beginners: DeutschAkademie

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Key Specs

• Pricing: Free; Intensive courses start at $100
• Platforms: Online
• Certificates: No

Why We Chose It

DeutschAkademie offers loads of free beginner German exercises, online textbooks, an audio course, over 100 different German grammar topics, and the Dativ Akkusativ trainer program offering over 4,000 free exercises.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Wealth of free resources
• App is great for on-the-go learning
• Plenty of content reduces repetition of lessons

Cons

• Paid courses can become very expensive
• Live classes are three hours long
• Live tutoring only available with paid courses

Overview

DeutschAkademie, located in Berlin, Germany, offers a huge variety of classes for beginners to advanced learners. The best part is the school offers a wealth of free resources that are perfect for beginners to get started without paying a penny out of pocket. The courses are offered both online and on the DeutschAkademie app. The free resources include over 50,000 grammar and vocabulary exercises, 800 hours of interactive German learning, printable lessons, and more.

In addition to the free resources, there are intensive online courses that start around $100. The courses are very much like a college course where you are expected to attend online classes that last for three hours at a time, complete homework, and interact with the other students in the class, which can include anywhere from seven to 12 other students. A major perk of signing up for the classes is the free online unlimited one-on-one tutoring. If you are a beginner and want to be as close to fluent as possible as fast as possible, DeutschAkademie is a great choice.

If you decide to take advantage of the structured online classroom-style courses, prices start at around $100. If you are looking to learn as much German as possible as fast as possible, opt for the Online German Intensive Course ($320). The three-hour classes are held four days a week (Mon-Thur) for four weeks. The class dates and times are set, so you will need to adjust your schedule to accommodate the classes.

Best for the Basics: Duolingo

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Key Specs

• Price: Free to $120 a year
• Platforms: Online and app
• Certificates: No

Why We Chose It

With millions of downloads and an equal amount of five-star reviews, Duolingo is one of the most well-known language apps available today. You cannot do much better when it comes to learning the basics on-the-go and for free.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Free to download
• Great for all ages
• Community interaction

Cons

• In-app purchases are distracting
• Not too beneficial for intermediate and advanced levels
• Computer-generated voices

Overview

Duolingo is one of the most fun and engaging programs on this list. The lessons are gamified, so you earn points every time you complete a lesson. Another winning feature is your competition is other players from around the world working toward a common goal, German language proficiency. You can also invite family and friends to compete with you, as well as watch your progress and ranking on an international leaderboard.

The program is laid out in multiple small unit lessons – for example – Unit I teaches you how to order in a cafe and describe your family, and Unit II introduces adjectives and how to greet various people. There are 114 units in total. While it's best to go unit-by-unit, you can skip ahead, but it's important to note each unit builds on the last so skipping ahead may cause you to miss a few language building blocks.

The content is available both online and in the mobile app. The online version, however, offers extra features not available on the app, including free and paid classes led by fluent or native speakers. If you love the free app version, you can upgrade to Super Duolingo for $7 a month or add the whole family to your plan for $10 a month.

Best for Kids Under 12: Live Lingua

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Key Specs

• Pricing: $30-$35/ hour
• Platforms: Online
• Certificates: Yes

Why We Chose It

Live Lingua is a web-based multi-language program that pairs students with fluent-speaking teachers. This one-on-one format lends itself to a more personalized, immersive experience. The instructors are native-speaking and can also provide insight into cultural interests.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Personalized approach to learning
• Can choose a native speaker from the area you are visiting
• Live instruction that fits your schedule

Cons

• Expensive
• Only offers one-on-one tutors, so those with busy schedules may struggle to find times that work
• Instructors encourage only German be spoken during classes which can be frustrating for new students

Overview

Live Lingua offers a unique teaching format that includes certified, native speaking instructors from all over the world. You can choose an instructor based on your future geographic destination, which allows for deeper cultural immersion than a basic app or self-led online course. In addition to speaking with your instructor, there are reading and writing lessons paired with your teaching plan to further enhance your learning experience.

You'll start by first filling out a basic survey to gauge your current understanding of the language so your tutor can better tailor your classes to your needs. Each lesson builds on the last, so it's easy to track and make measurable progress. And if for any reason you don't enjoy working with your instructor, you can try a new tutr during your next lesson. If you need a German language CEFR certification for an employer, or to bolster your resume, that is available as well.

With Live Lingua your first lesson is free – and you don't even have to enter payment details. After the free lesson, you pay by the hour which ranges from $30 to $35 depending on your upfront commitment. The more lessons you buy, the lower the cost. If live instruction is what you are looking for, this is the service for you.

Best for Teens: FluentU

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Key Specs

• Pricing: Plans from $30-$240
• Platforms: Online and App
• Certificates: No

Why We Chose It

FluentU offers a self-led audio and visual approach to learning German. Instead of one-on-one instruction, there are immersive videos, audio clips, and flashcards that guide you through learning the language.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Modern, immersive videos
• App allows for on-the-go learning that's perfect for teens
• Flashcards are a familiar learning method for teens

Cons

• No accountability to keep teens engaged
• No placement test
• Can be expensive for some budgets

Overview

If you are looking for a straightforward, at-home German class, FluentU might be the perfect program for you or your teen. The fun, immersive videos will keep you engaged and coming back for more lessons. Instead of focusing on grammar and punctuation, FluentU offers real-life relatable clips of news and tv shows, music videos, audio content, and flashcards that are rated by difficulty level to offer a more personalized experience.

The true winning factor is this program can feel more relevant to young learners, and those wanting to hold basic conversations quickly. As opposed to a structured course that builds on basic rules and principles of the language, which can be boring for some. At present, there are 1,024 German videos, nine sets of flashcards, and nearly 50 audio clips.

The main theme for FluentU is to get students to a conversational level quickly. There is a 14-day free trial available to help you decide if the learning style is right for you or your teen. Once the trial ends, you will be charged monthly ($30) or annually ($240) depending on the subscription plan you chose when initially signing up for the free trial.

Best for Families: Babble

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Key Specs

• Pricing: Plans from $7-$250
• Platforms: Desktop and App
• Certificates: Yes

Why We Chose It

When it comes to learning a new language, Babble offers something for the entire family. There are German language games for the kids, podcasts for the teens, and interactive instructional videos for the adults. So, regardless of your learning style, there's something for everyone.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Desktop and app instruction
• Caters to all levels and learning styles
• Voice recognition adds a unique touch to your learning experience

Cons

• Can be expensive
• Babble Live is an additional fee

Overview

Babbel helps you learn everything from the basics, to conversational phrases and special topics about the culture. There are also specific courses to help hone in on your listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills. Beginners will love the Newcomer courses, and the intermediate to advanced courses help elevate your practice to fluency levels.

In addition to a desktop version, Babble offers an app pairing that is loaded with bonus learning materials. These bonus features include podcasts, games, and even live-tutoring sessions. The app also offers bonus cultural materials designed to familiarize you with Germany prior to travel.

Course plans range from monthly ($7), to yearly ($90), or there is also a lifetime plan ($250). The lifetime plan provides access to all 14 languages that Babbel offers. This price point, paired with the app's content, has made Babbel an extremely popular app to learn German. Babble's live tutoring services are an additional fee ranging from $150 per month to $900 a year.

Best for Adults: Pimsleur

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Key Specs

• Price: $15 to $21 per month
• Platforms: Online and app
• Certificates: No

Why We Chose It

The Pimsleur® Method of learning was designed to take the student directly to the heart of the language by eliminating noise, confusion, and information overload. Adults will appreciate the structure, repetition, and the way each lesson builds on the next using real-world conversational interactions.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Audio lessons featuring native speakers
• Lessons use repetition to help promote long-term memory storage
• 7-day free trial

Cons

• No speech recognition technology
• Complicated 30-day money-back guarantee
• No reading and writing exercises

Overview

Dr. Paul Pimsleur, a world-renowned linguist, created the Pimsleur® method of teaching based on his theory of self-instruction, which resulted from years of teaching and his study in linguistics and the psychology of language, specifically of how memory could be triggered to best implant a new language. Pimsleur’s German course features 30-minute audio lessons with both a native speaker and an English-speaking guide to help you navigate the conversations. Each lesson uses Pimsleur’s graduated-interval recall, whereby new vocabulary is introduced and then tested at increasing intervals, interspersed with the introduction or review of different vocabulary.

In each audio lesson, you hear a brief German conversation, then it's translated into English. Then the German speaker will repeat each word, syllable-by-syllable, to help you learn how to pronounce it. This technique ensures you are fully comprehending the material taught. After each short passage and word breakdown, you are asked a series of questions that require you to recall the conversation and verbally repeat the words. Quizzes and flashcards are incorporated into the study plans for continued practice.

There is a 7-day free trial offer so you can test the teaching methods to make sure it's a fit for your needs. Once the free trial ends, you can choose between either the basic audio-only subscription that's $15 per month, or a single language subscription with visuals and extras that's $20 per month, while access to the full language library which includes 51 languages runs $21 per month.

Best for Conversational Practice: italki

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Key Specs

• Price: $5 to $80 an hour
• Platforms: Online and app
• Certificates: No

Why We Chose It

Italki is a platform that matches learners with tutors from all over the world and with an hourly rate ranging from $5 an hour to $80 an hour. You can easily find a tutor that can accommodate your budget and schedule, and the best part is that the lessons are live and one-on-one. The free podcast is great for both learning and understanding the structure of the language.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Thousands of native German teachers on the platform to choose from
• Budget friendly rates
• Cultural immersion from native speakers living in the areas you may be visiting

Cons

• No free trials
• May need some trial and error to find the best tutor for you

Overview

italki boasts nearly 3,000 native German instructors on its platform who are located all over the world. There are two types of language instructors listed: Professional teachers and Community tutors. Professional teachers are highly-skilled and have certified teacher experience helping students reach their goals. A community tutor is a native or advanced speaker who helps students through informal tutoring or speaking practice.

Each teacher and tutor has a full profile you can read through to get an idea of whether or not they will meet your needs and budget. You can also refine your search by filtering by lesson price, type of lesson (conversational or DELE exam prep), country of origin, and type of teacher. Each profile includes information on how many classes the teacher or tutor has taught and reviews left by former students about their experience with that particular person.

While there are no free trials, the rates start as low as $5 which is exceptional considering you get to have a one-on-one conversation with a native speaker, residing in the area you plan to visit. (Make sure to ask your teacher ot tutor about the culture, local hot spots, cafes and restaurants.) There are free quizzes and podcasts to help you continue practicing outside of your lessons.

Best For Fast Fluency: Rosetta Stone

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Key Specs

• Pricing: Online $36/3mo, $96 /yr, $180/lifetime; The app runs $45/3mo , $110/yr, or $200 for one language, $300 for Lifetime Plus, which includes all 25 languages.
• Platforms: Online and App
• Certificates: No

Why We Chose It

Rosetta Stone is arguably one of the most well known language learning platforms in the world. And for good reason, the program advertises that its users will be able to both speak, and read German after only a few short months thanks to its fully immersive approach to teaching languages.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Proven the world over to be a reliable and effective platform to learn a language
• User-friendly software
• Huge variety of learning lessons and materials

Cons

• Live lessons cost extra
• App and desktop versions require separate subscriptions
• Can become very expensive when combing services

Overview

Rosetta Stone helps language learners read, write, and speak more than 30 languages, including several endangered languages. The German program offers both desktop and app-based lessons, though you will have to pay for each separately if you want to use both. The language program consists of multiple 30-minute lessons that feature voice recognition software to help you perfect your pronunciation. There are also games and quizzes to keep the learning fun and show your progress.

A recent 2021 study of 22 high school tenth-graders majoring in language studies using Rosetta Stone specifically to learn German, showed that the students actively engaged and gave a positive attitude towards the learning and teaching process. Students were able to access the materials in the application, and they understood the materials given comprehensively.

To start practicing today using Rosetta Stone you'll need to decide if you prefer instruction on a desktop, laptop, or Smartphone App. The app version costs $45 for three months, $110 a year, $200 for one language, or $300 for Lifetime Plus, which includes all 25 languages. The desktop version costs $37 for three months, $100 for 12 months, or $180 for a lifetime subscription to all 25 languages.