The Best German Lessons

Wednesday, September 11th

2024 German Lesson Reviews

italki

• One-on-one German lessons for $4 to $80
• Low-priced trial lessons
• Option to buy lesson packages at a discount
• AI-powered tutor recommendations and learning plans
• Certified teachers and community tutors
• Introduction videos for better understanding of teaching styles
• Read reviews from students
• Access to free learning materials in the community area
• Focused on achieving your specific German language goals

italki is an online language exchange community that started in 2007. Instead of a go-at-your-own-pace app or website, italki is a platform that connects you with German tutors who will help you get the hang of the language's vocabulary and complicated grammar one-on-one.

Personalized recommendations

Choose the language you want to learn, estimate your current level, and decide why you're studying German. Pick five topics you're interested in, like music, food, writing, art, marketing, or nature. Doing this will get you personalized tutor recommendations based on your interests and learning goals. You can also create a personalized learning plan. You'll get suggestions for your lesson goals, help in building good habits, and a way to track your progress.

Tell italki about your goals and timeframe

For example, when we signed up, we said our interest in German was for "hobbies or cultural interests." During the personalization process, italki asked us to choose the best description of our goals: "acquire language skills needed to engage in discussions with friends" or "deepen my understanding of the target culture through language." We could also write a new goal. At the end of the process, one of the suggested lesson focuses it generated for us was "Attend art exhibitions and discuss various artworks," which was perfect for us because we created our profile with the idea of someone who had been an exchange student and wanted to keep in contact with their host family, who they enjoyed going to art museums with.

19 hours with italki is roughly equivalent to 1 college semester

We were also asked to set our learning pace and duration to achieve the equivalent of a semester of learning. If you commit 4 hours a week for 5 weeks to learning German with italki, that would be the same as one semester of university-level language learning. Your learning plan will be visible to your teachers, so don't worry about having to update them on your goals.

italki has certified teachers and community tutors

There are two kinds of teachers on italki - Community Tutors and Professional Teachers. Valeria May, for example, is a Professional Teacher. That means she's demonstrated her credentials to italki with acceptable certificates, in her case, a certification for teaching German as a foreign language from the Goethe Institute. You can watch her short introduction video to hear more about her background and get a feel for her accent. If learning to speak like a native is important to you, you may want to look for a tutor like Valeria who is from Germany, but be aware they sometimes charge more.

Watch introduction videos from tutors

A Community Tutor can help you with general topics and conversation practice and isn't required to have teaching credentials, but italki still requires them to submit an application and evaluates them based on an intro video and their activity in the italki community. They also have to pass a 45-minute interview with italki staff. It isn't a free-for-all! Karen, for instance, is a Community Tutor, and she has a 5-star rating from 75 students. In her introduction video, she talks (in German) about her teaching style - a relaxed conversation where she identifies and helps you improve your weaknesses. She also shares what she looks for in a student - someone who is curious about the world, enjoys expressing themselves, and appreciates lively discussions.

Read student reviews

In a tutor or teacher's profile, you'll find the topics they're interested in, any other languages they speak, and the kinds of teaching materials that will be involved in your German tutoring. These materials might include PDFs, text documents, audio files, articles and news, quizzes, and homework assignments, among others. You'll also have access to their resumes. Here you'll find reviews from their students and the tutor's attendance rate, their response rate, and the number of lessons they've taught. Valeria May has taught 2,601 students and boasts a 100% attendance rate. Her students praise her for always being well-prepared and punctual.

Not all tutors offer trial lessons

If you're interested in tutoring with Valeria May, Karen, or any other italki tutor, you get three shots at a trial lesson to discuss your learning goals, a demo of your tutor's teaching style, and a sample of the materials involved. These trial lessons are usually available to new students at a lower price than the tutor's other lessons. A trial lesson with Karen is $11, but Valeria May doesn't offer one. Instead she's established an hourly rate of $30 minimum.

Buy lessons in bulk for a small discount

Also on a tutor's profile you'll be able to see the lessons and lesson packages they offer. Karen offers one kind of lesson: conversation practice on a topic of your choosing, including current political events, your everyday life, other countries, history, and more. She charges just $20 for an hour-long lesson. Valeria May only offers packages, which are purchased all at one time but carry a 4% discount. She has lessons for all levels from A1-C2 that cover grammar, pronunciation, reading, and listening. Her 45-minute lessons cost $42 and her 60-minute lessons are $44.

Save by purchasing credits

You can choose to pay with either traditional cash or through italki credits. While you have the option to pay for each lesson separately (which includes a nominal service fee), preloading your student wallet with italki credits can simplify the payment process. Buying credits in larger quantities also offers the advantage of reducing transaction fees, though the savings are modest. If a lesson is canceled or declined by the teacher, the credits are refunded directly to your italki wallet. Just keep in mind that italki credits will expire if there's no activity on your account for over a year.

Access free learning materials

The community area on italki is a gold mine of complimentary learning materials. Here, you can access podcasts, learning exercises, and a community forum for German-related questions. The exercises are designed by experienced tutors and might include tasks like completing sentences or engaging with writing prompts about German language, culture, or any topic that sparks your interest. Here's a tip: adjust the language settings to German so you don't see things related to other languages you've indicated you can speak.

Best choice for German lessons

If you're learning German for academic or professional reasons, italki is your best bet at passing that test or interview with flying colors. At italki, you'll be working with a tutor who centers the instruction on your goals, meaning you won't have to slog through irrelevant vocabulary before you get to what you really want to learn. italki is our favorite place to take German lessons, earning our highest rating of 5 stars.

Ouino

• Prices range from $3.99 to $12.99/month with a $95.76 Lifetime Access option
• Covers grammar, vocabulary, conversation, and pronunciation
• Users can learn at their own pace
• Encourages real-life language practice
• Provides self-assessed speaking practice
• Free demo available
• Accessible on various devices
• Highly rated by users for grammar teaching and writing exercises
• Excellent customer service

Ouino is one of the newer language learning platforms in our review. Started in 2021 by "a small family of language lovers," they teach French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and of course, German. They guarantee that their way is the best way to learn German, and if you don't agree, they'll refund you your money. We go into detail about how Ouino works here, but if you want even more, you can find a set of 13 articles on their website that covers every question you could possibly have about why they built it the way they did.

Ouino encourages a well-rounded approach to learning German

Ouino really gets it right with their approach to language learning. They've built a platform that fits everyone's style: whether you're an auditory learner or do best with a text-based approach, you can focus on the exercises that you know help you improve the fastest. They also understand that language learning isn't just about checking off lessons, but also about using the language in real life. That's why they let you note down days when you've practiced German outside their platform, whether that's through conversation, reading German books, or watching German movies. We think this goes a long way to prove Ouino's stated love for language learning - they really want you to learn German, not just spend all your time on their platform. And, if you ever need to get in touch with customer support, you'll be talking directly to the people who created Ouino. These guys are truly passionate about what they do, and it shows in every aspect of their platform.

Learn according to your pace, style, and interests

On the home page of Ouino, you'll find five ways to better your German: "Building Blocks" to learn sentence structure and grammar, "Verbs & Conjugation" to understand verb usage, "Vocabulary" for expanding your lexicon, "Conversations" for language practice, and "Pronunciation" to perfect your speech. You can choose to explore these areas at your own pace or follow Ouino's "Recommended Learning Path" if you're not sure where to start. Just a small note on the "Conversations" section: we think it would be helpful if Ouino showed both the direct and common translations of German dialogue. For example, the phrase "Ich heiße" is translated as "my name is", but it actually means "I am called". Seeing both translations can help you start to think in German. One of the other German lesson platforms in our review provides literal translations, and we missed having that on hand as we studied with Ouino.

Learn German in full sentences at a time

Ouino helps you remember German vocabulary by building on what you know. You'll see full German sentences from the very first lesson, but don't freak out (nicht ausflippen) - you only need to focus on words highlighted in red. The other words will be in blue. This method is effective because you learn new words in context, adding an element of challenge. For instance, you might first see "ich mag" in red in a sentence, and later, these words will be blue, surrounding a new red word you're learning, like "ich mag den Apfel," where "den Apfel" is red. Over time, you'll start to understand all the blue words because you've seen them as red words before.

Ouino explains grammar carefully

Unlike other language programs that gloss over German grammar, Ouino really takes the time to help you understand it. Take verb conjugation, for example - an important feature of any language. While most platforms just kick you a one-off question in the middle of a vocabulary lesson or ignore it altogether, Ouino has dedicated activities for helping you learn how verb endings change in different tenses. And, if you ever come across a sentence you don't understand, you can click "show sentence explanation" for a full breakdown of the grammar. Nothing on Ouino feels like it's a template reused from their other language lessons. It feels like someone with a lot of German expertise has gone over everything with a fine-toothed comb and anticipated, then answered, any questions you might have.

Exercises that test your actual knowledge, not your guessing abilities

When you select a topic in Ouino, you have several ways to learn it. You can click through a comprehensive lesson with audio explanations of your objectives and nuances of the grammar, simply listen to audio playback at a speed that suits you, or jump straight into the exercises. The exercises are ordered from easiest to hardest. You might be matching images with words in the "Beginner's Luck" exercise, translating what you hear in "Be All Ears" , writing words in "Write-a-Word" , or answering timed questions in "Fluency Sprint" . We were particularly happy to see those last two exercises - being made to write without hints is really effective in assessing your true understanding. Unlike other language platforms that use multiple-choice word banks, Ouino makes you come up with answers on your own. This ensures you're not just recognizing words, but actually demonstrating your ability to recall them accurately, which is especially important in a language like German where an accent can totally change the meaning (take, for example, schwul vs. schwül).

Self-assessed speaking practice

In Ouino, you won't find voice recognition for German pronunciation practice because pretty much all voice recognition software has trouble picking up the subtle nuances of accents. (If the Green Bird App told you you were fluent, we're sorry you have to find out this way.) Instead, you have the opportunity to record your own voice and compare it with a native speaker's pronunciation. This allows you to adjust and practice until you're happy with how you sound. Ouino even gives you English hints to help you wrap your mind around the German sounds you're trying to mimic. You can select the length and difficulty level of the sentences you practice with, and there are thousands of phrases available in the "Extra Language Practice" section for you to work on.

Free demo available

Want to try Ouino's German lessons for yourself? You can download a free demo of their German lessons to your computer or use the web version, though it's a little bit slower. We did find the software to be a little slow to respond as well, but we haven't found any complaints about it from any Ouino users, so it could be that it's just an issue with the demo.

From $3.99 to $12.99 a month, depending on plan

Ouino offers four plans for learning a new language.

• The Lifetime Access plan costs $95.76, which is like paying $3.99 per month if you use it for two years. With this plan, you can use Ouino forever with no ads and even when you're offline. You get access to more than 450 lessons and 1300 exercises and can use it on pretty much any device. This is the only plan with personal language mentoring and free upgrades forever. Plus, if you want to learn another language, you can add it for half the price. If you're not happy within 60 days, you can get your money back.
• The 3-Month Access plan is $12.99 per month, but you pay it all at once, so it's $38.97. You get all the same benefits as the Lifetime Access, but you can only use it for 3 months and there's a 30-day money-back guarantee.
• The 6-Month Access plan is $9.99 per month, paid all at once for $59.94.
• The 12-Month Access plan is $6.99 per month, paid all at once for $83.88.

In all these plans, you can use Ouino on basically any kind of device and your progress syncs across them. However, only the Lifetime Access plan gives you personal language mentoring.

A fan favorite

Users are seriously loving Ouino for learning German. They especially appreciate the focus on getting the grammar right. As one user said, Ouino "greatly outshines" its better-known competitors (you probably know which ones). Another user loves the repetition and finds typing super beneficial for muscle memory and spelling. They've been following the recommended learning path and rave about the lessons being "fun, informative and beneficial." One user even said they were reading and understanding German texts online within a month - wie cool ist das, bitte? Being able to use Ouino without an internet connection is a big win for a lot of people, and let's not forget about the customer service: the Ouino team is always ready to help out. When we checked them out on Trustpilot (where they currently have 4.8 stars), we could always find them responding personably and enthusiastically to customer feedback and questions.

Say "ja" to Ouino

You might not have heard of Ouino before now, but that's certainly not a reflection on its quality. In our opinion, Ouino is a top-notch choice for mastering German, and it's clear that the creators have poured their heart and soul into it. With a free demo and a 30- or 60-day money-back guarantee, there's zero risk involved. Plus, with lifetime access costing less than $100, it's as irresistible as a frosty Eiskaffee on a balmy day in Berlin. Jippie!

Memrise

• Pricing: Starts at $22.99/month, $71.99/year, or $249.99 for a lifetime plan
• Frequent discounts of 50% or more
• Free version available with limited vocabulary lessons, native speaker videos, and speaking practice
• Personalized learning path based on user's goals and progress
• Gamified app with leaderboards for motivation
• Access to the entire lesson and video library regardless of user's level
• Lessons are practical and relevant to real conversations
• "Learn with Locals" videos for understanding native pronunciation
• In-platform YouTube videos for learning German
• Conversations with AI chatbot for practice

Memrise was created by Ed Cooke, a Grandmaster of Memory, and Greg Detre, a neuroscientist who studies memory and forgetting. Together, they built Memrise with the goal of making learning not just effective but also really enjoyable. The platform uses what we know about how memory works to help you learn languages and other subjects faster and remember them for longer. Like several of the websites in our review, Memrise is a gamified app. You can compete on leaderboards against other learners, which is an excellent way to stay motivated.

Free version still lets you do a lot

When you sign up for Memrise to learn German, you get to personalize your learning experience right from the start. You can choose to learn German from a variety of source languages, including French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, and Japanese. Instead of a free trial, Memrise offers both a free version and a Pro version. The free version has limited vocabulary lessons, access to two native speaker videos per day, and two speaking practices per day. It's not ad-free, which can be a bit distracting, but we appreciate that Memrise allows you to filter out lessons that aren't included in the free version so you don't always feel like you're missing out. On the other hand, the Memrise Pro version unlocks all vocabulary lessons, a library of 30,000 native speaker videos, and unlimited speaking practice - all without ads.

Pricing plans

If you're interested in unlocking all the lessons and hiding ads, here's how much you'll pay before discounts:

• Monthly Plan: $22.99
• Annual Plan: $71.99 (Originally $89.99, equates to $6.00/month)
• Lifetime Plan: $249.99 (one-time payment)

Great news for aspiring polyglots: all of Memrise's plans include access to all of their language courses.

Personalized learning path

Memrise's home layout is notably simple and clean, designed to keep you focused and motivated. Right on the home screen, you'll see your weekly progress displayed according to the personal goals you've set, such as building vocabulary (displayed like "x/35 words learned" ), practicing listening ("x/5 videos" ), or practicing speaking ("x/5 conversations" ). Based on your recent activities, Memrise smartly recommends your next activity, adjusting automatically to your pace and progress.

Learn from the whole library

However, if you're feeling adventurous or want to focus on a particular skill, you have the freedom to navigate to the Scenarios tab, the Videos tab, or the Conversations tab. Here, you can choose from the entire lesson and video library without being limited by your current level. Jump around as you like according to your interests. If something is too challenging, Memrise trusts you to make that call for yourself, and there aren't any penalties for not completing a lesson.

Lessons are actually relevant to real conversations

One of the things we love most about Memrise is the practicality of the lessons. We at TopConsumerReviews spent some time in Germany without speaking much German beforehand, and Memrise was the tool we utilized to quickly learn the vocabulary and phrases relevant to our new situation. For instance, in German, there are two ways to address someone: formally or informally (for example, "Sie" vs "Du"). When meeting someone your own age, it's typical to use "Du" . But if it's someone older or in a professional or educational setting, you use "Sie" . You might start out addressing someone with "Sie" , and then they might tell you it's okay to use "Du" . There are a few ways to transition in conversation, which you'll find in the "Formal Introductions" lesson. Examples include: "Wollen wir uns duzen?" , "Ist du okay?" , "Sie können mich duzen" . If you're looking for a specific topic, you can use the search bar at the top right to bring up related lessons. Just make sure to use English search terms - typing "siezen" or "duzen" will yield no results, but "formal and informal" will.

Understand native pronunciation with "Learn with Locals" videos

Another much-loved Memrise feature is its "Learn with Locals" videos. These are short clips integrated into the lessons where German speakers demonstrate the phrases you're learning in their own environments. For example, you might see a local ordering a pretzel at a bustling bakery in Berlin or asking for directions to the nearest U-Bahn station. These videos not only allow you to tune your ear to natural pronunciation, but they also give you a glimpse of everyday German life, bolstering your cultural understanding and making the language learning process more engaging and exciting.

Watch YouTube videos in-platform to learn German

The "Videos" tab is a recent addition to Memrise's features. It includes a mix of videos from the internet and those created by Memrise. Initially, you'll start with short skits made by Memrise, which use the vocabulary you've practiced in the Scenarios. As you progress, you'll be suggested more challenging videos, such as German music videos, well-known commercials (the Christmas ad from Edeka had us bawling at our desks), street interviews, and news segments. Before you watch a video, you can see what percentage of the vocabulary you're already familiar with. To review the vocabulary used in each video, you can click on the "learn words" button below the videos.

No-stress German conversations with AI chatbot

The best way to solidify what you're learning is to use it in conversation, and early on. Memrise understands how daunting that feels to new language learners, so they have a solution: converse with their GPT-3 powered chatbot. You don't even have to pick the subject - there are lots of topics to choose from based on the lessons you're learning, like "Dogs are the best" , where your goal is to convince your imaginary colleague why dogs are better than cats.

No offline downloads

Some long-time users of Memrise (including us) are unhappy about some changes happening lately. For one, they took away the option to download lessons for offline use. This was really useful for people who like to learn on their phones when they don't have internet, like during a commute.

Community Courses have been phased out

Another thing people are upset about is that Memrise got rid of Community Courses early in 2024. Before, users could make their own language courses, with everything from conlangs to endangered or ancient languages. For example, one person was learning Welsh and found the whole curriculum from a government course, painstakingly uploaded by another user onto the app, which was really helpful in combination with Memrise's spaced repetition methods for practice. Another person used Memrise to learn Bengali, her late husband's language, and she can't find it on any other app. Why are Community Courses being done away with? In a Reddit post, the CEO said, "Each of these courses is really important to a few of you. None of these courses are important to all of you or the broader public, as confirmed by Google. As a result, from an SEO standpoint, this entire community exerts a tremendous downward force on our rankings." We have to wonder if the number of long-time Memrise users who say they are canceling their subscriptions will change his mind.

Tried and true

Despite these changes, we still really like Memrise for its German lessons. We put them to the test ourselves, and it was an invaluable tool for keeping our heads above water in a fully German-speaking environment. For these reasons, we give Memrise a very high rating.

Rocket Languages

• Plenty of audio for listening
• Unique and accurate speech-recognition and assessment program
• Survival Kit: added list of helpful words and phrases
• Complete, understandable lessons
• Earn points and compete on the leaderboard

Rocket Languages offers you courses in languages like Italian, French, Korean, Hindi, Arabic, Portuguese, Japanese, Russian, Sign Language, English, and of course, German. Using interactive podcasts, their lessons get you speaking right from the start. You'll also learn about German culture and everyday life. Download your audio lessons for offline listening and play them on any device. If you want to learn more about Rocket Languages, the first best place to look is this review. The second best place is their free trial - all you need is an email address to get started.

Friendly German and American hosts

There are three levels of Rocket Languages' German course, each with between 64 and 75 lessons. No confusing layout or unclear learning paths here - hop right into the intro module with the first lesson called "Let's Get Started!" It's a 30-minute audio lesson - essentially a podcast. Your host for the German course is Rachel from the USA, joined in the first level by Lena from Hamburg and Paul from Munich. You'll hear them go back and forth in a basic, scripted German conversation and there will be audio cues to encourage you to practice speaking aloud. This type of lesson is best to complete somewhere you won't mind being heard, like while driving or out for a walk mit dem Hund. As you progress, the German gets more complicated, but Rachel is always there to break down what you're hearing in English. We love that Rocket Languages teaches you grammar right alongside new vocabulary, which, puzzlingly, isn't a given with all German lessons.

Language and culture lessons teach you about life in Germany

Our favorite thing about Rocket Languages is their Language & Culture Lessons. A lot of people have negative associations with text-based classroom language learning, which might be why gamified language apps have become so popular. But those apps leave some important things out. You need a middle ground - something that's not so dry as a textbook and not so light as a game that may as well be junk food for your brain. In the first Language & Culture lesson, you'll hear the nuances of German vowels and that tricky "R", and learn about the proper way to greet someone new in Germany. Don't be startled if a storekeeper says "Guten Tag" to you when you enter the store - Germans have a reputation for being unfriendly, but in reality, they're quite polite.

Extra activities to help you retain information

After you complete an Audio or Language & Culture lesson, you'll have a few activities available to reinforce your learning, like flashcards, writing exercises, quizzes, and pronunciation practice. We tested each of these out and have a few pointers for you. In a writing exercise, you'll listen to a phrase and type what you hear. Just make sure you don't miss any special characters like the Eszett (ß) - using a double S here will cost you some points. You don't need to go out and buy a new keyboard, though - special character buttons are provided. When practicing your pronunciation, you should know that Rocket Languages will grade your speech automatically. It's mostly accurate. For instance, if you don't get the "ch" sound in "nicht" just right, and pronounce it as "nickt" , Rocket will call you out on it. However, we got away with a terribly exaggerated American accent on "sehr gut" . To really nail your accent, you should use the provided features to replay the example audio and your own attempts. Keep re-recording yourself until you sound exactly like the example. All the points you earn in these activities contribute to your ranking on the leaderboard.

Leaderboard and forums for friendly competition

If you missed the leaderboard, don't worry, you're not alone. It's easy to overlook. Click on the wrench icon over "Tools". Here, you'll find the leaderboard where you can compare yourself to others and see your streak status. Any vocab you've saved can also be found here. There's also a forum for discussing all things German language and culture with other students and tutors.

Survival Kit for quick travel vocab

The last thing in Rocket's offerings are the Survival Kit lessons. These follow the same format of audio and text as the other lessons, but the topics are all things someone traveling to Germany in the near future might find useful.

60 days to get your money back

Rocket Languages is generally liked on the internet, but they don't have as many user reviews as some of our higher-rated picks. One critique from a user was about the course not consistently teaching the gender of nouns, which is important in German as it can change the way other words in a sentence are formed. That user still gave Rocket 4 stars, though, because when they requested a refund within the 60-day window, it was completed the next day.

Priced from $99.95 to $259.90

Rocket's pricing structure works differently than some other German lesson sites we've included in this review. They charge you by level, or you can opt for a one-time payment for a six-month plan that gives you access to all 3 levels. However, it's all billed at the same time, even for a monthly plan. That means the minimum you'll be paying for Rocket Languages' German lessons is $100. Here's the breakdown:

• All three levels (Beginner to Advanced): Normally $449.85, often discounted to $259.90
• First two levels (to a strong conversational level): Usually $299.90, often lowered to $249.90
• First level (to a good conversational level): Typically $149.95, usually on sale for $99.95
• 6 months of access to all 3 levels: charged as a one-time payment of $282

We like them, but they're not our favorite

We've reviewed Rocket Languages a few times now, and we have to admit that their German course isn't our favorite. Some users have felt that the podcasts are a bit dry and seem too scripted, but that could be because they have a lot of information to include in a way that's friendly to absolute beginners. We think the oversight of not including articles with nouns is a bit odd, and raises questions about what the advanced lessons are like. Also, we'd like to see a lower-priced subscription option comparable to competitors. Overall, we would still recommend Rocket Languages' German lessons, but not as our first choice.

Fluenz

• Pricing: Complete program (Levels 1-5) for $398, individual levels and bundles also available
• Lessons designed with English speakers in mind
• Lessons include activities such as matching words, typing translations, and listening and writing exercises
• No subscription fees, courses purchased are yours forever
• Pre-recorded lessons guided by tutor Nora Naatz, a native German speaker
• Five levels of German learning, from basics to complex conversations
• Option for refund within 30 days of purchase
• Generally positive user reviews

In the comfort of your own home, and at a time that's convenient for you, you can learn German from a real person. Having a real person teach you German knowing how English speakers process languages is much more personal and relatable than learning language from matching sounds to photos or images, or learning from a written textbook-like page of instructions. We like that the pricing is straightforward, you don't pay for levels of language you don't want, and you buy what you buy with no time-limit subscriptions.

Lessons are meant for English speakers

One well-known language learning platform in our review uses buzzwords and phrases like "immersion" and "learn a language the way kids do" to tempt you to purchase their software where their lessons are completely in German with no English translations. Fluenz eschews that idea. They know that as an adult, your first language is a powerful tool to help you learn a second language faster than you did your first. That's why all of their German lessons are taught using the rules of English grammar to give you a foothold. However, that does mean their from-scratch German lessons are only taught from an English-speaking perspective. If you were hoping to learn German from Spanish, you'll need to check out one of the other German lesson websites in our review.

No demo available

Fluenz's design doesn't have the same flair as the most popular language learning platforms out there - it's a bit old-school and could use a revamp. Superficial concerns aside, there's no free trial, so your choice to buy has to be based on screenshots and the experiences of other users. These screenshots show you components of the lessons over pretty pictures of Germany. There's also a short, silent 20-second video that gives you a glimpse into the different sections of the lessons.

A pre-recorded tutor will guide your lessons

In the German lessons offered by Fluenz, your tutor will be Nora Naatz, a native German speaker. The lessons seem to include activities such as matching English and German words, typing German translations of vocabulary, and listening and writing exercises. You'll also interact with simulated conversations. Nora's role is likely to provide short videos explaining how German grammar relates to English and assist with pronunciation. However, without a demo available, it's hard to get a full understanding of her role or the lesson format. We hope Fluenz will at least include a video demonstration with sound at some point in the future.

5 levels of German lessons

Fluenz offers five levels of German learning. Level 1 covers basics like greetings, introductions, and simple grammar. Level 2 progresses to practical situations like making plans and dining out, and it covers more advanced grammar topics. Level 3 gets into real-world situations like renting properties and discussing hobbies, using more complex sentence structures. Level 4 involves discussions about various topics like family stories and financial matters, and you'll learn to navigate urban traffic and plan outdoor activities. By the time you reach Level 5, you'll be so comfortable with complex conversations, trip planning, writing, and dealing with medical and legal issues, you might as well apply for German citizenship.

One-time fee of $187 for 1 level

When you buy Fluenz's German lessons, they're yours forever. Let's hear it for no subscription fees! But be warned, they're a bit on the pricey side. If you're unsure about your commitment to learning German, you might want to start with just the first level. Here are your options:

• Complete program (Levels 1-5): $398
• First three levels: $308
• Levels 3-5: $320
• Individual levels (1 or 2): $187 each
• Bundle of Levels 1 and 2: $258
• Bundle of Levels 4 and 5: $258

And if you're not thrilled with your purchase, you can get a refund within 30 days.

Slightly above average until a demo is available

While Fluenz shows promise, it's hard to truly understand how it feels to use it. Some users have found success through Fluenz's German lessons when used for refreshing their old German knowledge before a trip or understanding German TV, but have also mentioned that the sentences can sometimes be repetitive. Although it's often considered better than that faux-immersive platform we mentioned, we're not sure how it would hold up to some of our top services. If you're planning to complete all five levels of German with Fluenz, you wouldn't want to get bored or frustrated with an exercise that doesn't work well for your learning style.

Busuu

• Starts at $4.17/month for annual Premium membership
• German lessons from levels A1 to B2
• Dedicated grammar review section
• Earning stars keeps you motivated
• Community-graded exercises
• Cultural nuances taught in lessons
• Vocabulary demonstrated by German locals
• CEFR certificate for Premium users
• Offline access for Premium users
• Good for beginners

Busuu is an online language learning platform, founded in 2008 and acquired by Chegg in 2022. It has over 16,000 reviews on Trustpilot with a 4.6 rating average. In addition to German, Busuu teaches Spanish, Japanese, English, French, Italian, Korean, Dutch, Russian, Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic, Turkish, and Polish. Because it includes grammar review and cultural tips, we consider it a little more rigorous than some well-known online German lessons. With Busuu, you'll learn from native speaker videos, listening activities, flashcards, and completing writing exercises.

Lessons only reach B2

Busuu has a handful of German language courses based on proficiency level. If you're starting from scratch, you could jump in with the "Complete German" course, which spans levels A1 to B2. If you're planning a vacation and just need some quick pointers, the "German for Travel" course for A1 and A2 concentrates on immediately useful phrases. Similarly, the "Life in Germany" course, also for levels A1 to A2, offers language skills and cultural tips that could be beneficial if you're considering living, studying, or working in Germany. If you want to work on your pronunciation, the "German Pronunciation" course might be helpful. Lastly, those at level A2 and interested in business-oriented language skills might find the "German for Business" course useful. Unfortunately, none of Busuu's German lessons exceed a B2 level, so if you want to become fluent, you'll eventually need to branch out.

Grammar is as important as vocabulary

On Busuu, you'll find four main sections: Learn, Review, Community, and Courses. In the Learn section, you'll carry on with the course you chose when you first signed up, but you're free to switch to different courses anytime. Lesson chapters must be completed in order, but you can skip chapters by scoring over 80% at the checkpoints. We really like that the Review section has a dedicated tab for grammar, covering topics like articles, pronouns, verbs, cases, connectors, and more. In the Community section, you can both give and receive corrections on English and German speaking and writing exercises.

Earn stars for motivation

When you finish a lesson, Busuu calculates how long it would take you to complete your course at the pace you're learning. We think this is great encouragement to push yourself to do a little more than you ordinarily would. Every time you complete an exercise, correction, new lesson, or practice session, you'll earn stars to move up the leaderboard.

Spends too much time on things you already know

We found some of the pronunciation content to be unnecessarily simple. For instance, in the first lesson of the pronunciation course, you learn how to pronounce the letter "h" . It's no different in German than it is in English, so it seems like a waste of time to focus on it. When we signed up, we indicated that we speak English, so there's not even really the excuse that it's for someone learning German from another language.

Important cultural nuances taught from the first lesson

The first lesson in the "Life in Germany" course provides a handy list of common greetings used across various German-speaking regions. You'll learn that "Hallo" and "Hi" are standard ways to say hello in German, while "Hey" is a more informal greeting. In Austria and Southern Germany, people often use "Servus". If you're in Switzerland, you might hear "Hoi". In Northern Germany, you'll come across "Moin" or "Moin moin". It's really helpful to know these regional differences, something that not all online German lessons provide.

Learn with the locals

In Busuu's lessons, some of your vocabulary words are taught to you by German locals themselves, filmed in scenic German locations. We always value this type of content as it keeps learners interested and helps them get familiarized with the genuine sound of German as it's spoken in real life. Typically, the lesson's structure includes listening to a sentence, selecting the correct matching written sentence, and then listening once more to identify the correct word to complete a sentence. When you complete an exercise, a translation of the full sentence is displayed, sometimes with a helpful grammar tip.

You can't turn off hints

We wish Busuu allowed you to turn off the word bank choices and instead type your answers. Are you truly testing the German words you know, or are you just getting good at choosing the correct option from a given list? If you could type in your answers instead, that would mean that if you misremembered a verb conjugation or used the wrong noun case, you would get it wrong. However, when you're just picking from preset options, you bypass these common errors and might overestimate your German skills. Sadly, not many online German lessons offer the option to use your keyboard to increase the challenge, because they have more to gain from you sticking around and playing another round and don't want to risk you getting frustrated and quitting.

Premium users get CEFR certificate

Busuu's Basic version, although free, is interrupted by frequent ads, making it hard to forget that you're not using the Premium version. By upgrading to Premium, you can enjoy an ad-free experience with full access to all lessons. This package also brings you personalized revision plans, speedy feedback from native speakers, and the convenience of offline access. Furthermore, on course completion, Premium users are awarded a certificate from Busuu that aligns with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) standards.

From $4.17 to $13.99 per month

If you're thinking of upgrading to Premium, here's what to expect:

• Annual: $4.17/month (paid upfront for the term; usually $166.80, often discounted to $50.04)
• 6 months: $8.45/month (paid upfront for the term; usually $83.40, often $50.70)
• Monthly: $13.90

If you buy Premium and decide it's not for you, you only have 14 days to get your money back.

Good for beginners

We think Busuu is a good entry-level platform for dipping your toes in the water of learning German online. However, it's not going to be enough by itself. You should also expose yourself to German media appropriate for your level, like children's books, cartoons with German subtitles, and music.

Babbel

• Starts at $17.95/month for self-study and $99/month for live classes
• Uses a review technique called "spaced repetition"
• A1-B2 courses in 14 different languages, including German
• Includes exercises developed by language experts, podcasts, videos, games, and planning tools for tracking progress
• Courses cover grammar, listening and speaking, and job applications
• Live classes are capped at 6 participants and go to C1 level
• Offers a 20-day money-back guarantee

You may already be familiar with Babbel, a language learning platform, from your favorite travel vlogger's YouTube channel. Established in 2007, Babbel has expanded to provide courses in 14 different languages. A significant study from the City University of New York and the University of South Carolina found that you can develop basic conversational skills in a new language by using Babbel for only 15 hours over two months.

Set your learning goal

To get started with Babbel, they'll first ask you a few questions - why you want to learn German, how much German you know already, and what level you're aiming for. Next, they'll have you set a daily learning goal, starting at just 5 minutes. Now, don't be fooled by apps saying you can master a language in a few minutes a day - it's going to take a bit more commitment than that. But hey, starting with 5 minutes a day is a great way to build a habit, and then you can ramp it up from there. Once you're done with that, you have to decide between self-study with Babbel or Babbel Live.

Babbel live includes live classes

What's the difference? The self-study option on Babbel includes app-based exercises developed by language experts, tools for real-life language use, podcasts, videos, games, and planning tools for tracking progress. The Babbel Live option, on the other hand, includes all of the self-study features plus the ability to practice speaking with qualified teachers in a flexible class schedule, with an unlimited number of classes and no hidden fees.

Self-assessment for placement

When you choose self-study on Babbel, the first thing you'll see on your dashboard is an assessment designed to find the right level for newcomers. It would be more useful if they tested your understanding of German, as most people tend to overestimate their abilities on self-assessments, thanks to a phenomenon known as the Dunning-Kruger effect. However, the assessment consists more of a series of self-evaluations of things you think you can do in German, like summarizing a book or TV show, or understanding the news without subtitles. But don't worry: if you get placed incorrectly, you can always move to the level that feels right.

Zero in on tricky grammar

You can browse Babbel's German lessons by level or by topic, like specific grammar topics you need to work on. When you browse by topic, you'll see 4 courses that focus on grammar and 2 courses to improve your listening and speaking skills. If you're aiming to learn German for work, they have 9 courses that cover job applications, interviews, and business trips, along with 2 courses specifically for vocabulary in different professions. You can also learn about Germany's culture with 3 courses on countries and traditions. If you want to refresh your memory or learn idioms, they have 3 special courses for that. And to build your vocabulary, they offer 31 courses with over 3,000 words and everyday sentences.

B1 course isn't finished yet

If you're browsing by level, you'll see a total of 21 courses from A1 to B2. At the time of our review, there were 9 A1 courses on the basics of grammar, vocab, and pronunciation, 8 courses for A2 beginners, and they weren't finished with creating the content for the B1 course for intermediates to consolidate what they've learned and express themselves in German with nuance. The last level, B2, has 4 courses to help you get better at writing, reading, speaking, and listening.

Helpful grammar hints

In the lessons, you'll do activities like matching words to pictures and filling in blanks in sentences. We like that the lessons include literal translations as well as common translations of German sentences. They also highlight the case being used in each sentence. When we were practicing the prepositions that take the dative case, Babbel taught us a useful saying to memorize them: "Herr von Nach-Seit-Zu und Frau Aus-Bei-Mit bleiben mit dem Dativ fit" . We do wish there was more colloquial German, though, maybe through native speaker videos. For example, if you learned German only from Babbel, you wouldn't know that a lot of Germans shorten "habe" to "hab'" , and it'd take you some time to tune your ear to quirks like that. But, you can always supplement your learning with free resources from YouTube.

Review with spaced repetition

With Babbel, you can easily check your learning plan on the homepage to see what lessons are coming up. Each lesson comes with a title and description of what you'll learn. After each lesson, you'll do a review. You can choose how you want to review: flashcards, listening, speaking, games, or writing. Babbel uses a learning technique called "spaced repetition", which helps you remember things better. When you learn something new, you'll review it at increasing time intervals - from a day to six months. Each time you get it right, the time before you review it again gets longer. This moves the word from your short-term to your long-term memory, helping you to really learn, not just cram. And don't worry about remembering when to review - Babbel will remind you.

Babbel Live works well for busy schedules

Let's talk a bit more about what you get with Babbel Live, which starts at $99 a month. Is it worth it? That depends on you. The main draw of Babbel Live is its live drop-in classes. You can test these for free twice before you'll have to subscribe. Although the lessons only reach B2, the online classes can go all the way to C1. These 55-minute classes are capped at 6 participants so everyone is able to get some time to ask the teacher questions. Topics include "Über Erziehung Sprechen" (talking about education), "Eine Beschwerde Äußern" (expressing a complaint) and "Über Feminismus Zu Sprechen" (talking about feminism). Babbel Live could be a great choice for you if you're someone with a tight schedule and can't always plan for regular tutoring sessions. If you're the type of person who might need to join a class at the last minute, and if you're really eager to start speaking right away, Babbel Live could be just what you're looking for.

Self-study starts at $17.95

Babbel Live could be a little cheaper if you purchase more than one month at a time (like 12 months for $50 a month), but that's still a considerable chunk of cash to put down at once. If you're considering Babbel Self-Study, you should know it's also a bit pricey for what you get. All plans come with a 20-day money-back guarantee and access to all Babbel languages.

• 1 Month Plan: $17.95/mo
• 3 Months Plan: $15.25/mo, billed as $45.75
• 6 Months Plan: $13.45/mo, billed as $80.70
• 12 Months Plan: $8.95/mo, billed as $107.40
• Lifetime Plan: One-time payment of $349

Just okay

Babbel Self-Study just doesn't stand out from its competitors enough to justify the cost. If you like the idea of live classes but not the associated Babbel price tag, you might be happier with one-on-one tutoring sessions, which you can find for much less through one of our top-rated German lesson platforms in this review. Overall, Babbel is decent, but they don't wow us enough to earn a higher place in our ratings.

Duolingo

• Most features are free
• Super Duolingo program costs $7 a month (when billed annually) with a 2-week free trial
• Units have Guidebooks with cursory explanations of grammar and vocabulary
• Option to test into next level if a level is too easy
• Duolingo Stories available for reading and listening practice
• Leaderboards feature for friendly competition and motivation
• Constantly testing new ideas to improve learning
• Appropriate for casual learners with time constraints
• Allows users to establish a daily habit of language learning
• Teaches basic vocabulary for a variety of topics

You would have to be living under a rock to not have heard of Duolingo by now. Founded in 2011, the app now has 37 million active users and 500 million registered. If you're one of the few who has escaped the grasp of the Green Bird but are now curious about how well they teach German, we've got your back.

Fun for casual learners

How did Duolingo get so popular? They know their market: the casual learner who doesn't want to commit more than a few minutes a day (or any money) to a new language. If you want to be studying at a German university by next year, you could waste a lot of time with Duolingo. On the other hand, it makes a good substitute for the less valuable things people do on their phones. As one user puts it, "It's my "no zero days' app, meaning if I haven't managed to have time for any other language learning, I know I can quickly knock out a lesson on Duolingo while I'm laying in bed at night. It's definitely not my primary learning resource, but it does help with motivation a bit."

Duolingo constantly phases out features

Duolingo is constantly testing new ideas to improve learning. They use these tests and data to decide on new features and updates(if you search "why did Duolingo get rid of..." you'll see what we mean). The latest home screen experience is set up like a step-by-step path leading you through each unit, which are grouped by topics like "make excuses" , "talk about holidays" and "use the present tense" . Also along the path you'll find Stories and review sessions, so you won't forget to practice what you've previously learned. Most units also have a Guidebook that gives you a very basic rundown of the grammar and vocabulary you'll explore in that unit. If a level is too easy, you can test into the next one by passing a short test.

Super Duolingo now required to read Stories on demand

Duolingo recently rolled out a new program: Super Duolingo. If you want features like personalized practice, access to Stories anytime you like, and a list of your tricky words, you now have to pay $7 a month (billed annually). You'll also stop seeing ads. If you want to test it out, you can get 2 weeks for free. While $7 isn't a lot of money, we don't love that they introduced Super like these are totally new, unseen features: we remember when you could do all of those things for free.

Friendly competition to keep you going

Leaderboards on Duolingo let you compete with others by earning XP through lessons, practice, and other activities. This friendly competition can motivate you to study harder and more consistently. Each week starts on Sunday afternoon or evening, depending on your timezone, and you can climb up or fall down the ranks based on your XP. If you're in the top ten, you'll move up to a higher league next week, but if you're at the bottom, you'll drop to the previous one. The highest league is Diamond, and if you make it to the top three there, you'll stay in that league without any additional gem rewards. To join a league, you need to do a lesson first. You can find your league standings in the app or on the desktop website, and if you want to change how you get notifications or opt out of Leaderboards, you can adjust those settings in your profile.

Duolingo may be impractical for most people

A lot of serious language nerds think Duolingo is counterproductive to learning a new language. For example, the app has you translate sentences rather than create your own, which won't prepare you for real conversations where you need to respond quickly and accurately. Also, they do a poor job at explaining grammar. When new grammar like German's n-declension or specific uses of "der" and "um" are introduced, they usually leave you to figure it out on your own. You might end up confused, and you probably won't be able to use these structures correctly in daily interactions. The most common complaint about Duolingo is that the vocabulary it offers is impractical; knowing the names of various animals isn't as useful as knowing how to ask for directions or order food in a restaurant.

Only good for getting your feet wet

Duolingo's engaging and game-like format can easily lure you into a false sense of security about your language skills. It keeps learning light and fun, often avoiding the harder challenges that truly test and improve your ability. However, mastering German requires stepping out of your comfort zone, facing difficult grammar, and using the language actively, none of which Duolingo strongly emphasizes. If you're serious about learning, you'll absolutely need to supplement Duolingo with other learning tools that focus on speaking, listening, and real-world usage to truly master it. We would only recommend Duolingo for acquiring some basic vocabulary and establishing a daily habit. After that, you should move on to one of our higher-rated German lesson providers in this review.

Mondly

• Price: $9.99/month, $47.99/year, or $89.99 for lifetime access to all 41 languages
• Access to all 250 lessons and weekly quizzes, monthly challenges in premium version
• Freemium model with a 7-day free trial for premium features
• Availability of professional and educational lessons such as Business Communication, Negotiations, and so on
• Lesson search function to find specific lessons
• Mondly VR for practicing German in virtual reality scenarios
• Option to learn at own pace and in any order

Mondly is a platform that you can use to learn new languages, including German. It's made up of a website and various apps, and it turns language learning into a game-like experience. Unlike some other platforms featured in this review, it has grammar features. In May 2022, Mondly became part of Pearson's language learning portfolio.

Learn German from languages other than English

Signing up is simple. First, create a free account and then choose the language you speak. Mondly lets you learn German from a wide range of languages. Next, specify the language you want to learn, in this case, German. Finally, select your proficiency level - beginner, intermediate, or advanced.

Freemium model

With the free version of Mondly, you can access daily lessons, the "Hello" category, and a lesson with a chatbot. There's not a whole lot you can do on a free account, which makes it feel more like a demo than a full product and wouldn't serve your needs in the long run. If you want to see more, you can start a 7-day free trial that gives you access to all the premium features. If you decide to stick with the premium version after the trial, you will be automatically charged. The premium version gives you access to all 40 categories of lessons. These are displayed on your dashboard like a map. They range from basic greetings to more complex topics like asking for help or visiting the doctor. You can learn at your own pace and in any order you want. Plus, you'll get unlimited access to all daily lessons, weekly quizzes, and monthly challenges.

Academic and professional lessons available

If you click on "More courses" located at the graduation cap icon at the top right, you'll find lessons on professional and educational topics such as Business Communication, Meetings, Negotiations, and even specific professions like Customer Service or Restaurant Staff. We also appreciated Mondly's lesson search function. If you're getting ready for a trip to Germany, you could search for "flight" or "passport". This would reveal a list of lessons that include these scenarios, like "On the Plane" and "Emergencies" . However, strangely, every search we tried included the Daily Lesson from August 8, 2019. This is likely a glitch.

Lessons are nothing original

Mondly's lessons aren't very unique. You complete the usual exercises like choosing words to complete a sentence, matching words with pictures, spelling words, and picking the meaning of a word. However, we did like how at the end of a daily lesson, they read all the German words and phrases you practiced out loud.

Grammar lessons are not as robust as we hoped

Even though Mondly promotes its grammar lessons, it may not meet your needs if you're after in-depth grammar instruction or are an advanced learner. After completing a lesson, you can redo it or look at a summary that may clarify some grammar points. If you click on a highlighted verb, you'll see and hear its different forms. But, Mondly mainly expects you to intuit grammar rather than directly explaining it. Whether this works for you will depend on your learning style and the other resources you're using to learn German.

Practice German in VR

Mondly VR is probably the most unique feature of Mondly. While some language learning platforms leverage AI chatbots to help you get comfortable using the language, Mondly VR goes a step further by adding a virtual reality component. It even has speech recognition. You can interact with the virtual world around you to practice scenarios like making a hotel reservation, hailing a taxi, or ordering dinner without feeling embarrassed. It's available for download as a separate app in the App Store and on Google Play, and access is included with your Pro subscription.

Gimmicky deals

Mondly offers several pricing plans for learning languages. You can choose a one-month plan for $9.99, or a yearly plan for $47.99. The best value is the lifetime access to all 41 languages for a one-time payment of $89.99, allegedly discounted at the time of this review from $1,999.99. However, this is likely a sales tactic to make you feel compelled to buy their product right away. It's doubtful Mondly ever intended to sell Lifetime Access for $2,000, especially when you consider how much its competitors are charging for the same thing. It seems more like a marketing gimmick.

They don't have a competitive edge

If you're really serious about learning German, Mondly might not be the best fit for you. It's pretty simple and the free version doesn't give you much. There's also a concern about Pearson taking over Mondly, as their main focus seems to be on English learners, not on improving the German course. While Mondly isn't bad, there are other options out there that can give you a better understanding of grammar and might offer better user support. We wouldn't strongly recommend it for learning German.

Rosetta Stone

• Pricing: Starts at $15.99/month with options for 3-month, 12-month, and lifetime access
• Provides a Lifetime Access option which gives access to all 25 languages
• 20 units of German lessons
• Uses an "immersion" method that combines images, text, sound, and video with no translations
• Features interactive stories for language practice

When you hear "Rosetta Stone," it might conjure images of dusty Egyptian artifacts, but in the world of language learning, it's synonymous with immersive teaching methods. Famous for software that plunges you directly into a new language without any translation "crutch" , Rosetta Stone has built its reputation on the idea that immersion is the key to fluency. It uses images, text, sound, and video to mimic the natural language acquisition process. However, Rosetta Stone's idea of "immersion" might not be the best way for adults to learn a new language. Keep reading to find out why.

Rosetta Stone isn't really immersive

Rosetta Stone calls its language learning approach "immersion," but what you get isn't quite the full immersion experience. True immersion means being part of a community where everyone speaks the language naturally, pushing you to constantly use and adapt to the language in real situations. Instead, Rosetta Stone has you working with a computer program that uses pictures, audio clips, and text in the target language, trying to mimic real-life use. For example, you might be asked to match words to pictures or respond to simple prompts, but you won't actually talk with native speakers in real-time, which is crucial for authentic immersion.

Translations help adults learn faster, not slower

Moreover, as an adult who already speaks one language fluently, you might find that learning without translations makes things harder. Adults usually pick up new languages better when they can link new words and grammar to what they already know. Translations help make new language concepts clearer and easier to remember, especially when dealing with complex ideas or technical topics that pictures alone can't explain. Rosetta Stone does their best to give you the context clues you need to decipher a sentence - for example, the phrase, "Der Supermarkt ist in der Nähe der Brücke" is accompanied by images of a supermarket produce section and a bridge superimposed over a map - but you'll still need to do some deciphering, which is time-consuming.

20 German units

When you check out "Explore All Content," you'll find 20 different sections of German lessons, from basic language to community and family topics. There are also a few short On-Demand videos, along with some stories.

Stories leave you in the dark

In the story "Der neue Schüler," you read about Mateo joining a soccer team at his new school. Your options are to read the story, listen to it, or read it out loud. However, there's no option for translation. Occasionally, certain words are highlighted in blue. If you hover over these words, an image appears to help explain the word's meaning. For example, when you hover over Gymnasium, an image of a high school appears (not a gym!). But what if you need help with some of the verbs, like beitreten, or you're not sure what belegtes Brot is? You're left with two options: look it up independently or remain confused.

Not equipped to teach complicated German grammar

Learning complex German grammar can be tough with Rosetta Stone's teaching style. German grammar includes intricate rules that change words based on gender and the case (nominative, accusative, dative, or genitive) being used. For instance, "Ich gebe der Frau das Buch" means "I give the woman the book." If you know some basics, you might wonder why a feminine noun (die Frau) suddenly has a masculine article here (der Frau) - and Rosetta Stone wouldn't explain that "der Frau" is the dative form for "the woman" based on the German rule that nouns change their articles according to their grammatical role, a concept foreign to English speakers who don't use article changes to indicate cases. Adults learning a new language need clear grammar explanations. While kids can learn a new language by immersion and repetition, adults often struggle because they try to apply their native language's grammar rules. This can lead to confusion and slow down learning, especially when the new language's structure is very different from their first language, like English and German.

A pricey set of flashcards

So how much would it cost to supposedly learn like a kid?

• 3 Months: $15.99/month, totaling $47.97 (for one language)
• Lifetime Access: $199 one-time fee, reduced from $399 (access to all 25 languages)
• 12 Months: $10.50/month, previously $13.99, for a total of $126 (one language)

We don't think this is a good deal. When you look at the monthly subscription rate, there are other programs out there that provide more interactive features for about half the price. Some past users said Rosetta Stone was like a $250 set of flashcards and was too boring to continue using.

Choose a different service

If you're thinking about learning German, Rosetta Stone isn't the best way to do it. It tries to teach you " the natural way" (by making you guess meanings), but it's really just a gimmicky waste of time. Adults can (and should) use their first language as a springboard to gain fluency in foreign languages. Rosetta Stone is pretty expensive, too. We'd recommend you try one of our higher ranked options, which tend to be more engaging, effective, and affordable.

German Pod 101

• From $4 to $23 per month
• Free account includes first three lessons in each pathway
• Premium Plus includes one-on-one teacher access
• New users can try Premium for $1 for the first 30 days
• 60-day money-back guarantee
• End-of-course diagnostic tests
• Lessons are translated into English
• Vocabulary lists and lesson notes provided
• Downloadable and printable lessons

GermanPod101 is an online program for learning German, offering audio and text-based lessons for all levels. They offer three subscription levels starting at $4 a month, but be aware that you have to pay for two years upfront. However, GermanPod101 has problems. Lesson notes are disorganized and grammar is poorly explained, if at all. One speaker has a strong American accent and stumbles over German words. We recommend you take your German lessons somewhere else.

From $4 to $23 a month

GermanPod101 offers three subscription levels:

• Basic Plan: $4 per month
• Premium Plan: $10 per month
• Premium Plus Plan: $23 per month

However, there is some fine print: no matter which subscription you choose, you have to pay for 24 months at once. Suddenly, $4 a month doesn't feel so affordable.

Premium Plus comes with a personal teacher

If you pick the Basic Plan for $4 a month, you get to access all lessons and notes, along with full access to audio archives on your Android, iPhone, or iPad. This plan also lets you print out lesson notes easily and download lessons with one click. If you go for the Premium Plan at $10 a month, you get everything from the Basic Plan plus extras like audio dialogues line by line, special lesson tracks, your own word bank, flashcards for spaced repetition study, and assessments with multiple choices. If you want a more personalized learning, the Premium Plus Plan at $23 a month gets you all the features of the Premium Plan, plus you can access a teacher one-on-one, get your assessments graded by hand, and also get help and personalized assessments for practicing your writing and pronunciation.

Get Premium for $1

Heads up - there's a special offer for new users. You can get 30 days of Premium access for only $1. This includes 60 lessons, a complimentary product download, and a 7-day accelerated fluency course. However, this offer only appears immediately after you create your free account. If you miss it, you'll need to register again with a different email address.

60-day money back guarantee

Not happy with your subscription? No problem. Email GermanPod101's customer service. They'll give you your money back within 60 days, no questions asked.

Free account gives you first 3 lessons in each pathway

After signing up, you can select your proficiency level, ranging from absolute beginner to advanced learner. With a free lifetime account, the first three lessons in each learning pathway will be accessible. New lessons will be added on a weekly basis. Additional resources include the German Word of the Day, a list of the top 100 German words, and various vocabulary and phrase lists. A pathway dedicated to survival phrases is also available.

Test out of courses

Diagnostic tests are given at the end of each course to see how much you have learned. You don't need to know all the answers - just pick the "I'm not sure" option. If you do really well and score 90 percent or more, you can either go straight to the next test or start learning the next lesson. If you're a PremiumPLUS student, your teacher can suggest lessons based on how you did on the test. (This seems like something that could easily be automated, though.)

Lessons notes are unnecessarily ambiguous

The lessons include a dialogue in German between two speakers, which is then translated into English. They also provide a vocabulary list and lesson notes. However, we found the notes to be somewhat disorganized. For instance, in one lesson, the author attempts to explain a confusing aspect of German compound nouns - specifically, the inconsistency in shortening the prefix word of a compound noun: I'm not sure if you noticed, but we saw both "Sprach-" and "Sprachen-" as a prefix in this lesson. This is one of the annoying things about German compound nouns - there is no good reason for it to be "Sprachtandem" but "Sprachenaustausch"? First of all, why does an instructional note end in a question? (Who's the teacher here, anyway?) But, since GermanPod101 asked, we might as well answer. It isn't true that there's "no good reason" for the shortening of the "Sprachen-" prefix. "Sprachtandem" may use "Sprach-" to refer to a partnership involving language in general (or just one language), while "Sprachenaustausch" may use "Sprachen-" to connote the exchange involving more than one language. It wasn't hard for us to find the answer to this question, which raises questions about the effort put into creating these German lessons.

German pronunciation is poor

We're not off to a great start with GermanPod101. Unfortunately, it only gets worse. When we listened to the dialogue between the two German speakers, we discovered that only one of them has proper German pronunciation: it sounds like a native speaker and an American reading off a script. Apparently, he's an American employee of GermanPod101 named Chuck who lives and works in Germany. On the word "üben" , he completely misses the umlaut and pronounces it like "uben" . He also can't seem to hit that "ch" sound, and invariably he pronounces the "r" at the ends of words the rounded American way. We also found instances where he totally skips over words, changing the meaning of the sentences. Why would you risk teaching people how to speak German with a noticeable American accent?!

GermanPod101 not up to par

That brings our review of GermanPod101 to a screeching halt. It doesn't make much of a difference that you can jump around in the lessons according to your interest, that you can download and print out transcripts, or that the scenarios in the audio lessons can be entertaining - if the pronunciation is just flat-out wrong and the author of the lessons isn't capable of explaining the logic of German grammar. We would recommend you look for German lessons somewhere other than GermanPod101.