Italian Pod 101 Review

Saturday, January 22nd

2022 Italian Lesson Reviews

Italian Pod 101

• Free access to lots of content
• 5 levels of Italian
• Many membership options
• 60-day satisfaction guarantee
• Get personalized instruction, feedback and lesson plans with Premium Plus membership
• Very helpful for people who learn audio visually
• New content added every week

Innovative Language Learning teaches 40 different languages, including Italian, in their Pod 101 programs. When you sign up for a free lifetime membership, you'll be able to study any of the languages they offer (or just stick to Italian, your choice). A big plus with this service is that content is added weekly, giving you the vocabulary you need to discuss current events and pop culture and to keep you learning new things. All of the content on Italian Pod 101 gets reviewed by certified Italian language professionals before being published to the site.

Could be more transparent at the start

We frequently evaluate all of the Pod 101 languages, and they all have a lot to offer. One part that never seems to change, though, is how tricky they make it to see how they work. You won't get to see much about how Italian Pod 101 will teach you Italian until you sign up for a free account. True, you only have to do that once and then you have free access for life - not just to Italian but to all of the 40+ languages in the "family" - but it feels a little secretive. Why not just come out and let people see what you've got, Pod 101?

Almost too much content to navigate easily

Maybe they don't come right out and show you because there's just too much to display! Getting started with Italian Pod 101 can feel overwhelming: there are five language levels to choose from, ranging from Absolute Beginner to Advanced, and your Italian lessons are structured as "pathways" You'll get one recommended for you: it defaults to Absolute Beginner, but you can take their placement assessment or manually select your desired fluency level. You can have more than one pathway in your to-do list at a time; that's great if you have multiple topics you'd like to study, or if your skills are already leveled-up in one area but you need some review in another.

Three paid membership levels

What do you get in a pathway? That varies based on the topic and the difficulty level, but you usually get a real-life situation dialogue and its transcript in Italian and English, a vocabulary list, and cultural notes. But, those features aren't unlocked for every lesson: they're usually open for the first three lessons in a series but not the rest. In order to unlock them you'll have to choose among Italian Pod 101's membership levels:

• Basic: you can get this for $8 on a month-to-month plan. Discounts are available if you pay for more time in advance (e.g. $98 for two years of access). You'll be able to open any lesson in the library, complete with in-depth lesson notes.
• Premium: you'll pay anywhere from $25/month to $240 for two years. All features are unlocked at this tier, including line-by-line audio dialogue, HD videos, interactive lesson quizzes, spaced repetition flashcards, and much more.
• Premium Plus: this top tier of service costs $47/month or $549 for two years. If you need one-on-one help, this is the package for you. It includes an assignment to a real, live teacher who will create a customized learning program, complete with homework and feedback on your spoken accent and written fluency. You get all of the platform features listed at the Premium level too.

60-day refund policy

No matter which subscription you ultimately choose, you'll be covered by a 60-day satisfaction guarantee. Do you have plans to study Italian for a long time? If so, it might make the most sense to go right to the Premium Plus membership on a two-year plan and make the most of the first 60 days. That will give you everything you could possibly get out of Italian Pod 101 in terms of features, offering the most accurate perspective on how these Italian lessons will work for you. And, if it doesn't wind up being what you wanted, no harm no foul: just request a refund before those 60 days are up.

A little on the expensive side, but solid Italian lessons overall

Italian Pod 101 gives you a well-rounded approach to studying Italian, and we really appreciate the constant content refreshers: not many Italian lessons stay so up-to-date with the materials they offer. It's also one of just a handful of programs that has lessons appropriate for such a wide range of fluency levels. But, many students get bogged down trying to figure out the right pathways for their studies unless they buy into the Premium Plus membership - which is quite a bit more expensive than Italian Pod 101's most comparable rivals' Italian lessons. This program is worth a look, even if it might not wind up being your first choice.