by Lea Hauke
Updated on October 15, 2024
The 10 best online German courses in 2024
The best online German class is the one that motivates you to keep going. With that said, different German courses offer different approaches to online learning, some of which may be better suited to your learning style.
To help you decide which experience and platform is right for you, we’ve compiled a list of the ten best online German courses. Let’s find out which fits you best!
Our comprehensive guide features top platforms tailored to your learning needs. From beginner to advanced levels, we’ve selected courses that offer flexibility, a variety of resources, and experienced teachers. Find the perfect fit and start your German language journey:
| Platform | Why we like it |
| Lingoda | Flexible, live classes for all levels in small groups |
| FluentU | Large library of video learning from native speakers |
| Preply | Private tutoring for fast progress |
| Rosetta Stone | Associative learning for quick progress |
| Babbel | Everyday life vocabulary and structured courses |
| Deutsche Welle | Free materials, great addition to live courses |
| GermanPod101 | Great free video and audio lessons |
| Busuu | Real-kife content and great online community |
| Coffee Break German | Free podcast, teaches complex topics in easy-to-understand way |
| iTalki | Variety of teachers for private tutoring |
When you learn German with Lingoda, you’ll hit the ground running—and speaking—from Day One. Native-level speakers teach small groups of students in online classes addressed to different German language levels, from German A1 (beginner) to German C1 (advanced). Students can also book flexible one-on-one sessions for more intensive practice.
The courses cover all aspects of German, including grammar, vocabulary, speaking and listening comprehension. And they’re supported by written materials specific to each module covered in class.
Lingoda lets you choose how you want to learn. You decide whether you’ll benefit more from small classes with up to five other students or from private lessons.
All the teachers at Lingoda are native-level German speakers familiar with regional differences in pronunciation and language use. This is especially useful if you’re preparing to visit a German-speaking region with a specific dialect, such as Bavaria, Austria or the various cantons of Switzerland.
What’s more, there are thousands of classes to choose from, making it easy to fit German into your busy schedule.
Lingoda offers different plans for you to choose from:
With FluentU, German learners can dive deep into the language through a variety of media. German videos with subtitles, flashcards and fun quizzes make it easy to learn German on your own and pick up on the nuances of pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.
FluentU has a large library of German learning materials, including videos with subtitles in both English and German. The subtitles are especially useful because you can click on each word and learn its pronunciation and meaning while you’re watching. You can also switch them on and off and toggle between the languages.
While FluentU’s concept is fun and easy to pick up, it does not follow a specific curriculum. If you’re totally new to the language, this can be confusing because you may not have the basic skills necessary to get much out of the videos.
Writing skills hardly ever come into play, as FluentU focuses more on the reading and listening aspects of learning a new language.
Preply offers one-on-one classes with native German speakers. You get the chance to study with your own private German tutor via live video lessons. Each student is given a personalized learning plan, and additional learning resources are available in Preply’s online library.
Studying with your own private tutor gives you the opportunity to learn at your own pace. As you’re not sharing class time with other students, you’ll be able to ask questions at will and even skip topics you’ve already mastered.
Preply’s online library and vocabulary training app are useful tools if you want to practice on your own between classes.
Although private tutoring has its own obvious advantages, learning in a group with other students can also help your German progress. The support you receive from other students can prove very useful when struggling with a difficult topic.
Rosetta Stone is a language service designed to give beginners an easy introduction to German. Though vocabulary words aren’t directly translated, students pick up on the meaning of basic German words and phrases through association with pictures and other media.
The app is best suited for beginner levels and provides easy access to a wide range of German phrases and vocabulary. Through voice recognition, students can practice their speaking skills and hone their pronunciation.
Since the 1990s, Rosetta Stone has built a reputation as one of the best online German courses available. The unusual concept helps many beginners make quick progress, but it also doesn’t come cheap compared to other language apps.
More advanced German students probably won’t get much out of the courses, as they’re primarily designed with beginners in mind.
Babbel has a broad range of German courses available, from beginner to intermediate levels. After downloading the language-learning app and paying for a subscription, you can get started right away. The lessons focus more on phrases than isolated vocabulary and include small exercises to review what you’ve learned.
The biggest plus is that you can easily download Babbel and get started immediately. If you’re a beginner or intermediate German learner, the courses will provide you with useful German phrases that you can easily practice in everyday life.
Once you’ve mastered one lesson, you can progress to the next level. The courses are structured in a comprehensive way that generally prevents students from feeling overwhelmed. If you’re interested in online live classes, Babbel Live offers the option to learn in group or private classes.
Although Babbel is a good tool for beginners and intermediate German learners, advanced students may get bored quickly. More specific topics and difficult vocabulary are rarely discussed and can leave students at B2 and above disappointed.
Furthermore, the exercises in each lesson may help students remember the material, but they can get a little repetitive at times.
Babbel offers a 6-month subscription, 12-month, or lifetime subscriptions.
Deutsche Welle is a free website that provides many great resources for German students of all levels. To get you started, they offer a placement test to assess your German skills. The website covers the most important German grammar and vocabulary topics, and it’s very intuitive to use even if you aren’t the most tech-savvy.
We recommend Deutsche Welle to any German scholars looking for additional learning material between German courses. Topics are explained in a very comprehensive and straightforward way and supported by images and short videos to make it more interesting.
As there’s a ton of material available on the site, German learners of any level will find something to match their skills.
Deutsche Welle’s course setup is less complicated than your standard language app, but this can also mean less interactivity with the material. While DW is a great addition if you’re already learning German with another course, it may not get you great results on its own.
Immersing yourself in the language is an important part of learning German. The audio and video lessons on GermanPod101 are a great help in doing so. They’re based on authentic German conversations and motivate students to speak German from the first lesson.
Culture is a big part of any language, which is why the video and audio lessons of GermanPod101 center around cultural topics. They might even teach you a thing or two about job interviews or romance in German.
GermanPod101’s language courses are available for four different levels: absolute beginner, beginner, intermediate and advanced. Each level features plenty of videos added on a regular basis.
GermanPod101 offers free, basic, premium and Premium Plus plans. With the Premium Plus subscription, you will get personalized guidance from a German teacher!
The German online courses at Busuu have a strong focus on listening and speaking. There are over 80 lessons available to choose from, and each comes with an integrated tool that helps you check your pronunciation.
The unique thing about Busuu is the progress tracker, which can serve as a big motivation to keep going. You can set your study plan and get regular reminders to help you stick with it.
German pronunciation can be difficult for a lot of students. To have a tool available that helps you check if you got it right can be a big help. Additionally, if you need a reminder to stick with your practice, Busuu has you covered.
Busuu’s biggest advantage can also be its biggest nuisance, depending on what motivates you to learn. Not everyone likes to receive regular reminders, and some may feel pressured instead of motivated.
Busuu lets learners start for free. Premium plans range from a 1-month over a 6-month subscription to a 12-month plan.
Aside from watching television or films in German, German podcasts are one of the greatest ways to immerse yourself in the language. Coffee Break German is a prime example of how this format can help you reach your German learning goals.
The relatively short episodes are comprehensive and available for free. The host, Mark, explains even complex language concepts in an easy and understandable way; he also knows how to keep his students engaged. You only need to pay if you want to use their additional practice materials.
Listening to the five- to 15-minute episodes is something every German student can fit in during the day, whether on the commute or during a walk. You’re not only learning by listening; you’re also motivated to practice your speaking skills.
While the podcast is free, you can buy an online course with bonus audio lessons, video lessons and notes for a fee.
iTalki offers private lessons from German tutors at very competitive rates. You can book lessons according to your own schedule and choose your favorite teacher from a broad range with different backgrounds.
There are many teachers to select from at iTalki, which increases your chances of finding a good fit. The scheduling is also very flexible and available at any time of the day. If you want to change or cancel a lesson, you can do so 24 hours in advance.
Some of the prices at iTalki seem almost too good to be true, which often translates to lower quality in teaching. This doesn’t apply to every tutor, but it’s safer to check reviews before committing to a session and leaving disappointed.
Prices vary depending on which teacher you choose to learn with.
Absolutely – you can learn German online! Learning German online is a convenient and effective way to acquire the language skills you need. With a wide range of platforms and resources available, you can study at your own pace, set your own schedule, and access expert instruction from the comfort of your home. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to improve your fluency, online German courses offer a flexible and engaging learning experience.
How we selected these 10 online learning options:
We wanted to provide a diverse list that caters to your schedule, goals, and variety of resources. To achieve this, we focused on:
Schedule flexibility: Choose between self-paced courses or live classes to fit your lifestyle. Our list includes live classes that require you to be present at a specific time of the day, while apps or online libraries are always available and help you study during your daily commute.
Level of learning: Find courses that guide you from beginner to advanced levels.
Which of the aforementioned examples is the best online German course for you? It depends on your personal preferences. Some students may be more comfortable using a more anonymous app like Babbel, while others will get the most out of private tutoring sessions or small group courses.
One vital point to remember is that speaking German is a crucial element of getting comfortable with the language. Any online German courses that do not support this aspect should mainly be regarded as an additional learning resource.
Among the best online German classes that have a strong focus on getting you to learn German as quickly as possible by speaking regularly are Lingoda and private German courses with Preply.
