· 6 min read
Best App to Learn German: What to Check
By Language Lab editorial team
Best app to learn German: seven things to check before you choose, what German asks of an app, official material to pair it with and a one-week test.
The best app to learn German is the one that makes you build sentences aloud and tests you on them. German takes an English speaker somewhat longer than French or Spanish: the US State Department places it in Category II and allows about 36 weeks, or 828 class hours. Most learners do not need that level; B1, where you can deal with everyday situations at work, at school and in your free time, is the common target. Check seven things before you choose: spoken practice with a response, native audio, self-testing, spaced review, real-life situations, levels from A1 to B1 or higher, and a link to the Goethe-Institut's exams. Pair the app with Deutsche Welle's free courses, and try it for a week before you pay.
What German asks of an app
- Whole sentences. German word order and endings are learned by producing sentences, so the app must ask you to build them.
- Gender with every noun. The app should always show a noun with its article.
- A clear ladder. The Goethe-Institut has one exam per level, from A1 to C2.
- Everyday and working German. Deutsche Welle's free courses run from A1 to B1, including one for German at work.
Seven things to check
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Speaking | You say sentences aloud and get a spoken or written response, in situations you will meet. |
| Audio | Recordings by native speakers, with dialogues as well as single words. |
| Writing system | German uses the Latin alphabet; check that the app teaches spelling and pronunciation together, through audio. |
| Self-testing | The app makes you produce the answer before it shows it. |
| Spaced review | Old material comes back after days and weeks, not only in the lesson where you met it. |
| Real situations | Lessons are built on things you will do: meeting people, shopping, travelling, working. |
| Levels | Stages are named, and you can see how they relate to an official scale or exam. |
Why testing and spacing come first
A 2013 review of ten learning techniques, led by John Dunlosky, rated two as high utility: practice testing and distributed practice. Rereading and highlighting were rated low. So an app that makes you produce an answer, and brings items back after a gap, is using your time better than one that lets you tap through and move on.
Test an app in one week
- Day 1: do the first lesson. Did you speak aloud, or only tap?
- Day 2: start a new lesson. Did the app bring back yesterday's material?
- Day 3: check the audio. Is every German sentence recorded, and can you replay it?
- Day 4: look for the level map. Can you see where the course ends?
- Day 5: try to say five sentences from memory. If you cannot, the app is not testing you enough.
- Day 7: decide. Keep the app only if you spoke every day.
Pair it with official material
- Nicos Weg, from Deutsche Welle: a free course starting at A1.
- Deutschtrainer, from Deutsche Welle: free vocabulary practice at A1.
- Deutsch für dich, from the Goethe-Institut: free practice at all levels.
Aim at a level
German has one Goethe-Institut exam for each level, from A1 to C2, used for visa procedures, professional recognition and university registration. TestDaF is the test for admission to German universities. Choose an app whose levels follow the same framework, and check how far it goes.
A note on our own app
Language Lab is our app, so judge it by the same list. Language Lab's German course is built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor. Use the one-week test above on it as you would on any other.
Frequently asked
What is the best app to learn German?
The one that makes you speak German aloud, tests you before showing the answer, brings old material back for review and shows you clear levels. Try it for a week before paying.
What German level do most learners need?
B1 is a common target: the level at which you can deal with everyday situations at work, at school and in your free time. Check that your app reaches it.
How long does it take to learn German?
The US State Department places German in Category II and allows about 36 weeks, or 828 class hours. An app does not shorten that; it helps you use the time well.
Are free German apps enough?
Official learning material is a strong start: Nicos Weg, from Deutsche Welle is one example. Whatever you use, check that you are speaking and being tested.
What features matter most in a language app?
Practice testing and spaced review, the two techniques a 2013 research review rated as high utility, and spoken practice with a response.
Can an app make me fluent in German?
An app can carry your daily practice. You will also need conversation with people and a structured course or exam target for the higher levels.
Sources: US Department of State, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Foreign Language Training; Goethe-Institut, exams and Deutsch für dich; Deutsche Welle, Learn German; TestDaF-Institut; Dunlosky et al., Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Bastei rocks and bridge at sunrise, Saxon Switzerland, Bernd Thaller / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
