Lingoda Prices and Sprint in 2026: 6 Ways to Learn German Online, Ranked
Published by Echoa, which makes a speaking course.
What Lingoda's German classes cost in Germany, how the Sprint works and what a 4-week plan buys, ranked against Berlitz, the Goethe-Institut, Preply, italki and Echoa on speaking time, feedback, price per hour of live teaching, flexibility and commitment.
By Echoa editorial team · Prices checked 7 November 2026
In short
Lingoda's smallest German plan is 5 live group classes every 4 weeks for about €80, about €16 a 60-minute class. The Sprint is closed to new sign-ups for now, and Lingoda has not published the next round's dates or price. Which option suits you depends on what is holding you back: Lingoda for small live classes at any hour, Echoa for speaking practice every day, Preply for one tutor's whole lesson, italki for the lowest price per hour of live teaching, Berlitz for a whole level on a fixed timetable, and the Goethe-Institut for a certificate of attendance and marked written work.
Key takeaways
- Lingoda sells a subscription that renews every 4 weeks, with 5, 12, 20 or 40 classes a cycle; cancel, pause or change the plan any time. The larger plans cost less per class.
- The Sprint is a 2-month challenge of live group classes: Sprint is 15 classes a month, Super Sprint 30, at most one class a day (5 a week for Sprint, 7 for Super Sprint), with cashback for full attendance.
- An hour with an italki tutor costs €9–67; Preply's Berlin averages are €24–31.
- In a group class you share the hour: at Lingoda with 3–5 learners, at the Goethe-Institut with up to 16.
- Echoa has no live teacher; instead you give around fifty spoken answers in a 15-minute lesson, each one answered, for €39 a month.
- A sentence you can say after Echoa's lesson 1: Guten Abend! Ich möchte einen Tisch für zwei Personen, bitte.
Most people who look up Lingoda's prices have already decided they want a teacher and a timetable, and are now working out what four weeks of classes will cost and whether the Sprint is the cheaper way in. The best choice is the one that has you saying German out loud, to someone who answers, as often as you can manage.
This guide is for adults learning German online around work, in Germany or anywhere else: people who want to order, ask and explain in German rather than nod along. It sets out what Lingoda sells, how the Sprint works and what Lingoda costs per hour, beside four other ways to get live German teaching online and Echoa, with one pick for each kind of learner. If you are deciding between a class and an app, see Babbel vs Lingoda for German.
How we ranked them
We ranked six ways to learn German online on the five things that most help a learner actually speak:
- Speaking time per hour: how much of each hour you spend saying German yourself. For a group class, at most the hour divided by the group size the provider states.
- Feedback: whether someone answers or corrects what you actually said.
- Price per hour of live teaching: what each provider charges for what it actually sells (four weeks of classes, a level, a course, a tutor's hour), divided by the hours of live teaching it buys.
- Flexibility: whether it fits round work, and how soon you can start.
- Commitment: what you sign up to, and how you get out of it.
Prices are from each provider's own website for Germany, in euros, checked in November 2026. Echoa, which publishes this page, sells no live teaching and is priced by the month.
1.Lingoda: best for live classes in groups of 3–5, bookable around the clock
- Plan5 group classes
- Price€80 every 4 weeks
- Per hour€16 an hour of live teaching
- Howlive classes on Zoom, bookable around the clock; cancel at least 3 days ahead to keep the credit
- Group3–5
- Ideal forLearners who want a teacher and a small group, and whose free hours change from week to week
Lingoda describes itself as an online language school, not an app. A lesson is a 60-minute live class on Zoom with a teacher and 2–4 other learners, working through the lesson's materials, reading aloud, answering questions and talking with each other. Around the classes there are downloadable class materials, a quiz after each class and 100+ hours of AI-powered self-study material. Levels: A1 to C1 in German, with a free placement test. By Lingoda's own count, a level is 50 classes: just over 7 weeks at a class a day, about 4 months at 3 a week.
It sits at number 1 because it puts a teacher and a small group in front of you at almost any hour, and lets you leave when you like.
Standout strength: small live groups of 3–5, with a teacher who corrects you, bookable round the clock. In a full class of five, each learner could speak for at most 12 minutes an hour, before the teacher says anything; that is still more of the hour than any larger group here.
The catch: you plan your week ahead, because a class cancelled late loses its credit (the booking terms are in the How line above). Credits: unused class credits roll over but can be used only while the subscription is active.
The Sprint: a 2-month challenge of live group classes: Sprint is 15 classes a month, Super Sprint 30, at most one class a day (5 a week for Sprint, 7 for Super Sprint). Lingoda's Sprint FAQ sets out the reward: attend every agreed class and Lingoda pays back 50% of what you paid, or class credits instead (30 classes for Sprint, 60 for Super Sprint); the page headline says up to 100%. Refunds: money back only if you cancel within 14 days of signing up. What happens next: after the 2 months the Sprint rolls into a regular Lingoda subscription unless cancelled during the last month. Levels: German A1–C1. As of November 2026, the Sprint is closed to new sign-ups: the Sprint page says the last Sprint has ended and offers a waitlist for the next one; Lingoda publishes neither the next round's dates nor its price.
Price (2026): about €80 every 4 weeks for 5 classes, about €16 a class.
2.Echoa: best for speaking practice at any hour, with every sentence answered
- CourseSpeaking course, on your phone or computer; German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch and Italian
- Price€39 a month; first 3 lessons free. No card needed
- LessonsAbout 15 minutes, around fifty spoken answers each
- GroupJust you, with Sam answering every sentence you say
- Ideal forPeople who understand more German than they can say, and want to practise on the days without a class
Lesson 1. By the end you say: “Guten Abend! Ich möchte einen Tisch für zwei Personen, bitte.”
Echoa is a speaking course on your phone or computer. Each lesson takes about 15 minutes: you hear an English cue, build the German sentence yourself and say it out loud, and Sam, Echoa's AI teacher, answers what you actually said. The German is standard German as spoken in Germany, and the course goes in this order: a restaurant first, then meeting people, making plans, saying what happened, sorting things out and having friends round, which brings you to A2. Sentences learners build on the way, each reusing a piece from lesson 1:
- Lesson 1: Ich möchte einen Tisch für zwei Personen, bitte.
- Lesson 4: Ich möchte kein Bier, sondern ein Mineralwasser, bitte.
- Lesson 40: Ich möchte ein Paket abholen, weil ich gestern nicht zu Hause war.
It sits at number 2 because it isn't a live class. But for actual speaking within a single lesson, it still wins: around fifty answers of your own in 15 minutes, every one answered.
Standout strength: around fifty spoken answers in about 15 minutes, every one of them yours and every one answered. Nothing to book, no classmates sharing the hour, no notice to give. You say things you were never taught: sentences you build yourself from the pieces you have learnt, not lines you repeat.
The catch: no classroom, no human teacher and no group to talk to. No certificate; for a permit or citizenship, learners sit the recognised exam. If you want a person across the screen who can follow you off the script, a class or a tutor does that and Echoa does not.
Price (2026): €39 a month for every language course. The first 3 lessons are free. No card needed.
€39/mo
Echoa, every language. Live teaching on this page costs about €9–67 an hour.
3.Preply: best for one-to-one lessons with a tutor you choose
- PlanAverage in Berlin from non-native to native tutor
- Price€24–31 an hour
- Howa paid trial lesson, then a subscription with one tutor billed every 28 days, from 4 lessons a cycle, booked at times you agree with the tutor
- Groupone to one
- Ideal forLearners who want one tutor's whole attention and can commit to four lessons every 28 days
Berlin average: Preply publishes averages by city, not for Germany as a whole.
Preply is a tutor marketplace: a live one-to-one video lesson with a tutor you choose, planned around your goals. Correction is up to the tutor: your tutor corrects you live as you speak, in whatever way that tutor teaches.
It sits at number 3 because a tutor gives you the whole lesson, one to one, though at more per hour than Lingoda.
Standout strength: every minute of the lesson is yours, with one tutor who gets to know where you get stuck. You can pause the subscription once per 28-day cycle, for up to 20 days.
The catch: the trial lesson is paid; if that tutor is not a match, you can try up to two more for free. After that it is a subscription with one tutor, 4 lessons every 28 days at the least. Tutors set their own rates, and the averages hold outside Berlin: €24 non-native and €31 native an hour in Munich and Hamburg too.
Price (2026): about €24–31 an hour, Preply's Berlin averages for non-native and native German tutors.
4.italki: best for the lowest price per hour of live teaching
- PlanCheapest to dearest German tutor
- Price€9–67 an hour
- Howsingle lessons or packages booked at times each teacher offers, paid in advance; group classes run at set times
- Groupone to one
- Ideal forLearners on a budget who are happy to try a few tutors before settling on one
italki is a tutor marketplace too: a live one-to-one video lesson with a teacher you choose, who sets the content and price; small live group classes on set topics are sold too. Correction is up to the teacher: your teacher corrects you live as you speak, in whatever way that teacher teaches.
It sits at number 4 because the cheapest hour here comes with the most choosing: you find the tutor, and how they teach is up to them.
Standout strength: the lowest price per hour of live teaching here, at the bottom of a range of €9–67, with no booking fee at checkout and free cancellation usually up to 24 hours before the lesson. You pay as you go, lesson by lesson or in packages.
The catch: there are no free lessons; many teachers offer a cheaper trial lesson. You pay in US dollars, whatever currency the site shows. Group classes are few: 5 German group classes were listed when we checked, at about €15 a class for groups of up to 6.
Price (2026): about €9–67 an hour, set by each tutor.
5.Berlitz: best for a whole level for one price, with lessons recorded on request
- PlanOne Berlitz level (e.g. Level 1, A1) in a live online evening group, 14 weeks
- Price€705, about 65 hours in class
- Per hour€11 an hour of live teaching
- Howlive online classes at fixed times: in Germany two evenings a week (18:00–20:15) for 14 weeks, weekday mornings or afternoons for 6 weeks, or Saturday mornings for 20 weeks; in Switzerland a fixed timetable the page does not detail
- Group7–12
- Ideal forLearners who want a whole level at one price and the same two evenings every week
Berlitz sells live online German by the level, not by the month; there is no 4-week or monthly plan. The format: live classes with a teacher in a virtual classroom, taught only in German: the teacher presents new language, you practise in guided exercises, then use it; online exercises before and after class, and recordings of missed lessons. Levels: Berlitz levels 1–10, A1 to C1; each online group course covers one level.
It sits at number 5 because the groups are larger and the timetable is fixed.
Standout strength: a whole level for one price, about €11 an hour of live teaching, with lessons recorded on request for review and missed classes.
The catch: groups of 7–12, so each learner could speak for at most 5 to 8 minutes an hour. Classes are at fixed times. On fees: a €65 service fee is included in the €705; course materials cost €60 extra for levels 1–6.
Price (2026): about €705 for one level in an evening group, about 65 hours over 14 weeks.
6.Goethe-Institut: best for a certificate of attendance and marked written work
- PlanGerman Online Group Course, one sub-level (e.g. A1.1) in 5 weeks
- Price€460, about 15 hours in class
- Per hour€30 an hour of live teaching
- How5 weeks of self-study online plus live sessions on Zoom at fixed times: Tuesday and Thursday afternoons (3pm–4:30pm) or evenings (6pm–7:30pm), or Saturday mornings (9am–12:15pm)
- Groupup to 16
- Ideal forSelf-starters who like working on their own between live sessions at fixed times
The Goethe-Institut's online group course combines online exercises you work through on your own (videos, audio, reading, gap-fills), writing tasks your teacher marks, and two live group sessions a week where you practise speaking. Levels: A1 to C2, one sub-level per course; three courses for A1.
It sits at number 6 because half the course is self-study, the groups are the largest here, and the live hour costs the most of the group classes, though the price also pays for the marked self-study.
Standout strength: the Goethe-Institut's own course and teachers, written work marked in detail, and a certificate of attendance at the end.
The catch: about 15 hours of live sessions for groups of up to 16, which leaves each learner at most 3 minutes an hour of speaking. On correction: speaking happens in the live group sessions with the teacher; written work gets detailed feedback, and the Goethe-Institut publishes nothing on how speech is corrected. About €30 an hour of live teaching.
Price (2026): about €460 for a five-week course.
The 2026 comparison at a glance
Prices are for what each provider actually sells (Lingoda's 4-week plan, a Berlitz level, a Goethe-Institut course, a tutor's hour), compared by the price per hour of live teaching, unless the row says what else they buy. Echoa is priced by the month.
- LingodaBest for live classes in groups of 3–5, bookable around the clockOnline classes, groups of 3–5€80 every 4 weeks (5 group classes) · €16 an hour of live teaching · Speaking: at most 12–20 min an hour, by group size
- EchoaBest for speaking practice at any hour, with every sentence answeredSpeaking course, on your phone or computer€39 a month · Speaking: around fifty spoken answers in 15 min, each one answered
- PreplyBest for one-to-one lessons with a tutor you choosePrivate lessons, one to one€24–31 an hour (average in Berlin from non-native to native tutor) · Speaking: most of the lesson (one-to-one)
- italkiBest for the lowest price per hour of live teachingPrivate lessons, one to one€9–67 an hour (cheapest to dearest German tutor) · Speaking: most of the lesson (one-to-one)
- BerlitzBest for a whole level for one price, with lessons recorded on requestOnline classes, groups of 7–12€705 (One Berlitz level) · €11 an hour of live teaching · Speaking: at most 5–8 min an hour, by group size
- Goethe-InstitutBest for a certificate of attendance and marked written workOnline classes, groups of up to 16€460 (German Online Group Course) · €30 an hour of live teaching · Speaking: at most 3 min an hour
Prices are rounded; each source linked below has the exact prices. Speaking for a group class is 60 minutes divided by the group size the school states, from a full class to the smallest: the most each learner could speak, before the teacher says anything.
Should you use more than one?
Yes, and most people who get to speaking German do. The pattern that works: a class or a tutor for the person, the questions and the reason to turn up, and speaking practice on the days in between. Lingoda's smallest plan is 5 classes in four weeks, a little over one a week; Echoa fills the other six days with sentences you say out loud, fifteen minutes at a time. Our guide to practising speaking German on your own covers what to do between classes, with or without an app.
When to upgrade from your first pick
If, after a few months of group classes, you can follow the lesson but go quiet when someone asks a follow-up question at speed, that is the moment to add more speaking, not more classes of the same kind. Our post on why understanding German isn't the same as speaking it is about exactly that point. On Lingoda, a larger plan lowers the price per class, and private classes give you the whole hour at a higher price. An italki tutor costs €9–67 an hour, a Preply tutor €24–31 on average in Berlin. Or keep the classes and add Echoa for the days without one.
Which one should you choose?
Pick the one that fixes where you get stuck.
- You want a teacher, a small group and classes at any hour: Lingoda.
- You understand German but freeze when you have to say it: Echoa, every day, for €39 a month.
- You want one tutor's whole attention: Preply.
- You want the lowest price per hour of live teaching and will shop around for a tutor: italki.
- You want a whole level on a fixed timetable, with lessons recorded on request: Berlitz.
- You want a certificate of attendance and marked written work: the Goethe-Institut.
Most people will want one live option and one other. If speaking is the worry, make the other one Echoa. Lesson 1 takes about 15 minutes and the first 3 lessons are free. No card needed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Lingoda cost?
For German in Germany, the smallest plan is 5 group classes every 4 weeks for about €80, about €16 a class. Larger plans of 12, 20 and 40 classes cost less per class, and the current offer is 15% off the first 4 weeks for new students on the 12, 20 and 40-class plans. Private classes cost more.
What is the Lingoda Sprint?
A two-month challenge of live group classes in which full attendance earns cashback or class credits, after which you move on to a regular subscription unless you cancel. The terms are set out under Lingoda above.
When does the next Lingoda Sprint start, and what does it cost?
Lingoda does not say. Sign-ups are closed for now, and neither the next start date nor the price is published.
Does Lingoda have a free trial?
Yes: a 7-day free trial with 3 group classes or 1 private class; the first 4-week payment is taken automatically when it ends. There is also a money-back rule: cancel within 14 days of subscribing for a refund, minus any classes taken.
Can I cancel or pause Lingoda?
Yes: cancel, pause or change the plan at any time. Unused credits roll over, but only while the subscription is active.
I need German for a Swiss permit. Where do I start?
Permits ask for a recognised exam rather than a course. See fide test preparation compared, and our post on the fide speaking test. Learning in Switzerland in person? Here are German courses in Zurich compared.
About Echoa
German. Accelerated. Echoa is a speaking course on your phone or computer, in German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch and Italian. In each 15-minute lesson you build sentences and say them out loud, and Sam answers every one. Real conversations in 20 hours. A2 in weeks, not years. It costs €39 a month for every language course, and the first 3 lessons are free. Learning French, Spanish or Italian instead? See Babbel vs Duolingo for French, Babbel vs Pimsleur for Spanish and Babbel vs Pimsleur for Italian.
How we compared
This page is published by Echoa, one of the options compared. Every price comes from the source linked for it below, the provider’s own website unless named otherwise, on the date shown. The page is drafted with AI from those sources, then checked against them before it is published. Options are compared by the price per hour of live teaching; each provider is shown with what it actually sells, and Echoa is priced by the month. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
- Lingoda, checked 2026-11-07
- Berlitz, checked 2026-11-07
- Goethe-Institut, checked 2026-11-07
- Preply, checked 2026-11-07
- italki, checked 2026-11-07