Tooter teamFacts checked 3 min readThe short answer
- To talk from the first minute: Tooter, with 5 to 30 minute conversations with a German tutor you pick.
- For a free course: Duolingo. For grammar step by step: Babbel, which is a Berlin company and teaches German up to B2. For audio: Pimsleur.
- Speak doesn't teach German, so if you were looking at it, compare Praktika or Tooter for AI conversation.
At a glance
| App | German course | AI conversation | Free to start | Monthly plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tooter | Guided lessons | 5 to 30 min | Free chapters | See current plans |
| Duolingo | Free course | Video Call (Max) | All lessons | In the app |
| Babbel | To B2 | Babbel Speak, beta | First lessons | $17.95/mo |
| Pimsleur | 150 audio lessons | First lesson | $19.95/mo | |
| Praktika | Avatar-led lessons | Avatar tutors | Free plan | $9.99/mo |
| Langua | Call Mode | 3 min a day | $19.99/mo | |
| Jumpspeak | Full course | 7 min a day | Sample lessons | $79/year |
Other apps' prices are their lowest US monthly prices, or yearly where there's no monthly plan; Tooter's are its current website prices. Checked October 31, 2026.
Why these apps
How hard is German to speak?
German takes English speakers about 36 weeks of full-time study by the US Foreign Service Institute's estimate. Pronunciation is fairly regular once you know the rules; what takes practice is grammar: three genders, four cases and verbs that move to the end of the sentence. Using them out loud in conversation helps them stick before you've memorized every table.
Which app suits you?
Tooter
- 5 to 30 minute conversations in German
- Tutors speak Standard German
- Corrections as you speak
Duolingo
- Every lesson free, with ads
- AI calls and roleplays with Max
- Short daily lessons
Babbel
- German up to B2, topics to C1
- Grammar taught step by step
- Web, iPhone and Android
Pimsleur
- 150 audio lessons
- Learn in the car or offline
- Free first lesson
Praktika
- AI avatar tutors
- Per-word pronunciation scores
- Free plan
How Tooter teaches German
Every Tooter German tutor speaks Standard German. You pick one by coaching style, such as conversation-first, travel-focused or natural correction, choose a session of 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 minutes, and talk the whole time. Your tutor corrects pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and fluency as you go and can explain in your native language when you're stuck, and guided lesson chapters build the phrases you'll use. To warm up, hear everyday German phrases spoken aloud, or build a German speaking plan.
