Free German Learning Apps: What You Actually Get Without Paying
The best truly free German resources are not the famous apps: they are the Goethe-Institut’s online exercises, DW’s Learn German app, the vhs-Lernportal apps and Anki. Duolingo, Busuu, Memrise and Drops are free to start but limit features or show ads, and SipLingo has a free trial, not a free plan. This guide separates “free forever” from “free with limits” from “free trial”, based on official pages checked in October 2026.
The three kinds of “free”
| Type | What it means | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Free, no paywall | The full material is free to use | DW Learn German, Goethe-Institut “Deutsch für dich” and exam trainings, vhs-Lernportal apps, Anki (desktop and Android) |
| Free tier with limits | Useful, but ads, caps or locked features | Duolingo, Busuu, Memrise, Drops |
| Free trial | Free for days, then paid | Babbel (trial lesson), Pimsleur (7 days), SipLingo (3 or 7 days) |
Table: free vs paywall
| Resource | What is free | What sits behind a paywall |
|---|---|---|
| DW Learn German | The app is free on Google Play, with courses from beginners to advanced and a placement test | Nothing listed |
| Goethe-Institut “Deutsch für dich” | Free platform, 270+ online exercises, A1 to C2 | Nothing; exams themselves cost money |
| Goethe-Institut exam trainings | Free practice tests for A1 to C2, with the same structure and task types as the exam | Nothing |
| vhs-Lernportal apps (e.g. A1-Deutsch) | Free app, 12 lessons at A1, offline use, menus in 20 languages | Nothing listed; other levels are separate free apps |
| Anki | Desktop and AnkiWeb free; AnkiDroid free | AnkiMobile on iOS is paid |
| Duolingo | Free with optional purchases; the paid plan lists ad removal and unlimited energy | Extra features and AI tools in paid tiers |
| Busuu | Essential course and community feedback | Premium: certificates, review tools, offline; Premium Plus: AI Conversations and pronunciation feedback |
| Memrise | Limited vocabulary lessons and videos, with ads | Pro: all lessons, full video library, unlimited speaking practice |
| Drops | Basic access with daily time limits and ads | Unlimited time, no ads, offline |
| Babbel | A trial lesson | Full courses need a subscription |
| SipLingo (our app) | A free trial: 3 days on the monthly plan, 7 days on the annual plan | Continued use is paid; check the store for your local price |
The best free options, one by one
Goethe-Institut: exam-level material that costs nothing
The Goethe-Institut offers a free platform called Deutsch für dich with more than 270 interactive exercises on grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening. Its exam trainings at goethe.de cover A1 to C2 with practice tests that match the real exam’s structure and task types, including solutions and tips. If you are preparing for a certificate, this is the first thing to use. See the four modules of the German exam for what they test.
DW Learn German
DW’s app is free and covers levels from beginner upward, with videos, exercises, vocabulary and grammar lessons. Reviews on Google Play mention technical issues such as video playback and progress saving, so expect rough edges. DW’s free course Nicos Weg is part of the DW Learn German offer (check the site for the levels it covers).
vhs-Lernportal apps
The German adult-education association (Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband) publishes free apps such as A1-Deutsch (12 lessons, offline) and A2-B1-Beruf (24 lessons on work-related German). The A1 app says it is recognised by BAMF as a teaching aid. Separate apps exist for other levels (A2, B1, B2-Beruf, C1-Beruf).
Anki
If you want to learn the vocabulary list for an exam, Anki’s spaced repetition is free on desktop and Android. Its limit: it only trains what you put in it, and iOS users pay for the app.
Mein Weg nach Deutschland (Goethe-Institut)
Another free Goethe-Institut site aimed at newcomers: series and exercises from A1 to B2, including work-themed content such as a hospital mystery at B2 and workplace German.
Practise your German out loud with SipLingo, free to try on iPhone and Android:
Free tiers worth using, with limits
Duolingo. Free to start and good for the habit; our review is in is Duolingo good for German. Its free version will not give you grammar explanations or speaking conversation.
Busuu. The free plan gives you the essential course and feedback from the community, meaning real people can check your short answers. That is a real benefit that few free apps offer.
Memrise. The free tier is limited and ad-supported, enough to test whether native-speaker videos work for you.
Drops. Daily time limits make it good as a five-minute vocabulary habit.
What free resources do not give you
There is one skill that free tools cover poorly: speaking with feedback. Reading, listening and vocabulary have good free options. Talking to someone who answers you and corrects you does not, unless you have a language partner or tutor.
SipLingo (our app) is aimed at that gap, but it is a trial, not free forever. You hold voice conversations in everyday scenarios, and corrections of grammar, word order and vocabulary are explained in your own language. It is not a course, so it works best next to a free one like DW or the Goethe material. Try the free trial.
If you want to practise speaking for free in other ways, see practising German speaking with AI for free and how to learn German by yourself.
A zero-cost study plan (about 45 minutes a day)
| Time | Activity | Resource |
|---|---|---|
| 15 min | Course lesson | DW Learn German or vhs-Lernportal |
| 10 min | Vocabulary review | Anki deck |
| 10 min | Listening | DW or Goethe-Institut exercises |
| 10 min | Speaking out loud: read your lesson aloud, record yourself, repeat | Phone voice recorder |
At B1 and B2, add a free exam training from the Goethe-Institut once a week and time yourself.
Official sources
For the official details and the latest updates, see:
- Goethe-Institut: Deutsch für dich – free Goethe learning platform – Free A1–C2 grammar, vocab, reading and listening exercises plus a learner community
- Duolingo: How the Duolingo Score maps to CEFR levels – Duolingo’s official 0–160 score and its CEFR mapping
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free app to learn German?
For fully free material, DW Learn German and the vhs-Lernportal apps are the strongest. Among well-known apps, Duolingo and Busuu have usable free tiers, with limits.
Is there a free online course for German B2?
Yes, in parts. The Goethe-Institut’s Deutsch für dich covers up to C2 and its exam trainings include B2, and the vhs apps include B2-Beruf. None gives you a certificate; exams cost money.
Can I learn German on my own?
Yes, to a good level, if you add speaking practice; see learning German by yourself. Most self-learners struggle with speaking and writing feedback.
What is the best online way to learn German?
A structured course (free or paid) plus daily listening plus regular speaking practice. No single app covers all four skills well.
Is Duolingo free for German?
Yes, you can use Duolingo’s German course for free with ads and limits; paid tiers add extra features. Check the current plans in the app.
Free covers reading, listening and vocabulary well. For speaking, try a SipLingo conversation during the free trial.
