Lingoda review

Lingoda is an online language school. You book live 60-minute classes with a teacher, in a small group or one to one, and the classes follow a set course. Lingoda says its German groups have two to four other learners, and that its teachers are certified and speak at a native level. Its German courses run from A1 to C1 on the CEFR, the European scale of language levels from A1 (beginner) to C2 (near-native) (Lingoda, Lingoda pricing).

Learners describe each class working through a set of slides, which you can download and read beforehand (r/German, r/German).

Lingoda’s Flex plan renews every four weeks. It gives you a set number of class credits to spend on bookings, and unused credits roll over. On 29 October 2026, German group plans cost €79.99 for 5 classes, €159.99 for 12, €229.99 for 20 and €419.99 for 40. That is about €16 a class on the smallest plan and about €10.50 on the largest. A seven-day trial includes three group classes or one private class. After that you pay automatically unless you cancel. You can cancel a booked class at least three days ahead and get the credit back. Lingoda says you can’t use leftover credits once your paid period ends, though they come back if you renew (Lingoda pricing).

Lingoda also runs Sprint, a two-month challenge with 15 or 30 group classes a month. It offers money back if you meet its rules. On 29 October 2026 the Sprint page offered only a waiting list. Its headline promised up to 100% cashback, while its FAQ said 50% (Lingoda Sprint).

Lingoda says its app, for iPhone and Android, handles booking, progress tracking and practice (Lingoda).

Verdict. Lingoda gives you a structured German course with live teachers, but group classes can leave little time to speak, and learners complain about the rules on unused credits.

Best for learners who want a set course with live teachers, and who will prepare before each class and study on their own between classes.

Less suitable for learners who mainly want lots of speaking time, or who may need to pause. Group classes can leave each person a few minutes to talk, and you can’t use leftover credits while you’re not paying.

At a glance

Dimension	Band	Why
Speaking	Mixed	Some learners felt their speaking improved; others got only a few minutes each to talk in a group class.
Grammar	Mixed	Learners credit the grammar classes, but two complained about the pace: little review of new grammar later, or grammar lessons packed with new ideas.
Listening, vocabulary, reading, writing	Unknown	Learners say too little about these skills on their own to judge.
Teachers	Good	Most learners who mention teachers liked most of theirs; one found that some lean on reading the slides.
Course and materials	Mixed	Learners like the clear structure, but three found classes ran out of time before the slides ended.
Class times	Good	Learners like the wide choice of times, but two sometimes took lessons out of order when the one they wanted wasn’t free.
Credits and pausing	Weak	Learners report pressure to keep paying, and you can’t use leftover credits while you’re not paying.
Value for money	Mixed	Several learners found it expensive; one with 50 to 60 classes behind them still recommends it if you can afford it.

What learners like

Several learners felt their German improved, and a complete beginner said a Sprint gave them basic understanding and simple speaking. Some of them also studied a lot outside class or took private classes as well (r/German, r/German, r/German, r/languagelearning, r/languagelearning).

Learners like having a set course to follow. They mention the clear order of slides, grammar, vocabulary and speaking, the focused grammar classes, and the amount of material (r/German, r/languagelearning, r/German, r/languagelearning). A beginner found the early lessons productive (r/languagelearning).

Most learners who mention teachers liked most of theirs. Two wanted to be corrected in class: one valued the corrections they got, and the other asked teachers for them. Two mention the feedback they get after class: one valued it, and the other found it generic at times (r/German, r/German, r/languagelearning, r/German, r/languagelearning, r/languagelearning, r/languagelearning).

Learners like the wide choice of class times and the small groups (r/German, r/German, r/German, r/German). A group class sometimes turns into a private one when no other student turns up. One learner estimated this happened in about a quarter of their group bookings, and another found groups small or empty in North American evenings (r/German, r/languagelearning).

Regular classes helped some learners keep studying. Having to prepare for each class kept one of them disciplined (r/German, r/languagelearning, r/languagelearning).

Two learners who also took private classes liked those most. The teacher could focus on them or move away from the planned topic (r/German, r/languagelearning).

What learners criticise

Group classes can leave little time to speak. Learners describe the hour going on introductions, reading the slides aloud and the teacher talking. Two estimated they each got about two minutes, or four or five minutes, to speak in a class (r/German, r/languagelearning). Another found speaking time depended on the teacher and the other students (r/languagelearning).

Three learners found classes ran out of time before the slides ended. Two said none of their classes got through all the slides, and one of those two was left to review the rest on their own afterwards (r/German, r/German, r/German).

Two learners in 2020 found the materials hard to use without extra work or a teacher’s help: one found a long German-only PDF slow to prepare after only three classes, and the other thought the materials only worked with a teacher who could add to them (r/German, r/German).

Learners want more practice between classes, and one said the extra practice exercises were cut back after a platform change (r/German, r/languagelearning). Two complained about how grammar was paced: one got too little review of new grammar later, and the other found grammar lessons packed with new ideas while vocabulary lessons were light (r/German, r/languagelearning).

In posts from 2022 to 2025, learners said teachers and classmates changed from class to class. They said nobody followed their progress over time, so staying on track was up to them (r/German, r/German). Two learners wanted more say over who teaches them: one wanted to choose their own teachers, and the other was thinking about moving to a fixed teacher and group. The first, a two-year member, also said some classmates had booked a level above their ability (r/German, r/languagelearning).

Learners describe pressure to keep paying in order to use credits they already had, and trouble pausing (r/German, r/German, r/languagelearning). Lingoda’s pricing page confirms the basic rule: you can’t use leftover credits while you’re not paying (Lingoda pricing).

Two learners complained about how far ahead you have to cancel a class: seven days in 2022, and 72 hours in 2024. The 72 hours matches the three days on Lingoda’s pricing page now. The 2022 learner also lost credits when their plans changed, and was marked absent for arriving late even though they took part. Support refused to change it (r/languagelearning, r/languagelearning).

The Sprint rules can be hard to keep when plans change. One learner lost a Sprint in 2022 after booking more than five classes in one week to get ahead before a holiday (r/German). A C1 learner wanted to leave a Sprint early and said they couldn’t cancel it (r/German).

Several learners found Lingoda expensive, even when the classes helped (r/languagelearning, r/languagelearning, r/German, r/German, r/languagelearning).

Where learners disagree

Learners disagree on whether the classes improve your speaking. Some felt their speaking got better, including after two weeks or two months of daily classes (r/German, r/German). Two others found the speaking time too short: a C1 learner felt their speaking did not improve after 30 Sprint classes, while an A1 to A2 learner felt their grammar did (r/German, r/languagelearning).

Learners report anything from mostly English to mostly German in class. One A1 learner in 2021 said teachers spoke English for most of the class over a month of daily classes, and wanted much more German (r/German). Two others found classes mostly in German, with some English to explain things: one in a first A1 class that same month, and one at B1 and B2 (r/German, r/German). A 2023 beginner had the opposite problem: they could follow the written material but not the teachers’ spoken German (r/German).

Learners disagree on whether Lingoda is worth what it costs. A learner with 50 to 60 classes behind them still recommended it to anyone who can afford it (r/German). Others found a one-to-one tutor better value, or liked a Sprint but thought the ongoing subscription poor value and moved on (r/German, r/languagelearning).

How people use it

Prepare before class. Learners read the slides and note questions in advance, spending about 15 to 30 minutes (r/German, r/German, r/German).
Study outside class as well. Learners who felt they progressed added grammar review, vocabulary work, Lingoda’s own practice exercises, German videos or a lot of self-study (r/German, r/languagelearning). One treated the classes as concentrated speaking practice and advised against using them as your only study (r/German).
Manage your bookings. When the lesson you want isn’t free at a good time, take a later lesson, or keep chapters in order and take the lessons inside each chapter in any order. One learner recommends looking for groups of two and noting which teachers and classmates suit you (r/German, r/German, r/German).
Learners who felt they progressed went anywhere from a few classes a month to a class every day. Three took daily classes for two weeks or two months, or four or more classes a week (r/German, r/German, r/languagelearning). Three others went less often, from seven classes over a few months to about 15 a month (r/languagelearning, r/languagelearning, r/languagelearning).
Use private classes for individual attention or for topics outside the slides (r/German, r/languagelearning).

At a glance

What learners like

What learners criticise

Where learners disagree

How people use it

Sources