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Updated 28 October 2026
Babbel feels like homework, or you want more than lessons? Here's what to try next, and what each one is good for.
Quick answer
If Babbel's lessons feel like homework, or you want more real German than a course gives you, try something with a different job. Ziplex, LingQ and Easy German give you lots of real German to read and hear. Busuu is another course, with feedback from native speakers. Duolingo turns lessons into a game. italki gets you a tutor. DW's free courses and Anki cost nothing.
Babbel is good at clear lessons and grammar. But a course gives you only a little German each day. To understand real German, you need lots of it at your level: posts, voices and people talking at normal speed. That's where other tools help.
Babbel teaches the rules; Ziplex gives you the German to use them on. Short posts at your level (A1 to C2) to read and hear, a tap on any word for its meaning and forms, and word games with the words you've seen. A full free week, then a subscription.
Best for: Babbel learners who want lots of German between lessons. (We make Ziplex.)
The closest thing to Babbel: a course by CEFR level with grammar lessons. The difference is that native speakers in the community can correct your exercises. Limited free plan, paid plans.
Best for: Babbel-style lessons plus feedback from people.
Cheaper than Babbel: the whole course is free with ads, and the paid Super plan removes them. Less grammar explained, more game.
Best for: A playful daily habit on a small budget.
The opposite of Babbel: no set lessons, just real texts and audio, with a tap on words you don't know. The free plan saves 20 words; Premium is about 10 US dollars a month on a yearly plan.
Best for: Learners who'd rather read than drill.
Free videos of people in the street, a slower show for beginners, and a podcast. A membership from 4.99 euros a month adds transcripts and exercises.
Best for: Hearing the German that Babbel's dialogues prepare you for.
A free full course with grammar explanations, from Deutsche Welle, Germany's international broadcaster. The best free swap for Babbel's lessons.
Best for: Babbel-like structure at no cost.
A tutor explains grammar the way you need it and checks your sentences. You pay per lesson, and tutors set their own prices.
Best for: Personal grammar help and speaking.
Make cards for the words and rules from your Babbel lessons and review them every day. Free on desktop and Android; paid on iPhone.
Best for: Remembering what you learned.
We make Ziplex, so we're not neutral, but we've tried to be fair. Details were checked on each product's website on 28 October 2026. Names are trademarks of their owners; we're not affiliated with them.
What each one costs, and whether it explains the grammar. Prices change, so check each site before you pay.
| App | Free | Paid | Explains grammar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ziplex | A full free week | A subscription after the free week | Word forms and examples in the dictionary |
| Babbel | The first lesson | A subscription; longer plans cost less per month | Yes, in every lesson |
| Busuu | A limited free plan | Premium plans | Yes, in grammar lessons |
| Duolingo | The whole course, with ads | Super (no ads) and Max (AI features) | Short tips |
| LingQ | 20 saved words and 5 imports | Premium, about 10 US dollars a month on a yearly plan | Not the focus |
| Easy German | All videos and podcast episodes | Membership from 4.99 euros a month | Some, in videos and exercises |
| DW Learn German | Everything | Nothing to pay | Yes, in the courses |
| italki | Nothing | Per lesson; tutors set their prices | If you ask your tutor |
| Anki | Desktop and Android | The iPhone app | No |
Swipe to see the whole table.
| Topic | Ziplex | Busuu | Duolingo | LingQ | Easy German | DW | italki | Anki |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All six levels, A1 to C2 | ||||||||
The same post at your level | ||||||||
A German feed you want to scroll | ||||||||
Lots of German to read and hear | ||||||||
Tap any word for its full entry | ||||||||
Fun word games for German | ||||||||
Points and badges to collect |
Swipe to see all apps.
Ziplex gives you a full free week: German posts at your level, a dictionary and word games, so you can try a new way to learn without paying. For free resources with no time limit, DW Learn German has full courses, Easy German has free videos, and Duolingo has a free version.
Ziplex. Instead of lessons, you scroll short German posts at your level and play word games with the words you've seen. If you still want a course, Busuu adds feedback from native speakers.
Yes. Babbel explains how German works; Ziplex gives you lots of German at your level to read and hear, in the minutes you'd scroll anyway. They work well together.