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Updated 28 October 2026
Finished Duolingo and still lost in real German? Here's what to try next, and what each one is good for.
Quick answer
If Duolingo feels too much like a game, or you've finished the course and still don't understand real German, try something with a different job. Babbel and Busuu give you a structured course. Ziplex, LingQ and Easy German give you lots of real German to read and hear. italki gets you a tutor. DW's free courses and Anki cost nothing.
Duolingo is great for starting and for a daily habit. But many learners finish lessons and still struggle with real German: longer sentences, real posts, people talking at normal speed. The fix is more German at your level, from more angles.
Keeps the daily habit, swaps exercises for real German. Short posts at your level (A1 to C2) to read and hear, each word lighting up as it's spoken, plus word games with the words you've seen.
Best for: Duolingo fans who want real German in the minutes they'd scroll anyway. (We make Ziplex.)
Where Duolingo gives you short hints, Babbel explains the grammar in every lesson, built around everyday dialogues. Paid subscription; the first lesson is free.
Best for: Learners who want to know why German works the way it does.
Lessons by CEFR level, like a school course, and native speakers in the community can correct what you write and say. Limited free plan, paid plans.
Best for: Getting real feedback, not just right or wrong.
No game, just lots of reading and listening. Import articles or podcasts and tap the words you don't know. The free plan saves only 20 words, so you'll soon need Premium.
Best for: Learners ready to read real German.
Free street interviews on YouTube, with German and English subtitles. A good next step when Duolingo's sentences start to feel too neat.
Best for: Hearing how people really talk.
Free full courses from Deutsche Welle, Germany's international broadcaster, from beginner levels up. Free like Duolingo, but it goes deeper.
Best for: Staying free while going further.
Book a German tutor and use your Duolingo German out loud at last. Tutors set their own prices, and many offer a cheaper trial lesson.
Best for: Speaking practice with a real person.
If you liked Duolingo's review of old words, Anki does it for any words you choose, with spaced repetition. Free on desktop and Android; paid on iPhone.
Best for: Building your own word decks.
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.
Keep what worked for you, and add what was missing.
| If you liked | Try | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The daily streak | Ziplex | A few posts fit into any break, and badges reward the time you spend in German. |
| The games | Ziplex | Word games like a daily word puzzle, a mini crossword and der, die, das, played with the words you've seen. |
| That it's free | DW Learn German | Full courses for every level, at no cost. |
| The short lessons | Babbel | Lessons of about 10 to 15 minutes, with the grammar explained. |
| The speaking exercises | italki | A real tutor who answers back and corrects you. |
| Reviewing old words | Anki | Daily flashcards for any words you pick. |
Swipe to see the whole table.
| Topic | Ziplex | Babbel | Busuu | 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 (free courses) and Easy German (free videos) are both excellent, and Anki is free on desktop and Android if you like flashcards.
Lots of real German at your level. Reading and listening apps like Ziplex or LingQ, videos like Easy German, and a tutor on italki if you want to speak.
It does a different job. Duolingo teaches with exercises; Ziplex gives you short German posts at your level to read and hear. Many people will use it next to a lesson app.