Lingoda

What it is

Lingoda is an online language school, run by Lingoda GmbH from Berlin, that teaches through live classes with certified teachers rather than through an app alone. Its FAQ is direct about the difference: "No, we are not a language learning app. We are an online language school." Classes run in small groups or one-on-one, follow a curriculum the company designs in-house around the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and are backed by self-study practice on the web and in the Lingoda app. The home page counts 300k learners who achieved their goals, 1M online language classes per year and 2.5k certified teachers worldwide, shows an "Excellent" rating based on 5,871 reviews and a 4.7/5 learner rating, and says it helps 2k+ companies. The company describes its mission as giving global talent the language, cultural and technical skills to integrate and succeed.

Languages and levels

Lingoda teaches six courses, each to a stated ceiling:

• German, from A1 to C1;
• English, from A1 to C1;
• French, from A1 to B2;
• Spanish, from A1 to B2;
• Business English, from A1 to B2;
• Italian, from A1 to A2.

A placement test finds a learner's starting level. New learners start at A1.1, and anyone unsure can let the test place them. The FAQ adds that lessons are independent of one another, so students do not have to take them in curriculum order, though it recommends taking the orientation class at the start of each level.

How the classes work

Classes are live, on Zoom, and come in two formats: small-group classes, where a learner joins 2-4 fellow students from around the world, and private one-on-one classes. The FAQ walks through a typical group class: after booking it on the platform, the student joins, the teacher introduces themselves and teaches from the lesson materials, students are encouraged to interact with the materials, the teacher and each other, and toward the end the teacher recaps the lesson and checks that everyone has understood. The materials can be downloaded at the end of class.

The teachers are described as certified and native-level, bringing expertise and personalized feedback to every class. The interactive Lingoda Classroom adds built-in tools that turn lessons into activities, and the home page describes AI-driven class reports that show learners where to focus, with AI insights helping teachers concentrate on each student. The company groups this under the name Lingoda Intelligence.

Between classes, learners keep practicing online or in the app. Lingobites are short grammar exercises, and a flashcard set and vocabulary trainer build vocabulary, each tailored to the learner's goals and lessons. After every class there is a quiz to review new material, and English and A1 German students also get downloadable exercises. All class materials can be downloaded free and kept, and the FAQ says they are created by Lingoda's own experts to match CEFR standards. The app is pitched as a companion to "Book classes, track progress, and practice on the go."

Certificates and outcomes

Once a student completes a level, they receive a Lingoda certificate verifying the skills they have reached, with classes structured on the CEFR from A1 to C1. The home page reports that 90% of its students speak confidently after taking Lingoda classes, a figure it attributes to a Lingoda student survey from 2025. The learner stories on the page include a chef who reached B2 in French and found a job in a Michelin-star kitchen, a nurse in Germany who says Lingoda supports her with nursing knowledge as well as German, and an Italian student who credits Lingoda with taking him "from a beginner to winning an Erasmus scholarship in France".

The FAQ is candid that progress depends on effort. Its advice is to make learning a consistent habit, focus and participate in class, and complete the downloadable materials after each class, and it notes that some plans are more intensive than others.

Plans, trial and prices

Learning starts with a free 7-day trial: 7 days of full access with no commitment, during which a learner can join up to 3 group classes or 1 private class. After that, there are two plan types. Flex is for self-paced learning that fits around a learner's schedule and comes in several sizes, which the promotion terms name as the S, M, L and XL plans. Sprint is a 2-month bootcamp designed for higher intensity.

The home page does not print plan prices. It does advertise introductory discounts for new students on Flex plans, such as up to 30% off the first 2 months (10% on the M plan, 20% on L and 30% on XL, with the S plan excluded) or 15% off the first month's purchase price. These offers apply only to people who have never held an active Lingoda subscription other than a free trial, and cannot be combined with other promotions. Students can also get a discount through UNiDAYS, and the footer links to a page for terminating contracts.

Technical needs are modest: a stable internet connection, a computer and the free video conferencing tool Zoom. The website itself is available in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese and Turkish.

Beyond the classes

Lingoda runs a set of free resources under Lingoda Campus: LingoTalk webinars with industry experts, a blog on languages and culture, LingoQuiz quizzes and the downloadable LingoLibrary. For employers, the site has a Corporate section, and the company also recruits teachers through a "Become a Teacher" page.

Who it suits

Lingoda suits learners who want the structure of a school with the convenience of online classes: live speaking practice with a teacher, a defined curriculum and a certificate at each CEFR level. German and English run all the way to C1, and the school fits people learning a language to work or settle in a new country, which is the story most of its testimonials tell. The small groups give learners speaking time without the cost of private lessons, and the private option is there for anyone who needs one-on-one attention. The trial, with up to three group classes, is a fair way to test the format.

The trade-offs are scope and flexibility. French, Spanish and Business English stop at B2 and Italian at A2, so advanced learners of those languages will need another provider. Learning revolves around scheduled live classes, so the school fits learners who can commit to regular sessions, and plan prices are not printed on the home page.