How about I start this Lingoda review with the fattest spoiler ever? I mean, that's what you came here for, so I’ll take a chance.

So, in my italki review, I confessed I settled with three online language learning platforms, but I didn’t disclose them. Are you ready to hear my secret? One, two, three…

[SPOILER ALERT] Lingoda is one of these platforms! There.

Why Trust My Lingoda Review?

At the time of writing this review, I renewed my Lingoda subscription to run a beginner French course trial intending to refresh my somewhat stale memories of this online language school. Here’s how my relationship with Lingoda actually began:

I met Lingoda six years ago when I had just moved to Austria. Back then, I assessed my command of German as a solid B2 or upper-intermediate (mind that I’m someone who underestimates rather than overestimates her skills). You can probably imagine my bewilderment when I didn’t understand a word on the first day. Had I accidentally landed in Australia instead? I felt petrified by Austrian German, with its unbelievably complex pronunciation and loads of region-specific vocabulary. On some days, I literally thought people were speaking Slovenian (due to the regional proximity). That's how different it sounded from the German I knew.

Lingoda came to my rescue that very first week (and yes, Lingoda's placement test confirmed my B2.2). I specifically registered for classes offered by Austrian native speakers. While I could have taken an offline course, that would have been thrice (shut up, thrice is a word) as expensive. Two hectic months into Lingoda's classes (a private class every second day), I got brave enough to not only order coffee but also to practice speaking German with my colleagues. I don’t deny the contribution of the natural language environment in my case, but Lingoda’s C1 certificate was my trampoline to feeling confident.

Bottom Line: As a fluent speaker of six languages and a student of two more, I’ve tried a ridiculous number of online language schools and approaches to learning and teaching languages. If Lingoda isn’t the best place to go, it’s one of the best for sure.

So, What Is Lingoda?

Do you know the old adage that anything German is bound to be good? It applies to Lingoda, one of the best online language schools on the market. Founded by the brothers Wunderlich in 2013, the platform has become one of the most sought-after businesses. In 2018, Lingoda even received LinkedIn recognition – it was listed among the top German startups.

Lingoda’s founders recently moved the headquarters to Mitte (a Berlin borough) and scaled their staff to 200 people. This online language school also accommodates 2,000+ professional language instructors (mostly native speakers) and 100,000+ happy students from around the world.

Lingoda started with German as the only language taught via Skype. Spanish, French, English, and Business English were added down the road. Language learners are hoping a few more European and Asian languages will be introduced soon.

The service has no mobile version. On a positive note, you only need three things to join Lingoda lessons: a reliable Internet connection, a laptop/PC, and Zoom.

The Lingoda Website

What’s in the Box?

Presentation and User Experience - 8/10

The first contact with Lingoda. Signing up feels like a job interview on Lingoda. While the process itself is very standard and you might have done it hundreds of times before, you get tired of the never-ending questions. I guess it's a good thing Lingoda wants to learn about me to accommodate me, but how about I look inside first and see whether I’m interested at all?

The First Contact with Lingoda

What also bugs me is that Lingoda doesn’t double-check your language competence if you don’t specifically go for that "take a placement test" suggestion at the bottom. You may call yourself a B2 speaker when you're A1, and they’ll automatically take you to a B2 group lesson (how miffed would the other students be with me if I made the Lingoda class unbearable?).

Your Language Level

If you’re honest and confess you don’t speak the language, the platform welcomes you with a "Let’s start with your first class-Orientation A1.1" message. A pop-up window appears with a schedule to register for this group class at your earliest convenience. Another message immediately warns you that your class may never happen (which was my case). Well, thanks for the alert, Lingoda, but it's a bit disappointing right at the beginning of my French learning journey.

A Welcome Lesson

Your Lingoda profile. While the name suggests Lingoda is a girl, it looks like a stereotypical German guy: very orderly, strict, and with his schedule planned months ahead (Would you like to meet up for a coffee? We can do it on Sunday, 3 p.m., twelve weeks from now).

The Lingoda website is neat, and all information is presented against a white background. Sorry, a German language learning platform isn’t the place for sparkles and flashes – we’re here for business.

Lingoda Profile

What actions can you take on your profile? Everything’s straightforward, so you won’t get lost. Lingoda offers you a guided tour, which you may as well skip.

You see a drop-down list in the upper right corner. Use The "My profile" tab to choose/change your username. Make sure you don’t pick a pet name as it'll be featured on your course completion certificate (I had to let go of my favorite - ‘"language_nerd").

Then, you have four tabs horizontally lined on top:

• My Classes (to see all your classes and progress)
• Book Classes (to find live online classes by categories and book the next class)
• My Course (to get access to what’s inside every lesson chapter)
• Practice (to test yourself in the topic you're studying)

Finding the right Lingoda class: Like italki, Lingoda allows you to pick language lessons based on the tutor that suits your needs (Remember my Austrian German story? I was specifically interested in native-speaking teachers from Austria to practice speaking).  

The system checks your level (which you can also adjust) and offers you potentially suitable group lessons or one-on-one classes. For instance, I used the "group class filters / Wednesday / 11 a.m.-3 p.m." in French A1.1 and instantly received eight suggestions. I then checked each for details.

Picking Lingoda's Group Classes

If you click on the teacher’s photo icon, you’ll gain access to the teacher's introduction and essential details, as well as other classes you might be interested in joining.

The Teacher’s Profile

Bottom Line: Lingoda serves as a foundation for your language skills. It’s up to you whether you build a tasteful cottage or a shaggy hut. Use up all the opportunities to make your money spent, worthwhile.

Pro Tip: Make your target language the website’s default language (in your profile’s settings). You’ll love the outcome – tons of new phrases without much effort.

Content Value - 9/10

What languages does Ligoda offer? Lingoda is a great choice if you're looking for French, German, English, Business English, or Spanish classes. While there’s always hope that the company will add a few more languages down the road, no official announcement has been made yet (I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Dutch and Portuguese).

Which of the four basic skills does Lingoda help you develop? If you’re looking for all-around language lessons focused on both passive (listening & reading skills) and active (writing & speaking skills) competencies, you’re in the right place. Lingoda classes follow a clear-cut curriculum with quality class materials and guided presentations. Lingoda instructors know how to teach languages, and they're demanding of both themselves and their students.

Now, it’s self-explanatory that you’ll be doing more grammar than writing or listening when you register for a "How to Use Prepositions in French" class, but the balance is still somewhat achieved.

Course Overview

How to get the most out of Lingoda? There’s no recipe for how to get everything while spending nothing (be it money, effort, or both). Your online language learning with Lingoda will only be effective if you commit to it. While the subscription fee is quite a motivator, here are my tips for how to squeeze out as much as possible:

• Follow the system’s guidance. While I’m also lured into registering for a group class that sounds the most interesting, the platform knows better which one logically fits in your curriculum. Try not to stray away too much. All in all, you’re paying Lingoda to do the planning for you.

• Do your homework. While Lingoda offers no homework assignments, there’s not a single person on planet Earth who’s learned a foreign language only by attending language learning classes. Check the learning materials beforehand (so you don’t lose focus during the lesson). Also, go over what you’ve covered in class (the rule of thumb is to spend half of the class time on your post-class reflection).

• Be active and inquisitive. Not all teachers in Lingoda group classes manage to engage every student equally, and there are always people who want to take over. How about you be one?  Take notes, ask questions, and volunteer to answer in class. You're the one responsible for how much you hold the floor in comparison with other students.

• Read the Lingoda blog. Regularity and routine are your best friends. Make it a rule to read a blog article after every lesson (by "reading" I mean reading as such & working on new vocabulary). Reading with a pencil will boost your comprehension, expand your vocabulary, and widen your cultural horizons.

Lingoda Blog

Learning Content. If you’ve ever been part of an offline language school, you know what to expect from Lingoda classes. There’s a teacher and student/students. There’s also a presentation (as part of a Lingoda CEFR language curriculum), and there are supporting materials. You register for a one-on-one class or a small group class, access the pdf materials, and download them (if you’re a diligent student who doesn’t do it all last minute).

The pdfs are colorful and engaging. Some people complain about them being quite repetitive from lesson to lesson, but I’ll tell you what: patterns facilitate memorization (so just accept this point of insipidity).

Here’s a sneak peek into my beginner French lesson on "How to Say Hello":

Learning Material

You also have a self-study section that encourages you to work on grammar & vocabulary. These supporting spreadsheets are as basic as they can get, but they serve their purpose well.

Self-Study Section

Have you completed a few lessons? Excellent. You may now go to the "Practice" tab for some fill-in-the-gap activities. Now, this feature is far weaker than it is in, say, Babbel. If you’re someone who enjoys gamified exercises on the go, Lingoda won’t beat language learning apps.

Overall, you’ll see your level of satisfaction with the platform vary from lesson to lesson. While all Lingoda teachers are qualified experts, there’s always the personality thing that kicks in. I had some lovely classes where I felt my French fly over the roof (that was an illusion, of course) and some ghastly ones that I couldn’t sit through.

While we’re on this topic, Lingoda trusts you with changing the current level if you deem it necessary. This option is offered in your "Progress" section.

My Progress Section

Bottom Line: Remember that learning a new language involves a roller coaster of emotions. There will be ups and downs, defined by your teacher, the topic of study, and the other language learners (unless you're taking private lessons).

What's Up Lingoda's Sleeve? - 7/10

When subscribing to Lingoda, answer yourself honestly: Are you here for frills or hard work? It’s a serious German company, so you might go elsewhere for glitz.

I suspect you’ll still enjoy these two aces:

Lingoda checks the qualifications and degrees of all its teachers. Unlike similar platforms (e.g., Preply and italki), Lingoda guarantees that all its language instructors have earned these respective qualifications: A C2 language command (a native speaker competence), an ESL certificate (or equivalent training in the other languages), as well as a minimum of two years of teaching experience. While a degree doesn't always mean quality, you can at least be assured that these people know how to teach. What’s also great is the lesson is never 100% scripted. The instructors stray away from the pdf materials to add interesting remarks, tell life anecdotes, and engage you in speaking practice. They seem very enthusiastic. P.S. Students’ feedback after every class might contribute to their effort.

Lingoda offers both private and group classes. While this feature isn’t unique if you compare Lingoda with an offline language school, it's quite an extraordinary thing for a virtual language platform. Now, I prefer private lessons. Not that I find myself superior to other learners, but I get very annoyed when my classmates crave too much attention and steal the spotlight. Disregarding this personal preference, I believe that the combination of private lessons and group classes is the best for learning a language. In group classes, one benefits from questions others ask and learns from mistakes others make. P.S. Lingoda offers perfect class sizes: three to five students. You’ll view how many seats are available in a class you’re interested in.

Small Group Classes

What Could Lingoda Fix? - 8/10

Lots of Lingoda's potential weaknesses are linked to specific teachers or a lack of chemistry between the two of you (that’s impossible to fix, though).

I’d like to focus on three weak spots that could be improved:

Lingoda doesn’t offer homework corrections. I don’t know a single person who's become fluent without doing homework. And I know for sure one of the best ways to boost your language skills is by writing essays and having them corrected by a native-speaking teacher. I’d readily pay for this extra service if Lingoda launched it (Are you with me? Let’s forward an official request to the Mitte headquarters!).

Lingoda doesn’t offer enough drill activities. The "Practise" tab only has a few basic exercises, so you’re limited to your class pdf and blog articles. While these are good language resources, they don’t facilitate memorization. What should I do with all my idle subway time if not match words and images?

Lingoda doesn’t group people into classes by level. While group classes are a fantastic idea, the issue is that I (with my lame A1 in French) can register for a B2 lesson (imagine how "happy" my classmates will be about the slow pace of the class!). I used to have this experience in German classes. I even sent some angry emails to Lingoda support guys raving that I wasn’t going to pay them to "teach" A2 students (I wasn’t very nice in that email and might have even used the ancient CAPS LOCK technique).

Lingoda doesn’t allow you to study a few languages simultaneously. That’s the weirdest thing for me. How come the developers can’t imagine that one person can handle a few languages? When preparing this review, I wanted to sign up for German once again (to compare the before/after) and had to create a separate account, with a different email.

Bottom Line: These weaknesses are all minor if you turn the learning process around or have additional learning resources. But keep them in mind so as not to become disappointed later.

How Much Does Lingoda Cost? - 10/10

As you can probably imagine, the monthly cost of a Lingoda subscription would exceed your expenses with, let's say, Babbel or even FluentU. All in all, Lingoda has an army of educated instructors and one-on-one classes.

Disclaimer: If you ask me, Lingoda isn’t a very generous employer: $8-$13 is what you’re supposed to get serving Starbucks coffee, not doing a teaching job (no offense to Starbucks employees, but the two-day training you get for the job differs from the four-year training teachers need to do theirs). While it’s true that Lingoda provides all instructors with class materials, a good tutor always spends extra time looking through them and finding ways to make them highly engaging.

Is there a trial? Fortunately, there’s a 7-day trial with Lingoda. The founders know that you want to test the waters before you dive deep. When you sign up for the first free week, you receive a few class credits. You can use them to book lessons and navigate the other materials. I believe seven days is ample time to check whether there’s chemistry between Lingoda and you.

Prices. Your rate depends on many factors: which language you learn, whether you go for group or private classes, and how many classes per month you want.

For some reason, the German and Business English courses are slightly pricier than the rest.

Lingoda Pricing for French

If you’re committed to learning intensively and feel competitive (that’s so me!), you might benefit from a Lingoda Language Marathon or a Lingoda Sprint (currently open). They have a distinctive pricing scheme and set you in a mood to learn.

How does it work? Well, the Regular Sprint subscription gives you 50% cashback if you follow all Lingoda Sprint rules, i.e., participate in all 15 online classes in the first month and all the 15 classes in the next. From time to time, Lingoda launches its Super Sprint – two months, with a group session daily and a 100% subscription fee back if you succeed. I almost cried when I saw this new feature (I bet I’d have had my money back were this wonderful Lingoda sprint frenzy launched back in my German-learning day).

Lingoda Sprint

There’s no option for a long-term relationship with Lingoda: you can only pay monthly. It's good you don’t have to spend a huge amount at once, but we all know doing so encourages your devotion.

Bottom Line: Lingoda isn’t a cheap platform, but it is 1) as affordable as it gets given the approach and outcome, and 2) supportive of learners and highly interested in bringing you up to speed with the language.

Lingoda Alternatives - 9/10

If this Lingoda review hasn’t convinced you that Lingoda should be your #1 pick, check some major competitors below:

• Lingoda vs italki. Lingoda and italki operate similarly, but Lingoda is a stricter, German-like, structured language course approach, while italki is a relaxed teacher-search platform. If you’re someone looking for sporadic private classes and irregular learning – italki is the answer. If you intend to follow a schedule and commit – go with Lingoda. P.S.: Check my italki review to find out more about its benefits.
• Lingoda vs Preply. Since Preply is italki's long-lost twin, it compares against Lingoda just about the same. More a teacher marketplace than a fully-fledged course, Preply won’t satisfy you if you’re looking for an academic approach, a guarantee of quality, and an official certificate of completion.
• Lingoda vs Pimsleur. These platforms are similar in that they’re both very structured and detail oriented. The key distinction is that Lingoda offers online courses with teachers, and Pimsleur offers language resources without teachers. The latter gives you control over the learning material and motivates you to learn on your own. It’s more budget-friendly, of course, but you can’t get up to speed as fast as you do this with Lingoda's in-person classes.
• Lingoda vs Baselang. I use Baselang for Spanish. If you’re not a Spanish learner, disregard this. The platform is a one-language website. If you are one, you’ll get unlimited Spanish classes for the price of Lingoda’s 12 classes. Lingoda's Spanish course is great too, so it's your pick.
• Lingoda vs Chutterbug. Chatterbug also offers private classes with professionals (no group classes, though). Yet, it’s a less academic and much more relaxed approach, with affordable rates and tons of extra activities. If Lingoda is an online language school, Chatterbug hangs in between Lingoda and Babbel – an online language daycare of sorts.

My Final Score – 8.5/10

I have my criticisms, but I honestly believe Lingoda’s reputation in the industry is well deserved. I’m giving it an 8.5/10 and hoping they’ll introduce Dutch and Portuguese soon.

Lingoda's pros:

• Free seven-day trial in a chosen language
• Standard CECR (Common European Framework) assessment
• Official certificate of completion
• Placement tests
• User-friendly interface
• Large pool of professionals
• Teachers’ qualifications control
• Downloadable class material
• Class feedback to rate all the teachers
• A choice of private or group classes
• Small group classes with three to five people
• A focus on active language use and immersion
• Lingoda Sprint and Marathon features

Its cons:

• No one-time payment
• Very limited language selection
• Unequal language level distribution across languages
• Some dependence on other students in group lessons
• No mobile version
• No multiple language learning options
• A heavy influx of Lingoda emails (feels spammy at times)

Lingoda Review Take Aways

Sign up for Lingoda if you’re a fan of classroom language learning but don’t want to commute to a brick-and-mortar school.

Sign up for Lingoda if you’re using language learning apps and feel that’s no longer enough (I’d still recommend a language learning app as the first level to get some basic vocabulary).

Spoiler Alert: Our Flying Languages app is in the making. You’ll want to check it out when it’s completed – we’ve considered major complaints about other language learning platforms on the market and developed this very decent and outside-of-the-box competitor!