Comparison

DW Learn German vs ShadowGerman

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

DW Learn German

Master German with engaging videos, news, and music. Offers courses for all levels, from beginner to advanced, with interactive exercises and vocabulary training. Includes a placement test to find your ideal course and materials for teachers.

Highlights
  • Placement test for level assessment
  • Courses for all levels (beginner to advanced)
  • Interactive exercises
  • Vocabulary training and word explanations
  • Grammar and regional studies
  • Materials for teachers
Features
Read full description

Learn German on the go with DW - for beginners, advanced learners and teachers With exciting videos, informative news and music, we’ll make sure that you’ll find the perfect way to learn German. Start right away, even without any previous knowledge, and improve your German online and on the go, completely free of charge. We offer courses for all levels -and if you're not sure where you stand, our placement test will help you find the perfect course for you - quickly and easily! Our offer includes: - A placement test to help you find the right level - Courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced learners (from literacy to exam training) - A wide range of interactive exercises - Vocabulary training and word explanations - Grammar and regional studies - Comprehensive materials for teachers Our courses cover all levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. There are also offers for learning the alphabet and language preparation for various jobs. As a teacher, you will also find what you are looking with materials that you can use for your lessons free of charge. Simply download the app and learn German with DW!

About

ShadowGerman

Features
Read full description

Learn to speak German the way fluent speakers actually do it: by shadowing. Hear a native German sentence, then say it back — matching the rhythm, melody, and sounds until it feels natural in your own mouth. WHY SHADOWING WORKS Reading and flashcards build knowledge. Speaking builds fluency. ShadowGerman puts your voice at the center: listen, repeat out loud, record yourself, and compare — the fastest way to a natural accent and real confidence. HOW YOU PRACTICE • Listen to a clear, native German voice for every sentence • Slow it down or speed it up until you can keep pace • Record your own voice and play it back against the original • See both waveforms side by side to spot where you drifted • Show the translation — English, Chinese, Japanese or Korean — when you need it, hide it when you don't 1,000 LESSONS, A1 TO C2 A full path from absolute beginner to advanced, graded by the official CEFR levels. Every lesson comes with interactive exercises — multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, translation, and word ordering — that grade themselves the moment you answer. BRING YOUR OWN GERMAN Studying for an exam or reading a book? Import your own text or a PDF and ShadowGerman splits it into clean German sentences you can shadow line by line. A WORDBOOK THAT REMEMBERS FOR YOU Save the words you meet and review them with spaced repetition, so they resurface right before you'd forget. Tap any word to hear it pronounced. WORKS OFFLINE The German voice runs entirely on your device — no internet, no streaming, no waiting. Practice on a plane, on the subway, anywhere. BUILT TO KEEP YOU GOING Earn XP, level up, and keep a daily streak alive. Your progress syncs privately through your own iCloud between iPhone and iPad, and there's no account to create. FREE & PREMIUM Start completely free with all of Level A1 — 200 lessons — plus importing your own texts. Unlock A2 through C2, another 800 lessons, with Premium: • Monthly or yearly (with a 7-day free trial) • Or a one-time Lifetime purchase, yours forever Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation. Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the current period ends; manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase Premium. Privacy Policy: https://mzjpg.com/policy/shadowing-german Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

DW Learn German4 screens
ShadowGerman4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DW Learn German at none against ShadowGerman's 3. DW Learn German also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). ShadowGerman's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 16 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ShadowGerman sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. DW Learn German asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DW Learn German ships an update every 16 months, ShadowGerman monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
DW Learn German versus ShadowGerman: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDW Learn GermanShadowGerman
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (131 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews44.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings131 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 16 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB174 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperDeutsche WelleDajiale

In-app purchases

None

DW Learn German

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

ShadowGerman

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$49.99

Questions

Is DW Learn German free?
DW Learn German is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ShadowGerman free?
ShadowGerman is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do DW Learn German or ShadowGerman have ads?
Neither DW Learn German nor ShadowGerman shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DW Learn German or ShadowGerman?
DW Learn German ships an update every 16 months, and ShadowGerman monthly. Most recently, DW Learn German was updated on October 21, 2026 and ShadowGerman on October 11, 2026.

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