Comparison

German Dictation Practice vs ShadowGerman

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

Head to head
About

German Dictation Practice

Features
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Train your German by writing exactly what you hear. Diktando is a dictation trainer that turns listening into active practice: press play, type the sentence, and see word by word what was right, wrong, or missing. Most German apps make you tap multiple-choice answers or watch videos. Diktando uses the classic dictation method instead โ€” you actually listen and write, the single fastest way to lock in spelling, word order, and listening comprehension at the same time. Every mistake is graded down to the word and paired with the correct sentence and an English translation, so each attempt teaches you something. WHAT YOU GET - Five CEFR levels from A1 to C1, so the difficulty grows with you - Themed lessons split into short sentences you transcribe one part at a time - Word-level grading that pinpoints each error in green, red, and orange instead of marking the whole line wrong - Natural text-to-speech with normal and slow playback so you can catch every word - Your choice of German voice and an adjustable speaking rate - The correct sentence, an English translation, and a full transcript at the end of every lesson PERFECT FOR - Beginners building German spelling and listening from A1 - Intermediate learners sharpening word order and comprehension - Exam and course students who need real dictation practice - Commuters and travelers who want to study fully offline WHY NOT JUST LISTEN TO PODCASTS? Passive listening feels productive but rarely fixes spelling or word order. Writing what you hear forces you to notice every article, ending, and umlaut โ€” and instant word-level feedback shows you exactly where to improve. PRIVACY Diktando works completely offline. There are no ads, no accounts, and no tracking. Your answers and your progress stay on your device. FULL ACCESS Diktando Pro unlocks every level, lesson, and dictation, all German voices, and unlimited practice with detailed word-level feedback. Choose the plan that fits you: Weekly, Yearly, or a one-time Lifetime purchase. Open a lesson, press play, and write your first German sentence today. Terms of Use (EULA): https://web-levi.web.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://web-levi.web.app/privacy-policy Questions? tphuc.work@gmail.com

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 โ€” 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 โ€” the fastest way to a natural accent and real confidence. HOW YOU PRACTICE โ€ข Listen to a clear, native German voice for every sentence โ€ข Slow it down or speed it up until you can keep pace โ€ข Record your own voice and play it back against the original โ€ข See both waveforms side by side to spot where you drifted โ€ข Show the translation โ€” English, Chinese, Japanese or Korean โ€” 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 โ€” multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, translation, and word ordering โ€” 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 โ€” 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 โ€” 200 lessons โ€” plus importing your own texts. Unlock A2 through C2, another 800 lessons, with Premium: โ€ข Monthly or yearly (with a 7-day free trial) โ€ข 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

German Dictation Practice4 screens
ShadowGerman4 screens

Verdict

The call

German Dictation Practice and ShadowGerman are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters โ€” price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them โ€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. German Dictation Practice sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and ShadowGerman sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
German Dictation Practice versus ShadowGerman: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGerman Dictation PracticeShadowGerman
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyMonthlyMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad โ€” better
Requires iOS17.0 โ€” better18.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size6 MB174 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPhuc PhamDajiale

In-app purchases

3 purchases

German Dictation Practice

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Weekly$2.997 Days
  • Premium Yearly$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro$29.99
3 purchases

ShadowGerman

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

Questions

Is German Dictation Practice free?
German Dictation Practice is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ShadowGerman free?
ShadowGerman is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do German Dictation Practice or ShadowGerman have ads?
Neither German Dictation Practice nor ShadowGerman shows ads.
Which is updated more often, German Dictation Practice or ShadowGerman?
German Dictation Practice ships an update monthly, and ShadowGerman monthly. Most recently, German Dictation Practice was updated on October 9, 2026 and ShadowGerman on October 11, 2026.

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