Tandem review

Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026

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Our verdict

Tandem pairs an app with live exchange, and a free tier lets you sit in real conversations before paying anything. It suits learners who want practice across 300 languages and a certificate up to C1, with a money back period of 14 days to 30 days as the fallback.

Key facts

Best for: Learners who want live conversation practice across many languages and can start on a free tier.
Free tier: Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Money-back period: 14 to 30 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Number of languages: 300 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Highest CEFR level: C1 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Certificate: Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Legal entity: Tripod Technology GmbH (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Headquarters: Germany (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Founded: 2015 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Support channels: Help-centre, Email (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Learning method: Mobile app, Live 1to1
Official website: tandem.net

Apps and profiles

Get the app: Google Play
Elsewhere: Wikidata Wikipedia

Pros and cons

Pros

A free tier means the exchange can be judged before any payment, which paid-only providers such as Reading Eggs do not offer.
The money back period of 14 days to 30 days matches phase-6 at 14 days and runs further at the top end.
Breadth of 300 languages, with a certificate at C1 so progress has something to show.
The method covers app and live 1to1, so a single membership mixes app practice with live exchange rather than one format only.

Cons

Support runs on help centre and email only, so a phone line or live chat is not part of the deal.
The certificate stops at C1, which leaves anyone aiming for a higher level to look elsewhere.
The money back window of 14 days to 30 days is narrower than the 30 days to 84 days some apps in the field allow.

Ready to try Tandem?

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Who it suits

Learners who want live conversation practice as well as app work, since the method covers app and live 1to1.
People who want a certificate to evidence progress up to C1, with 14 to 30 days of money back if it falls short.
Budget-first readers, since the free tier lets the exchange be tried before any payment is made.

Who should look elsewhere

Anyone chasing a certificate above C1, where phase-6 or Bunpro are the other names on this page to weigh for a different level.
People who want a simpler refund shape, since Tandem's runs a range of 14 to 30 days where phase-6 publishes a flat 14 days.
Buyers who want to go straight to a paid course, since Reading Eggs runs with no free tier and sits in the paid only part of this field.

Free plan and trial

Tandem has a free tier, so the exchange can be opened and used before any payment. The paid side comes with a money back period of 14 days to 30 days, while the median across the sites compared here is 14 days, so that range is a fair rather than a generous one. Ranked against the language learning apps, the same measure sits at 29 days, with the widest refunds reaching 84 days. Read Tandem's window as a chance to change your mind, not a long one.

What it does well

Coverage is the argument here: 300 languages are open to members, and a certificate comes with the paid side, so progress ends in something a CV can carry. Entry is easy to test, because the free tier lets a reader hold real conversations before subscribing, and the money back period of 14 days to 30 days gives a way out if it does not stick. Free tiers are common among the apps listed, so language count is the number that actually separates Tandem from the rest of the field.

Who runs it

Tandem is operated by Tripod Technology GmbH, registered in Germany, and the company has been trading since 2015. Support runs on help centre and email, so questions are handled through a help centre and email rather than by phone. For a reader deciding whether to commit to a subscription, a named legal entity and a stated founding year give more to check on than a brand name on its own.

How Tandem compares

Frequently asked questions

Can you use Tandem for free?+

Yes. Tandem has a free tier, so the app and the exchange with other members can be used before any payment is made. If a paid plan follows, a money back period of 14 days to 30 days covers a change of mind. That window sits below the 30 days reached by some sites in the comparison.

How long is Tandem's money back period?+

Tandem's money back period runs 14 to 30 days. phase-6 publishes a flat 14 days, and bunpro runs 7 to 30 days, so Tandem sits between them and reaches the same upper end as bunpro. The median across the sites compared here is 14 days.

How many languages does Tandem cover?+

Tandem covers 300 languages. Those named on its own pages include English, Spanish and French, which covers the major European and East Asian choices. Breadth is the number that carries the offer, since a free tier is common among the apps compared and the language list is what sets one provider apart from another.

Does Tandem give you a certificate?+

Tandem does issue a certificate, and the level it reaches is C1. A reader who needs a level above that will not find it here, which matters where a course certificate is tied to a study or work requirement. Check what the certificate covers before subscribing on the strength of it.

Who runs Tandem?+

Tandem is run by Tripod Technology GmbH, a company registered in Germany. It has been operating since 2015, so the business behind the app is an established operator rather than a new entrant. The imprint entry and the founding year are the two details worth reading before taking out a subscription.

How do I reach Tandem support?+

Support runs on help centre and email only, a help centre and email, so a question with a deadline in it should go by email rather than a call. For readers who weigh how a provider handles problems, the published channels tell you how an answer reaches you and how fast.

Is Tandem an app or live lessons?+

Both. The stated method covers app and live 1to1, so a single membership mixes app practice with live exchange. That combination suits people who want conversation reps as much as short daily practice, and it explains why the free tier matters, since the live side is the part worth trying before paying anything.

How does Tandem's pricing sit against other language apps?+

Pricing across the language learning apps listed here runs to a median of €11.61 a month and €84.18 a year, with entry points from €3.51. Tandem's own figures are worth reading at signup, alongside its free tier and 14 to 30 days of money back.

Sources

tandem.net checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Free tier, Languages
“Download the app and sign up for free”
tandem.net/pages/certificates checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Highest CEFR level, Certificate
“A2 (Beginner), B1 (Intermediate), B2 (Advanced), and C1 (Fluent)”
tandem.net/pages/contact-us checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Find the answers to all of your questions via our Help Center”
tandem.net/pages/faq checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Founded, Number of languages, Learning method, Money-back period
“Launched in 2015”
tandem.net/pages/imprint checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity
“Bolschestr. 21 D-30173 Hannover Germany”

Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Price from, Price per month, Price per year, Free trial length.

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Tandem

Learners who want live conversation practice across many languages and can start on a free tier.