Pimsleur is worth it for a beginner who will do a 30-minute audio lesson every day on a commute and wants to speak the basics early; it is not worth it if you want a wide vocabulary, grammar explained or the ability to follow native speakers at real speed. Premium is $19.99 a month and All Access $20.99 a month or $164.99 a year on the US App Store (checked 6 October 2026).
Checked October 2026 · Pimsleur price: Premium $19.99/mo; All Access $20.99/mo or $164.99/yr; one-off levels $150 each, 5 levels $575; free first lesson (checked 2026-10-09 (pimsleur.com/learn-french; subscriptions from the US App Store, 2026-10-06))
Quick answers
| Subscription (checked 6 October 2026) | Premium $19.99 a month; All Access $20.99 a month or $164.99 a year, US App Store |
|---|---|
| Buying levels (checked 9 October 2026) | $150 a level or $575 for five on pimsleur.com, as listed for the French course |
| Free to try | The first lesson |
| Best for | Beginners who will speak out loud on a commute |
| Weak at | Vocabulary, grammar and real-speed listening |
What you pay for
Audio lessons that make you speak. Every few seconds the lesson stops and waits for you to answer out loud, which most apps never do. After a month of daily lessons, most learners can say simple things without freezing, and their pronunciation is better than after the same time on a screen-based app.
Which way to pay
Monthly Premium at $19.99 (US App Store, checked 6 October 2026) makes sense for a short trial: a month or two of daily lessons covers most of level 1. All Access at $164.99 a year is cheaper per month if you will keep going, and includes every language. Owning levels at $150 each (pimsleur.com, checked 9 October 2026) costs more up front, but you keep them; five for $575 only makes sense if you know you will finish.
Prices vary by country and offer. In the 500 most recent App Store reviews we read, 18 of 54 one- and two-star reviews were about billing and cancelling, including one reviewer who says they cancelled their card to stop the charges. Note your renewal date; our guide on how to cancel Pimsleur shows where.
Where it is not worth it
Vocabulary per hour is low, so it is slow value if you want to read or write. Grammar is never explained. And the audio is slow and studio-clean, so it does not train your ear for real-speed speech: you can answer the narrator but still miss what a waiter says.
Which should you choose?
If you commute every day and freeze when you try to speak, Pimsleur is worth a month of Premium; keep going with All Access if you are still doing the lessons.
If you want grammar explained and a wider vocabulary, a course app covers more ground: Babbel is €107.88 a year on its 12-month plan (checked 9 October 2026 from Germany). See Babbel vs Pimsleur.
If you are weighing it against another audio-and-speech app, read Pimsleur vs Rosetta Stone before you commit to a year.
If you can already hold a basic conversation, skip it and book a weekly tutor on italki instead.
Who it's for
Beginners with a regular commute, auditory learners, and anyone who has studied a language on paper but freezes when speaking.
Who it's not for
Intermediate learners, people who want to read and write well, and anyone whose goal is understanding native speakers at real speed.
How it compares
| App | Price | Levels | Real-speed audio | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pimsleur | Premium $19.99/mo; All Access $20.99/mo or $164.99/yr; one-off levels $150 each, 5 levels $575; free first lessonchecked 2026-10-09 (pimsleur.com/learn-french; subscriptions from the US App Store, 2026-10-06) | A1–B1 | No | Best for speaking from day one on a commute; thin on vocabulary. |
| Babbel | From €8.99/mo on the 12-month plan (€107.88 a year; €215.88 at the monthly rate); lifetime €299.99; first lesson freechecked 2026-10-09 (babbel.com/prices, shown from Germany) | A1–C1 | No | The most course-like app; a good spine for A1 to B1, light on real listening. |
| Rosetta Stone | €19.99/mo, or €13.25/mo billed €159/yr; lifetime plan priced on the buy pagechecked 2026-10-09 (rosettastone.com buy page, shown from Germany) | A1–B1 | No | Immersion-style basics; slow, and light on explanation. |
| italki | Set by each tutor; italki says $4 to $60 an hour for Frenchchecked 2026-10-09 (italki.com/en/teachers/french) | A1–C2 | Yes | The cheapest way to speak the language every week, if you choose the tutor well. |
Prices as shown on the official site on the date given; they vary by country and change often.
Questions
Is Pimsleur worth the money?
For a beginner who will use it daily to speak on a commute, yes. For vocabulary, grammar or real listening, other tools are better value.
Is it cheaper to buy Pimsleur levels or subscribe?
Subscribing is cheaper if you finish within a few months; buying levels ($150 each when we checked) suits people who want to keep the lessons.
How long does a Pimsleur level take?
Each level is 30 lessons of 30 minutes, so about 15 hours of audio. Most learners do one lesson a day, which makes a level about a month.
More on Pimsleur
The full listing: Pimsleur: price, levels and who it suits.