Pimsleur is worth it for a beginner who will do a 30-minute audio lesson every day on a commute and wants to speak basic French early; it is not worth it if you want a wide vocabulary, grammar explained or the ability to follow real-speed French. 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); one-off levels cost $150 each, or $575 for all five, on pimsleur.com.
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))
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 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 costs more up front, but you keep them; five levels for $575 only makes sense if you know you will finish the course.
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 French at real speed: you can answer the narrator but still miss what a waiter says.
If those matter more, Babbel (€107.88 a year on its 12-month plan) covers more ground, and a tutor on italki gets you speaking with a human.
A good way to use it
As your speaking warm-up while travelling, alongside one other tool: a course for grammar, or real listening with a transcript. Compare it with Babbel or Rosetta Stone before you commit to a year.
Who it's for
Beginners with a regular commute, auditory learners, and anyone who has studied French 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 French people at real speed.
How it compares
| App | Price | Levels | Real-speed French | 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 French every week, if you choose the tutor well. |
| French with Amélie | Free weekly lesson; Premium $24/mo or $240/yr | B1–C1 | Yes, with a slow version and a transcript | Real-speed dialogues by email and a private podcast. Not an app. Visit |
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) suits people who want to keep the lessons.
How long does Pimsleur French take?
Each level is 30 lessons of 30 minutes, so about 15 hours of audio; five levels is about 75 hours.
More on Pimsleur
The full listing: Pimsleur: price, levels and who it suits.