In this guide
💡 Looking for a complete banking comparison? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026 — covers ABN, ING, Bunq, Wise, Revolut & 5 others by expat use case.
Prices in this guide were checked on each provider’s own site on 8 October 2026; promotions change often, so check the current price before you subscribe. We have not rated the apps, and we describe what each provider says about its own product.
Quick Comparison Table
| App | Method (per the provider) | Price (checked 8 October 2026) | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babbel | Everyday Dutch dialogues, native-speaker audio, personalised review | 12 months: EUR 8.99 per month, charged EUR 107.88 every 12 months; Lifetime EUR 299.99 | A free first lesson |
| Duolingo | Short lessons | Free to start; Super Duolingo and Duolingo Max are paid | Yes |
| Pimsleur | Audio lessons, Standard Dutch | Dutch Premium Complete Course (16 hours) $150, shown at $112.50 in a sale; All Access Lifetime $798, shown at $478.80 | A free lesson |
| Mondly | Daily lessons; 50 topics and 41 real conversations | Not confirmed; see mondly.com | Says you can learn for free |
| Rosetta Stone | Immersive lessons (Dynamic Immersion), TruAccent pronunciation tool | Not confirmed; see rosettastone.com | Try a lesson |
| italki | Live tutors, 1-on-1 | Each tutor sets a price | Check the listing |
| Preply | Live tutors, 1-on-1 | EUR 2 to EUR 36+ per lesson in the price filter | A trial lesson with a tutor |
1. Babbel
Babbel says its Dutch lessons are built on everyday dialogue (ordering food, asking for directions, meeting someone), with recordings by native speakers and a review system that brings back what you learned (babbel.com/learn-dutch, checked 8 October 2026). Every plan includes all 14 languages, interactive speaking practice, grammar explained and bite-sized lessons (babbel.com/prices).
Pricing
Checked on Babbel’s prices page on 8 October 2026:
- 12 months: EUR 8.99 per month, charged EUR 107.88 every 12 months. Babbel shows this as a 50% saving against EUR 215.88, which is the cost of a recurring 3-month subscription over the same period
- Lifetime: EUR 299.99, one-time payment
- You can cancel auto-renewal at any time (Babbel)
Babbel offers a free first Dutch lesson. Start your Babbel Dutch course here.
2. Duolingo
Duolingo has a Dutch course for English speakers and describes itself as free, fun and effective (duolingo.com, checked 8 October 2026). Paid options exist: Super Duolingo and Duolingo Max. Check the price and the features of each in the app, because they differ per country.
3. Pimsleur
Pimsleur is an audio-based method. Its Dutch course teaches Standard Dutch, which Pimsleur calls “Newsreader Dutch” (pimsleur.com, checked 8 October 2026).
Pricing
- Dutch Premium Complete Course (16 hours): $150, shown at $112.50 in the sale on 8 October 2026 (about EUR 100)
- All Access Lifetime for all 51 languages: $798, shown at $478.80 (about EUR 427)
- Pimsleur offers a free lesson
4. Mondly
Mondly offers Dutch among 41 languages. It says it has 50 topics, 41 real conversations and daily lessons, and that you can learn languages for free (mondly.com, checked 8 October 2026). We could not confirm a current price on that page, so check the price on mondly.com or in the app.
5. Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone has a Dutch course. It describes its approach as Dynamic Immersion, with a pronunciation tool called TruAccent, Chat Missions for conversation practice and more than 500 flashcard sets (rosettastone.com, checked 8 October 2026). We could not confirm a current price, so check rosettastone.com before you subscribe.
6. italki
italki connects you with Dutch teachers for one-on-one online lessons; each tutor sets their own price (italki.com/en/teachers/dutch, checked 6 October 2026). Compare tutors and prices on the listing before you book.
7. Preply
Preply listed 474 Dutch tutors on 6 October 2026, with a price filter running from EUR 2 to EUR 36+ per lesson, trial lessons, and a free tutor replacement if you are not satisfied with your tutor (preply.com). Our Preply vs italki comparison goes into the differences.
Book a Dutch lesson on Preply →
Audiobooks: BookBeat
Listening to a Dutch book while reading along is one way to hear connected speech. BookBeat lists more than 1 million books in its Dutch service. Plans on bookbeat.com/nl on 8 October 2026: Basic EUR 8.99 per month for 20 hours, Premium EUR 10.99 per month for 100 hours, and EUR 5.99 per month for students. New users get a 45-day trial with 20 hours; the subscription continues automatically afterwards unless you cancel, and you can cancel at any time (BookBeat).
Tips for Learning Dutch in the Netherlands
- Combine methods. Use an app for regular practice, and add speaking with real people, for example with a tutor on italki or Preply.
- Use Dutch media. NOS.nl and NU.nl are Dutch news sites, and NPO Start streams Dutch programmes; use subtitles if you need them.
- Set your phone to Dutch to meet the language daily.
- Ask your library. Check whether your local bibliotheek or community centre runs a Dutch conversation group.
- Use the letters you receive. Official letters from the gemeente, the Belastingdienst or your health insurer are real Dutch to practise on.
- Start speaking early, even short phrases at the supermarket.
If you are still in the planning stages of your move, check out our complete guide to moving to the Netherlands in 2026. Your DigiD gives you access to Dutch government portals, and the OV-chipkaart guide covers public transport. A class with a teacher is another route: see our best Dutch language courses guide for a comparison.
If you need to take the civic integration exam, see our inburgeringsexamen preparation guide and use our inburgering route builder to find out which route applies to you. Apps are not a substitute for the preparation the exam requires.
You can also listen to Dutch podcasts or audio on your commute; our cycling guide for expats covers getting around by bike.
Final Thoughts
There is no single best app for everyone. The right choice depends on your learning style, budget and goals. Try the free lesson or trial of one or two options and keep the one you actually use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best app to learn Dutch for complete beginners?
That depends on how you like to learn. Babbel offers a free first Dutch lesson and builds lessons around everyday conversations with native-speaker audio (babbel.com, checked 8 October 2026). Duolingo has a Dutch course that you can start for free (duolingo.com). Try a free lesson or trial before you pay.
Can you become fluent in Dutch using only an app?
An app alone is not a full course. Speaking with real people, reading and listening to Dutch in daily life, and, if you want a teacher, a tutor on a platform such as italki or Preply or a language course, add what an app cannot.
Is Duolingo good enough to learn Dutch?
Duolingo's Dutch course is free to start, and it has a paid upgrade (Super Duolingo) and a higher plan (Duolingo Max). Use the free version to see whether the style suits you before you pay for anything.
Are there any free apps to learn Dutch?
Duolingo's Dutch course is free to start, and Mondly says you can learn languages for free, including Dutch (mondly.com, checked 8 October 2026). Babbel and Pimsleur offer a free first lesson instead of a free course.
Is Pimsleur worth the price for learning Dutch?
Pimsleur is audio-based and focuses on speaking. On 8 October 2026 pimsleur.com listed the Dutch Premium Complete Course (16 hours) at $150, shown at $112.50 during a sale (about EUR 100), and an All Access Lifetime plan for all 51 languages at $798, shown at $478.80. It offers a free lesson, so try that first.
Should I learn Dutch or is English enough in the Netherlands?
You can get by in English in many situations, but official letters and many services are in Dutch. Whether basic Dutch is enough for you depends on how long you stay and what you do; our [guide to moving to the Netherlands](/guides/legal/complete-guide-moving-to-netherlands-2026/) covers the practical side.