Language learning 🇩🇪 Berlin, Germany Since 2015 4.6 · 38K ratings

Tandem

A language exchange app that pairs learners with native speakers by chat and call.

🇬🇧🇪🇸🇫🇷🇩🇪🇮🇹🇵🇹🇷🇺🇯🇵🇨🇳🇰🇷

Visit tandem.net All companies
members
35M+
languages to exchange
300
countries with members
180+
on the US App Store, 38,322 ratings
4.6

About Tandem

Tandem is a language exchange app from Berlin. Members chat, send voice notes and call native speakers who want to learn their language in return. The app is free, and Tandem Pro adds calls for new members, unlimited translations and AI writing tools. On the US App Store a 12-month Tandem Pro subscription costs $69.99 on 6 October 2026. The app has 4.6 stars from 38,322 US App Store ratings and 2.7 on Trustpilot from 298 reviews.

Tandem pairs two people who speak each other’s target language. Members find partners by language, location and interests, then talk by text, voice note, audio or video call. Built-in correction and translation tools help both sides fix mistakes in the chat.

Arnd Aschentrup, Tobias Dickmeis and Matthias Kleimann launched the app on iOS in February 2015 and on Android in September 2016. Their company Tripod Technology GmbH was registered in 2011 and has its registered seat in Hannover. The team works from Berlin-Mitte and counts about 30 people.

Every application to join is reviewed by people, and members must be 16 or older. Tandem earns money from the Tandem Pro subscription, sold in the iOS and Android apps. Investors include Brighteye Ventures, which led a Series A of £4.5 million in July 2020.

History

  1. 2011 Tripod Technology GmbH is registered in Berlin with Arnd Aschentrup and Matthias Kleimann as managing directors.
  2. 2014 The company moves its registered seat to Hannover.
  3. 2015 Tandem launches on iOS in February and raises a €600,000 seed round led by business angels and Atlantic Labs.
  4. 2016 Raises €2 million from Rubylight and Faber Ventures. The Android app launches in September.
  5. 2017 Tobias Dickmeis becomes managing director. Matthias Kleimann steps down from the role.
  6. 2018 Introduces the paid Tandem Pro subscription.
  7. 2020 Raises a £4.5 million Series A led by Brighteye Ventures in July. New sign-ups grow 200% during the pandemic.
  8. 2020 Closes Tandem Tutors to focus on member-to-member exchange.
  9. 2025 Updates the Community Guidelines in July and marks 10 years of the app.
  10. 2026 Reports more than 35 million members and 300 languages.

Tandem funding and investors

about €7.5 million raised by July 2020
  1. 2015
    Seed €600,000

    Atlantic LabsHannover BeteiligungsfondsMarcus EnglertCatagoniaLudwig zu SalmFlorian LangenscheidtHeiko HubertzMartin SinnerZehden Enterprises

    Source: Wikipedia
  2. March and November 2016
    Startup round €2 million

    Faber VenturesRubylightHannover BeteiligungsfondsAtlantic LabsZehden Enterprises

    Source: Wikipedia and Tandem press page
  3. July 2020
    Series A £4.5 million

    Lead: Brighteye Ventures Trind VenturesRubylightGPS Ventures

    Source: TechCrunch

Total as reported by StartingUp after the Series A. The PIE News gives £6.8 million. Sources disagree on the Series A size: TechCrunch and The PIE News say £4.5 million (about $5.7 million), StartingUp says €5 million. We found no later rounds.

Leadership

  • Arnd Aschentrup Co-founder and managing director
  • Tobias Dickmeis Co-founder and managing director

Both are managing directors of Tripod Technology GmbH according to the imprint. Co-founder Matthias Kleimann left the managing director role in November 2017. TechCrunch called Arnd Aschentrup CEO in 2020.

Careers

tandem.net/careers/jobs
2Berlin
4 open roles on 6 October 2026
  • Product2
  • Engineering1
  • Marketing1

Perks

  • Up to 6 Deep Dive Days a year for learning
  • Urban Sports Club or public transport contribution
  • German classes
  • Home office and office in Berlin-Mitte
  • Relocation help

How Tandem works

languages, including 20 sign languages
300
minimum age, every application reviewed
16+
typical response time to reports
Under 2 h
  • Search partners by language, location and interests
  • Text, voice notes, audio and video calls
  • Message correction and comments
  • In-app translation
  • Saved expressions
  • Language Parties in groups
  • Nearby and Travel search
  • AI tools for grammar and writing with Pro
  • English certificates from A2 to C1
  • Web app and mobile apps

Tandem languages: 300 to learn

Products

  • Language exchange chat One-to-one chats with native speakers. Members correct each other’s messages, translate and save expressions. How Tandem works
  • Audio and video calls Direct calls with a language partner. New members need Tandem Pro to call; earlier members may still call for free. Calls and Tandem Pro
  • Language Parties Group audio rooms where members listen to conversations or host their own. Members under 18 cannot join. Community Guidelines
  • Tandem Certificates A 45-minute English test in the app at A2, B1, B2 or C1, with reading, listening and grammar sections and a certificate to download. About the tests
  • Partnerships Tandem access for universities, language schools, companies and creators. Partner with Tandem

How much is Tandem?

  • Main US offer Tandem Pro, 12 months $5.83/mo $69.99, billed once a year
  • Tandem Pro Intro, 12 months $39.99 introductory offer, billed once a year
  • Tandem Pro, 12 months £4.16/mo £49.90, billed once a year
  • Tandem Pro Intro, 12 months £29.90 introductory offer, billed once a year

Is Tandem free?

Chats, partner search, corrections and limited listening to Language Parties are free, with ads. New members need Pro for calls, unlimited translations and more than the daily message limit.

Tandem Pro prices from the US and UK App Store pages on 6 October 2026. Tandem sells Pro only inside the iOS and Android apps, for 1, 3 or 12 months, and the price can differ by country. Only the 12-month items are labelled on the App Store. The same US listing also shows unlabelled Pro items from $14.99 to $80.00. Monthly figures are the 12-month price divided by 12.

How to cancel Tandem Pro and get a refund

Refund help
  • iPhone and iPad ↗
    1. Open Settings and tap your name
    2. Open Subscriptions
    3. Choose Tandem and cancel
  • Android ↗
    1. Open the Google Play Store app
    2. Tap Menu, then Subscriptions
    3. Choose Tandem and cancel
  • Deleting the Tandem account or the app does not cancel Tandem Pro.
  • After cancelling, Pro stays active until the end of the paid period.
  • The 12-month plan is charged for the whole year in advance.
  • Auto-renewal must be turned off at least 24 hours before the period ends on iOS.

Refund rules

iOS refunds
Apple handles all payments and refunds. Request a refund through Apple within 14 days, using the link in the purchase email.
Android refunds
Within 48 hours, request a refund from Google Play. Later, Tandem refunds within 14 days of a 1-month plan or 30 days of a 3- or 12-month plan.
EU withdrawal
Consumers can withdraw within 14 days of the contract by email to support@tandem.net. Service already used is paid pro rata.
Free trial
A free trial turns into a paid subscription unless cancelled before it converts.

From the Tandem Help Center, FAQ and Terms of Service, checked on 6 October 2026.

Apps and ratings

2.7Trustpilot · Bad 298 reviews · company profile claimed in May 2024

App details, App Store US

Current version
7.26.0, released 1 October 2026
First release on iOS
20 February 2015
Requires
iOS 16 or later
Size
316 MB
Age rating
16+
App Store categories
Education, Travel
Downloads
10M+ on Google Play
Seller
Tripod Technology GmbH

Is Tandem worth it?

What learners like

What learners criticise

What learners write in reviews, not our rating. App Store ratings are high, while Trustpilot reviews focus on scammers and moderation. A 12-month Tandem Pro plan costs $69.99 on the US App Store.

Tandem reviews

  • Outstanding Application
    “Recently, a feature was added to the application which allows you to write in the target language and then get it corrected for grammar, syntax and vocabulary.”
    Wuncie Adams · 19 February 2025 · App Store
  • Better than HelloTalk
    “Moderation team does great job!”
    Hazuki · 21 November 2025 · App Store
  • Scammers
    “People who connected just wanted to date with me and asked me to use a different platform .”
    Marta · 5 July 2026 · App Store

Latest news

  1. Tandem snags $5.7M for its language buddy app amid COVID-19’s e-learning boom
  2. Tandem app raises £4.5m in Series A funding
  3. 5 Mio. Euro für Sprachenlern-App Tandem

Contacts and company data

Legal entity
Tripod Technology GmbH, Bölschestr. 21, 30173 Hannover, Germany
Company register
HRB 210614, Amtsgericht Hannover
VAT ID
DE279098399
Managing directors
Arnd Aschentrup, Tobias Dickmeis
First registered
25 October 2011, Berlin

Alternatives to Tandem

How we built this profile

  1. Sources. Facts come from the company’s own website, press room, imprint and careers page, from Wikipedia, the App Store, Google Play and Trustpilot. Every source is listed on the page.
  2. Checks. Kinescope checked every number on 6 October 2026. Prices, ratings and job counts change, and we refresh them with each update.
  3. Our words. Descriptions are written by the Kinescope team. Quotes from reviews are marked with the author and source, and we do not rate the company ourselves.
  4. Corrections. The company can send new facts or corrections, and we update the profile.

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Tandem FAQ

On the US App Store on 6 October 2026, a 12-month Tandem Pro plan costs $69.99, about $5.83 a month. In the UK it costs £49.90 a year. Intro offers for 12 months cost $39.99 and £29.90. Tandem also sells 1-month and 3-month plans in the app, and prices can differ by country.

Yes, the core app is free with ads. Members can find partners, chat, send voice notes and correct messages. Tandem Pro adds calls for new members, unlimited translations, AI writing tools and up to 30 new contacts a day.

Tandem has 4.6 stars from 38,322 ratings on the US App Store, 4.5 in the UK and 4.1 on Google Play. On Trustpilot it has 2.7 from 298 reviews, and 37% of them give 1 star. Negative reviews mention scammers, flirting and account bans.

Tandem reviews every application, requires a real name and photo, and bans dating, sexual content and requests for money. Members can report others from a chat or profile. Tandem says it typically answers reports in under 2 hours. Its Help Center warns about romance and investment scams.

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