When it comes to learning German, most people think of apps like Babbel or Rosetta Stone first. However, there are plenty of other options available to help you learn German. In this article, we discuss the major pros and cons of the Rocket German course, which is widely considered one of the best alternatives.
Rocket Languages
- Free Trial
- Money Back Guarantee
Pros
- Extremely comprehensive German curriculum
- Ideal program for auditory learners
- Interactive audio lessons that feature fluent German speakers
- In-depth verbal practice exercises
- Possibly the best speech recognition technology in the industry
- Dedicated grammar lessons
Cons
- No monthly subscription options available (only lifetime)
- Lesson format is somewhat lengthy
- Not an ideal program for visual learners (limited use of images and graphics)
How The Rocket German Program Works
In comparison to other German language apps, Rocket takes a slightly different approach to learning. Rather than 5 to 10 minute lessons that consist of quick, basic practice drills like you get with Duolingo for example, the Rocket German lessons are much more comprehensive.
Plus, they also focus more on receptive language skills (listening and reading) since input tends to be more important than output during the early stages of language acquisition.
At the heart of each Rocket lesson are interactive audio exercises in which an English moderator guides you through a real conversation between fluent German speakers. Each audio lesson takes around 20 to 30 minutes to complete, and the moderator regularly stops to explain the context of the conversation, provide insights, and ask you questions to keep you engaged.
Then following each audio exercise, there are dedicated grammar lessons as well as a multitude of drills that focus more on writing and speaking so that you get exposure to all the foundational language skills.
In a nutshell, the Rocket German learning framework definitely covers all the necessary bases, but it does skew more towards listening and reading since the audio exercises are the backbone of each lesson.
Rocket German Cost
It can be difficult to compare Rocket German against other language apps since the company only offers lifetime plans. In other words, there are no cheap monthly subscription options, like you get with Babbel or Memrise, for example.
Therefore, at first glance, access to the Rocket German course does seem super expensive when you stack it up side by side against others in the industry. However, if you compare apples to apples (i.e. the lifetime packages that other companies offer), the Rocket German package is actually pretty affordable.
After discounts, the entire Rocket German course (levels 1, 2, and 3) ends up costing around $180. For comparison purposes, the lifetime packages from Rosetta Stone, Babbel and Pimsleur cost around $150, $300, and $450, respectively.
As such, the Rocket German course actually lands near the cheaper end of the spectrum. Again though, the price stated above is net of discounts. Don’t pay attention to the MSRP, since Rocket is almost always offering some sort of sale or special promotion.
Also, Rocket also offers a free trial if you’d like to try a lesson first before purchasing.
Pros Explained
Now that you have a good understanding of the Rocket German learning framework and pricing, let’s move into the pros and cons that our team discovered as we tested this program.
Ideal For Auditory Learners
As you’ve probably gathered by this point, the Rocket German program is an ideal choice for auditory learners given audio exercises are the focal point of the curriculum.
As such, if you’re the type of person who acquires and retains information best through the aural senses. In other words, you have a strong ability to listen, understand, and recall spoken information, then the Rocket German course should be right up your alley since you get a ton of exposure to fluent German speakers.
Plus, our team likes that the moderator within the audio exercises routinely prompts you to play along and participate in the conversations. That way, it forces you to be an active listener rather than a passive listener.
Flexible Lesson Format
Given that a good portion of the Rocket German curriculum is audio-based, it gives you flexibility in where and how you want to complete lessons. Unlike other language apps like Babbel or Duolingo, your eyes do not have to be fixated on your computer and phone screen at all times.
Instead, for the audio portion of each lesson, you can put your phone in your pocket and knock out lessons while you’re gardening or walking your dog, for example. I guess we just like that the Rocket German lessons allow for some flexibility. It’s definitely a lot more convenient compared to other language apps.
Robust Verbal Practice Exercises
In addition to the audio lessons, our team also likes that Rocket offers in-depth verbal practice exercises as well. That way you can practice your output too (i.e. actually speaking).
So not only does Rocket offer quick-hit verbal exercises like most other language apps, but the company also takes it a step further with a unique role playing game. Essentially how it works is that following each audio exercise, you have the option to replay the conversation, and what’s cool is that Rocket gives you the opportunity to step in and replace one of the fluent speakers.
That way you get actual conversational practice that requires you to think on your feet and respond under pressure just as you would in real life situations, which is an extremely valuable and necessary step in the language acquisition process.
Honestly, this is one of the key features that differentiate Rocket from other German courses so we had to highlight it.
Accurate Speech Software
While we are on the topic of verbal practice exercises, we should also mention Rocket’s speech recognition technology.
It’s one of the best in the entire language learning industry. The Rocket German software uses Google’s Web Speech API, which many linguists consider to be the most advanced speech tool in the world.
That way, as you complete the verbal practice drills and conversational role playing games, you receive instant, accurate feedback on your pronunciation so you can continue to refine and improve your speech.
Helpful Grammar Instruction
Lastly, it’s worth noting that Rocket provides detailed grammar instruction in addition to their standard lessons. In fact, Rocket is one of the few companies that provide their own dedicated grammar lessons.
That way you can get a feel for the various German grammar rules as your knowledge of the language progresses. Plus, what’s cool is that the grammar lessons include interactive elements to keep you engaged, as well as cultural insights so you can understand the context and reasoning behind certain German expressions and slang that only locals would know.
You have to hand it to Rocket – they definitely go the extra mile as far as grammar and culture goes.
Cons Explained
Now that we’ve discussed the pros of the Rocket German course, it’s only fair we also discuss the cons as well.
Not Ideal For Visual Leaners
The Rocket German program is not ideal for visual learners. As you know by this point, the majority of the Rocket German curriculum is either audio or text-based.
Therefore, if you understand and remember things by sight (i.e. you learn best through pictures, graphics and videos), Rocket is likely not the best fit for your learning style.
In this case, you may want to check out either LingoPie or Rosetta Stone instead.
Lengthy Lesson Format
We mentioned this earlier, but the Rocket lessons are pretty lengthy, which is great because you know the lessons are comprehensive, but it’s also not so great if you have a busy, hectic schedule.
Each lesson takes around an hour or so to complete between the interactive audio exercise, various practice drills, and grammar instruction.
As a result, you need to be honest with yourself – if you can only afford a few minutes per day to dedicate towards learning German, then maybe an app like Babbel may be a better fit with their short lesson format.
Lack Of Community Feel
Unlike Duolingo, Busuu, and some other language apps, there’s really no community feel among users. There’s no chance for you to connect and interact with other learners.
As such, if that’s something that is important to you, keep that in mind. I know for our team, it’s not a big deal, but we thought we would mention it.
No Live Class Options
Lastly, Rocket does not offer any live German class options or upgrades. Our team loves the live classes like the ones Babbel offers, for example.
They are a great way to learn from experienced German teachers and interact with other users at your same level, but that’s just not a possibility with Rocket unfortunately.
Verdict: Is Rocket German Worth it?
Time to answer the big question – is Rocket a good option for learning German?
Well, after testing the program, the answer is a resounding yes. Sure, we have a few minor grievances, but all in all, this is easily the most well-rounded and complete course we’ve tested so far.
Rocket offers everything you could want in a language program – exposure to fluent German speakers through detailed audio exercises, opportunities to participate in real German conversations, pronunciation feedback via their top rated speech software, helpful grammar instruction, you name it. The Rocket German curriculum just blows other language courses out of the water.
At the end of the day, if you’re serious about learning German, our team highly recommends Rocket.
To purchase the complete Rocket German course, it costs around $450. However, the course can typically be found on sale for around $180.
The Rocket German course consists of three levels. Within each level, there are several modules that include around 8 to 10 lessons.
If you complete the entire Rocket German course, you can expect to reach at least an intermediate level of fluency. Although this does depend on how much time you spend practicing and learning outside the standard curriculum as well.
Yes, absolutely. Rocket German is one of the most well-rounded and effective language courses our team has tested.
It will take you around 250 to 300 hours to learn German using Rocket Languages. After completing the course, our team would expect you to reach the B2 level of language proficiency.
