The Best German Courses in Zurich (2026 Review)

Evening German courses in Zurich for a whole A1, compared on price, hours in class, group size and speaking time, with the best course for each goal.

By Echoa editorial team · Prices checked 5 November 2026

Key takeaways

Best for practising spoken German on your own schedule: Echoa
Best for the most class hours for the money: Alemania
Best for a school certificate at the end: Benedict Zürich
Best for a class near home or work: Klubschule Migros
Best for learning in a small group: VOX-Sprachschule
Best for joining a small group any week: inlingua Zürich

The best German course in Zurich depends on your goal. Some people are working towards a permit, some want two fixed evenings a week with classmates, and some simply want to be able to hold a conversation in German.

If the goal is speaking German with confidence, a speaking course you can do at any hour is the closest fit. On Echoa you hear an English cue, build the German sentence and say it out loud, and Sam answers every sentence you say: around fifty spoken answers in a 15-minute lesson. In an evening class, the hour is shared with the rest of the group.

This guide is for adults in Zurich comparing evening German courses for a whole A1 level by price, hours in class, group size, schedule and speaking time.

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How we chose the best German courses in Zurich

Each course was compared on the same basis: a whole A1 level, taught in the evening, so the prices can be set side by side.

Evaluation criterion	What we evaluated
Speaking practice	How much of each hour a learner could spend speaking German: at most, the class length divided by the group size
Price	The total for a whole A1 level, from each school's own website, and what is extra, such as books
Hours in class	How many hours the whole level gives you, and the price per hour that works out to
Group size	How many people share the teacher, as each school states it
Schedule and location	Which evenings the course runs, where it meets, and when you can start
Certificate	Whether the school includes its own certificate at the end of the level

Prices were checked in November 2026 and may change with level, schedule and format; confirm the current price on each school's website before booking. Each course gets a "Best for" label as an editorial recommendation, not an overall ranking.

We compare Spanish classes in Madrid, French classes in Paris, Portuguese classes in Lisbon, Dutch courses in Amsterdam and Italian classes in Rome the same way.

At a glance

Prices are for a whole A1 level in an evening group, unless the row says what else they buy. Echoa is priced by the month.

EchoaBest for practising spoken German on your own scheduleSpeaking course, on your phone or computerCHF 39 a month · Speaking: around fifty spoken answers in 15 min, each one answered
AlemaniaBest for the most class hours for the moneyGroup classes, groups of up to 15CHF 1,800 · Speaking: at most 4 min an hour
Benedict ZürichBest for a school certificate at the endGroup classesCHF 2,000 · Speaking: group size not published
Klubschule MigrosBest for a class near home or workGroup classesCHF 2,000 · Speaking: group size not published
VOX-SprachschuleBest for learning in a small groupGroup classes, groups of 2–5CHF 2,200 · Speaking: at most 12–30 min an hour, by group size
inlingua ZürichBest for joining a small group any weekGroup classes, groups of 2–6CHF 2,800 · Speaking: at most 10–30 min an hour, by group size

A whole A1 level in an evening group: best for, format, price and speaking time
Course	Best for	Format	Typical pricing	Speaking
Echoa	practising spoken German on your own schedule	Speaking course, on your phone or computer	CHF 39 a month	around fifty spoken answers in 15 min, each one answered
Alemania	the most class hours for the money	Group classes, groups of up to 15	CHF 1,800	at most 4 min an hour
Benedict Zürich	a school certificate at the end	Group classes	CHF 2,000	group size not published
Klubschule Migros	a class near home or work	Group classes	CHF 2,000	group size not published
VOX-Sprachschule	learning in a small group	Group classes, groups of 2–5	CHF 2,200	at most 12–30 min an hour, by group size
inlingua Zürich	joining a small group any week	Group classes, groups of 2–6	CHF 2,800	at most 10–30 min an hour, by group size

Prices are rounded; each source linked below has the exact prices. Speaking for a group class is 60 minutes divided by the group size the school states, from a full class to the smallest: the most each learner could speak, before the teacher says anything.

Where to take a German course in Zurich

1.Echoa: best for practising spoken German on your own schedule

CourseSpeaking course, on your phone or computer; German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch and Italian
PriceCHF 39 a month; first 3 lessons free. No card needed
LessonsAbout 15 minutes, around fifty spoken answers each
GroupJust you, with Sam answering every sentence you say
Ideal forPeople who understand more German than they can say, and whose evenings are already spoken for

Lesson 1. By the end you say: “Guten Abend! Ich möchte einen Tisch für zwei Personen, bitte.”

Echoa is a speaking course on your phone or computer, in German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch and Italian. Each lesson takes about 15 minutes: you hear an English cue, build the German sentence and say it aloud, and Sam answers what you actually said. There is no group, so every answer in the lesson is yours.

The German course runs from a restaurant first, then meeting people, making plans, saying what happened, sorting things out and having friends round, which brings you to A2. The pieces from lesson 1 keep coming back inside longer sentences:

Lesson 1: Ich möchte einen Tisch für zwei Personen, bitte.
Lesson 4: Ich möchte kein Bier, sondern ein Mineralwasser, bitte.
Lesson 40: Ich möchte ein Paket abholen, weil ich gestern nicht zu Hause war.

Pros

Each lesson gets you giving around fifty spoken answers in about 15 minutes, and each one gets a reply.
Any time of day, so it fits round office hours, a commute or a late shift.
CHF 39 a month for every language course; the schools here charge about CHF 1,800–2,800 for one A1 level. The first 3 lessons are free.

Cons

No classroom and no classmates; nobody notices if you skip a week.
No certificate; for a permit or citizenship, learners sit the recognised exam, as after any of these courses.

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2.Alemania: best for the most class hours for the money

CourseWhole A1, three 40-hour modules
PriceCHF 1,800, about 120 hours in class
WhenTwo evenings a week, about 24 weeks; start any week
Groupup to 15
Ideal forLearners on a budget who want plenty of hours in class and to start soon

Books extra; price not published.

Alemania sells A1 as three 40-hour modules, which come to 120 hours for about CHF 1,800. Evening groups meet two evenings a week, and a new module can start any week.

Pros

The lowest total price among the schools here, and the lowest price per hour in class, at about CHF 15.
You can start any week rather than waiting for a term.

Cons

Groups of up to 15, so the hour is shared up to 15 ways.
The booking renews module by module unless you cancel a week before each module ends, and books are extra.

3.Benedict Zürich: best for a school certificate at the end

CourseWhole A1, semi-intensive
PriceCHF 2,000, about 90 hours in class
WhenTue & Thu, 18:20–20:35, about 20 weeks
Ideal forLearners who want a school certificate at the end of A1

Materials about CHF 100 extra.

Benedict runs a semi-intensive A1 on two evenings a week, 90 hours in all, with a Saturday version at the same price. Benedict's own A1 certificate is included; it is a school certificate, not a permit test.

Pros

A school certificate at the end, at no extra cost.
About CHF 20 an hour in class, in the middle of the range here.

Cons

The school does not publish its group size, so ask how many people share the hour before you book.
Materials are extra.

4.Klubschule Migros: best for a class near home or work

CourseWhole A1, parts 1–3
PriceCHF 2,000, about 110 hours in class
WhenTwo evenings a week at Altstetten or Oerlikon, 18:00 or 20:00; three parts of about 11 weeks
Ideal forPeople living or working near Altstetten or Oerlikon

Parts 1–3; the school doesn’t state an A1 total. Its slower four-part track costs about CHF 2,650. Materials extra.

Klubschule Migros teaches A1 in three parts at Altstetten or Oerlikon, two evenings a week, with an early and a late start. The three parts give 110 hours for about CHF 2,000.

Pros

Two locations and two evening start times, so it is easy to fit in near home or work.
About CHF 18 an hour in class.

Cons

The school does not state a total for A1; the price above adds up its three parts.
No published group size, and materials are extra.

5.VOX-Sprachschule: best for learning in a small group

CourseWhole A1, standard course
PriceCHF 2,200, about 35 hours in class
WhenTwice a week, times agreed with the group, 3 months
Group2–5
Ideal forLearners who want a teacher's attention more than a long course

VOX teaches the whole of A1 in one course of 35 hours, twice a week, in groups of 2–5. Course times are agreed with the group after you enquire.

Pros

Small groups, so the teacher gets round to you often.
One course for the whole level, with no modules to rebook.

Cons

The highest price per hour among the schools here, at about CHF 60.
No fixed evening slot is published; you agree it with the group.

6.inlingua Zürich: best for joining a small group any week

CourseWhole A1, two terms
PriceCHF 2,800, about 60 hours in class
WhenTwo evenings a week, 18:00 or 19:30; join any time, courses are continuous
Group2–6
Ideal forAnyone who wants a small group and to start next week rather than next term

A minimum: inlingua puts A1 at 80 lessons or more. Materials about CHF 100–150 extra.

inlingua runs two-evening courses all year, with an early and a late start, and you can join at any point. A1 is priced as two ten-week blocks, 60 hours at the minimum inlingua gives for the level, in groups of 2–6.

Pros

Small groups that you can join any week, because the courses run continuously.
An early or a late evening start.

Cons

The price above covers inlingua's minimum for A1, so the real total may be higher.
About CHF 45 an hour, one of the higher rates here, and materials are extra.

Online vs. in-person German courses in Zurich: which should you choose?

A speaking course online suits people who want to say as much German as possible, at times they choose. An evening class in person suits people who want a fixed routine, a teacher in the room and classmates. Our post on practising speaking German on your own covers the evenings without a class.

Factor	Speaking course online (Echoa)	Evening group class
Flexibility	Any time, on your phone or computer	Fixed evenings, usually two a week
Individual attention	Sam, Echoa's AI teacher, answers every sentence you say	Shared with a group: 2–5 people at VOX, up to 15 at Alemania
Speaking time	Every answer in the lesson is yours	At most the hour divided by the group size
Cost	CHF 39 a month, first 3 lessons free	About CHF 1,800–2,800 for a whole A1, books often extra
Certificate	None	Benedict's own A1 certificate included; for a permit, everyone sits fide or a recognised exam
Social side	Just you	Classmates every week
Commute	None	To the school, twice a week

Choose a speaking course online if you understand more German than you can say, or your evenings are already spoken for.
Choose an evening class if you learn best with a fixed time, a teacher in front of you and a room full of people in the same position.

Many learners do both: the class for structure and company, and a speaking course on the evenings in between.

Which German course in Zurich is best for you?

Choose Echoa if you want to practise speaking German every day, at any hour, for CHF 39 a month.
Choose Alemania if you want the most class hours for the money and to start any week.
Choose Benedict Zürich if you want a school certificate at the end of A1.
Choose Klubschule Migros if you want a class at Altstetten or Oerlikon, near home or work.
Choose VOX-Sprachschule if you want a small group and one course for the whole level.
Choose inlingua Zürich if you want a small group you can join any week.

If a permit is the reason, read how much German a C permit needs before you book.

Ready to speak German with confidence in Zurich?

Lesson 1 takes about 15 minutes and ends with you booking a table for two, out loud, in German. The first 3 lessons are free. No card needed.

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FAQ

How much does a German course in Zurich cost?

A whole A1 level in an evening group costs about CHF 1,800–2,800 at the schools above, for 35–120 hours in class, which works out at about CHF 15 to CHF 60 an hour. Echoa is CHF 39 a month for every language course, with the first 3 lessons free. There is also a subsidised course: City of Zurich residents pay about CHF 500 a semester at ECAP; KulturLegi holders get the fee back with 70% attendance. Private tutors charge about CHF 25–30 an hour on average on Preply.

What German does a C permit need?

A2 spoken and A1 written. The fide test is one way to prove it; it costs about CHF 250 for the whole test, or CHF 170 for the speaking and listening part on its own. Our guide to fide test preparation in Zurich compares the ways to prepare. Echoa's German course is speaking practice from lesson 1 up to A2. Our post on the fide speaking test covers what the test asks.

Can I take an evening German course online?

Yes. XLINGUA teaches a whole A1 online on two evenings a week, in groups of 3–6, at a list price of about CHF 2,400. In November 2026 it was also advertising a cheaper whole A1 as a limited offer, so check before you book.

If you are weighing an online school against an app, see Lingoda vs Babbel for German.

How we compared

This page is published by Echoa, one of the options compared. Every price comes from the source linked for it below, the provider’s own website unless named otherwise, on the date shown. The page is drafted with AI from those sources, then checked against them before it is published. Every option except Echoa, which is priced by the month, is priced on the same basis: a whole A1 level in an evening group. Options under “also checked” were looked at too and are not compared here, because they are priced on another basis or weren’t picked. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

Alemania, checked 2026-11-05
Benedict Zürich, checked 2026-11-05
Klubschule Migros, checked 2026-11-05
VOX-Sprachschule, checked 2026-11-05
inlingua Zürich, checked 2026-11-05

Also checked, not picked here: LanguageMasters, Hallo Deutschschule, ILS Zürich, Bellingua, XLINGUA, AOZ, Berlitz Zürich, Sprachschule Aktiv, Wordculture, ECAP.

Other sources: preply.com, stadt-zuerich.ch, ecap.ch.