Tandem (app)

Last updated
Tripod Technology GmbH
Tandem logo.png
Type of site
Language Exchange Platform Privately Held Corporation
Available in
[1]
Headquarters Berlin,
Germany
Founder(s) Arnd Aschentrup, Tobias Dickmeis, Matthias Kleimann
Industry E-Learning, Online Education
Services Language exchange, Online tutoring, Tandem language learning, Online learning community
URL www.tandem.net
RegistrationRequired (free)
LaunchedFebruary 2015;9 years ago (2015-02)
Current statusActive
Native client(s) on Android, iOS

Tandem is a mobile language exchange application and global language learning community available on iOS and Android. [2] The app facilitates communication via text, voice, and video chat, enabling members to improve their language skills while forming cultural connections. [3] As of January 2025, the platform supports over 300 languages, including 20 sign languages, 20 indigenous languages, and six fictional languages, such as Mandalorian and Klingon. [4] Tandem is used by over 30 million members worldwide.

Contents

History

Tandem was founded in Hannover in 2014 by Arnd Aschentrup, Tobias Dickmeis, and Matthias Kleimann. The app’s concept was inspired by the tandem language learning method, which emphasizes mutual language exchange between speakers of different native languages. Prior to founding Tandem, Aschentrup, Dickmeis and Kleimann had launched Vive, a members-only mobile video chat platform. [5]

The Tandem app debuted on iOS in 2015, with an Android version following in 2016. The company subsequently relocated its headquarters to Berlin, Germany.

In its early days, Tandem secured significant financial backing. A seed round in 2015 raised €600,000, supported by investors such as Atlantic Labs (Christophe Maire), Hannover Beteiligungsfonds, and a group of angel investors including Marcus Englert (Rocket Internet) and Florian Langenscheidt. [6] In 2016, Tandem received an additional €2 million in funding, with new investors Rubylight and Faber Ventures joining previous backers. [2]

In 2018, the app introduced Tandem Pro, a subscription-based model offering premium features for enhanced language learning. [7] Two years later, in July 2020, Tandem closed a €5 million (~$5.7 million) Series A funding round. This funding was led by Brighteye Ventures, a European edtech investment firm, and included contributions from Trind Ventures, Rubylight Limited, and GPS Ventures. [8]

Concept

The Tandem app is rooted in the principle of Tandem language learning, a methodology designed to foster language acquisition through language exchange. In this approach, each participant is a native speaker of the language their partner aims to learn (no teaching experience is required). The interaction is structured to ensure equal time is dedicated to both languages, enabling participants to practice and improve their language skills in a collaborative way.

The app’s name and design draw inspiration from the tandem language learning methodology, emphasizing not only mutual learning but also the exchange of cultural perspectives. Supported by Tandem Fundazioa, the organization that originally developed the tandem learning approach, the app integrates traditional linguistic pedagogy with modern technology. [9]

While 1-on-1 interactions remain central to the Tandem platform, the app also offers group learning features in Language Parties [10] and Language Clubs. Language Parties allow members to converse in live audio rooms with other members [11] , while Language Clubs provide topic-based groups where members can engage in discussions, share resources, and connect with like-minded learners.

By combining authentic 1-on-1 exchanges with collaborative group activities, Tandem offers a diverse and inclusive platform for learners to connect with others worldwide, practice their target languages, and deepen their understanding of different cultures.

Features

Tandem requires its members to submit an application before being accepted into the Tandem community. [12] As part of Tandem’s moderation policy, each application is individually reviewed. [13]

Free Features

Tandem offers several core features free of charge, designed to facilitate language exchange and learning. These include:

Community: A stream of potential language partners tailored to a member's language preferences. Members can filter the stream based on criteria such as age, location, and desired language combinations.

Chats: A dedicated tab where members can communicate with language partners they have connected with. Chats support a variety of communication tools, including text messages, commenting, correcting, voice notes, speech-to-text, images, and voice and video calls. Additional free tools include a limited number of message translations and transliterations.

Social: An area for multiway language learning divided into two components:

The subscription-based service, Tandem Pro, provides access to additional features designed to enhance the language learning experience. These include [15] :

Community Discovery:

Profile Insights:

Unlimited Features:

AI Toolkit: Advanced tools to enhance communication and language learning, including:

Customization and Exclusive Features:

Ad-Free Experience:

Historical Features

Tutors

In 2020, Tandem discontinued a section of the app that was dedicated to connecting members with online language tutors. This paid feature allowed users to find, book, and conduct lessons with professional teachers directly through the app. The decision to remove this feature was made to focus on Tandem's core mission of facilitating language exchange and community-driven learning.

Reception

In 2015, Tandem was named in Apple’s “Best Apps of 2015”. [16] Tandem was also recognized as one of Google Play’s “Best Apps of 2017”. [17]

Awards

In 2018, Tandem received an award from the German initiative Deutschland - Land der Ideen in their “Ausgezeichnete Orte im Land der Ideen” competition. [18] This initiative recognizes the top ideas and projects in Germany that encourage the interconnection of cultures and an open-minded society. [19] In 2025, Tandem was added to HolonIQ’s annual list of the 200 most promising EdTech startups across Europe. [20]

Criticism

Tandem has received criticism for not accepting members into the community immediately. In some countries, there is a waiting list and applicants can wait up to 7 days for their application to be processed by the human moderators. [21]

Languages Available on Tandem

There are 300 languages available to learn on Tandem. [22] The most popular language pairs (in order of popularity) are: English – Spanish, Spanish – Portuguese, English – Chinese, English – French, and Chinese – Japanese. [23]

Related Research Articles

The landscape for instant messaging involves cross-platform instant messaging clients that can handle one or multiple protocols. Clients that use the same protocol can typically federate and talk to one another. The following table compares general and technical information for cross-platform instant messaging clients in active development, each of which have their own article that provide further information.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paltalk</span> Video group chat service

Paltalk is a proprietary video group chat service that enables users to communicate by video, Internet chat, or voice.

Tandem language learning is an approach to language acquisition that involves reciprocal language exchange between tandem partners. In this method, each learner ideally serves as a native speaker of the language the other person intends to learn. Tandem language learning deviates from traditional pedagogical practices by eliminating the teacher-student model. Numerous language schools worldwide, including those affiliated with TANDEM International, as well as several universities, incorporate this approach into their language programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Busuu</span> Language learning platform

Busuu is a language learning platform on web, iOS and Android that allows users to interact with native speakers. In 2021, Chegg acquired Busuu for $436 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HipChat</span> Web service for internal/private chat

HipChat was a web service for internal private online chat and instant messaging. As well as one-on-one and group/topic chat, it also featured cloud-based file storage, video calling, searchable message-history and inline-image viewing. The software was available to download onto computers running Windows, Mac or Linux, as well as Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. Since 2014, HipChat used a freemium model, as much of the service was free with some additional features requiring organizations to pay per month. HipChat was launched in 2010 and acquired by Atlassian in 2012. In September 2017, Atlassian replaced the cloud-based HipChat with a new cloud product called Stride, with HipChat continuing on as the client-hosted HipChat Data Center.

Kik Messenger, commonly called Kik, is a freeware instant messaging mobile app from the Canadian company Kik Interactive, available on iOS and Android operating systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WhatsApp</span> Messaging and VoIP service owned by Meta

WhatsApp is an instant messaging (IM) and voice-over-IP (VoIP) service owned by technology conglomerate Meta. It allows users to send text, voice messages and video messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, user locations, and other content. WhatsApp's client application runs on mobile devices, and can be accessed from computers. The service requires a cellular mobile telephone number to sign up. In January 2018, WhatsApp released a standalone business app called WhatsApp Business which can communicate with the standard WhatsApp client.

GroupMe is a mobile group messaging app owned by Skype Technologies, a subsidiary of Microsoft. It was launched in May 2010 by the private company GroupMe. In August 2011, GroupMe delivered over 100 million messages each month and by June 2012, that number jumped to 550 million. In 2013, GroupMe had over 12 million registered users.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Udemy</span> American online learning platform

Udemy, Inc. is an education technology company, founded in May 2010 by Eren Bali, Gagan Biyani, and Oktay Caglar. It is based in San Francisco, California, United States, with hubs in Denver, Dublin, Austin, Melbourne, Istanbul, and Gurgaon.

Social media language learning is a method of language acquisition that uses socially constructed Web 2.0 platforms such as wikis, blogs, and social networks to facilitate learning of the target language. Social media is used by language educators and individual learners that wish to communicate in the target language in a natural environment that allows multimodal communication, ease of sharing, and possibilities for feedback from peers and educators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messenger (software)</span> Instant messaging app

Messenger, also known as Facebook Messenger, is an American proprietary instant messaging service developed by Meta Platforms. Originally developed as Facebook Chat in 2008, the client application of Messenger is currently available on iOS and Android mobile platforms, Windows and macOS desktop platforms, through the Messenger.com web application, and on the standalone Facebook Portal hardware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upptalk</span> Proprietary voice-over-IP service and software application

Upptalk was a proprietary voice-over-IP service and software application that provided mobile phone numbers in the cloud and allows users to call or text any phone for free whether or not the device receiving the calls and texts has the Yuilop application. The service was discontinued in 2017 and even its domain was abandoned. Upptalk, formerly known as Yuilop, is officially transitioning to an Edtech company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telegram (software)</span> Cross-platform instant messaging service

Telegram Messenger, commonly known as Telegram, is a cloud-based, cross-platform, social media and instant messaging (IM) service. It was originally launched for iOS on 14 August 2013 and Android on 20 October 2013. It allows users to exchange messages, share media and files, and hold private and group voice or video calls as well as public livestreams. It is available for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, and web browsers. Telegram offers end-to-end encryption in voice and video calls, and in optional private chats, which Telegram calls Secret Chats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hike Messenger</span> Instant messaging app

Hike Messenger, aka Hike Sticker Chat, was a multifunctional Indian adware application offering instant messaging (IM) and Voice over IP (VoIP) services that was launched on December 11, 2012, by Kavin Bharti Mittal. Hike functioned through SMS. The app registration used a standard, one-time password (OTP) based authentication process.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MailTime</span>

MailTime is a mobile messenger application for iOS and Android devices, developed by MailTime Technology Inc. in 2013. The application is known as "email messenger" which integrates the feature of email and text messages. MailTime operates on a freemium model.

Hi uTandem, also known as uTandem, is a free language exchange mobile app. It helps people to connect with other language learners in order to carry out face-to-face language exchange sessions and also offers learners lists of businesses in the field of language learning or language exchange.

The following is a timeline of WhatsApp, a proprietary cross-platform, encrypted, instant messaging client for smartphones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preply</span> Educational platform

Preply is an online, language-learning marketplace that connects learners and tutors by using a machine-learning-powered algorithm to recommend a tutor for each student.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imo.im</span> Instant messaging software service

imo is a proprietary audio/video calling and instant messaging software service. It allows sending music, video, PDFs and other files, along with various free stickers. It supports encrypted group video and voice calls with up to 20 participants. According to its developer, the service possesses over 200 million users and over 50 million messages per day are sent through it.

Social audio is a subclass of social media that designates social media platforms that use audio as their primary channel of communication. This can include text messages, podcasts, tools for recording and editing audio in addition to virtual audio rooms. Still in an evolutionary state, different companies that develop social audio products are still trying to figure out what works for their users, and what doesn't.

References

  1. ↑ "Tandem Language Exchange App | Find Conversation Exchange Partners". Tandem - Speak Any Language. Retrieved 2020-02-24. Interface languages provided by the Tandem analytics team in 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Tandem is a messaging app where language learners chat". TechCrunch. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  3. ↑ "How to Study a Language So You Can Actually Understand It". Lifehacker. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  4. ↑ "Language exchange app Tandem raises £4.5m Series A". UKTN (UK Tech News). 2020-07-29. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
  5. ↑ "Vive, The Mobile App That Lets You Video Chat With Strangers, Raises $1.5M". TechCrunch. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  6. ↑ Jolin, Lucy (2017-03-07). "From busuu to Babbel, language-learning startups adapt to thrive". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  7. ↑ Tucker, Charlotte (2020-07-29). "Language exchange app Tandem raises €4.9 million in Series A funding". EU-Startups. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
  8. ↑ "Tandem snags $5.7M for its language buddy app amid COVID-19's e-learning boom". TechCrunch. 27 July 2020. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
  9. ↑ "Tandem language exchange - Tandem Fundazioa - All about tandem language exchanges - Tandem Foundations material for free Tandemcity - Home - Tandem language exchanges and peace - Intercambios de idioma tándem y paz - Tandem-Sprachaustausch und Frieden". Tandem language exchange - Tandem Fundazioa. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  10. ↑ "9 Android apps 'popular' among smartphone users across the world to learn foreign languages". The Times of India. 2024-04-15. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2025-01-16.
  11. ↑ "Tandem App | The Story of Language Parties". Tandem - Speak Any Language. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
  12. ↑ "Inside The Tandem Language Exchange App: A Full Review by Fluent Language". Fluent Language Learning with Kerstin Cable. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  13. ↑ "FAQ". Tandem - Speak Any Language. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  14. ↑ "What are Language Parties?". Tandem Support. 2023-11-08. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
  15. ↑ "What is included in a Tandem Pro subscription?". Tandem Support. 2024-09-06. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
  16. ↑ "Apple's 25 Best iPhone Apps of the Year". Time. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  17. ↑ "Best Social - Android Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  18. ↑ "Tandem Language Exchange". land-der-ideen.de (in German). Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  19. ↑ "Landmarks in the Land of Ideas". land-der-ideen.de (in German). Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  20. ↑ "2024 Europe EdTech 200". www.holoniq.com. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
  21. ↑ King, Stephanie L. (2020-03-25). "Fire Up One of These Language Apps For At-Home Learning". Oprah Magazine. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  22. ↑ "Language exchange app Tandem raises £4.5m Series A". UKTN (UK Tech News). 2020-07-29. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
  23. ↑ "Tandem snags $5.7M for its language buddy app amid COVID-19's e-learning boom". TechCrunch. 27 July 2020. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
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