phase-6 AG
phase-6 AG is a Berlin-based EdTech company that builds vocabulary and grammar training apps for K-12 language education, serving German schools and students through textbook-aligned content, consumer subscriptions, and institutional school licensing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What phase-6 AG does
phase-6 AG is a privately held German stock corporation headquartered in Berlin, founded in the early 2000s, that has operated for over twenty years as the leading K-12 vocabulary and grammar training platform in Germany. The company develops mobile applications (iOS and Android) and a web application centered on a scientifically grounded spaced-repetition algorithm that surfaces difficult vocabulary more frequently than known items, with learning progress synchronized across devices. Its core product portfolio comprises the phase6 Vokabeltrainer (Vocabulary Trainer), offering 1,400+ pre-built collections aligned with textbooks from all major German educational publishers including Klett, Cornelsen, Hueber, Langenscheidt, C.C. Buchner, Buske, and Mildenberger, and the 2025-launched phase6 Grammatiktrainer (Grammar Trainer), which uses AI-based analysis to deliver individualized feedback on English grammar exercises. Supplementary offerings include the Planet Pop multimedia elementary English course, the LearnMatch Ukraine Edition for refugees, teacher tools (Test- and Trainings-Assistent), and the STABILO LUNIS ink handwriting-recognition integration.
The company's revenue model combines consumer subscriptions (Free, Gold €35.99/yr, Platin €47.99/yr, Diamant €59.99/yr), institutional school licensing at €9.50 per student per school year, and group/class ordering with volume discounts for orders of 15+ students. Go-to-market is product-led with a strong teacher-recommendation distribution layer: 15,000+ teachers actively recommend phase6, supported by dedicated webinars, fobizz platform training, printable parent letters, and content marketing. The company sells primarily through DACH channels — direct-to-consumer via app stores and phase-6.de, and direct institutional sales to German schools via email and contact forms, with LMS integrations into IServ, VIDIS, and Eduplaces embedding the product into school IT infrastructure. phase6 does not disclose revenue, has no external funding rounds on record, and appears to be founder-managed, with Nicole Bühler serving on the Geschäftsleitung since founding.
phase-6 AG firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- phase-6 AG
- Legal name
- phase-6 AG
- Website
- https://phase-6.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- phase-6 AG is a Berlin-based EdTech company that builds vocabulary and grammar training apps for K-12 language education, serving German schools and students through textbook-aligned content, consumer subscriptions, and institutional school licensing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
phase-6 AG industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Language Learning Software
- NAICS
- Language Schools (611630), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Vocabulary, Flashcards, SRS & Memorization Platforms (EDAFAOAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- AI-Powered Language Tutors, Chatbots & Speaking Practice Tools (EDAFAOAC)
Keywords
Where phase-6 AG is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
phase-6 AG business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual subscriptions: Subscription tiers (Free, Gold, Platin, Diamant) with monthly or annual billing. Free tier with basic features; premium tiers include PLUS functions, vocabulary collections, and grammar training.
- School licensing (Schullizenz): Annual per-student school licenses at 9.50 EUR per student per school year. Includes all PLUS functions, vocabulary collections, and grammar training for all students at the school.
- Group/class ordering (Sammelbestellung): Bulk purchasing starting at 15 students with up to 50% discount. Complete packages or individual vocabulary collections available at reduced per-unit pricing.
- Vocabulary collections (one-time purchase): Individual vocabulary collections purchased separately and used permanently with the app, priced at 7.99 EUR per collection or included in subscription packages.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free tier with basic vocabulary training features |
| Subscription | Annual | Gold package - 1 vocabulary collection with PLUS features |
| Subscription | Annual | Platin package - 2 vocabulary collections with PLUS features and irregular verbs |
| Subscription | Annual | Diamant package - 3 vocabulary collections with full features including grammar training |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | School license (Schullizenz) - full access for all students |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Group/class order - bulk purchasing for classes |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
phase-6 AG product offering
Product offeringCore offering
phase-6 AG develops and sells the phase6 vocabulary and grammar training application for K-12 language learning in Germany. The core product is a spaced-repetition vocabulary trainer with over 1,400 textbook-aligned vocabulary collections across 20 languages, supplemented by an AI-based English grammar trainer that provides individualized feedback on student responses. The company distributes through individual consumer subscriptions, school-wide licensing, and group class ordering.
Product overview
phase-6 AG operates as a platform of language-learning products anchored by the phase6 Vokabeltrainer (Vocabulary Trainer) and phase6 Grammatiktrainer (Grammar Trainer). The core vocabulary trainer uses scientifically backed spaced-repetition methodology, with over 1,400 pre-built vocabulary collections aligned to textbooks from major German educational publishers (Cornelsen, Klett, Hueber, Langenscheidt, etc.) across 20 languages. The grammar trainer (launched 2025, Comenius-EduMedia-Siegel 2025) provides AI-based personalized feedback on English grammar exercises. These are offered through four consumer subscription tiers (Free, Gold, Platin, Diamant) and two institutional models: Schullizenz (school license at 9.50 EUR/student/year) and Sammelbestellung (group orders). Supplementary offerings include the Planet Pop multimedia elementary English course, the STABILO LUNIS ink smart pen integration, teacher tools (Lehrkräfte-Assistent with test and training assistants), the LearnMatch Ukraine Edition, and educational materials (escape games, illustrated posters). phase6 also offers webinars and fobizz-based teacher training.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- LearnMatch: Free Ukrainian Edition language learning app offered in partnership with Vision Education to support Ukrainian refugees learning German.
- Planet Pop
- phase6 Grammatiktrainer
Products and services
- phase6 Vokabeltrainer (Vocabulary Trainer)
- phase6 Grammatiktrainer (Grammar Trainer)
- phase6 Schullizenz (School License)
- phase6 Lehrkräfte-Assistent (Teacher Assistant)
- Planet Pop
- LearnMatch Ukraine Edition
Quantifiable outcome
- 87.7% of students and parents report improved grades (study by hopp Marktforschung 2023)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use phase-6 AG
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
phase-6 AG technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability2 records
Feature5 records
phase-6 AG partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Vision EducationminorPartnership for LearnMatch Ukraine Edition - providing free language learning app for Ukrainian refugees. Phase6 and Vision Education collaborated to offer Ukrainian-language learning content.
- STABILO (STABILO International GmbH)minorPartnership for LUNIS ink - innovative handwriting recognition technology that transfers vocabulary from paper through the STABILO pen into the phase6 app. Next-generation vocabulary training technology.
- fobizzcoreOnline education platform partnership providing phase6 training courses with certificates. Webinars and professional development for teachers on using phase6 tools.
- Klett Verlag (Ernst Klett Verlag)coreLeading German educational publisher providing vocabulary collections aligned with Klett textbooks. Content partnership for vocabulary matching school materials.
- Cornelsen VerlagcoreMajor German educational publisher partnership for vocabulary collections matching Cornelsen textbooks.
- Hueber VerlagcoreGerman educational publisher providing vocabulary collections aligned with Hueber language learning materials.
- LangenscheidtcoreDictionary and educational publisher partnership for vocabulary content and dictionary integration.
- PONS (Klett Group)coreIntegrated PONS dictionaries within the phase6 app, allowing users to look up words and add them directly to vocabulary collections.
- C.C. Buchner VerlagcoreGerman educational publisher providing vocabulary collections for C.C. Buchner textbooks.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
phase-6 AG competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Duolingo: Global leader in free, gamified language learning apps. Direct competitor in the vocabulary and grammar learning space; offers a freemium model across dozens of languages and competes head-on with phase6's core audience of students learning English and other school languages.
- Babbel: Subscription-based language learning app founded in Berlin, focused on conversational fluency. Closely comparable business model (subscription) and overlapping user base (German-speaking learners), making it one of phase6's most direct home-market competitors.
- Anki: Open-source spaced repetition flashcard system that is widely used by German students for vocabulary. Direct substitute for phase6's spaced-repetition methodology; though less polished for school curriculum alignment, it represents a free alternative that competes on the same scientific learning approach.
- Quizlet: Flashcard and study tools platform with spaced repetition and collaborative study sets. Competes in the K-12 vocabulary and study tools category with a freemium subscription model and broad content library created by users and teachers.
- Busuu: Subscription language learning app with AI-powered study plans and community features. Operates a similar B2C subscription model targeting adult and student learners across multiple European languages.
- Memrise: Vocabulary-focused language learning platform using spaced repetition and video clips of native speakers. Competes on the same memorization and retention mechanics that power phase6's core product.
Broad incumbents
- Rosetta Stone: Long-established, broad portfolio language learning brand offering subscription and institutional products. Operates across K-12, consumer, and enterprise with much wider geographic reach than phase6, serving as a benchmark incumbent in the same category.
Regional players
- Antolin: German school-oriented reading comprehension and quiz platform integrated into classroom instruction. Highly relevant adjacent competitor because it occupies similar teacher-driven, German K-12 digital learning budgets and competes for the same school licensing wallet.
Emerging players
- Lingoda: Online language school offering live group and private classes with native speakers. Adjacent competitor that serves adult and professional learners in the same European language categories as phase6, but with a human-tutoring model rather than self-serve SRS.
Others
- italki: Global marketplace connecting language learners with tutors for 1-on-1 lessons. Comparable because it serves the same German learner demand for language proficiency improvement, though via a marketplace/human-tutoring business model distinct from phase6's self-serve app.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
phase-6 AG social profiles
Digital presencephase-6 AG compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
phase-6 AG financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
phase-6 AG leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
phase-6 AG funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
phase-6 AG M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about phase-6 AG
What does phase-6 AG do?
phase-6 AG develops and sells the phase6 vocabulary and grammar training application for K-12 language learning in Germany. The core product is a spaced-repetition vocabulary trainer with over 1,400 textbook-aligned vocabulary collections across 20 languages, supplemented by an AI-based English grammar trainer that provides individualized feedback on student responses. The company distributes through individual consumer subscriptions, school-wide licensing, and group class ordering.
Is phase-6 AG a public or private company?
phase-6 AG is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was phase-6 AG founded?
phase-6 AG was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is phase-6 AG based?
phase-6 AG is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does phase-6 AG make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are school licensing (Schullizenz), group/class ordering (Sammelbestellung) and vocabulary collections (one-time purchase).
Who are phase-6 AG's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Duolingo, Babbel, Anki, Quizlet, Busuu and Memrise. Rosetta Stone is listed as a broad incumbent. Antolin is listed as a regional player. Lingoda is listed as an emerging player. italki is listed as an others.
Does phase-6 AG have an API?
No public API is recorded for phase-6 AG.
What industry is phase-6 AG in?
phase-6 AG's product category is Language Learning Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFAOAF, Vocabulary, Flashcards, SRS & Memorization Platforms, with a secondary code of EDAFAOAC, AI-Powered Language Tutors, Chatbots & Speaking Practice Tools. Its NAICS code is 611630 and its SIC code is 7372.