Langenscheidt

What Langenscheidt does

Langenscheidt is a German language-learning publishing company, founded in the mid-19th century and headquartered in Stuttgart, operating today as a brand under PONS Langenscheidt GmbH within the Klett Group (Ernst Klett Verlag) educational publishing conglomerate. The company produces bilingual dictionaries, structured language courses, vocabulary and grammar workbooks, travel phrasebooks, audio phrase guides, regional dialect guides, and specialty products such as picture-based communication books and culinary language guides, covering more than 80 languages. Its digital layer includes the AI-branded 'Language Coach' learning platform, the Wörterbuch-App for schools, the Online-Wörterbuch (free and Premium tiers), and the Scan2Learn feature that connects print purchases to mobile audio content.

Underlying the product catalog is a hybrid print-digital architecture: print SKUs ship with MP3 audio downloads or scan-to-app integrations, while the Language Coach platform adds subscription-based interactive learning, including a dedicated B2B tier (Language Coach for B2B). Distribution is multi-channel, combining owned e-commerce storefronts for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, third-party retail partnerships (Thalia, Orell Füssli, bücher.de), app store distribution, and direct enterprise sales. The company employs 101–250 people and operates under the accessibility and compliance frameworks required for the German BFSG and WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

Langenscheidt earns revenue through one-time purchases of physical books and digital downloads (price range €5.95–€49.95), recurring Language Coach subscriptions for B2C and B2B, Online-Wörterbuch Premium access for corporate customers (3-year access codes), and ancillary streams such as a 20% teacher testing-copy discount program and a calendar product. Customer segments span individual self-learners, school and university students, teachers, corporate L&D buyers, and families with young learners, with a primary geographic focus on the DACH region.

Name

Langenscheidt

Legal name

PONS Langenscheidt GmbH

Website

https://langenscheidt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1858

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Langenscheidt is a 160+ year-old Stuttgart-based language learning publisher operating under the Klett Group, offering bilingual dictionaries, language courses, phrasebooks, and the AI-powered Language Coach platform across 80+ languages for DACH consumers, schools, and corporate B2B customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Language Learning Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Reference & Encyclopedias (Dictionaries, Atlases) (EDAGAIAD)

Keywords

• Language learning products
• Bilingual dictionaries
• Language courses
• Travel phrasebooks
• Digital dictionary services

Headquarters

HQ city

Stuttgart

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Print Products: Physical books including dictionaries, language courses, phrasebooks, and vocabulary guides sold through e-commerce and retail partners. Products range from €5.95 to €49.95.
2. Digital Products: MP3 downloads, apps, and online services including vocabulary trainers and dictionary access codes. Revenue from digital downloads and in-app content.
3. Language Coach Subscriptions: Subscription-based language learning platform (Language Coach) offering structured courses with AI features for B2C and B2B markets.
4. B2B Enterprise Services: Corporate language training solutions under Language Coach for B2B, including online dictionary premium access for business customers.
5. Teacher Testing Copies: Special pricing program offering 20% discount on testing copies for qualified teachers and student teachers at general education schools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Langenscheidt publishes bilingual dictionaries, structured language courses, travel phrasebooks, vocabulary trainers, and grammar workbooks across 80+ languages, sold as print and digital products. The company also operates an AI-powered Language Coach learning platform, online dictionary services (free and Premium), mobile dictionary apps, and a dedicated B2B corporate language training solution (Language Coach for B2B).

Product overview

Langenscheidt is a language learning publisher offering a comprehensive portfolio of print and digital products across 80+ languages. The core offerings include structured language courses (Komplett-Paket, Sprachkurs mit System), bilingual dictionaries (Universal-Wörterbuch, Taschenwörterbuch, Praktisches Wörterbuch), vocabulary resources (Go Smart series, Top 1.000 Wörter, Grundwortschatz), grammar materials (Übungsgrammatik, Go Smart Grammatik), travel phrasebooks (Universal-Sprachführer, Audio-Sprachführer), and specialty products (OhneWörterBuch for visual communication, Lilliput dialect guides, Kulinarische Sprachreise culinary guides). The digital ecosystem includes the Language Coach AI-powered learning platform, Online-Wörterbuch (free and Premium versions), Wörterbuch-App for schools, and Language Coach for B2B corporate training. The company also runs the annual 'Jugendwort des Jahres' (Youth Word of the Year) initiative and offers a teacher discount program with 20% off exam copies. Products are available in multiple formats including books, MP3 downloads, apps, and online platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Language Coach: AI-powered language learning platform for self-study and B2B corporate language training
• Langenscheidt Schule Wörterbuch-App
• Online-Wörterbuch Premium
• Langenscheidt Universal-Sprachführer
• Jugendwort des Jahres

Products and services

• Language Coach (Lernplattform)
• Language Coach for B2B
• Online-Wörterbuch (Online Dictionary)
• Online-Wörterbuch Premium
• Wörterbuch-App (Dictionary App)
• Langenscheidt Komplett-Paket
• Langenscheidt Sprachkurs mit System
• Langenscheidt Universal-Sprachführer
• Langenscheidt Universal Phrasebook
• Langenscheidt Universal-Wörterbuch
• Langenscheidt Taschenwörterbuch
• Langenscheidt Audio-Sprachführer
• Langenscheidt Übungsgrammatik
• Langenscheidt Grundwortschatz
• Langenscheidt OhneWörterBuch
• Langenscheidt Lilliput
• Langenscheidt Kulinarische Sprachreise
• Langenscheidt Memo-Spiel - Wie heißt das?
• Langenscheidt Basiswortschatz
• Langenscheidt Sprachkalender (Language Calendar)
• Langenscheidt Top 1.000 Wörter
• Langenscheidt Flüssig sprechen
• Langenscheidt Go Smart
• Langenscheidt Ab in den Urlaub
• Langenscheidt Dialekt-Sprachführer
• Langenscheidt Praktisches Wörterbuch
• Langenscheidt Französisch - alles drin!
• Langenscheidt Fehlerfrei
• Langenscheidt Französisch hören und erleben
• Prüfpreisnachlass (Teacher Discount Program)

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and secondary.

• PONS Langenscheidt GmbHcoreOthersParent company under the Klett Group umbrella that operates both PONS and Langenscheidt brands. The accessibility statement covers PONS/Langenscheidt/Klett Lerntraining domains together, indicating unified operations.
• Ernst Klett VerlagcoreTechnology or IntegrationJoint venture partner for Vokabeltrainer app and web products. Combined PONS/Ernst Klett Verlag Vokabeltrainer offerings referenced in accessibility documentation.
• BrevominorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing automation platform used for newsletter campaigns and customer communication. Langenscheidt uses Brevo to process subscriber data for marketing purposes.
• Third-Party Retailers (Thalia, Orell Füssli, bücher.de)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized retail partners selling Langenscheidt products alongside other publishers' titles, extending market reach beyond direct e-commerce.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PONS: Sister brand under PONS Langenscheidt GmbH within the Klett Group, offering bilingual dictionaries, grammar, and language learning products for the German market with directly overlapping product lines and customer base.
• Babbel: Berlin-based subscription language learning platform offering courses across multiple languages for B2C and B2B, directly competing with Langenscheidt's Language Coach in the DACH region and globally.
• Rosetta Stone: Long-established US language learning brand spanning self-study software, subscriptions, and institutional offerings, directly comparable to Langenscheidt's mix of print, digital, and B2B language training.
• Collins (HarperCollins): Major bilingual dictionary and language learning publisher with both print and digital products across many of the same European language pairs as Langenscheidt.

Emerging players

• Busuu: Subscription-based language learning app with community-driven content and B2B tier, directly competitive with Langenscheidt's subscription language learning offerings but more narrowly focused on digital.
• Memrise: Vocabulary-focused language learning app using spaced repetition and user-generated content, competing for the self-learner segment that Langenscheidt targets with its vocabulary trainer and Grundwortschatz products.

Broad incumbents

• Duolingo: Largest mobile-first language learning platform with gamified, freemium model across 40+ languages; competes with Langenscheidt's Language Coach for consumer attention and subscription wallet share.
• Cambridge University Press: Academic and educational publisher producing dictionaries, grammar resources, and language learning materials comparable to Langenscheidt's structured course and reference portfolio.
• Ernst Klett Verlag: Parent publishing group of Langenscheidt, producing school textbooks, educational materials, and joint Vokabeltrainer app with overlapping German-language learning content and shared distribution channels.
• Oxford University Press (ELT): Global English language teaching and bilingual reference publisher, overlapping with Langenscheidt's dictionaries, course books, and learner-focused materials for school and self-study segments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/langenscheidt
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/Langenscheidt_official
• Facebookfacebook.com/langenscheidt
• Instagraminstagram.com/langenscheidt

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Langenscheidt