How much do online language classes cost? [ultimate guide]

Summary

Discover the ins and outs of online language learning! From cost breakdowns to tutor selection and effectiveness, this guide has everything you need to start speaking a new language without breaking the bank. 🌍💬

  • Cost Varies: Online language learning can range from $10 to over $80. Free trials and subscription models offer flexibility for any budget.
  • Effectiveness: Consistency is key! With resources like podcasts and games, online courses are effective if you’re dedicated and practice regularly.
  • Choosing Tutors: Decide between professional teachers or informal tutors based on your learning style, budget, and goals. More expensive doesn’t always mean better!
  • Read Reviews: Don’t skip on student feedback. It’s a treasure trove of insights on tutors, helping you avoid wasting money on the wrong fit.
  • Italki Insights: Italki’s tutor costs vary, with many options under $30. Native and community tutors are more common, offering affordable and flexible learning.
  • Think in Italian: For Italian enthusiasts, Think in Italian offers 1-on-1 tutoring to make you parla come un nativo (speak like a native).
  • Languatalk Lowdown: Languatalk is another gem for personalized lessons and real conversation practice. Check their site for the nitty-gritty details.
  • Invest Wisely: Consider splurging on a tutor for conversation practice. It’s the fast-track to fluency and worth every penny.

My thoughts

How much does it cost to learn a language online?

If you’ve been wondering about the cost of learning a language online, the price depends on several factors. On one hand, your needs, and objectives. And on the other hand, the courses and resources available.

While you may be able to find some options under $10, others can cost over $80. It’s important to consider your budget and be aware that some courses can offer free trials, one-time purchase fees, or subscription options with several pricing options.

Are online language courses effective?

Yes! It’s like learning in general: any course is effective if you practice regularly and consistently. Nothing will happen magically.

Online language courses are functional because you decide what to learn, where to learn, and for how long. They can also give you many resources for practicing while you’re doing other tasks.

Examples include listening to podcasts or audio courses while driving or playing games on your mobile phone on any break you have.

As I mentioned before, there are many websites for studying languages. You can find applications like Babbel, tutoring sites like Italki, or complete audio courses like Think in Italian.

Italki allows you to select a teacher based on your budget and schedule. You’re not committed to a single teacher. Instead, you can browse the tutoring marketplace until you find a fit.

Think in Italian complements its online audio courses by providing 1-on-1 live tutoring. They are handpicked and familiarized with the learning method and lesson structure. They can help you practice, and review, and can also answer all doubts and questions you might have.

How to choose an online course: a 3-step guide

  • The first step is researching. What options are available online? What do you want to focus on? Maybe you want a course with live lessons or you prefer individual tutoring. Defining your goals is fundamental because it will determine the budget.
  • Once you find some courses, the second step is comparing prices and what they offer before you settle on one. Look for hidden costs and also what free resources or materials come with it.
  • The final step is trying and sometimes failing. But don’t panic. It’s important to select a course that allows you to try it and see if it works for you. That way you don’t end up losing money and time.

How do I know which online tutoring site is the best?

There are infinite online websites and applications for learning languages. But I wanted to focus on the ones that offer online tutoring services. Because fluency depends on conversations. And also because online tutoring prices are not always clear.
Here are a few tips and tricks for establishing which online tutoring site better suits your needs.

  1. Consider if you want a professional teacher or an informal tutor. The difference between the two, aside from a degree, is the lesson structure, the price, and the teaching experience.
  2. Define the budget because you will find a wide arrange of prices. It’s not set in stone that choosing the most expensive teacher will make you learn faster. And the contrary also applies. Choosing the least expensive teacher might surprise you.
  3. Remember it all comes down to your learning needs. If you are a total beginner, if you want to travel, if you want to apply for a job, or if you only want to practice. This matters when choosing a tutor.
  4. Don’t forget to read other students’ reviews and feedback. That way you can have a full picture of the teacher and the lessons before committing to it. You can also learn about the price range in detail as not always the costs are measured in time-per-hour.

Research on the cost of online tutoring

Learning a new language online with a tutor is a game changer. But it is too expensive?  Will it be a successful investment? Will you waste money?

In general, prices can range from under $10 to $100 or more. As I have said before it depends on the company you choose, your needs, the teacher, and the time.

Number of online language tutors by language

These are not only the most popular languages but the languages that have the most tutors.

On Italki you can sort them by the languages they speak and if they are natives, their price, availability, and your learning needs. Also, they can be selected based on their credentials: if they are professional or community tutors.

  1. English has 7286 tutors
  2. Japanese has 1184 tutors
  3. Spanish has 3799 tutors
  4. Chinese has 1363 tutors
  5. French has 1295 tutors
  6. Italian has 1015 tutors
  7. German has 687 tutors
  8. Portuguese has 528 tutors
  9. Korean has 362 tutors
  10. Arabic has 389 tutors

In general, English and Japanese are the only two languages that have more professional than community teachers. And English, the most popular language, is the only one that has more non-native teachers.

The rest of the languages have more community teachers but the native speakers always double, or sometimes more, the non-native speakers.

The price range of tutors in Italki

As I mentioned before, the price of tutors on Italki can vary depending on the tutor’s qualifications, experience, and the type of lesson you are seeking. This means you can expect to find a wide range of prices.

The best ideas are to compare prices and read reviews from students before choosing a tutor to ensure that you are getting good value for your money.

Additionally, keep in mind that some tutors may offer discounts or special promotions, so it’s worth checking for any available deals.

Cost of English tutors

  • 18.6% (1358) of English tutors offer hourly rates lower than $10
  • 67.2 % (4901) of English tutors charge between $11 and $30
  • a low 14.2% (1033) of English tutors have prices over $30

On Italki, non-native English tutors are the majority and you will find more professional than community teachers.

Cost of Japanese tutors

  • 11.7% (166) of Japanese tutors’ fee is under $10
  • while 74.7% (1062) of Japanese tutors, over half of them, offer rates between $11 and $30
  • leaving the remaining 13.7% (195) of tutors charging above $30

The Japanese tutors on Italki are almost all native speakers (993) and they divide evenly between professional and community teachers.

Cost of Spanish tutors

  • 36.3% (1315) of Spanish tutor’s prices are under $10
  • 57.1% (2033) of Spanish tutors offer rates between $11 and $30
  • 6.6% (241) of Spanish tutors charge above $30

On Italki, the native Spanish tutors double the number of non-native speakers and there are 1000 more community teachers than professional ones.

Cost of Chinese tutors

  • 10.4% (159) of Chinese tutors rate is under $10
  • 77.9% (1192) of Chinese tutors, the vast majority, offer rates between $11 and $30
  • 11.7% (179) of Chinese tutor’s fee is above $30

Native Chinese tutors in Italki triplicate the number of non-native teachers but there are more community than professional teachers.

Cost of French tutors

  • 12% (177) of French tutors charge under $10
  • 69.6% (1029) of French tutors offer rates between $11 and $30
  • 18.5% (241) of French tutor’s price is above $30

On Italki, native French tutors double the number of non-native tutors but you will find more community than professional teachers.

Cost of Italian tutors

  • 15.1% (169) of Italian tutor’s fee is under $10
  • 52.4% (812) of Italian tutors offer rates between $11 and $30
  • 12.5% (140) of Italian tutors charge above $30

Native Italian tutors in Italki double the number of non-native tutors and there are 200 more community than professional teachers.

If you are interested in reading more about Italian language classes prices you can dive deeper into how to budget for learning Italian online.

Cost of German tutors

  • 2.6% (18) of German tutors charge under $10
  • 68.9% (479) of German tutors offer rates between $11 and $30
  • 28.5% (198) of German tutors charge above $30

In Italki, there are 100 more native German tutors than non-native and there are 200 more community that professional teachers.

Cost of Portuguese tutors

  • 40.6% (247) of Portuguese tutors’s rate is under $10
  • 54.9% (334) of Portuguese tutors offer rates between $11 and $30
  • 4.6% (28) of Portuguese tutors prices are above $30

Native Portuguese tutors in Italki are 487 while just 41 are non-native tutors. And you will find the number of community teachers doubles the one of professional ones.

Cost of Korean tutors

  • 8.1% (38) of Korean tutors charge under $10
  • 78.4% (370) of Korean tutors, more than half of them, offers rates between $11 and $30
  • 13.6% (64) of Korean tutors charge above $30

In Italki, Korean native tutors are 337 while non-natives are 25. And community teachers double in number professional ones.

Cost of Arabic tutors

  • 37.7% (38) of Arabic tutors rates are under $10
  • 57.5% (370) of Arabic tutors offer fees are between $11 and $30
  • 4.8% (64) of Arabic tutors charges above $30

Arabic native tutors are 374 while non-natives are 15. Besides, community teachers double in number professional ones.

Free Guide
How to Learn Languages Fast

Think in Italian

This website offers 1:1 live tutoring experiences to master Italian. You can use it to practice conversation, exercise what you’ve learned so far, or solve grammar questions.

All tutors are selected for guaranteeing correct guidance based on your customized curriculum. The tutoring session is composed of a self-study assignment and life lessons for boosting your progress.

The live tutoring experience is aimed at communicating and speaking all the time. Each tutor follows an effective teaching method focused on the conversation. They teach examples instead of rules and make you speak from the start.

Languatalk

Languatalk offers language lessons, resources, and opportunities to practice speaking and listening to Italian with native speakers. The platform typically help learners improve their language skills by providing personalized lessons, interactive exercises, and opportunities for conversation practice.

If you need more specific information about Languatalk or its offerings, I recommend visiting their website or looking for reviews from users who have experience with the platform.

The true cost of online language classes

Learning languages online means learning by using lessons based on proven scientific methods. You can practice vocabulary or conversation, grammar, or reading, the possibilities are endless.

Online language classes also make you learn at your own pace. You set the schedule and you can choose the teacher. Just have in mind your desired goals and learning needs before you do research and commit to a course.

Consider investing in a tutor to practice conversation and check your progress. As this is the most efficient way to become fluent fast.

And, if you’re thinking of learning a language find courses like Think in Italian. They are specifically made by native speakers and will immerse you in the culture by making you think directly in Italian.

Italian word of the day
passeggiata
Example
Hai voglia di fare una passeggiata?
Do you feel like going for a walk?
Follow me to fluency​

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One Response

  1. Online language classes can be such a valuable investment in our personal growth and cultural understanding. Thank you for providing this ultimate guide on the cost, it’s really helpful for anyone looking to expand their language skills!

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