Finding the best online Spanish courses can be a real challenge.
I say it’s a challenge not because there aren’t enough options, but rather far too many to choose from!
Right now, Spanish is arguably the most popular foreign language choice in the world - so much so that Spanish education is a totally drowned and overwhelmed market.
It’s easy to see why so many people want to learn Spanish - travel to Spain and Latin America is on everyone’s bucket list - but it’s also becoming super important for business and career advancement in so many sectors.
Or for those living in the US, Spanish enables you to communicate with your neighbors since so many Spanish speakers live here.
Plus it’s just a really fun language to speak.
So today I’m going to sum up the best (and worst) of all the popular online Spanish courses for you (I’ve had the chance to use most of these courses).
I’ll give you my informed opinion as a fluent Spanish speaker.
Below you’ll find pros and cons for each course, pricing and a brief summary (most of these are Spanish courses for adults). If there’s a review written about a product on this site elsewhere, I’ll link to it.
Some are affiliate linked - most aren’t.
Table Of Contents
NOTE: Some of the items listed below probably aren’t necessarily considered “courses” for Spanish. The reason I’ve included them is that they’re popular enough Spanish tools to be included.
DISCLAIMER: The comments below are personal opinions.
Cost: Starts from $99.95 (auto-applied discount)
Summary: Rocket Spanish is perfectly suited to the structured learner type - those looking for a straight progression from the basics right through to the advanced level material. It’s always been the top of my recommendations for Spanish learners.
I should note however that you don’t have to learn in a straight progression and can choose your own path if you prefer.
The course is primarily made up of podcasts that teach Spanish in a fun, clear and relaxing way but there also natural dialogues and plenty of other content delivery styles within the courses. Rocket Spanish’s 3 courses cover all language skills equally well, and their inbuilt voice recognition is very accurate (it uses Google’s superior Web Speech technology).
If you’re looking for an all-in-one Spanish course option, Rocket Spanish is it.
Also check out this Rocket Spanish review.
What I like:
What I don’t like:
Join The Guild by clicking here, select Spanish and I’ll send you a unique offer for Rocket Spanish exclusive to my readers only.
Cost: Starts as low as $4 a month.
Summary: SpanishPod101 is a brilliant online resource for learning Spanish (especially listening comprehension). If you’re taking a trip to a Spanish speaking country and want to understand the natives, this might be the course for you.
SpanishPod101 uses audio lessons similar to podcasts. Lessons are suitable for beginners through more advanced levels. The instruction not only includes listening skills but also incorporates essential Spanish vocabulary and grammar with loads of other useful features.
See this SpanishPod101 review.
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UNIQUE OFFER: Use the code MEZZOGUILD to save 25% on any of their Spanish course options.
Cost: One time purchase of $297.
Summary: Spanish Uncovered is another unique way to learn the Spanish language. Olly Richard’s program begins by immediately throwing you into an easy Spanish story and you learn through a “Guided Discovery” method.
Instead of just learning about grammar rules, learners come across them through fictional narrative. It provides a fun and unique way of learning a language, though is slightly expensive.
What I like:
What I don’t like:
Read our Spanish Uncovered review.
Cost: $30 a month.
Summary: Glossika’s one of the most unique and powerful learning tools available for Spanish. It advertises that learners will be able to speak the language better and quicker by using the latest in smart technology and adaptive learning. It uses a learning algorithm and has structured content. It comes with a 7-day free trial, but then has a $30 a month fee.
Suitable for all levels, though lower-level learners may find it difficult to understand in the beginning.
See this massive Glossika review and interview.
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Cost: $14.95 a month subscription (or $119.95 per level)
Summary: Pimsleur’s a timeless favorite for learning Spanish using spaced repetition recall. The lessons focus on practical Spanish vocabulary and expressions one might need in various scenarios. This includes greetings, common phrases, and vocabulary you might need when visiting a Spanish speaking country.
The Pimsleur method prepares you for the necessary Spanish you need to get by in your travels in a short period of time. This is one of the best online Spanish courses despite its age, and is an affordable program that can be subscribed to, or buy the full program which includes 30 lessons for $119.95.
Read this Pimsleur review.
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Cost: Starts at $6.49 a month.
Summary: Rosetta Stone is the biggest household name in language learning and one of the most popular courses for learning Spanish.
The strength of Rosetta lies in its unique immersion process. Since there is no translation or explicit grammar, you must learn vocabulary, grammar and speaking skills through intuition. The course intuitively promotes learning Spanish through simple language patterns for a low subscription cost (you can still also buy the CD version from various outlets).
See this incredibly popular review of Rosetta Stone.
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Cost: $7.99 a month
Summary: Mango is a phenomenal and greatly underrated program for learning Spanish. In addition to Spanish, along with their monthly subscription, you get access to courses in 700 languages.
The design of this course is beautiful and it allows you to switch between literal and understood translations. It color codes words and lexical chunks to match the English translation which is great for visual learners. At $7.99 a month, it’s a steal in my opinion.
What I like:
What I don’t like:
See this Mango Languages review.
Cost: Starts at $9.99/month.
Summary: Mondly offers courses for loads of different languages and is similar in style to Busuu, Duolingo, and Babbel. Even hints of Rosetta Stone in its delivery.
It’s a beautifully-designed web app and a pleasure to navigate the course content.
Some of the courses aren’t that great (e.g. Arabic) but Spanish and others are done really well.
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See this Mondly review to learn more.
Cost: Babbel is well-priced for the services offered, with current subscriptions priced at $12.95/month.
Summary: Another option for one of the best online Spanish courses, Babbel, is a great tool for learning the language and very budget friendly. Babbel’s online Spanish course platform focuses on writing and reading, listening and spelling. It aims to give you all the tools you need to start learning the language immediately.
Babbel is available for businesses who need their employees to learn Spanish online. It is also available as a gift. With a variety of packages available, it is easy to find the right one for your Spanish learning needs. Babbel charges monthly and packages range from around $6 to $12 a month.
Think of it as a paid, and slightly better version of Duolingo.
Read this extensive Babbel review.
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Cost: Prices vary widely
Summary: The Assimil method has been around for a long time and is still quite popular, but its ‘two wave’ approach seems to have little value in light of current Second Language Acquisition trends. However, its focus on patterns rather than grammar drills is excellent. The Assimil dialogues are tremendously helpful.
What I like:
What I don’t like:
Read this Assimil review.
I’ve mentioned my personal preferences for Spanish above but there are loads of other quality online course options for Spanish.
Keep reading.
Cost: $12.99 per month (3 months), $9.99 per month (6 months), $6.99 per month (12 months) or $95.76 lifetime
Summary: Ouino is an exceptionally good and well-designed program/software to learn Spanish online. There are over 500 lessons at this time which are highly visual and top-notch, native audio recordings. It’s very in-depth but I think it’s a little overpriced.
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Cost: Varies. Starts at $132 per month for private Spanish classes, $56 per month for group classes
Summary: Lingoda’s an excellent alternative to italki if you’re learning Spanish and want more “structured” lesson control and feedback. You have the option of choosing one-on-one lessons or small classes, and each lesson is topic-based and highly practical.
It’s very inexpensive too (monthly recurring subscription). Pricing varies depends on the number of lessons and whether you choose group or 1-to-1 Spanish classes.
What I like:
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See this Lingoda review.
Cost: Starts at $79 per month for group Spanish classes, $129 per month for private classes
Summary: SpanishVIP is probably one of the best online lesson booking sites for Spanish, with the option for customized course curriculums in either private or group classes. One of the standout features of SpanishVIP is the unlimited lesson offer for group Spanish classes.
Unlike other competitors, SpanishVIP has an in-house team of Spanish teachers so you can expect consistency.
What I like:
What I don’t like:
See this SpanishVIP review.
Cost: Starts at $16.90 a month.
Summary: One of the more unique ways to learn Spanish, News in Slow Spanish, is one of the best online Spanish courses taught through podcasts. Introductory courses prepare beginners for understanding the language.
As learners progress, they began developing greater comprehension as they listen to the news spoken in slow Spanish. This online Spanish course uses diverse tools that include transcripts, lessons, quizzes, and pronunciation via a computer or phone app for about $17 to $27 a month.
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Cost: Starts at $9 a month
Summary: Similar to Slow News in Spanish, Lingodeer also uses an app. Lingodeer used to be free but now charges a moderate fee ranging from around $9 a month to $42 a year.
A less known app than Duolingo, this app teaches Spanish by utilizing a wide variety of exercises. The nice part about it is that the lessons are in small, manageable chunks. The audio quality is good for an app and the wide selection of lessons keeps learning interesting.
What I like:
What I don’t like:
See this Lingodeer review.
Cost: $14.95 a month.
Summary: Fluencia is a more content-rich version of Lingodeer, Babbel, and Duolingo. In contrast, it only teaches Spanish (and does it well), making it one of the best online Spanish courses.
Lessons are similar in structure to the other app-based courses but Fluencia goes into great depth.
They include cultural information and the course is a bit more enjoyable than the other programs.
At $14.95 a month, it is a bit more expensive than its counterparts.
What I like:
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Read our Fluencia review.
Cost: Free
Summary: This is one of the free online Spanish courses that is a great resource for beginners interested in learning how a language works. Language Transfer has 90 audio lessons that last approximately 10 minutes each.
During the lessons, the hosts acts as a teacher while a student is learning from the host. The language is explained in a way that makes sense and provides lots of explanations. This course does not follow a traditional method but does go into a lot of depth. Best of all, it’s completely free.
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Cost: Free
Summary: Memrise (previously called Decks) is one of the more popular online Spanish courses. This course may be best for those looking for a refresher or for those who are interested in building a strong vocabulary in Spanish. It’s main premise is flashcards and repetition.
For a free online Spanish course, Memrise is well-designed. It covers lots of topics but you will probably need additional resources to become fluent in Spanish. The Memrise premium course can be purchased for $9 a month or $59 a year (but free Memrise decks are great).
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Cost: Prices vary widely depending on course option
Summary: Coffee Break is ideal for the casual learner who prefers a well-structured course. They make their audio lessons free through a podcast format. Their premium version is a bit expensive as it costs $104 for four sessions relating to the four seasons.
For those who feel overwhelmed at the idea of learning a second language, Coffee Break Spanish is a good choice. The lessons are relaxed and provide the feeling of learning with a friend. The program begins by teaching words and sentences and then progresses to putting them all together.
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Cost: Starts at $67.
Summary: Synergy is marketed for those wishing to learn Spanish from “30 to 96 years of age” (this is literally how they describe it). The site is really dated in its design. It’s definitely clear that the founder, Marcus Santamaria, is trying to appeal to an older demographic (not that it matters really).
This program is fairly priced at $67.
The lessons do jump right in with prompting learners to speak. It starts with a limited vocabulary but teaches concepts, and instead of teaching grammar rules, they focus on patterns (a winning strategy).
What I like:
What I don’t like:
Read our Synergy Spanish review.
Cost: $99.95 (course only) or $199.95 (course + updates + mentoring)
Summary: The Spanish With Paul course extends on the extremely popular YouTube channel with the same name, applying the same approach and extensively covering almost every aspect of Spanish.
Unfortunately, the course is tedious to work through and has an old, outdated design making it a slog to work through.
What I like:
What I don’t like:
Read this Spanish With Paul review.
Cost: The Mimic Method costs $197 and provides users with lifelong access to their materials.
Summary: Mimic advertises a course that focuses completely on pronunciation (treating language like song). The program can be technical and difficult to get through, but if your only goal is to improve your pronunciation, it may good for you.
This program has a high price tag of $197 a pop.
Some of the information in this course can be found online for free. It’s easy to navigate and well-organized but it’s still quite expensive. One of the more unique Spanish methods around and has fantastic reviews.
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Some online Spanish courses are popular but in my opinion are not very good.
I’ve listed them all here (if you disagree, comment below).
Cost: Prices vary widely.
Summary: Coursera courses are for those who have passion for learning Spanish and need a little help for staying on track. These online Spanish courses are offered by UC Davis University of California.
The courses offer a variety of Spanish class lessons involving learners from various parts of the world. This online Spanish course teaches basic Spanish with a specialization in vocabulary.
Additionally, learners can enroll in Coursera for college credit. There’s even financial aid for those who can’t afford to pay for it.
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Cost: Free.
Summary: Duolingo is now a household name, and is being used as a supplemental program by school in their language courses. It’s fun and free although it does have a paid subscription upgrade that removes adds and has extra resources for a few bucks a month.
The idea behind Duolingo is that they make learning Spanish fun and keep students coming back every day through a gamified learning. Spanish is learned through a variety of exercises and lots of repetition.
Not a fan personally but it’s free.
Check out this comparison of Duolingo and Rosetta Stone.
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Cost: $149 a month ($1,200 for their Grammarless program).
Summary: If unlimited Spanish lessons are your goal, then Baselang offers the best online Spanish “course” for lessons.
Baselang offers a popular curriculum of its own and their courses offer unlimited one-on-one learning with a native speaking teacher over Zoom video for $149 a month.
They also have an extremely expensive program called Grammarless, which is a one-month intensive.
There have been multiple, independent reports and concerns expressed online (e.g. Reddit) about this company exploiting cheap labor in Latin American, Spanish-speaking countries (overworked and underpaid) which I can’t verify but it’s worth asking about before signing up.
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Read our Baselang review.
Cost: Starts from $11.99
Summary: Michel Thomas is one of the most overrated Spanish courses available in my opinion.
This strictly audio course was developed by Michel Thomas, a Polish linguist who spoke 10 languages.
This course uses no writing or memorizing - it simply builds your Spanish knowledge through teacher-led sessions. Grammar and vocabulary are discussed but are not the emphasis of the lessons.
Read this amazing review of Michel Thomas.
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Cost: Starts at $187
Summary: Fluenz does not make the list for the best online Spanish course. As far as online Spanish courses go, Fluenz does not do a great job of combining grammar and interactive learning so you really understand how to speak Spanish.
The number one selling point in my opinion is Sonia Gil - the founder and presenter.
She’s got her own YouTube travel channel and is a brilliant self-promoter. The Fluenz brand is what it is because of her.
As for course quality… meh.
What I like:
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See Fluenz review.
Cost: $29.99 a month.
Summary: Lengalia offers courses for beginners through advanced Spanish levels. They split up their topics into sections such as vocabulary, grammar, and podcasts. They often link to other programs that are free and that have covered the same topic they are teaching.
A month of Lengalia will cost $29.99 a month. You do get a discount if you purchase a full year. You have access to live help with the tutors.
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Cost: Begins at $10.99 an hour.
Summary: Live Lingua matches you to a native speaking, private online Spanish tutor and allows you to learn at your own pace. You can even take a free lesson for trial.
While their lessons are affordable for a private tutor, starting at $16 an hour, you can get a discount with a bundle. For the price they charge, you may find it more economical to just use italki.
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Cost: Starts at $5.83 a month.
Summary: Busuu is another program that’s similar to Babbel, Duolingo, and Lingodeer, however it isn’t structured as well as the other courses and has less instruction in vocabulary before the important components begin.
The overall design of Busuu is beautiful but it just lacks depth.
There is a free version of Busuu which features a language exchange section. This is a good choice. However, their subscription service which charges over $8 a month with a three-month minimum, may not be a good value for the money.
What I like:
What I don’t like:
See this Busuu review.
Cost: Starts at $9.99 a month.
Summary: StudySpanish.com is a subscription course that appears to take the entirely free FSI Spanish Basic course, and whack a large price tag on it. They’ve made improvements to the audio which has been re-recorded to improve the sound quality but that seems to be the only difference between it and the origin FSI material.
FSI itself is an archaic (though dense) resource that I don’t recommend.
You can get a $9.99 a month subscription to the StudySpanish.com site for additional materials. There’s no point in paying for something that is widely available to download for free.
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Cost: Starts at $10.99 per month
Summary: Wlingua is essentially a Duolingo clone but with an unacceptably high price tag. The lessons are very similar to what you see in other apps, but one of the noteworthy features of Wlingua is the native audio.
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Cost: Course prices vary
Summary: Oscar’s Unlimited Spanish (Castillian) podcast is very popular and completely free to access. There’s actually a lot of value in the free podcast alone which have transcripts, but you can also buy one of the Spanish courses (bear in mind that they’re quite expensive).
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Cost: EUR65
Summary: The 1001 Reasons To Learn Spanish course is essentially aimed at A2 learners of Spanish with foundation in the language already. The website and courses, put together by Juan Fernández, a retired professor, are entirely in Spanish.
This one’s in Castillian Spanish which is appealing because most online Spanish courses tend to be from Latin American teachers.
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Cost: Free
Summary: FSI (Foreign Service Institute) is a government entity that trains diplomats and government officials in foreign languages. It offers Spanish and is currently available online to download for free (includes audio).
The problem with the FSI material is that it’s literally been around for almost a century. It’s very old.
Although you can download their comprehensive, detailed Spanish course for free with audio, be aware that the material is literally photocopied booklets that were typed up on typewriters making it almost illegible in some cases.
If you’re patient, there’s some good value in the FSI courses.
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This list covers just about every online Spanish course option currently available (comment below if I’ve missed something).
No matter which Spanish course you go for, you need daily Spanish practice with native speakers - ideally in person if you can (even more ideal if you can do it abroad).
But if finding native speakers near you isn’t feasible, then italki is an incredible platform to find really affordable practice partners and tutors.
Overall, your success is determined by your own determination.
Even if you had every course on this list and more, you can still fail at Spanish without the right motivation and consistency.
Likewise, even poor Spanish courses or common phrases can be powerful in the hands of someone with the right attitude and learning style.
If you’re looking for tips on how to learn Spanish and overcoming various language learning struggles, make sure to subscribe below by ‘Joining the Guild’.
Know of a Spanish course that I didn’t mention?
Share it below in the comment section.
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