The 7 Best Online Courses to Learn Spanish (Tested and Ranked)

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If you’re looking for the best courses to learn Spanish, there’s an overwhelming amount of options available. Finding a course that’s worth it and actually teaches you Spanish is hit or miss, too. 

…but that’s why you’re here, right? In this guide, you’ll see the 7 best online Spanish courses that can take you from the beginner to the advanced level. I’ve tested a lot of different courses and ranked them based on how effective they really are. 

After you see the courses, you’ll also find some useful tips to help you pick the best course for you. And, as an extra bonus, I’ve also included some free courses to help you get started if you’re on a budget!

¿Listo? ¡Vamos! (Ready? Let’s go!)

What Are The Best Courses To Learn Spanish?

To find the best courses to learn Spanish, I found options that are offered by reputable names in the language learning industry. Applying Langoly’s testing methodology, I tried each course to see if it lived up to its marketing. As a Spanish learner myself, I thought about what I would like to see in a course and what makes it effective. I took note of their areas of strength and created this list based on how effectively they help you learn Spanish.

Below is the list of the 7 best online courses to learn Spanish based on all of this.

Spanish Uncovered is the best overall course for learning Spanish because its lessons allow you to immerse yourself in the language, even as a beginner learner. It gently surrounds you with Spanish without being overwhelming. I love this course because you follow a story instead of watching boring grammar videos. 

First, you listen to a chapter of the story that’s entirely in Spanish and then you watch video lessons to learn about vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation that were introduced in the story.

Each lesson comes with extensive notes and practice questions with answers to help you remember what you learned during the lesson. 

You can try Spanish Uncovered with a 7-day free trial, or read more about it in this Spanish Uncovered.

Hotel Borbollón is the best course for beginners because the lessons adapt to you based on your strengths and weaknesses. It’s a convenient way to learn too because the lessons come directly to your email inbox. You receive a new lesson every day, and each one takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. They include new vocabulary and important grammar rules, as well as audio and notes about Spanish culture.

After completing the lesson, you receive immediate feedback so you can see why your answers are correct or incorrect. This makes learning Spanish a lot easier, especially at the beginning. Over time, the difficulty of the lessons adapts to your needs based on your answers, and the artificial intelligence that powers the lessons is really impressive. 

There’s also an AI chatbot (Aimigo) you can talk to via text or audio to practice speaking or chatting in Spanish. That’s why you’re learning Spanish anyway, right? It’s awesome because you can talk about any topic you want, and it even remembers what you talked about before! 

You can try Hotel Borbollón for free or read more about it in this Gymglish review.

Baselang is the best online Spanish course for unlimited learning because, for one monthly fee, you can take as many 1-on-1 live classes as you want. It combines flexibility with an established curriculum. It’s flexible because you can choose when you take classes, your teacher, the type of class, and more. And because all teachers have access to the Baselang curriculum, you can take classes with multiple teachers and still stay on the right track.

Baselang doesn’t offer any other languages, so you can see that their focus is on Spanish. Most of the teachers are from Central and South America, and you can choose if you want a teacher from a specific Spanish-speaking country. This makes the most difficult parts of learning Spanish so much easier! 

You can try Baselang for 7 days for only $1.00, or read more about it in this Baselang review.

Lingoda is the best platform for live classes because it follows a goal-oriented curriculum to help you learn quickly. Even though there is a set curriculum, there’s still a lot of flexibility. You can decide if you want to take group classes or private lessons and take classes at any time.

The classes are designed for students to practice speaking and listening. There is a self-study area and homework after each lesson, which is something Baselang doesn’t offer. The independent practice allows you to make the most of your time in class. All teachers on the Lingoda platform are qualified and have at least 2 years of experience teaching languages, too. To learn more about the platform, check out this Lingoda review.

Udemy is a massive online learning platform that currently has over 800 Spanish language courses. With such a big selection, you can choose one based on your level or the specific area you want to work on like grammar, vocabulary, and even swearwords. The courses have video lessons as well as individual study material and homework. They are self-paced so you can take as much time as you need to study. 

The courses don’t have trials, but each one has a preview video and a detailed description so you know exactly what will be covered. You can read past student reviews and see how many people have purchased the course, too. I definitely recommend checking the review of each course because some are amazing and others aren’t worth the price. You can read this complete Udemy review to learn more about the platform.

Coffee Break Spanish is a series of Spanish podcast lessons that you can listen to in the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee. Each lesson is about 15-20 minutes and is completely audio-based. You can hear what authentic Spanish sounds like, and practice saying the words and phrases along with the teacher.

There are 4 seasons available that go from beginner to advanced Spanish. Each season has 40 episodes that cover different situations that you might face in daily life. There are also new vocabulary and grammar rules presented. For advanced learners, there are additional series like the En Marcha con Coffee Break Spanish and The Coffee Break Spanish Magazine series. Keep in mind that you can listen to the audio tracks for free, but you’ll need to pay for the bonus lessons and materials. Take a look at the Coffee Break website to check out everything it offers.

Let’s Speak Spanish is the best for blended learning because you choose how you want to study. You can learn with live classes, take a self-study course, or even mix both learning methods. This means that you can take live classes as a supplement to the self-study course when you need them.

The courses are divided into 24 different levels (different from the typical A1-C2 of the CEFR scale) which allow for accurate placement. You don’t have to waste your time relearning material if you’re already an intermediate or advanced learner. They also offer special topics like business Spanish, tourism Spanish, DELE test prep, and Spanish lessons for kids. You can learn more about the course options and take a free placement test on the Let’s Speak Spanish website.

The Best Free Spanish Courses

Now that you know the best-paid courses to learn Spanish, you can choose the ones that best fit your needs. But, if you’re learning Spanish on a budget or want to explore the language first without committing, don’t worry! I also looked at free resources that can help you learn Spanish. 

While they don’t offer the same amount of features, level of quality, or flexibility, they are useful if you want to start exploring the Spanish language. These are the 3 best online courses to learn Spanish for free:

• LingoHut allows you to complete Spanish sessions for different topics like meeting someone, feelings and emotions, and the days of the week. In each, you’re introduced to new useful words and complete different interactive activities to make sure you retain what you’ve learned. This is a straightforward tool, and it can be helpful if you want to increase your Spanish vocabulary quickly.
• With Language Transfer, you can complete around 90 audio lessons to learn Spanish for free. This course focuses on developing your conversational skills such as pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and listening. However, there aren’t many additional resources so it works best as a complement. The audio lessons can also be a little bit on the slow side.
• Duolingo has a Spanish course you can complete for free. You can take as many interactive lessons as you want each day, but if you make more than five errors, you’ll need to wait until your “lives” are restored. While Duolingo might be a good Spanish app for beginners looking to increase their vocabulary, it might not be the best if you want to learn Spanish the way it’s spoken by native speakers.

Which Online Spanish Course is Best for You?

To have the best learning experience, you need to choose a course that fits your needs and learning style. First, think about your personal learning style and goals. Do some research to find out what the course offers, what the lessons focus on, and what varieties of Spanish they offer. You can find Spanish courses with audio lessons, interactive courses with a gamified approach to language, immersive courses, free language tools, and much more. 

Also, consider how much flexibility you want in your course. Some courses let you choose the order for your lessons, and some have a set structure that you need to follow. There are options for everyone, and some courses even have trials you can complete to see if you enjoy them or not. I definitely suggest trying a few different courses out to find your perfect fit. As you test each one, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

What to Consider When Choosing a Spanish Course

Every learner is different and not every Spanish course will be a good fit for you. To help you make the best choice, here’s what you should consider when choosing a Spanish course:

What Level Do You Want to Achieve?

The first thing you need to do is define your goals. For example, learning Spanish for tourism isn’t the same as learning Spanish for work. If you’re learning Spanish for tourism, chances are you’ll only need to communicate on a basic level. But, to study or work in Spanish-speaking countries, you could need a C1 or C2 level. It’s important to keep this in mind when you choose a Spanish course, so you can pick the option that has the best structure for you.

What’s Your Personal Learning Style?

When you’re looking for the best online Spanish course, you need to remember that you’re looking for a match. Your Spanish course should be detailed and have some interactive features, and it should also fit the way you like to study. For example, if you’re a visual learner you might enjoy video lessons more than extensive grammar explanations, which are common in Spanish textbooks. Picking a Spanish course that your study preferences can make learning Spanish much easier and keep frustrations at bay.

How Much Time Can You Dedicate?

Paying a lot of money for Spanish lessons that you won’t be able to take due to a busy schedule is not worth it. Instead, you can look for self-study courses or options that offer the flexibility you need to accommodate your lessons. Even if you only have time to study while you’re on the go, there are Spanish courses with quick lessons you can complete (or listen to) on your way to work. 

What’s Your Budget?

What’s great about learning Spanish is that there are options for all budget sizes. You can even take private classes with Spanish speakers at an affordable price or study Spanish for free. Many Spanish courses also have subscription tiers, which give you access to your favorite tools at an affordable price.

Now that you know how you can tailor your Spanish experience, you’re ready to approach your goals. Keep in mind that these are important decisions that can affect how long it will take you to learn Spanish. 

If you’re curious how long it will take you to learn the language, you can use our Fluency Calculator below. Just enter the number of hours per day that you have available to study Spanish and which level you want to reach to get a personalized answer.

Courses Are Only One Way to Learn Spanish

Once you choose a course, you can start your Spanish studies right away! To reach your Spanish goals, it’s important to stick to a study routine, so make sure to squeeze in at least a couple hours of practice each week. Start with the level of Spanish where you feel most comfortable, and engage with the different features in your Spanish course to make steady progress. With consistent study and determination, you’ll be speaking Spanish in no time.

There are other ways to learn Spanish outside of courses, too. To check out some of your other options, take a look at Langoly’s Spanish resources. We break down the best apps, YouTube channels, podcasts, and more to help you learn Spanish. We’ve also created our own (free!) Spanish tools to get you started on your path to fluency! ¡Olé!

Best Online Courses To Learn Spanish: FAQ