Best Online English Courses in Spain (2026): 7 Platforms Compared
People looking for the best online English courses in Spain tend to share the same story: years of English at school, an “intermediate level” on their CV, and a lump in their throat when someone asks them something on a video call. The data backs this up. According to Funcas' analysis of the latest Special Eurobarometer on languages, only 39% of Spaniards can hold a conversation in English, compared with the European average of 47%. The EF English Proficiency Index 2025 ranks Spain 36th in the world, with 558 points for reading comprehension and 462 for speaking.
Most of us can get by when reading, but speaking is another matter. Melisa Teves, director of the Institute of Modern Languages at Nebrija University, explained that speaking requires an environment that pushes you to communicate, and identified nerves about speaking in public as one of the main obstacles. That is why we looked at how many minutes you get to speak on each platform and whether you can work with the same person for weeks at a time. If your mind goes blank when you speak, you will find practical exercises in our article on the fear of speaking English.
In Spain, there are also two specific questions to consider. Does the course prepare you for an official qualification, such as Cambridge B2 First or a certificate from an Official Language School? And can your employer pay for it? We assessed seven platforms offering live lessons against six general criteria and one specific to Spain. All prices are in euros.
The short answer
Our overall recommendation is Flalingo: a regular teacher, a report after every lesson, IELTS and Cambridge preparation with specialist teachers, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. ABA English is a good fit if you prefer self-paced study, Preply and italki if you want to choose your teacher, Lingoda for group lessons with a structured curriculum, Cambly for conversations with native speakers, and EF English Live for a comprehensive course.
Contents
- How we assessed the courses
- Quick comparison of the best online English courses in Spain
- Official qualifications: what an online course can and cannot offer
- #1 - Flalingo
- #2 - ABA English
- #3 - Preply
- #4 - Lingoda
- #5 - Cambly
- #6 - italki
- #7 - EF English Live
- Which combination of features suits you?
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
How we assessed the courses
We answered the same seven questions for each platform using the information published on its website and in its terms and conditions. The seventh, shown in orange, is specific to Spain.
Quick comparison of the best online English courses in Spain
The last column shows the lowest price we found on the official websites, usually for the longest plan or for group lessons. Since lesson length varies between platforms, we specify it in each case.
Prices last reviewed: October 2026.
Official certificates: what an online course can and cannot give you
In Spain, an English certificate opens doors. Many job vacancies and master's programs require one, and it counts toward your score in many civil service recruitment exams and public-sector hiring pools. The most common are Cambridge English qualifications (such as B2 First), IELTS, TOEFL iBT, Linguaskill, Aptis and certificates from the Official Schools of Languages, which, under Royal Decree 1041/2017, have official status and are valid throughout Spain.
There is one thing you should know before paying: none of the seven platforms on this list issues an official qualification. The table of certificates used by CRUE Universidades Españolas to certify English proficiency levels, updated in July 2026, only recognizes in-person exams, and it does not list any online language schools. What a good course can do is prepare you: rehearse the speaking test with someone who knows the format, time your writing practice and arrive at the exam center knowing what to expect.
If you are an employee, there is another option. Many companies pay for language courses using the training credits managed by FUNDAE, through a scheme known as subsidized training. The company handles the application, not the employee, so you need to ask your HR department.
#1 - Flalingo: a dedicated teacher, a report after every lesson and exam preparation
Flalingo combines live one-to-one English lessons with AI analysis. Lessons last 25 or 50 minutes, are conducted entirely in English, and can be booked between one and seven times a week. According to the platform, only 1 in every 73 teachers who apply is accepted, and each teacher is tagged by specialty: business English, IELTS or conversation.
Continuity earns it the top spot. The Smart Matching system cross-references 18 data points, including your goal, level, availability and preferred accent, and suggests between 22 and 30 profiles. Flalingo estimates that the probability of finishing the course with the same person is over 90%. For anyone who freezes up when speaking, this matters more than it might seem: by the third week, you are no longer introducing yourself all over again—you pick up the conversation where you left off.
The schedule fits Spanish routines, with early morning slots and others at 23:00, when dinner at home is already over. According to its business English page, 68% of students take classes between 19:00 and 22:00.
When it comes to Spanish qualification requirements, Flalingo does not issue official qualifications, but it does prepare you for them: its exam preparation section has teachers specializing in IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC and Cambridge, and on Flalingo Exams you take mock exams in the actual exam format, with writing and speaking scored by AI in seconds. After 30 hours of classes, you receive an accredited digital certificate in your name. Companies can request training for their staff through Flalingo for Business.
Before booking, take the free English placement test (8 questions, with a result from A1 to C1) and the AI accent test, which scores your accent from 0 to 100 in about two minutes.
The learning resources are Smart Personalized Materials (30 books, over 490 units), and between classes you have Flalingo Daily News, news adapted to your level. We explain how FLAI works behind the scenes in What Is FLAI?
Key features
- 25- or 50-minute private classes, 1 to 7 per week
- FLAI report and exercises created from your mistakes
- 30 Smart Books for everyday life, work and exams
- Teachers specializing in business English, IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC and Cambridge
- Mock exams with AI grading on FlalingoExams
- Morning, afternoon and evening classes
- Digital certificate after 30 hours of classes
Price
The price depends on lesson length, how many lessons you take each week and how long the plan runs. Discounts on longer plans are already applied.
- 25-minute lesson: €5.75 on the annual plan and €14.33 on the monthly plan
- 50-minute lesson: €11.45 on the annual plan and €28.07 on the monthly plan
- Discounts: 30% for 3 months, 40% for 6 months and 60% for 12 months
- Trial lesson: 25 minutes for €1.80, refunded if it doesn't win you over
Prices last reviewed: October 2026.
Who is it for?
- Adults at A2 to C1 level who understand quite a lot but get stuck when speaking
- Professionals with a specific goal: meetings, an interview, B2 First or IELTS
- Anyone who wants the same teacher every week, even if they work shifts or split shifts
- Budget starting at around €23 per month with the annual plan
User reviews
Flalingo has a rating of 4.9 out of 5 on Google. The following two reviews come from there, and we have translated them from Turkish.
#2 - ABA English: a video course from a Barcelona-based school
ABA English is an online school based in Barcelona, a successor to the American & British Academy (1975) and probably the most familiar brand in Spain on this list. Its method starts with a short film: you watch the scene, listen, repeat, read and write, with grammar coming last. The course covers six CEFR levels, from A1 to C1, and you study at your own pace on the website or in the app.
The live component is limited: an assigned teacher you can message with questions, group review lessons and daily group conversation lessons. Premium plans do not include individual lessons, so how much you speak depends on how much you participate. In the Spanish offering, Premium Pro adds preparation for TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge and ESOL with mock exams, and each level you pass earns you an ABA certificate with no official recognition. It also has a program for businesses.
Key features
- Six-level video course (A1-C1), with 24 units per level and 144 grammar videos
- Assigned teacher to answer questions in writing
- Live group review and conversation lessons
- ABA English certificate for each level passed
- Official exam preparation in Premium Pro
- App for iOS, Android and Huawei, and a free first unit
Pricing
ABA charges for the whole plan upfront, and its web prices change with promotions, so we used the Spanish App Store as our reference.
- Premium, 3 months: €47.99 (about €16 a month)
- Premium, annual: €179.99 (about €15 a month), with a €69.99 annual option also on sale
- Premium Pro and the "lifetime" plan: price shown when you choose the plan on the website
- Refund if you cancel within the first 14 days, after which the plan renews automatically
Prices last checked: October 2026.
Who is it for?
- Beginners and A1-B1 learners who want to build a solid foundation before speaking
- Anyone who prefers studying at their own pace with customer support in Spanish
- Budget starting at around €15 per month
User reviews
ABA English has a rating of 4.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot with 2,934 reviews (October 2026). The two below come from there.
#3 - Preply: thousands of teachers for every budget
Preply is an international marketplace for private tutors, where each tutor sets their own price, schedule and teaching method. Its Spanish website lists more than 25,000 English tutors and, according to Preply, an hour costs an average of $16, with prices ranging from $3.34 to $111. Many are native Spanish speakers, an advantage for beginners who want grammar explained in their own language.
Payment is subscription-based: at least four 50-minute lessons every 28 days, billed automatically. Lessons you do not book before renewal expire, and you can pause for up to 20 days per cycle. If the first tutor is not a good fit, you can try two others for free. Quality depends entirely on whom you choose, as there is no shared curriculum. We compare the two major tutor marketplaces in Preply vs italki.
Key features
- Over 25,000 English tutors, with filters for price, country, and languages
- Spanish-speaking tutors
- 50-minute lessons, or 25-minute lessons with a subscription
- Subscription renews every 28 days, with pauses of up to 20 days
- Lesson Insights with AI-powered summaries (optional)
- Free tutor replacement if the first one isn't a good fit
Price
- 50-minute lesson: from €3 up to €100 for the most in-demand profiles
- Average according to Preply: €14 an hour, and about €22 with native English-speaking tutors
- Subscription: at least 4 lessons every 28 days, from about €12 per cycle with the cheapest tutors
Prices last checked: October 2026.
Who is it for?
- Beginners who want explanations in Spanish
- Anyone who has time to compare profiles and is looking for a particular specialist
- A wide range of budgets, starting at around €12 per month
User reviews
Preply has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot, with 25,897 reviews (October 2026). The two below come from there.
#4 - Lingoda: small groups with a CEFR-based curriculum
Lingoda is an online language school based in Berlin. Its English lessons last 60 minutes, take place on Zoom, and are available in groups of three to five students or one-on-one. The curriculum follows the CEFR from A1 to C1, with business English from A1 to B2, and is taught by around 2,500 native-level teachers.
You sign up for a package that renews every four weeks, and unused lessons roll over to the next cycle. The trade-off for all this structure is a lack of continuity, as the teacher and your classmates change from one lesson to the next. And with five people sharing an hour, each gets around 12 minutes of speaking time, minus the time the teacher spends talking. We compare this with one-on-one lessons in Flalingo vs Lingoda.
Key features
- Live 60-minute lessons on Zoom
- Groups of 3 to 5 students or one-on-one lessons
- Proprietary CEFR-based curriculum: general English A1–C1 and business English A1–B2
- Certificate for each level completed
- 7-day free trial (up to 3 group lessons or 1 one-on-one lesson)
Price
Lingoda publishes its prices in euros, and the price per lesson falls as the package gets bigger.
- Group: from €59.99 for 5 lessons (€12 a lesson) to €289.99 for 40 lessons (€7.25 a lesson)
- Private: from €169.99 for 5 lessons (€34 a lesson) to €834.99 for 40 lessons (about €20.87 a lesson)
- If you don't cancel the free trial, the monthly plan is charged on day 8
Prices last checked: October 2026.
Who is it for?
- Students from A1 to C1 who value a set curriculum
- Anyone who enjoys learning in a group and wants to pay less per hour
- Budgets starting at around €60 every four weeks for group lessons
User reviews
Lingoda has a rating of 4.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot, with 5,899 reviews (October 2026). The two below come from there.
#5 - Cambly: conversation with native speakers at any time
Cambly is a US-based platform that works exclusively with native English-speaking teachers. Open the app, choose someone available, and within a couple of minutes you're talking, whatever the time. Lessons last 30 minutes, with plans offering two, three, or five per week. There are three options: small groups (one teacher and one or two students, aged over 21), Private+ with one-to-one lessons, and Pro, which adds recordings, transcripts, and all courses, including exam preparation.
Two rules to know before paying: unused minutes expire each week, and the annual plan renews automatically unless you turn off renewal. After 10 hours of lessons, you can download a Cambly certificate. We compare it with having a regular teacher in Flalingo vs Cambly.
Key features
- 100% native English-speaking teachers
- On-demand lessons, 24 hours a day, or booked in advance
- Small-group plan for students aged over 21
- Pro plan with recordings, transcripts, and all courses
- Certificate and attendance record after 10 hours of lessons
Pricing
Cambly shows its prices in US dollars, labelled "from".
- Small groups: from US$17 a month (≈€15.19)
- Private+: from US$39 a month (≈€34.84)
- Pro: from US$56 a month (≈€50.03)
- Full refund within 7 days of buying your first plan
Prices last checked: October 2026.
Who is it for?
- Learners at B1 level and above who want to speak more confidently
- Anyone who needs to practice at unpredictable times and isn't looking for a structured program
- A budget starting at around €15 per month for group lessons
User reviews
Cambly has a Trustpilot rating of 2.0 out of 5 from 264 reviews (October 2026). That's not many for a platform of its size, so it's worth treating the rating cautiously and reading the reviews individually. We translated the first review below from English.
#6 - italki: individual lessons without a subscription
italki works like Preply, with one important difference: there's no subscription. You top up your balance and book individual lessons or packages whenever it suits you. Its Spanish website lists more than 4,200 English teachers, divided into professionals with teaching qualifications and community tutors, who focus on conversation and are usually cheaper. Lessons last between 30 and 90 minutes.
You can take up to three discounted trial lessons, starting at 5 dollars in our sample. If the teacher doesn't show up or the trial doesn't deliver what was promised, the satisfaction guarantee refunds the amount as credit, provided you submit a claim within 48 hours. There's no standardized report after lessons, but if you're going away for three weeks in August, you simply don't book. We compare it with a structured course in Flalingo vs italki.
Key features
- More than 4,200 English teachers, both professionals and community tutors
- Individual lessons or packages, without a subscription
- Up to 3 discounted trial lessons
- Satisfaction guarantee for trial lessons (refunded as credit)
- Its own virtual classroom on the website and app
Pricing
- Trial lessons: between US$5 and US$35 in our sample (≈€4.47-31.27)
- Average rate according to italki: about US$15 an hour (≈€13.40)
- Package discounts, at each tutor's discretion
Prices last checked: October 2026.
Who is it for?
- Anyone who travels or has a schedule that changes every month
- Learners at B1 level and above with a specific goal: an interview, an accent, an exam
- A flexible budget, starting at around €5 per lesson
User reviews
italki has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot, with 15,004 reviews (October 2026). The two below come from there.
#7 - EF English Live: a complete course with group lessons available 24/7
EF English Live is the online school run by EF Education First, the company founded in Sweden that has been teaching languages for around 60 years and also publishes the EF EPI index mentioned at the beginning. It combines self-study units with group lessons at any time and, depending on the plan, private lessons. The basic course, for example, includes 30 group lessons a month and up to 8 private 40-minute lessons. If you're not satisfied after the first 12 weeks, EF will refund your money, provided you have completed one teacher-led lesson and one self-study unit each week.
Its weak point is transparency. It does not publish prices in Spain, and the OCU website has public complaints from students about minimum contract terms and cancellation penalties. Before signing, ask for written confirmation of the minimum contract term and the cost of canceling.
Key features
- Self-study units and group lessons available 24 hours a day
- Private lessons depending on the plan
- More than 3,000 native-speaking and bilingual teachers
- Levels A1 to C2, with a test and certificate for each level
- Business English, TOEFL, and TOEIC courses
Price
EF doesn't publish a fixed rate in Spain. The price depends on hours, method and frequency, and you get it after asking for a quote. As a reference from other markets:
- Plan with 30 group lessons a month: about US$40 a month (≈€36)
- Plan with private lessons: about US$70 a month (≈€63)
Prices last checked: October 2026.
Who is it for?
- Consistent learners who want a structured course without choosing a teacher
- People with changing schedules who value having group lessons available at any time
- Approximate budget of €36 to €63 per month (check the exact price)
User reviews
EF English Live has a rating of 4.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot, with 14,769 reviews (October 2026). The two below come from there.
Which combination of features suits you?
The ranking above follows our criteria. Yours depends on what your week looks like and what you need English for:
- You need to speak at work or prepare for IELTS or a Cambridge exam, and you want a regular teacher and written feedback on your progress: Flalingo
- You're starting almost from scratch and prefer studying at your own pace, with everything in Spanish: ABA English
- You want to choose your teacher, perhaps someone who can explain grammar in Spanish: Preply
- You enjoy learning in a group with a structured program and plan several days ahead: Lingoda
- You want to speak with a native speaker tonight, without booking: Cambly
- Your schedule changes every week, and a subscription would go unused: italki
- You're looking for a complete course with group lessons at any time: EF English Live
A tip for learners in Spain: if your goal is a certificate, decide on the exam and date first (B2 First, IELTS, Linguaskill, or the EOI), then look for a course. Preparing for a specific test with someone who knows its format saves weeks.
Where we see the biggest difference is in the combination of two things: a teacher who knows you and specific feedback after every lesson. Continuity makes it easier to speak, and the report shows you that your effort is paying off. That's why Flalingo takes first place.
Also looking for a course for your children? Check out our comparison of the best online English courses for children in Spain.
Learn English with Flalingo
I'm Bright. I am a British-Nigerian English teacher with seven years of experience. I create engaging and tailored lessons that build confidence and fluency to support students to achieve their goals. My aim is to unlock the potential of students from different cultures, making the learning process both efficient and enjoyable.
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