italki
italki is the best option for real conversational practice — live 1-on-1 lessons with native-speaking tutors at prices that fit almost any budget.
Rather than a fixed course catalog, italki connects you to 10,000+ tutors across 150+ languages, so 'catalog depth' is really tutor availability and specialty.
Live 1-on-1 conversation with a real tutor is the fastest way to build speaking confidence — quality depends on picking a well-reviewed tutor for your goals.
Booking, messaging, and paying tutors is smooth, with clear tutor profiles, reviews, and video introductions to help you choose.
Pricing is entirely pay-per-lesson and ranges from around $5/hr for community tutors to $40+/hr for professional certified teachers.
italki doesn't issue certificates — it's built for conversational practice, not formal credentialing.
The mobile app supports booking and taking lessons, messaging tutors, and reviewing lesson materials.
Flexible 1-on-1 conversation lessons with native Spanish tutors.
Professional English lessons focused on workplace communication.
Structured beginner lessons with native Mandarin tutors.
Who should consider italki?
italki focuses on individual online language tuition. It is worth considering for learners wanting conversation and personalised language practice. The official platform website provides current programme and access information.
Build a realistic learning plan
Prepare a short description of your level, interests and intended language use before contacting a teacher. Ask about lesson structure and materials. A tutor suitable for informal conversation may not use the same approach as someone preparing learners for a specific examination.
Turn lessons into practical progress
Bring a concrete speaking task to each session: describing your work, retelling a story or discussing a familiar topic. Afterward, review corrected expressions and record a short response using them. Preparation and follow-up make the booked time more productive than improvising every lesson.
What learners in Europe should check
Check the displayed time zone, lesson duration and rescheduling conditions before booking. Compare the total cost of a realistic monthly schedule rather than one attractive introductory price. Make sure the teacher's availability and communication language suit your routine.
Review your progress before continuing
Set a small milestone before starting another course or lesson series. Record what you can now do independently, which questions remain and what you want to practise next. This gives your next learning decision a clear purpose rather than simply adding more content to your queue.