Baselang is an outstanding way to learn Spanish from live language tutors. I highly recommend their program.

Previous to using Baselang, I had used italki, another language tutor program. I was paying $15 per lesson. I figured if I could make time for 10 lessons in one month, I would match the cost of italki and trying Baselang would be worth it.

Remarkably, in the first five weeks of using Baselang, I took 131 lessons. I tried to do at least two to three hours of lessons each day. The price per lesson works out to be a mere $1.15–what a bargain!

Why Baselang is Different

If you are looking for a live language tutor, Baselang’s program is far superior.

Simpler mechanics

Signing up for a lesson is easy–sort by time or teacher. Point, click, confirm, done. Only one language is taught on the site, so it’s much easier to do what you need to do.

No cancellation fees

The teachers are paid a salary, regardless of how many lessons they teach. Teachers were available from 5 am - 12 midnight. I could schedule 1 minute before the lesson or cancel 1 minute before, if I needed to. I could plan several days ahead, or I could wait and see how my day would be.

Ability to choose many teachers

More than 500 teachers worked for Baselang while I studied with them. Even if I was scheduling at the last minute, there were many to choose from. The teachers have a wide variety of backgrounds and experience levels. I liked the ability to mark my favorites and create private ratings.

At first, I worried that it would be too hard to get to know so many teachers. But, in the end, I loved it! The teachers have such good energy. They were each interested in my life as a person and my motivation for learning Spanish. I appreciated getting to know so many people. I found that hearing an explanation a second time from a different teacher would really help cement my learning.

Coordination through Baselang’s Own Curriculum

In order to keep track of each student’s progress, Baselang has designed their own curriculum. That way, each tutor can point to specific lessons and offer follow up. This curriculum is optional but provides a solid base for learning the details. Also, as a student, it allowed me to go back and review.

Advantages to Using Live Language Tutors

After almost 18 months of studying independently, I began using virtual meetings with native Spanish speakers. I found my learning really improved. I had the chance to speak rapidly and receive feedback. I could also ask all my questions. I like using a language tutor since they provide accountability and support.

Italki Pros and Cons

The first language tutor I tried was through italki. With italki, you begin with an inexpensive introductory lesson. Then, once you’ve selected your teacher, you purchase a “packet” of lessons for that specific teacher. You can schedule a month in advance, and book the same teacher at the same time. I liked their program, but sometimes the teachers would be busy and not have times that I could easily attend. Also, moving from one teacher to another was difficult. But, the pricing is reasonable. There are so many options on italki, it’s a little time consuming to sort through and find a good fit for you.

My Recommendation

Overall, I recommend using a language tutor in your language learning process. And, if you’re studying spanish, give Baselang a try!