Lingoda Honest Review

Classes are live, conducted in small groups with native-speaking teachers. The program follows CEFR levels (A1–C2) and covers English (including Business English), Spanish, French, German, and Italian.

From March to May this year, I did the Regular Sprint and took 30 Spanish classes over two months. Here are some more pros and cons of the Lingoda Sprint and the platform in general:

+ PROS:

• a well-designed, user-friendly platform that is easy to navigate
• native-speaking, experienced teachers from all over the world (I had teachers from Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Chile, etc.) that can tailor classes to your needs
• small class sizes (if you’re taking group classes). At my B2 level, I rarely had more than 2 other students in class — most sessions were basically private
• a lot of useful vocabulary and grammar materials, including flashcards and quizzes, that help you prepare for class and review what you’ve learned
• great lesson content that covers all skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing
• a flexible schedule where you can book classes at a convenient time, no matter your time zone
• feedback options that both students and teachers can share after each class
• relatively low prices for classes, especially during the Lingoda Sprint. I paid $360 total for 30 classes over 2 months (about $12 per hour), not including a possible 50% refund if all rules are followed

– CONS:

• some languages have a limited number of levels. Initially, my intention was to take Spanish C1 (advanced), but the highest level offered was B2 (upper-intermediate) (though I still learned a lot).
• scheduling classes can be difficult sometimes, as you need to do it a week or more in advance if you want a convenient time slot. The slots fill up quickly.
• you can reschedule or cancel a class no later than 7 days before the start date/time of a class or within the 30-minute immediate-cancel window if you’re doing the Sprint. For regular classes, at least 72 hours’ notice is required.
• you can only take one class per day and are required to spread your classes evenly over the two months (in the case of the Regular Lingoda Sprint, it’s 15 classes in the first month and 15 in the second).
• you don’t always get to choose the teacher. Most of the time, you choose a time slot, and the teacher is assigned to you.
• you can’t be late for class — if you’re more than 7 minutes late, your class is counted as missed, and there’s no way to notify your teacher about it in advance through the platform.
• The Lingoda Sprint rules are quite strict, and if you make a mistake when scheduling—like I did (see my personal case below)—you may no longer qualify for the reward.