When it comes to Spanish study, one of the frequently debated choices is learning Spanish online versus a traditional classroom. Obviously there is a large difference in the student experience. But is there a difference in the quality of education you receive?

Let’s quickly explore this topic and look at a few of the principal advantages of using technology for learning the Spanish online instead of going the traditional route of taking a class at your local community college, language learning center, or private tutors.
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The online learning experience is super flexible.

Online courses allow the flexibility for you to attend your lessons basically whenever you want.  This is clutch. It’s a definite point for online classes and a point against brick and mortar. The ability to access your learning materials at all times is also a huge plus.
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There is no commute to an online lesson.

There's nothing worse than sitting in rush-hour traffic for an hour after you get off work, only to have to hop back into your car to get to a night class. It sucks your motivation faster than the gas you're burning to get there.One of the biggest benefits of learning a second language online is working from the comfort of your own home. You can even do it after work in your office or cubicle. At home, at work, or a coffee shop: Anywhere with a solid internet connection becomes your classroom.
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Learning Spanish online is more affordable.

According to Thumbtack.com, the cheapest you’ll find private Spanish lessons is $30 per hour—but $50 is more likely. Group lessons come in around $100 to $175 per month for weekly 60-min or 90-min classes.

But really how much are you going to learn from someone at just four hours per month? Online programs such as Rype offer daily classes for roughly $28 per week. Wow … that is a huge difference. You have the potential to take around 30 classes per month for the same price that traditional Spanish-learners pay for just four!
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With most online language courses you’ll never miss a class.

I am going to paraphrase a policy that is found on the websites of many physical language learning centers (different variations). “Missed classes may not be made up at another time or replaced with other services.”

Wait a second...that sucks. So, what if I get tied up at work a couple of times or some other unforeseen circumstance? I miss out on valuable information that I can’t make up for and may fail the course because it isn’t self-paced and end up having to retake the class.

Even online Spanish courses that are not 100% self-paced are still booked by you at your own convenience. So the likelihood of missing a class is next to nil. But even if you do miss a lesson, you’re just going to be picking up from where you left off previously … not trying to play catch-up with other students.
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You’ll most likely learn Spanish faster online.

This isn’t the case for everyone. Some people can afford a private Spanish tutor to come to their house every day for $50-$90 a lesson. Or they have so much free time that they can commute to daily lessons. But the reality is, most physical classes are a once-a-week type thing.

The difference between the four or five lessons per month that you’ll get through the traditional classroom route and the 20 to 30 lessons per month that you’ll get via online Spanish courses is astronomical. I don’t even have to break it down for you because the math is so simple. Do you think you’ll progress faster with four classes or 20+ classes?
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The conclusion: There’s only one drawback to studying online.

For younger students, the structure classroom environment can be important. You need to have some discipline already instilled in you to schedule your own lessons. The ability for younger people to build their social networks is also important.

For busy working adults, however, this is usually not the case. Most of us have our professional and social networks in place and we don’t need the structure of the classroom to keep us on task anymore.

For most adults, the flexibility to really shape the lessons around your schedule, the time saved by being able to attend class from home or pretty much anywhere you want, and the fact that you can progress so much faster without biting into your budget makes the decision to learn a language online instead of in a classroom a no-brainer.

If you learn more —and at a faster pace to boot—the quality of education is better.