In the previous chapter, we've given you our reasons on why you should learn Spanish.To help you take that next step, we're going to share where you can start learning Spanish online and in-person. With so many different alternatives you could pursue, it's easy to get lost. There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing which method is right for you.To give you the most objective answer, we've categorized each method by time required to learn, effectiveness, cost to learn, and an overall score.Let us know your thoughts and share the list with a friend who's learning Spanish!

Local Language Meetups

Time: 2-3 hours per sessionEffectiveness: 5/10Cost: Free or ~$10/sessionOverall Score: 5/10"I have no one I can practice Spanish where I live!" It's the inner voice we hear when it comes to practicing our conversation skills. That's where local language meetups come in.Local language meetups are a great place to meet like-minded individuals who also love languages. In the optimal situation, you can find a conversation partner that can speak your target language. In the worst scenario, you get to meet interesting people from diverse cultures.Since you're surrounded by others who understand the struggles of learning a language, they tend to be more patient when you're conversing with them. Just be sure you're returning the favor by being as patient with others when they're practicing with you.

Best Option(s) to get started: Using a combination of meetup.com, couchsurfing.org, and eventbrite.com, you can likely find language meetups happening in your local city. If you live in a larger metropolitan area like New York or Los Angeles, you'll find Spanish language meetups happening nearly every day.

Language Instructional Courses

Time: 60 minutes per session (200+ hours to complete 5 levels)Effectiveness: 6/10Cost: $150-$300 per packageOverall Score: 6.5/10Language instructional courses are programs that are pre-created to take you through a sequential process of learning a language. Usually they are divided into proficiency levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and aim to teach you grammar, vocabulary, and reading skills.The upside to purchasing these language programs is that you can learn at your own pace, with the ability to take it wherever you go. The downside is that it's not personalized to your needs, and built for the mass without taking into consideration an individual's learning styles or goals.

Best Option(s) to get started: Michel Thomas, Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur.

Online Resources

Time: 20 minutes/sessionEffectiveness: 6/10Cost: FreeOverall Score: 7.5/10With information being as abundant as ever, there's hundreds of great resources to help you get started in learning Spanish. Using a combination of Youtube, podcasts, blogs, you can learn valuable lessons from polyglots and teachers that have been there already.While these resources won't actually help you become a fluent speaker (just like watching swimming videos won't make you Michael Phelps), it's a great and often free starting ground for beginners.

Best Option(s) to get started: Butterfly Spanish (Youtube), Fluentin3months (Blog), Rype's Learn a Language Challenge, Rype's Masterclass: How to Learn a New Language in 3 Months.  You can check out our future chapters on our top Spanish blogs, podcasts, Youtube channels and more.

Software Apps

Time: 10-20 minutes per sessionEffectiveness: 7/10Cost: Free or $20/monthOverall Score: 8/10Software apps that are downloaded on your phone can sometimes feel more like a game than a learning process. And that's often the point. While these apps are limited in the level of depth compared to a language instructional course, the difference in price is vast.You do get what you pay for, but even the premium version of these language apps can be very affordable for most people.

Best Option(s) to get started: Our top recommendations for language apps are Duolingo, Babbel, FluentU. Based on reputation, price, and years they have been around, these are the clear winners.

Private Language Lessons Online

Time: 30-60 minutes per sessionEffectiveness: 9/10Cost: ~$50-100/m (~$5/session)Overall Score: 9/10If we're using the analogy of trying to get in shape/lose weight, then the options we mentioned above is like P90X (fitness course), and taking private lessons is like finding a personal trainer.With a personal language teacher, you get everything that you'd get from a premium language course, plus the major advantages of having it personalized for you, gain immediate feedback, live interaction, and 100% accountability.As we've previously written before, the last two (live interaction and accountability) are the two building blocks of learning a foreign language. It's often the difference between giving up too early, and reaching fluency. With that said, not everybody can afford a paid solution which is why at Rype, we've done everything we can to introduce quality lessons at a fair price. Hear how we did it here.

Best Option(s) to get started: Rype. We have made it as easy as possible to get you started by introducing a 2-week free trial, with no commitments required, and the ability to easily cancel anytime. Try it free here.

In conclusion: There is no perfect solution

We decided to rank each of these different solutions to show you there's no perfect 10/10 solution for everyone. But there may be one for you.Instead of trying to overanalyze where to learn Spanish externally, look internally. Be aware of your own limitations in time, how you best learn, and how much accountability you'll need through this journey.What's important is that you get started. Because your decision is reversible, but time isn't.[mashshare]Hope you enjoyed this section of our guide on where to learn Spanish. Now it's time to move on to Chapter 3: Spanish Blogs.

Chapter List

1. Why Learn Spanish?2. Where to Learn Spanish?3. Spanish Blogs4. Spanish Podcasts5. Spanish Youtube Channels6. Free Spanish Apps7. Most Common Spanish Words8. Spanish Exercises 9. Spanish Lessons10. Spanish For Kids11. Spanish For Business