British Council English Online Reviews
Pros
-
Accessible to all abilities
-
Skilled teachers
-
CEFR certificates
-
Live teaching
-
Business classes
Cons
-
Lack of interactive games or apps
-
No 24/7 customer support
-
Expensive
Features
Live 25s
Platforms
With a track record of success stories dating back to 1934, the British Council is one of the world’s most well-established and reputable English language learning organizations. Branching into online teaching, the company set its sights on delivering accessible and varied English lessons to people at all levels of their learning journey, from A1 to C1.
This web-based platform delivers three class types: group, private, and webinar (‘Live25s’). Essentially, it’s a combined teaching approach designed for learners seeking a more traditional route to fluency, which doesn’t involve dedicated apps or interactive games and activities.
With teacher-led interactions at the heart of the British Council’s philosophy, it’s no surprise that courses aren’t cheap, with prices starting at $61.42 per month, billed annually. On the plus side, there are often seasonal promotions and discounts, so we recommend keeping an eye out for these. The more expensive subscriptions also come with a 7-day free trial, so you can get a feel for the lessons before making a financial commitment.
Features
Features
# of languages
1
Language courses
Interactive games
Placement test
Audio
Videos
Live tutoring
Average duration of lessons
25 minutes
Cultural context
Vocabulary
Grammar
Writing
Reading
Speaking
Listening
Show all
British Council English Online is a language learning platform accessible to anyone wanting to improve their English comprehension, speaking, and writing skills. With teachers in all corners of the world, it’s refreshing to hear so many different accents, rather than just British or American speakers. This helps put students at ease when participating in class.
All subscriptions provide access to group lessons (55 mins), private classes (25 mins), and webinars (25 mins). Additionally, there are plenty of short, informative videos that are perfect for supplementing learning.
Dashboard
Online teachers
With group and private classes costing one and two credits, respectively, learners can decide for themselves whether to prioritize one-to-one learning or group sessions. During our testing, it was clear that to learn English effectively and holistically via this platform, you need a combination of all three class formats, as one on its own doesn’t give you the skills required to master the language.
Live 25s
The webinars are teacher-led talks on grammar and pronunciation. Speaking directly with the teacher using your microphone is not possible, but you can type in the chat in response to questions.
Due to this lack of interactivity, Live25s are the only sessions that you can access via a mobile device. This didactic style is excellent for understanding concepts and tricky grammar rules.
Private classes
At the other end of the spectrum are the one-to-one 25-minute private classes. These are ideal for focused, tailored teaching when you need help with a specific topic. Students can request teachers’ help with certain goals, like writing a job application or arranging an appointment on the phone.
These classes are brilliant for boosting confidence and knowledge in a specific area, but they’re double the cost and half the length of group classes.
Group classes
Somewhere in the middle are the group sessions. For these classes, students must have their microphones and cameras on, and active participation is expected. The class we attended ran smoothly and on time, with no technical faults or engagement issues.
However, the lesson’s structure was meticulously planned, so it felt quite rigid. With eight people attending and many activities to get through, the pace was rushed, and it was clear that the system didn’t allow for a great deal of flexibility.
Nevertheless, we think it’s fantastic that after the lesson, students can stay on the call to practice speaking with their classmates.
Course structure
Upon registering for British Council English Online, you’re required to take a 30-minute quiz of 30 questions to determine your current level (A1-C1). Once the quiz is complete, you receive the result, which guides you in selecting the difficulty level of the course. Changing this after registration is possible, but only by contacting customer service, which may disrupt your progress.
Once you’re in, it’s clear that the school’s course structure is traditional and straightforward. There’s no risk of getting lost in hundreds of potentially irrelevant courses, as there are only 14 themes to choose from – all in the categories of business and social.
Quiz questions
Course themes
Course progress
Each theme consists of six lessons, and while it’s not a requirement to complete them, it gives you a chance to receive a CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) certificate. To be awarded this, students must do a theme challenge (that can’t be retaken) and a private speaking test costing two credits. Following this, you will receive a feedback report from your teacher within 24 hours, and your certificate can be downloaded and shared directly on LinkedIn.
Platforms
Platform support
Web app
Mobile optimized
macOS
Linux
Android
Windows
iOS
Show all
Depending on your learning style, you may consider it a significant downside that British Council English Online is a web-based platform with no apps. Although viewing the website on mobile browsers is technically possible, the organization states that lessons should not be attended on a mobile device.
Furthermore, all lessons take place via Zoom, and the company recommends using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, as some features don’t work well on other browsers. Unsurprisingly, we felt that the British Council had some serious room to grow in terms of accessibility. With no cross-platform support and nothing in the way of apps or games, the school isn’t keeping up with its technologically advanced competitors.
Pricing
The British Council is one of the most prestigious language learning institutions worldwide, so the steep course prices hardly come as a shock. The company uses a simple credit-based pricing structure, split across three subscriptions: Silver (5 credits), Gold (10 credits), and Platinum (15 credits). The allotted number of credits is to be used per month, but additional credits can be bought at extra cost.
While group classes cost one credit and private classes cost two, Live25s are included for free with all subscriptions but limited to four per month. Opting for annual billing is the most cost-effective option, with monthly prices working out at $61.42 for Silver, $118.17 for Gold, and $172.33 for Platinum. Additionally, the company runs temporary discounts that get you up to 30% off the Gold and Platinum plans. It’s also important to mention that the Platinum subscriptions include premium business classes, which are only offered with Silver and Gold with yearly billing cycles.
Silver
$88/mo
Billed annually
5 credits/mo
Private classes
Group classes
4 webinars/mo
CEFR certificate
–
–
Gold
$131/mo
Billed annually
10 credits/mo
Private classes
Group classes
4 webinars/mo
CEFR certificate
7-day free trial
–
Platinum
$179/mo
Billed annually
15 credits/mo
Private classes
Group classes
4 webinars/mo
CEFR certificate
7-day free trial
Premium business classes
Still, this may feel like quite a commitment, so it’s worth trying the 7-day free trial, which include two free credits. Once you’ve signed up, you can take a break and delay payments for one or two months, and your credits will still be valid when you return.
Although the prices are high and there are no lifetime subscriptions, the British Council has schemes to make it all a little more affordable. It runs regular seasonal discounts, and its generous friend referral program results in five free credits for you and 50% off your friend’s first month.
Payment options
Visa
Mastercard
American Express
Discover
PayPal
Wire transfer
Check
Cryptocurrency
Show all
Customer service
Customer support
24/7
Live chat
Email
Phone
Community
FAQs
Video tutorials
Remote desktop
Blog
Facebook
Instagram
X
YouTube
Show all
When it comes to self-help customer support, there’s no knocking the British Council. As soon as you create your account, you’re greeted with video introductions that help you get started with the platform and lessons. Moreover, should you run into any roadblocks along the way, the FAQ section provides detailed answers.
Contact page
British Council FAQ
Customer support email
Unfortunately, we didn’t have the same satisfying experience when trying to reach out to a support agent. Aside from leaving a message on the company’s Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages, the only way to contact customer support is via email, and we had to wait over 24 hours for a response. We also tried multiple times to communicate through the chat button at the bottom right of the screen, but every time, a popup message told us that live chat was currently unavailable.
Bottom line
The British Council has a fantastic reputation for its language courses, and it didn’t take long to see why. On the surface, it’s easy to be skeptical of the absence of mobile apps and interactive games. Still, there’s truly something to be said about this company’s traditional approach to language learning.
Focusing on the theory that mastering a language involves many different learning styles, the teachers provide effective one-to-one and group sessions, along with didactic webinars. Combining these with the supplementary video resources is a surefire way to level up your English speaking and comprehension skills.
As such, we do not doubt that you can make giant leaps in your language learning journey with this platform, but to do so requires the commitment of weekly private and group lessons. To unlock this number of classes, students must subscribe to the Gold or Platinum plans, which are not affordable for everyone.
Still, there are ways to save money with seasonal discounts, and the British Council English Online free trial provides a handy safety net, letting you try out some of the best English courses online before committing long-term.
Why you can trust us
The Best Reviews team researches and tests all products first-hand. We've been reviewing products
and services since 2012 and are proud to only publish human-created content.
Alternatives to British Council English Online
Mary P.
Saskia H.
