Learning the Russian language can be an insightful and challenging endeavor. As a language that is closely intertwined with its surrounding culture, pursuing the Russian language is often more than just learning grammar mechanics and vocabulary. It’s a full experience.
A high-quality online Russian tutoring service knows this and is ready to help you engage with not only the Russian language but the culture as well. For beginner, intermediate and advanced students alike, these tutoring services can meet you at any level to help you deepen your understanding of the Russian language.
How to Pick an Online Russian Tutoring Service
Each online Russian tutoring service has something unique to offer its students; so, how do you choose the right one for you?
First, consider your budget and how much you’d like to spend. While some services have an abundance of native tutors teaching at an affordable rate, keep in mind that many of these tutors live across the world. You might endure some awkward scheduling while you try to navigate time zones. More expensive services are usually based in the US, but this will make scheduling or attending a class less of a headache for those located in the Western Hemisphere.
Second, consider how you learn best. There are many robust Russian language courses on the internet featuring live instruction from a designated teacher in a virtual classroom. By learning alongside other classmates, you gain the opportunity to learn from your fellow students in addition to assigned coursework. Alternatively, attending regular sessions with a private tutor can tailor all sessions to your specific learning goals—making for a unique learning experience that is fully customized to your educational needs.
Learning a new language for travel
Traveling to Russia is an undeniably exciting experience and learning the language can help make your experience more authentic. Try a course with Fluent City before you go, and they will teach you how to hold a simple conversation in Russian in just ten weeks. For those inclined towards private tutoring, check out Verbling for their selection of native tutors so you can practice your conversational skills with an expert.
Learning Russian for work
As an online language school with a specific course in Business Russian, you can’t go wrong with taking a class with Russificate. This course is geared towards corporate language and will help you build up that vocabulary so that you can be conversational in no time.
Help with studying Russian for school
For students looking to study abroad and learn Russian in an immersive environment, check out Educa Language School for their in-person programs. For those that are interested in tutoring services in their home country, consider HeyTutor for their ability to tailor lessons to the classroom.
How We Picked the Best Online Russian Tutoring Services
To pick these online Russian tutoring services, we first narrowed the scope by selecting options that were reasonably affordable. Those that offered either a free trial or a discounted option for new students were prioritized; so, you’ll find plenty of those services on this list.
We also analyzed teaching methodologies and reviewed many services for the unique credentials of their tutors. Services that provide both community tutors and professional teachers alike are listed here as both options can bring something different and valuable to the table.
We also took into account user reviews and recommendations. These services all have hundreds of positive reviews on their websites, but we took to independent forums to find out what their students really think.
In the end, only the best services made the cut for their top-notch quality and investment in student learning.
The 10 Best Online Russian Tutors
This list is intended to help you find the right educational partner for your Russian studies and includes choices for private tutors and online classes. Whether you consider yourself a casual learner or are learning with the intent to pass a language exam, we have options for you.
Russificate
For those looking for a traditional language-learning experience, Russificate has several Russian courses that are geared towards student success. Check out their courses “Russian for Beginners” and “General Russian” to get a comprehensive overview of the entire language or get more specific with “Conversational Russian” or “Business Russian.” Their courses are a self-proclaimed immersive experience that are designed to get you to your next language level, and they offer the TORFL exam for those needing an official certificate.
Russificate offers both private and group lessons, and they are relatively affordable. You can also access free resources on their site, like a Russian Dialogue Practice Bot, app recommendations and their blog.
| Price | Lessons sold in a variety of packages, from 20 to 90 minutes
€6 to €530 for 1 to 20 lessons, depending on amount of time purchased |
| Free Trial | 30-minute free trial lesson |
| Device | Desktop, mobile |
| Format | Skype, digital learning materials |
| Certificate of Completion | Yes |
| Knowledge Level | Beginner to advanced |
Learn more about Russificate.
Preply
Preply offers private one-on-one tutoring at affordable rates for Russian language-learners at any level. With over 500 Russian tutors, they have plenty to choose from. You can easily scroll through their tutors to view instructor bios and availability and be sure to keep an eye out for their green “super tutor” banner that distinguishes tutors with the most experience. Preply also offers free tutor replacement until you’re 100% satisfied.
While Preply tutors offer 60-minute trial lessons at a discounted rate, you can also message your tutor before you book. This might be helpful if you have a specific question you need answered before beginning your Russian studies, or if you’d like to communicate your learning goals.
| Price | $17 to $20 per hour
(average rate) |
| Free Trial | Discounted 60-minute trial lesson |
| Device | Using Preply classroom |
| Format | Desktop of mobile |
| Certificate of Completion | No |
| Knowledge Level | Beginner to advanced |
Learn more about Preply.
Verbling
Similar to Preply, Verbling also offers private one-on-one lessons with a tutor of your choice. It’s easy to filter for preferred availability, tutor nationality and different languages they speak—meaning that you should be able to find a good fit quickly. The best part is that they offer a free trial lesson with no strings attached; so, you can find your ideal tutor and give a lesson a try without making a financial commitment.
All Verbling tutors go through a rigorous verification program, so there’s no doubt you’ll be learning from a certified professional. In a forum from 2022 comparing Preply, Verbling and Italki, user “cheesy_bits” said: “…Verbling is better and more professional [and] also more flexible than Italki.” To be absolutely sure about your tutor, you can send them a message directly from their profile or read their teaching statistics that cover important factors like lessons taught and attendance rate.
| Price | $5 to $75 per hour
$23 average rate per hour |
| Free Trial | Free first lesson |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | Verbling video |
| Certificate of Completion | Yes |
| Knowledge Level | Beginner to advanced |
Learn more about Verbling.
AmazingTalker
AmazingTalker makes it easy to achieve your learning goals with their sharp AI filtering system. By answering their short questionnaire, AmazingTalker will provide you with a short list of tutors that best suit your needs. Like similar private tutoring services on our list, AmazingTalker specializes in one-on-one tutoring and individualized instruction.
You can also scroll through their list of recommended tutors to view instructor bios, introduction videos and schedules. A few tutors are even available on-demand, meaning that you can start your Russian studies immediately.
| Price | $10 to $30 per hour
(average rate) |
| Free Trial | Discounted trial lesson |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | Zoom |
| Certificate of Completion | No |
| Knowledge Level | Beginner to advanced |
Learn more about AmazingTalker.
Italki
With their clean and simple user interface, Italki stands out among other private tutoring services for their easy website navigation and selection of community tutors and professional teachers alike. While many students might prefer learning with a professional teacher, community tutors usually offer cheaper rates at a similar quality. Between the two categories, Italki has over 800 tutors that specialize in the Russian language; so, you’re likely to find the right tutor for you.
When booking a lesson with a tutor on Italki, a Reddit user recommends booking “teachers who have a high ratio of lessons given [to] students taught.” This information is easily accessible by clicking on each tutor’s profile and will give you a better insight into how much experience each individual tutor has. They also say: “Be prepared to try several tutors, and don’t let yourself get discouraged if you don’t ‘click’ with someone.” Luckily, Italki tutors offer a generously discounted 30-minute trial lesson so that finding the right fit won’t be too much of a financial hiccup.
| Price | $5 to $37 per hour |
| Free Trial | Discounted 30-minute trial lesson |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | Italki classroom or Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, WeChat |
| Certificate of Completion | No |
| Knowledge Level | Beginner to advanced |
Learn more about Italki.
Educa Language School
Educa Language School is one of the few language-learning schools we feature that has a physical location—St. Petersburg. There are many forums online where enthusiastic reviewers praise Educa’s in-person learning but for those of us who aren’t relocating just yet, they offer online classes too. Since they’re based in Russia, you can count on an immersive and authentic experience that’s part of a structured program. Take a course in General Russian or Business Russian and be prepared to learn not only the language, but the culture itself. Alternatively, students can opt for one-on-one lessons with their professional teachers.
Simply fill out their enrollment form to begin the enrollment process, and you’ll be on your way to fluency in no time. In the meantime, you can check out their blog for free resources on the Russian language and culture.
| Price | Private tutoring
Varying packages from €24 to €28 per lesson Standard course €300: 1 to 4 weeks €270: 5 to 12 weeks Intensive course €350: 1 to 4 weeks €315: 5 to 12 weeks |
| Free Trial | No free trial |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | Video conferencing |
| Certificate of Completion | Yes |
| Knowledge Level | Beginner to advanced |
Learn more about Educa Language School.
Fluent City
Fluent City offers online courses for both Russian 1 and Russian 2 making it a great option for beginner and intermediate students alike. With a variety of lively, charismatic teachers, Fluent City only offers live instruction courses. You’ll learn with a small group of students meeting for two hours once a week for a total of ten weeks. This is a great option for those looking to replicate the feeling of a traditional classroom online or looking to meet new people along your Russian language-learning journey.
Reddit users taking other languages enjoyed their courses with Fluent City, both in-person and online. To register, select a Russian 1 or Russian 2 course and choose a start date. Since the classes repeat every ten weeks, there’s often a couple of potential start dates to choose from; so, you can pick the one that best suits your schedule. They are based in the US; so, there’s no need to worry about awkward scheduling.
| Price | Russian Level 1: $399 |
| Free Trial | Discounted 60-minute trial lesson |
| Device | Desktop |
| Format | Zoom, virtual classroom, file sharing |
| Certificate of Completion | Yes |
| Knowledge Level | Beginner, intermediate |
Learn more about Fluent City.
HeyTutor
With their eyes set on academia, HeyTutor is known for the deeply-rooted educational focus they bring to private tutoring. While services like Preply and Italki certainly focus on gearing their lesson plans to a student’s particular learning goals, HeyTutor partners with school districts and aligns their lesson plans with a set curriculum. This makes them a great option for a student looking to improve their Russian for school, or those needing to pass a language exam.
You can easily narrow the scope by using their “Find a Tutor” feature. This will take you to a short questionnaire that asks important questions about your learning needs and availability, and then HeyTutor will generate a short list of tutors that are your best fit. If you’d like to browse their tutors instead, scroll down on their homepage to learn more about your options.
| Price | $25 to $40 per hour |
| Free Trial | No free trial |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | Skype, Google Hangouts, FaceTime |
| Certificate of Completion | No |
| Knowledge Level | Beginner to advanced |
Learn more about HeyTutor.
Liden & Denz Language School
Liden & Denz Language School has it all—group courses with live instruction, private lessons and self-study online exercises. With affordable choices for each instructional option, Liden & Denz is a great contender for your Russian studies. Their group courses offer two tracks: “flex” and “comfy,” allowing you the ability to choose between intensity that can fit into your schedule and a more relaxed learning method that still promotes healthy progress.
Although their group courses might be difficult to attend for those located in the United States (the time zone difference means that many of them take place in the early hours of the morning), their private lessons and online exercises are certainly worth checking out. Private lessons offer more flexible scheduling, and their online exercises can be done at any time to supplement a lesson plan.
| Price | Group courses
Flex course: $54 Comfy course: $84 Private lessons Single lesson: $42 10 lessons: $257 20 lessons: $544 |
| Free Trial | Free trial lesson |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | Zoom |
| Certificate of Completion | Yes |
| Knowledge Level | Beginner to advanced |
Learn more about Liden & Denz Language School.
Superprof
Although not as popular or mainstream as other private tutoring services, Superprof stands out for their stellar, authentic student reviews. They link their Trustpilot testimonials directly to their homepage and with an overall rating of 4.5 stars, they aren’t a service to be overlooked. You can easily search for Russian tutors near you or online or scroll through their best tutors directly on their homepage.
Most Superprof tutors offer your first lesson free. Since it’s added right next to their hourly rate, it’s easy to see. Be sure to check out each tutor’s list of specialties to see if they can suit your needs and click “request to book” when you’re ready to begin.
| Price | Average rate per lesson: $23 per hour |
| Free Trial | 90% of tutors offer a free trial lesson |
| Device | Any device |
| Format | Skype, Google Hangouts, Zoom or by phone
Chat through Discord |
| Certificate of Completion | No |
| Knowledge Level | Beginner to advanced |
Learn more about Superprof.
Other Russian Tutoring Services to Consider
Similar to other services on this list, ClassGap and VerbalPlanet offer private one-on-one tutoring with a tutor of your choice.
ClassGap has useful filters that allow potential students to view only native speakers and to input their availability preferences. VerbalPlanet offers a colorful, user-friendly interface that makes booking easy and provides analysis and feedback after every lesson.
What to Expect When Using Online Russian Tutoring Services
Most online Russian tutoring services fall into two categories: online group classes that replicate the experience of a physical classroom, or private one-on-one tutoring sessions.
For those enrolling in a group class with a live instructor, you should expect regular interaction with other students through a video conferencing platform, like Zoom or Skype. Some group classes operate with a built-in software that is specific and unique to the provider.
For students that are more inclined to one-on-one instruction with a private tutor, expect either a 30 to 60-minute session through video chat. Similar to group classes, private sessions often use Zoom, Skype or a similar platform to conduct their sessions. Occasionally, a provider might opt to use their own video software for lessons.
What you need to learn Russian when using an online tutor
Both private tutoring and group classes require a high-speed internet connection, but most providers can accommodate any device—desktop, mobile or tablet. Time commitments vary from provider to provider, but many tutors recommend setting up a regular weekly appointment. Group classes have similar expectations; so, be sure to check with your provider about specific meeting times.
Free vs. Paid Online Russian Tutors: What’s the Difference?
Free online Russian tutoring services are great to begin your Russian studies, but most students find that a paid service can be a worthy investment to take their language-learning to the next level. Don’t delete your free apps just yet, though, as free services can also serve as a great complement to a paid service as they can promote learning alongside a structured lesson plan.