BaseLang Review 2025: Pros & Cons from a Traveler
I’m no stranger to learning Spanish. I can still picture myself sitting in Señora Fielhauer’s class, slogging through endless verb drills. Fast forward many years, and all those drills felt pretty useless — my Spanish had slipped away, and apps like Duolingo were only getting me so far. When I actually traveled to Spanish-speaking countries, I found myself constantly stumbling over words or, worse, staying silent altogether.
Sound familiar? Maybe you’ve been there too — wanting to speak confidently, or at least order dinner without feeling embarrassed. That’s where BaseLang comes in.
Over the years, I’ve tried just about everything: private tutors, free apps, self-study, and more. But BaseLang has been the one approach that actually moved me from mediocre to confident in real conversations.
In this review, I’ll walk you through what BaseLang is, highlight the pros and cons from my own experience, and share why it might just be the best option for travelers (or anyone) who’s serious about learning Spanish.
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Let’s cut to the best part of this review!
Use code veggiesabroad to save $10 on your first month! In addition to that, your first week of the Real World program is only $1!
Sign Up Now!What is BaseLang?
BaseLang is an online Spanish learning platform that gives students unlimited access to one-on-one lessons with native Spanish teachers for a flat monthly fee. Instead of paying per class, you can take as many lessons as you want — whether that’s one a week or several hours every day. Lessons are conducted over Zoom, and you can book them on demand or schedule in advance, making it incredibly flexible for people with busy or unpredictable schedules.
The platform offers two main programs: Real World, which focuses on building practical, conversational Spanish quickly, and Bootcamp, an intensive method designed to help students learn and start speaking fast. BaseLang also provides a structured curriculum, learning materials, and access to a wide range of teachers from across Latin America, giving students exposure to different accents and cultural nuances.
For travelers, BaseLang stands out because it emphasizes real-life communication with native speakers — ordering food, asking for directions, meeting new people — the exact kind of Spanish you’ll need on the ground in Spanish-speaking countries.
Why BaseLang is a Good Option for Travelers
Now, I think this is where BaseLang might really set itself apart. Unlike apps, you get real life communication practice with people who might live (or have lived) in the places that you’re traveling. This isn’t experience you can get from an app or a text book, it’s pure learning gold!
With this opportunity, you can get speaking insights on things like if certain verb forms are generally used, do people use Usted (the formal way of saying “you”), slang phrases, and so much more. This is the best way to take your learning from basic to brilliant and I promise, locals will be impressed. So often I get asked, “You don’t sound like a gringa, where did you learn Spanish?”
And, honestly, that’s the best feeling in the world when you can connect with someone in their language and also impress them!
The Programs BaseLang Offers
BaseLang currently offers two programs: Real World and Bootcamp. I have only used Real World, but can give you an overview of each.
Real World
With this program, you pay a monthly fee and get unlimited one-on-one live lessons with native-speaker teachers. You can schedule classes at your leisure, based on your schedule. There are no requirements.
Real World follows a structured curriculum from beginner to advanced + “electives” for specific topics like travel, business, etc. This is ideal if you want flexibility, budget-friendly ongoing learning, and gradual improvement. It’s great for travelers who want to build conversational skills over time, not under tight deadlines.
I’ve really enjoyed the flexibility of this program. I try to schedule classes Monday – Friday, depending on my schedule for either 30 minutes or an hour. Sometimes my schedule is challenging and during those times, I just schedule as I go. I don’t love doing it that way (I prefer things to be set in advance) but appreciate that it’s an option.
You can also try this program for a week for just $1! Wait, it gets better! Use the code: veggiesabroad to save $10 on your first month!
Bootcamp
From the name, you can probably already tell that this program is more intense. This is an intensive/immersive program with 80 total hours of lessons over either one month (intensive) or two months (semi-intensive). Classes are a fixed schedule with a dedicated teacher.
With this program, it’s really focused on getting you to speak and less about following a curriculum. This is ideal if you have the time and motivation to go heavy for a short period. It’s great if you have an upcoming trip, want fast results, or prefer a structured, intense schedule.
I think Bootcamp is a great idea if you need to jump start your learning or are only learning for something that’s happening soon, like a trip or event. This article does a great job breaking down the differences in the programs in case you’re on the fence with which one is best for you.
You have to keep in mind that with learning a language it takes consistent practice, so you could gain a ton from intensive practice but if you don’t keep working at it, it will all go out the window! Adios!
Learn about Bootcamp
BaseLang Review: What Are the Pros?
There are a lot of things that I love about using BaseLang, I think these three are the most important.
Flexibility
If you’re on the Real World program, you can schedule classes based upon your schedule. If you want to schedule a class in 30 minutes, you will probably find an available teacher. Need one before or after work? No problem!
Also, if you schedule a class and need to cancel it, that’s no problem. The program is really built with the absolute flexibility for learners. They’ve done a great job with breaking down barriers that would get in the way of learning.
Ability to Learn from Native Speakers
While flexibility is great, I think this might be my favorite thing about BaseLang. You have the opportunity to learn from people who live all over Latin America. Now, if you haven’t learned Spanish before you might be thinking, well, Spanish is Spanish, right? Wrong! The language can vary from country to country with things like pronunciation, verb forms, use of slang, and more.
I will be traveling to Ecuador and have been working with multiple teachers from Quito and it’s been so helpful to hear their pronunciation and get their insights! In many ways, I have had the opportunity to learn more than just the language from them.
Opportunity to Speak and/or Follow a Curriculum
While Spanish class with Señora Fielhauer was a helpful jumpstart, if you don’t actually use the language, knowing verb tenses and vocabulary won’t do you any good! When you schedule a class, you can tell the teacher if you’re like to continue with the curriculum lesson or just practice speaking.
Often, I will schedule and hour lesson and the first 30 minutes we will just talk. We cover topics like current event, what it’s like to live where we live, work, and more. These are all terrific for stretching your language skills and building confidence to actually use the language wherever you’re going.
Doing this has truly raised the bar on my speaking abilities. I’ve been able to having meetings for my job in Spanish and even gave directions to a driver in Costa Rica because his phone died! Prior to BaseLang I wouldn’t have been able to do it. Many other users share similar stories in their reviews, too!
BaseLang Review: What Are the Cons?
While there is a lot to love, there are a couple things that I think could use some improvement.
Teacher Consistency
Every teacher has their own way of teaching; some will work for you and some won’t, but I think this is the case with any type of class. I’m sure thinking back over the classes you’ve taken in school, some teachers really stand out while others missed the mark. It’s the same with BaseLang.
There are two teachers that I love having classes with but it took a little time to find them. Usually if I need to use a different teacher, I will just schedule 30-minutes so that will give me a sense if this person could be a good fit for the future.
I’ve never had a bad session, just a few that I didn’t feel like I got out of it as much as I wanted.
No Teachers in Spain
If you’re traveling to Spain and really want to learn from someone in Madrid, you will have to wait a little longer. Currently teachers are mostly from South America (also a few from Mexico). The biggest thing you will miss with this is that they don’t teach the Vosotros verb tense. It’s not so crucial that you will be stumped in Spain, it’s just a good thing to know ahead of time.
I have traveled to Spain while using BaseLang and haven’t had any communication issues.
Are there Alternatives to BaseLang?
There are some similar platforms but nothing quite like BaseLang, these include:
- Private tutoring or group classes.
- For the private tutoring you can choose a standard plan of three classes per week or the plus plan of five classes per week.
- Private and group sessions.
- There are two options for classes they have a starter plan with 10 classes per month or a premium plan which is an unlimited number of classes. The plans are for private and group sessions.
I haven’t tested out either of these but upon first glance, they don’t seem to have quite the level of flexibility as BaseLang.
Other learning tools that I use include Duolingo, Conjuguemos, and various podcasts (I really like the “How to Spanish” podcast). All of these are great to reinforce what I learn from the teachers in BaseLang but none of them could replace BaseLang.
Is BaseLang Worth it?
Absolutely, BaseLang is 100% worth it. It is one of the best investments you can make if you’re serious about learning Spanish. What makes it stand out is that it works for all levels — whether you’re just starting out, brushing off the dust from high school Spanish, or looking to refine advanced skills. And, that you get to learn from native speakers.
Consistency is the key to mastering any language, and BaseLang makes it easy to stay on track with unlimited one-on-one lessons. Instead of relearning the same basics every few years, you can finally build momentum and keep improving.
And with the $1 trial week (and $10 off your first month with code: veggiesabroad) of the Real World program, you can test it out with virtually no risk. If you’ve ever wanted to speak Spanish with confidence, there’s really nothing to lose by giving BaseLang a try. Listo?
Start Learning Now!BaseLang Review Wrap Up
Now that you’re on your way to mastering your Spanish skills, it’s time to start planning where to go! Check out these Spanish speaking destinations.
