Set your budget from the market range first
The quickest way to narrow a long list of TEFL providers is to look at the spread of prices and course lengths across the market. Entry prices in our range of listings run €109 to €1,650, and course lengths run 120 to 170 hours. That is a wide spread, so the cheapest course is rarely the whole story. Read the TEFL courses rankings first so you know which providers sit at the short, low cost end and which sit at the longer, higher cost end.
Compare what the entry price actually buys
Two of the three providers here publish a starting price. TEFL Global lists a starting price of £169.50, and International TEFL and TESOL Training lists a starting price of $249. Because those figures are quoted in different currencies, compare them in the currency you will actually be charged in, and check the payment terms shown on the provider's listing before you enroll.
Now read the qualification level next to the price. International TEFL and TESOL Training sells a Level 4 course, while TEFL Global sells a Level 3 course. A lower headline price can still be attached to a higher qualification level, so price and level belong in the same line of your shortlist rather than separate lists.
Weigh contact hours and delivery format together
Course length is the easiest comparison to get wrong, because providers can label similar workloads differently. Here the contact hours are close: International TEFL and TESOL Training lists 120 hours, TEFL Global lists 120 hours and The TEFL Institute lists 120 hours, each awarding a TEFL certificate.
Delivery changes what those hours feel like. International TEFL and TESOL Training offers online and in person study, so you can pick a classroom option if you want face to face practice. TEFL Global and The TEFL Institute list online study only, which suits anyone who needs a flexible schedule around work.
Work out the pace and how long you keep access
Hours tell you how much work there is, not how long you have to finish it. TEFL Global gives a completion window of 6 to 12 weeks, and The TEFL Institute gives a completion window of 2 to 4 weeks. A short window suits a motivated learner with a fixed deadline, while a longer one gives you slack for a slow month.
Access length is a separate question. The TEFL Institute lists access for 6 months, so check that the window still covers the deadline you have in mind. If you want to try the material before you pay, The TEFL Institute offers a free trial of 3 days, though there is no free tier, so nothing is available indefinitely.
Look for fees that appear after you finish
The entry price is rarely the only amount you pay. The TEFL Institute lists a certificate fee of $0 on top of the course, which is a detail worth checking on every listing. Ask two questions of each provider: is the exam fee included, and is the certificate charged separately? TEFL Global and The TEFL Institute both include the exam fee, and The TEFL Institute also includes assessments.
Certificate naming matters too, because employers and visa offices read them differently. The TEFL Institute offers completion and professional certificates, so check which one you actually receive at the end. It also lists accreditation through deac and credit recognition through cpd and ofqual, which matters if you need the training to count towards professional development in your country.
Compare support, tutor help and job support
Support is where online courses differ most after the first week. International TEFL and TESOL Training offers tutor support and lists email, phone and help centre support, including a help centre. TEFL Global also offers tutor support, but its listed contact channel is email only, so ask yourself whether email alone is enough for the kind of questions you expect to ask.
All three providers offer job support, and none of them includes a practicum, so classroom practice is not part of any of these programmes. If teaching in a real classroom matters to you, plan to find that experience elsewhere or choose a provider that includes in person study, which is an option at International TEFL and TESOL Training. Age is also a signal: International TEFL and TESOL Training has traded since 1998, while The TEFL Institute was founded in 2017.
Read the reviews with your shortlist in hand
Once you have a shortlist and your own notes on price, hours, pace and fees, the provider reviews are most useful for things the fact sheets leave out, such as how quickly questions get answered and how the materials are organised. Read the International TEFL and TESOL Training review, the TEFL Global review and the The TEFL Institute review against the same checklist, so each provider is judged on the same points.
Finish by confirming two things directly before you pay: the total cost of the course plus any certificate fee, and the date your access ends. Providers often list a money back period as well, and these differ sharply, with 3 days at International TEFL and TESOL Training compared with 14 days at TEFL Global. A longer window is real insurance, so it belongs in your final decision.