Best online business English courses for working professionals in 2026: 14 compared
Vendor facts checked · 14 optionsThe short answer
Pick business English training by the gap: live teacher-led classes (British Council, EF, Berlitz) for structure; 1:1 tutors (Preply, italki, Cambly) for flexible conversation; self-paced courses (Coursera, edX, Busuu) for low cost; ELSA for pronunciation; Linguaskill or TOEIC to prove a level. Bodhih Workplace English (₹4,999) measures whether listeners understand you.
Working professionals rarely need more grammar; they need to be understood quickly in calls, meetings and emails. The options differ in who teaches (a teacher, a tutor, an app or nobody), what you get at the end (a certificate, a CEFR level, a test score or nothing) and how price is set.
Facts below come from each provider’s own pages, checked on 24 October 2026. Many providers price by region or by quote; where no price was published we say so.
How we built this list
- Included: online business or workplace English courses, tutoring services, apps and workplace English tests open to individuals.
- Checked for each: the facts in the table, from the provider’s own pages; anything a provider does not publish is marked as such rather than estimated.
- Order: Bodhih’s product is ours, so it is listed first and labelled. The rest are alphabetical by provider. This is a shortlist with facts, not a ranking.
Disclosure: Bodhih publishes this guide and sells the product marked “Our product”. We receive nothing from the other providers listed, and links to them are not affiliate links.
Comparison at a glance
| # | Name | Format | Outcome | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bodhih Workplace English — Spoken & Written (our product) | Self-paced, diagnostic-led | Measured change; no certificate | ₹4,999 + GST ($50) |
| 2 | English Online (with business classes) | Live classes | Certificate with CEFR level | Not shown publicly |
| 3 | Berlitz Virtual Classroom | Live 1:1 / small group | Internal exam | Quote only |
| 4 | English for Business | App, self-paced | CEFR-aligned certificate | Not listed |
| 5 | Linguaskill Business | Test | CEFR B1-C2 result | Via centres |
| 6 | Cambly | Live tutors, on demand | None | From $17/month |
| 7 | Business English Communication Skills | Self-paced course | University certificate | Coursera Plus |
| 8 | English Live – Business English | Blended live + self-study | Level certificates | Quote |
| 9 | ELSA Speak | AI app | None | Free tier + paid |
| 10 | English for Career Development | Self-paced course | Optional certificate | Free to take |
| 11 | italki business English teachers | Live 1:1, pay as you go | None | $4-$60/hour |
| 12 | Preply business English tutors | Live 1:1 tutors | None | From $3/lesson |
| 13 | TOEIC Listening & Reading / Speaking & Writing | Test | CEFR-aligned score | Via local partners |
| 14 | Upper-Intermediate English: Business and Industry | Self-paced MOOC | Optional certificate | Free to audit |
- Our product · Bodhih Training Solutions (Bengaluru, India)
1. Bodhih Workplace English — Spoken & Written
Best for: Professionals who already work in English and want to be understood faster in speech and writing, measured before and after.
Watch out for: No certificate or CEFR level, and no live teacher.
Format Online, self-paced; 25-minute diagnostic, practice units chosen from your weakest readings, one real piece of work reviewed Time About 30 hours over 60 days Price ₹4,999 + GST ($50 outside India); ₹3,999 per company seat Outcome Diagnostic re-run at the end and at 90 days; no exam or certificate; never coaches accent See Bodhih Workplace English — Spoken & Written on Bodhih · Source: bodhih.org
- British Council
2. English Online (with business classes)
Best for: Professionals who want live teacher-led classes from a well-known institution.
Watch out for: Prices are not shown on the plan page, and the entry plan is group classes only.
Format Live online group classes (up to 10) or 1:1, plus AI speaking practice Outcome British Council certificate with CEFR level and hours Price Monthly or 12-month plans; price not shown publicly; 7-day free trial on some plans British Council website · Source: englishonline.britishcouncil.org
- Berlitz
3. Berlitz Virtual Classroom
Best for: Companies or senior professionals who want role-specific instructor-led programmes.
Watch out for: Quote-only pricing aimed at corporate buyers.
Format Live online 1:1 or small groups, tailored to industry and role Outcome Quizzes and final exam in Berlitz’s LMS Price Quote only Berlitz website · Source: berlitz.com
- Busuu
4. English for Business
Best for: Busy professionals who want short mobile lessons on emails, meetings and negotiating.
Watch out for: No live teachers; feedback comes from other users.
Format Self-paced app lessons with community feedback Outcome CEFR-aligned Busuu certificate Price Not listed on the course page Busuu website · Source: busuu.com
- Cambridge University Press & Assessment
5. Linguaskill Business
Best for: Employers and professionals who need recognised proof of workplace English level.
Watch out for: A test, not training, and mostly bought through organisations or centres.
Format Online adaptive test: reading, listening, writing, speaking Outcome CEFR score report, B1 to C2 Price Through centres or organisations Cambridge University Press & Assessment website · Source: cambridgeenglish.org
- Cambly
6. Cambly
Best for: Professionals who want on-demand conversation practice with recordings.
Watch out for: Displayed prices are promotional “from” rates; no certificate.
Format Live video lessons with native-speaker tutors, 1:1 or small groups; a 10-lesson Business English course Outcome No certificate mentioned Price From $17 a month (small groups) or $39 a month (1:1), promotional, as displayed Cambly website · Source: cambly.com
- University of Washington (on Coursera)
7. Business English Communication Skills
Best for: Intermediate learners who want structured practice with a university certificate.
Watch out for: No live teacher; most learners take 6-7 months.
Format Self-paced, 5 courses (networking, meetings, negotiating, presentations, capstone) Outcome University of Washington certificate via Coursera Price Coursera Plus $59 a month or $399 a year; financial aid available University of Washington (on Coursera) website · Source: coursera.org
- EF Education First
8. English Live – Business English
Best for: Learners who want an industry-specific business syllabus with frequent live classes.
Watch out for: No public price; the money-back guarantee has weekly activity conditions.
Format Live private and group classes plus 24/7 self-study; 28 business and 17 industry units Outcome Certificate per level; free EF SET placement Price Quote after enquiry EF Education First website · Source: englishlive.ef.com
- ELSA
9. ELSA Speak
Best for: Professionals whose main gap is spoken clarity in meetings and presentations.
Watch out for: No human teacher and little on writing.
Format AI app: pronunciation feedback and workplace role-plays Outcome No certificate mentioned Price Free tier; paid upgrade ELSA website · Source: elsaspeak.com
- University of Pennsylvania (on Coursera)
10. English for Career Development
Best for: Non-native speakers who want a free introduction to job-search and workplace English.
Watch out for: Focused on job search, not daily business communication.
Format Self-paced course Outcome Optional paid certificate Price Free to take; certificate paid or via financial aid University of Pennsylvania (on Coursera) website · Source: coursera.org
- italki
11. italki business English teachers
Best for: Budget-conscious learners who want to pay per lesson with no subscription.
Watch out for: No structured curriculum; you judge teacher quality yourself.
Format Live 1:1 lessons, pay per lesson Outcome None Price About $4 to $60 an hour, set by each teacher italki website · Source: italki.com
- Preply
12. Preply business English tutors
Best for: Professionals who want a tutor matched to their industry and schedule.
Watch out for: Quality varies by tutor; no certificate.
Format Live 1:1 lessons with independent tutors Outcome None Price Set by tutors; from $3 a lesson; business tutors shown at $25-$100 per 50 minutes Preply website · Source: preply.com
- ETS
13. TOEIC Listening & Reading / Speaking & Writing
Best for: Professionals whose employer asks for a TOEIC score.
Watch out for: Measures English but does not teach it.
Format Workplace English test Outcome Score report aligned to the CEFR Price Through local ETS partners ETS website · Source: ets.org
- Universitat Politècnica de València (on edX)
14. Upper-Intermediate English: Business and Industry
Best for: Upper-intermediate learners who want free business vocabulary practice.
Watch out for: edX’s page gives no duration or certificate price.
Format Self-paced MOOC Outcome Optional paid edX certificate Price Free to audit Universitat Politècnica de València (on edX) website · Source: edx.org
How to choose
Choose by the gap you need to close
Start from what goes wrong at work today.
| If the problem is… | Look at |
|---|---|
| People ask you to repeat yourself | ELSA; Bodhih Workplace English; 1:1 tutors |
| Meetings and presentations | Coursera (University of Washington); British Council; EF |
| Emails and reports | Bodhih Workplace English (reviewed work); EF; Busuu |
| You need a certificate or score | Linguaskill Business; TOEIC; British Council (CEFR) |
| Low budget, flexible time | Coursera (Penn, free to take); edX; italki |
Questions people ask next
What is the best online business English course for working professionals?
It depends on the gap: live classes (British Council, EF, Berlitz) for structure, 1:1 tutors (Preply, italki, Cambly) for conversation, Coursera for a self-paced certificate, ELSA for pronunciation and Bodhih Workplace English (₹4,999 + GST) for measured clarity at work.
How can I prove my business English level?
Take a workplace English test such as Cambridge Linguaskill Business (CEFR B1 to C2) or ETS TOEIC. Cambridge BEC has been discontinued outside China.
Is there a business English course in India?
Bodhih Workplace English is an online course from Bengaluru at ₹4,999 + GST. British Council, EF, Cambly, Preply and italki also serve learners in India, with local or USD pricing.
Why is Bodhih listed first?
Because it is our product and we say so. The rest are listed alphabetically, facts come from their own pages, and every entry has a “watch out for” line.