Language learning 🇨🇭 Zurich, Switzerland Since 1996 4.7 · 442 ratings

EF English Live

Online English school of EF with private and group classes 24/7.

🇬🇧

Visit englishlive.ef.com All companies
learners taught, according to EF
20M
certified teachers
3,000+
levels, CEFR A1 to C2
16
on Trustpilot, 14,916 reviews
4.3

About EF English Live

EF English Live is the online English school of EF Education First, which has its headquarters in Zurich. It started in 1996 as EF Englishtown and took its current name in 2016. Students combine 40-minute private classes, group classes that start every 30 minutes and self-study across 16 levels from A1 to C2, with a certificate after each level. EF English Live does not publish prices: a course consultant quotes a personal plan, and

EF English Live sells online English courses to adults. A course combines private classes with a teacher, group conversation classes, self-study units and AI speaking practice. Teachers work in every time zone, so students book classes at any hour on the web or in the app.

EF Education First, founded by Bertil Hult in Lund in 1965, launched the school in 1996 as EF Englishtown. EF says Apple and Cambridge University supported the first version. In 2016 the school changed its name to EF English Live. It now belongs to Efekta Education Group, EF’s online learning unit.

Customers sign their contract with Education First Corporate Language Training SA in Barcelona, and the terms fall under Swiss law. Signum International AG in Zurich publishes the app and holds the copyright of the site. Companies buy the same courses through EF Corporate Learning.

History

  1. 1965 Bertil Hult founds EF Education First in Lund, Sweden.
  2. 1994 A computer science student proposes to teach English with a computer, according to EF.
  3. 1996 EF launches EF Englishtown, one of the first online English schools.
  4. 2007 Education First Corporate Language Training SA is incorporated in Barcelona on 11 July. It is now the contracting company for EF English Live.
  5. 2011 EF publishes the first EF English Proficiency Index.
  6. 2014 EF launches the free EF Standard English Test, EF SET.
  7. 2015 The EF English Live app appears on the App Store in June.
  8. 2016 EF Englishtown becomes EF English Live. Signum International AG is registered in Lucerne in September.
  9. 2018 The school wins gold at the 2018 Learning Awards, according to EF.
  10. 2026 App version 5.8.6 comes out on 27 August.

Leadership

  • Edward Hult CEO of EF Education First
  • Enio Ohmaye Chief Experience Officer, EF

EF English Live does not name its own managers on its website. Bertil Hult founded EF in 1965.

How EF English Live teaches

per private class
40 min
between group class starts
30 min
levels from A1 to C2
16
  • Personal learning plan from a course consultant
  • Private classes 24/7
  • Group classes every 30 minutes
  • Teachers with TEFL and 2+ years of experience
  • Bilingual teachers for beginners
  • Speech recognition in Efekta Hyperclass
  • 2,000+ AI roleplays
  • Certificate for each level
  • General, Business, Travel English
  • TOEFL and TOEIC preparation
Students who follow their plan move up a level every 12 weeks on average. EF says 132 researchers and academics work on its methods.
EF English Live home page and about page, 7 October 2026

EF English Live languages: 1 to learn

Levels by language, CEFR scale

LanguageA1A2B1B2C1C2Up to
General English C2

From the levels and certificates page on 7 October 2026. The course has 16 levels: 1–3 are A1, 4–6 A2, 7–9 B1, 10–12 B2, 13–15 C1 and level 16 is C2. Each level has 6 units, and EF expects 3 to 4 hours per unit. A placement test sets the starting level, and an exam at the end of each level gives an EF English Live certificate that students can add to LinkedIn.

Levels and exam equivalents

Levels 1–3, Beginner, A12

  • TOEIC Listening and Reading 120–220
  • TOEIC Speaking and Writing 40–70

Levels 4–6, Basic, A23

  • Cambridge KET
  • IELTS below 3
  • TOEIC Listening and Reading 225–545

Levels 7–9, Intermediate, B14

  • Cambridge PET, BEC Preliminary
  • IELTS 4–5
  • TOEFL iBT 57–86
  • TOEIC Listening and Reading 550–780

Levels 10–12, Post-Intermediate, B24

  • Cambridge FCE, BEC Vantage
  • IELTS 5–6
  • TOEFL iBT 87–109
  • TOEIC Listening and Reading 785–940

Levels 13–15, Advanced, C14

  • Cambridge CAE, BEC Higher
  • IELTS 6–7
  • TOEFL iBT 110–120
  • TOEIC Listening and Reading 945

Level 16, Post-Advanced, C22

  • Cambridge CPE
  • IELTS above 7

Equivalents as EF English Live lists them on its levels and certificates page, 7 October 2026. They show where each level sits; the EF English Live certificate does not replace these exams.

Products

  • Private classes One-to-one classes of 40 minutes with a certified Efekta Teacher, bookable 24/7 at least 2 hours ahead. Students choose topics and can rebook the same teacher. Teachers
  • Group classes Live conversation classes with learners of the same level, led by a teacher. A new class starts every 30 minutes, and the teacher grades each student after class. Online classes
  • Self-study course 16 levels from A1 to C2 with 6 units each and more than 2,000 hours of videos, quizzes, reading, grammar games and writing tasks. Each level ends with an exam and a certificate. Levels and certificates
  • AI conversations More than 2,000 roleplays matched to the student’s level, with a feedback report on pronunciation, grammar and fluency. Prompts are available in 18 languages. AI conversations
  • EF English Live app Classes, self-study and progress on iPhone, iPad and Android, synced with the desktop course. Units can be downloaded for offline study. The app works only for current students. App Store
  • EF SET A free English test from EF with results on the CEFR scale. EF English Live offers a 15-minute quick version; efset.org lists 50-minute and 90-minute versions with a certificate. Free test
  • EF Corporate Learning English training for employees with live classes 24/7, 3,000+ hours of content in 18 industries, company-wide testing and real-time reports. English for companies

How much is EF English Live?

  • Personal plan Price on request monthly or fixed term, after a call with a consultant

Is EF English Live free?

No free plan. The EF SET English test is free for everyone. The terms allow occasional trials, which turn into a paid plan unless cancelled before they end.

EF English Live publishes no prices on englishlive.ef.com for the US, the UK or other countries, checked on 7 October 2026. A course consultant calculates a personal price from the course, the number of private and group classes and the study time. Plans run monthly or for a fixed term.

How to cancel EF English Live

Terms
  • Customer Service by email ↗
    1. Write to contact.en@ef.com
    2. Ask to cancel at least 48 hours before the next monthly renewal
    3. Keep the written confirmation
  • Letter ↗
    1. Write to Education First Corporate Language Training SA
    2. Calle Balmes 155, 2a planta, 08008 Barcelona, Spain
    3. Name the account and the plan
  • Private and group classes work on a use-them-or-lose-them basis. In a monthly plan, unused classes expire at the end of each month.
  • A private class can be cancelled up to 8 hours before it starts. Later, the class coupon is lost.
  • A course can be paused for 7 to 60 days in total. The paused time is added to the end of the course.
  • Several Trustpilot reviewers say they found no way to cancel on the site and had to contact an operator.

Refund rules

Cooling-off
14 days from an online or phone purchase to change your mind and get a full refund.
Monthly plan
Renews automatically. Cancel at least 48 hours before renewal. Fees already paid are not refunded.
Fixed-term plan
Can be cancelled within 90 days of the start with a fee of 30% of the amount still to pay. After 90 days the full plan is due.
Package change or discount
A course cannot be cancelled after a package change. Accepting a price reduction commits you to finish the course.
Satisfaction guarantee
First fixed-term course only. Attend one teacher-led class and one self-study unit every week for 12 weeks, then claim in writing within 30 days to get back the amount paid.
Disputes
Swiss law and Swiss courts, unless mandatory law says otherwise.

From the EF English Live subscription terms and contact page, checked on 7 October 2026.

EF English Live for Business

EF Corporate Learning
  • 01Live private and group classes 24/7 for employees.
  • 023,000+ hours of content on 250 topics in 18 industries.
  • 03English testing across the company and real-time reports.
  • 04LMS integration and a customer success team.
  • 05More than 3,000 organisations as clients, according to EF.

Prices on request, no public price list on 7 October 2026.

App ratings

4.3Trustpilot · Excellent 14,916 reviews · company profile claimed in May 2019

App details, App Store US

Current version
5.8.6, released 27 August 2026
First release on iOS
June 2015
Requires
iOS 17 or later
Size
114.6 MB
Age rating
4+ on the App Store, Everyone on Google Play
App Store categories
Education, Lifestyle
Downloads
1M+ on Google Play
Seller
Signum International AG

Is EF English Live worth it?

What learners like

What learners criticise

What learners write in reviews, not our rating. EF English Live quotes a personal price after a call. The terms give 14 days for a full refund, and later cancellation of a fixed-term plan costs 30% of the remaining amount.

EF English Live reviews

  • Hello
    “The teachers are always sympathetic and helpful.”
    Olga · 6 September 2026 · App Store
  • It’s an excellent method that combined…
    “It’s an excellent method that combined self-study, virtual, groupal and private classes.”
    Fredy · 31 August 2026 · App Store
  • Difficult to cancel my membership
    “The monthly payment was $147, which I found expensive.”
    Tahir · 2 September 2026 · App Store

Contacts and company data

Legal entity
Education First Corporate Language Training SA, Calle Balmes 155, 2a planta, 08008 Barcelona, Spain
Contracting company
Education First Corporate Language Training SA, CIF A85175669, Barcelona commercial register
Incorporated
11 July 2007, sole-shareholder SA
App publisher and copyright
Signum International AG, CHE-378.609.045, Selnaustrasse 30, 8001 Zurich
Signum registered
September 2016, in Lucerne
Governing law
Switzerland

Alternatives to EF English Live

How we built this profile

  1. Sources. Facts come from the company’s own website, press room, imprint and careers page, from Wikipedia, the App Store, Google Play and Trustpilot. Every source is listed on the page.
  2. Checks. Kinescope checked every number on 7 October 2026. Prices, ratings and job counts change, and we refresh them with each update.
  3. Our words. Descriptions are written by the Kinescope team. Quotes from reviews are marked with the author and source, and we do not rate the company ourselves.
  4. Corrections. The company can send new facts or corrections, and we update the profile.

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EF English Live FAQ

EF English Live does not publish prices for the US, the UK or other countries. A course consultant quotes a personal price based on the course and the number of private and group classes.

Yes. Private classes last 40 minutes, one to one, and must be booked at least 2 hours ahead. Group conversation classes start every 30 minutes, 24/7, with learners of the same level. Both are open to learners aged 15 and over.

16 levels from beginner to post-advanced, aligned with CEFR A1 to C2. Levels 1–3 are A1, 4–6 A2, 7–9 B1, 10–12 B2, 13–15 C1 and 16 is C2. A placement test sets the starting level.

The EF Standard English Test is a free English test from EF with results on the CEFR scale. EF English Live offers a 15-minute quick version with 20 questions. The full EF SET on efset.org takes 50 minutes for reading and listening or 90 minutes with writing and speaking, and gives a certificate.

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