Public speaking classes

Workshops in person, coaching, Toastmasters and online courses build confidence through practice; pick one of the four kinds by budget, schedule and whether you need a live audience.

In-Person & Corporate Seminars
Community & Peer Groups
Online & Self-Paced Courses
1-on-1 Coaching

Last reviewed October 15, 2026

All 7 class types shown. Tick a filter to narrow the list.

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Types of public speaking classes compared
Type	What happens in class	Live audience?	Typical length	Cost	Best for	How to find one near you
Top pick: best between classes AI practice appConfidently	Two random words, 30 seconds out loud: scores for voice and face out of 10, a filler-word count and the one thing to fix first. Then daily practice games.Limits: no live human audience, no certificate.	No, you practice alone	30 seconds a rep, any time	Free 30-second test	Daily reps with instant feedback, before and between classes	On your phone: App Store or Google Play
In-Person & Corporate Seminars	Small-group workshop: you present, get 1-on-1 coaching and watch your talks on video	Yes, the class	2 days	$2,295 to $2,395 per person¹	A big work talk coming up; often paid by employers	Provider schedule pages; search your city plus "public speaking class"
Community & Peer GroupsToastmasters	Self-run club meetings with no instructor; members work through an education program	Yes, club members	Meetings of 1 to 2 hours, ongoing	$72 every six months, plus a one-time $25 fee¹	Regular, low-cost stage time	Toastmasters Find a Club, in person or online
Community college classnon-credit	Teacher-led course, open to the public on a non-credit basis	Yes, classmates	About 7 weeks, two sessions a week	$320 per course at LaGuardia¹	Structure and a teacher at a low price	Your local college's continuing-education catalog
Online & Self-Paced Courses	Video lessons and quizzes; some have you record speeches for peer review	No	About 1 to 10 hours	Free to start; certificates usually paid¹	Theory on your own schedule	Coursera, edX, LinkedIn Learning, Alison
1-on-1 Coaching	A coach works on your own talk, your voice and your delivery	Your coach	Per session	Varies; check current price	One high-stakes talk	Search "public speaking coach near me", or book online
Workshops & events	One-off workshops and 1-day trainings, often with peer feedback	Yes, other attendees	Often 1 day	Free to paid¹	Trying a class before you commit	Eventbrite or Meetup: "public speaking" plus your city

¹ Checked on each provider's own page on October 15, 2026: Fearless Presentations ($2,295) and Dale Carnegie Public Speaking Mastery (US$ 2,395), both 2 days; Toastmasters dues (some clubs add fees); LaGuardia Community College, Winter 2027; Coursera, edX, LinkedIn Learning, Alison; Eventbrite listings from $0.00. Confirm before you book.

Classes teach it. Reps make it stick.

Every class type above gives you the skill. What changes how you sound is repetition with feedback, and most classes meet once a week at best. Confidently is the daily practice layer: 30 seconds on your phone, scored right away.

Scores for your voice and your face, out of 10
Your filler words, counted
The one thing to fix first, then daily practice games

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What the practice data shows

Sessions scored: 8,184
Sessions 6 to 10: +6.6% confidence
Average score: 6.22 to 6.63 out of 10

Source: Confidently practice data.

Find a class near you

Finding a public speaking class near you means searching the five places classes are listed. Each shows schedules, prices and format, and most let you narrow the list to classes near your home or office, or to online sessions you can join from anywhere.

Toastmasters club finder. 15,800 clubs in 149 countries. Enter your city and filter by schedule and format.toastmasters.org/find-a-club
Community college catalog. Look under continuing education.[your county] community college public speaking
Eventbrite and Meetup. Filter by Free or This weekend.public speaking classes [your city]
Library and adult-ed programs. Check their event calendars.[your city] library public speaking workshop
Your employer. Ask HR; some companies buy seats in public classes.presentation skills training

What a good class covers

A good public speaking class is one that makes you speak, not just listen. It means every session puts you on your feet. The value of a class is the feedback on your own speaking.

Structure: Knowing your audience; building a talk from an outline.
Delivery: Voice, gestures and eye contact.
Stage fright: Stage fright (fear of public speaking), with methods you rehearse.
Live practice: Speaking to the group, with feedback from peers or a coach.
Video review: Watching yourself back.
Q&A: Handling tough questions.

Classes meet weekly at best, so the reps in between are on you: here is how to improve public speaking between classes. Wondering how to practice with no audience? A 30-second scored rep on your phone does the job.

Are public speaking classes worth it?

A public speaking class is worth it when it gives you practice you can't get alone. It means paying for stage time and feedback, not information. The value of a class depends on what's included: Fearless Presentations' $2,295 tuition covers 2 days with 1-on-1 coaching and a certificate of completion; Toastmasters gives regular stage time for $72 every six months.

A meta-analysis of 30 randomized trials found that psychological interventions reduce the fear of public speaking, and that technology-assisted ones work as well as face-to-face ones. Building public speaking confidence takes reps: in Confidently's data, scores by sessions 6 to 10 averaged 6.6% higher than the first try.

Free options

Free public speaking classes exist, mostly online or as one-off events. They let you test a format before paying.

Eventbrite's Free filter, for events in your city.
Coursera's Introduction to Public Speaking: enroll for free; the certificate is paid.
edX's RITx Public Speaking: audit for free; the certificate is $199.
Alison's Public Speaking course: free, about 1.5 to 3 hours.
A Toastmasters visit: you can sit in and watch without speaking.
The Confidently 30-second test: free on iPhone and Android.

Before any class, read these free public speaking tips to start with.

Reader questions

What people ask most, answered short.

Are there free public speaking classes?

Yes, a few. Eventbrite lets you filter events to Free, the online courses in the list above are free to start, and at Toastmasters you can visit a club and just watch.

Which course is best for public speaking?

Depends on the goal. For theory on your own time, Coursera's Introduction to Public Speaking (University of Washington) is a good start: about 10 hours, with recorded speeches for peer review. For a big work talk, a 2-day seminar adds live coaching. Either way, add daily reps: the free 30-second test in Confidently scores your voice, your face and your filler words.

Are public speaking classes worth it?

Yes, if the class makes you speak. Watching lessons won't calm your nerves; standing up and getting feedback will.

What are 7 speaking skills?

There's no official list. A popular one is the 7 P's: pronunciation, pace, pause, punch, power, passion and posture, as taught at Archbishop Beck Catholic College. A good class drills most of them.

Sources

Last reviewed October 15, 2026.