15 Trusted Online YTT Certifications From $347 (Highly-Rated & Yoga Alliance Approved)

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Hey future yoga teacher! I wrote this article in June of 2020 when I was researching and reviewing all of the online yoga teacher training certification courses and online yoga schools you'll read about below. This article is current for 2025's suggested YTTs, and I'm thrilled that you will discover the best online yoga teacher training for you from reading it.

As a Certified Yoga Teacher, I share my insight as a yoga instructor and recommend fifteen worthwhile Yoga Alliance accredited online yoga teacher certification programs that are highly rated and worth it based on my analysis and alumni reviews.

I've included each school's Yoga Alliance review scores, my personal evaluation of each yoga instructor course, what each includes, the price, and more.

In 200-hr yoga teacher training, you’ll study yoga philosophy, yoga lifestyle, the business of yoga, pranayama, yoga anatomy, meditation, and so much more. Becoming a yoga teacher will challenge you and encourage personal growth. I’m excited for you!

Even though I had been practicing yoga for over 15 years when I did yoga teacher training online with Aligned Yoga, I was most familiar with the asana (yoga posture) aspect of yoga. But yoga is so much more than that, which is why I recommend YTT to learn about yoga beyond the poses.

According to Yoga Alliance, there are over 100,000 Registered Yoga Teachers, 7,000 Registered Yoga Schools, and an estimated 38 million yoga practitioners in the United States.

You’ll want to stand out from the thousands of other yoga teachers, and one way of doing that is by starting with an amazing education. You want to avoid YTTs that don't offer exceptional training.

⬇My Top 3 Recommendations For Yoga Teacher Training Online⬇

Best Price

• Yoga Alliance: 4.8/5
• 2,400+ reviews
• Self-paced
• $1,200 in free bonuses
• Offers 12+ yoga certifications
• Founded in 2015

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Most Heartfelt

• Yoga Alliance 5/5
• Deep & transformational
• Google: 4.9/5
• Curated certification paths
• Online or in-person in Bali
• Use code
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Most Popular

• Yoga Alliance 4.92/5
• Learn 4 yoga styles
• Expert educator
• Self-paced
• Use code
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FOR 10% OFF
(If paid in full)

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Understanding yoga teacher training

Online yoga instructor certification courses meet the same certification requirements as in-person yoga teacher training.

While there are two main formats for online YTT (self-paced and cohort), the programs will all cover the required subjects for certification, which are:

1. Techniques, training, practice: 75 hours
2. Anatomy & physiology: 30 hours
3. Yoga humanities: 30 hours
4. Professional essentials: 50 hours

Formats of online yoga training courses

There are two main formats of online yoga teacher training courses, self-paced and cohort, both of which are included in this guide. Here's how the two formats for online YTT differ:

• Self-paced: You can start the course as soon as you enroll. You finish lessons as your schedule permits and progress through the course as a solo student.
• Cohort: You start the course on the date the training begins. You finish lessons in sync with your classmates, and there are set dates for live group calls. You progress through the course and finish the course with fellow students.

Pros and cons of self-paced vs cohort training

Self-paced courses offer the most flexibility, so it could be the best training choice if you have a family, a part-time job, or other obligations. I did a self-paced yoga teacher training and found it very challenging to stay on track, but I found that creating a training schedule for myself really helped with this.

A cohort training is more interactive, and because you meet with your classmates and teachers weekly online, it's easier to stay accountable. However, to actually be on the weekly calls, you will want to ensure that calls are being offered at times that work for your schedule and timezone.

5 reasons to do yoga teacher training

While there are many reasons to do YTT, here are 5 top reasons I recommend doing a yoga course:

1. Deepen your yoga practice: Under the guidance of expert yoga educators, you'll refine your alignment, master new poses, and improve your overall practice. While studying into the ancient teachings of yoga, you’ll gain a profound understanding of yoga philosophy, asanas (poses), pranayama (breathing techniques), and meditation. 
2. Gain comprehensive yoga knowledge: You will broaden your yoga vocabulary, learning the anatomical and physiological details of each pose, along with their Sanskrit and English names. You'll deepen your mind-body awareness to refine your practice and prevent injuries for both yourself and future students. Additionally, you'll gain knowledge about sequencing, class structure, and adjustments, enabling you to create safe, well-rounded yoga classes. You'll also learn about Yoga Alliance.
3. Focus on your personal growth: Yoga teacher training goes beyond mastering asanas; it's a transformative journey of self-discovery. Through mindfulness and meditation, you'll deepen introspection, gain mental clarity, and foster self-acceptance, cultivating a positive mindset that influences all aspects of life.
4. Create connections with like-minded peers: Connect with a community of like-minded individuals who share your passion for yoga. Collaborate, exchange ideas, and learn from the experiences of fellow trainees.
5. Empowering yourself as a certified yoga teacher: After completing the 200-hour yoga teacher training, you'll receive your certification, qualifying you to teach yoga and share your unique style and voice with others.

Our rating systems for online yoga teacher training programs

We determined that these are the best online yoga teacher training courses by analyzing key data points to comprehensively understand each course. The main factors we considered for each training are reputation, materials and support, and the final practicum (exam) process.

We derived our rating system, which assesses the above aspects of each school’s training and assigns a score. Details about our rating system.

How to navigate this guide to yoga teacher training online

This guide lists the trainings by price from lowest to highest, ranging from $333 to $2,850.

Choosing the right online yoga certification is an important decision and a big step! You’re not just investing hours of your life in training. You’re also choosing the yoga trainers who will shape you as an instructor.

You don’t want to find yourself halfway through one online yoga certificate course wishing you had chosen a different one. Or worse yet, not finishing the one you enrolled in!

To help you make an informed decision, I included the following criteria for each of the Yoga Alliance Registered Schools included in this article:

• Yoga Alliance Overall School Rating & NPS (Net Promoter Score)
• Google and/or Facebook reviews of the school

To ensure that you have the most important details about each online YTT, I also included all of the need-to-know information, including: 

• The price
• The next start date
• What’s covered in the syllabus
• The type of training it is
• Course access allowances
• Style of yoga taught
• The materials each course includes 
• The credentials of the yoga teacher trainers
• The Yoga Alliance school registration levels
• The refund policy

Digital products like courses are often on sale. That said, you need to look at each school's website for the current prices & promos.

So, without further ado, let's get right to it.

15 Loved Online Yoga Teacher Training Courses You Can Start Today

1. YogaRenew

200-hour certification

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YogaRenew overall ratings

YogaRenew is a leader in the online yoga teacher training space. This school has graduated thousands of yoga teachers worldwide from its self-paced 200-hour yoga teacher training, which costs only $333.

This esteemed online yoga school has a rating of 4.9 on TrustPilot based on 2,891 reviews, 2,861 of which have been verified.

As a student at YogaRenew, you'll study the Vinyasa lineage from a qualified team of educators led by Patrick Franco (E-RYT 500) and Kate Lombardo (E-RYT 500).

When I spoke to Nicolas Goudy, co-founder of YogaRenew, he informed me that all of the YogaRenew teacher trainers are RYT-500s. This means that students at YogaRenew study under experienced instructors at this online yoga academy. (A RYT-500 has completed the required 500 hours of training and logged a minimum of 100 hours of teaching experience.)

Students rave about Joe, the anatomy instructor, and Julie, the philosophy teacher, as well as the private Facebook community and live Zoom classes. These are a few of the reasons why the consensus among most YogaRenew grads is that YogaRenew is the best online yoga teacher training certification.

With lifetime access to all of the course content, updates, and live training, you can take it at your own pace, refresh yourself on the content in the years to come, and attend all future workshops to stay current on your knowledge.

YogaRenew syllabus

YogaRenew rating & review scores

YogaRenew student review

YogaRenew YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 92%

Yoga Alliance Overall Rating: 4.79/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: 8.8/10

Materials & support: ★★☆

The course includes: A digital yoga teacher training manual, PDF study flashcards, access to a private Facebook community group with over 25,000 members, and weekly live Zoom training sessions.

Not included: A printed yoga teacher training manual and the additional required reading assignments which include, Teaching Yoga: Essential Foundations and Techniques by Mark Stephens and The Art & Business of Teaching Yoga by Amy Ippoliti.

Final practicum: Easy

To earn your yoga instructor certification online with YogaRenew, you'll need to complete all required coursework, pass all quizzes, and submit written yoga class sequences. The YogaRenew final practicum requirement does not include a video component, which some would say is a drawback to this training.

This online yoga teacher training offers 12 additional free bonuses valued at $1200 (learn about the bonuses below in the info box.)

YogaRenew key takeaways

2. Online Yoga School

200-hour certification

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Online Yoga School has created quite a buzz in the yoga teacher training space having collected nearly 5,000 5-star reviews on Yoga Alliance from previous grads.

The founder of this yoga school, Steph Ball-Mitchell has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, Apple News, The Guardian, and more.

Steph has extensively studied Restorative, Yin, Power yoga, pelvic floor yoga, accessible yoga, and she is a Grand Master of Meditation through Swami Vidyanand. From all of this training she has curated countless core yoga certification courses and continuing education courses.

This course offers lifetime access and graduates can be added to Online Yoga School's yoga teacher directory.

Online Yoga School syllabus

Online Yoga School rating & review scores

Online yoga School student review

Online Yoga School YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 92%

Yoga Alliance Overall Rating: 4.82/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: 8.9/10

Materials & support: ★★☆

The course includes: A digital yoga teacher training manual, live Zoom training sessions.

Not included: A printed yoga teacher training manual and the additional recommended reading assignments.

Final practicum: Easy

To graduate from Online Yoga School, you'll need to submit your 50 hour home practice log, 3 postural assessments, 5 asana forms, 5 class plans, final teaching project worksheet, and your final exam. The Online Yoga School final practicum requirement does not include a video component, which some would say is a drawback to this training.

Online Yoga School key takeaways

3. YogaDownload

200-hour certification

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In 2024 YogaDownload entered the online YTT space with their brand new 200-hour online yoga teacher training. This Yoga Alliance-accredited program combines flexibility, in-depth content, and expert instruction. It has already garnered five star reviews across the board from graduates.

This self-paced course covers all essential areas of yoga, including asana practice, anatomy, yoga philosophy, and teaching methodology. The comprehensive curriculum includes modules on Vinyasa flow, Pranayama, meditation and yoga history, giving you a well rounded education.

The YogaDownload course was created by Alanna Kaivalya who has been a yoga teacher trainer since 2003. Alanna developed her own teaching methodology called The Kaivalya Yoga Method and she has written, developed, and led teacher trainings around the world.

Alanna is supported by three course mentors, Elizabeth Rowan (E-RYT200, RYT500), Avery Westlund (ERYT200, RYT500), and Andrew Hoffman.

I love the Kaivalya Yoga Method which is a blend of modern and traditional teaching and emphasizes empowering students to find their own voice rather than sticking to one lineage.

YogaDownload syllabus

YogaDownload rating & review scores

YogaDownload YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 100%

Yoga Alliance overall rating: 5/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: N/A

Materials & support: ★★☆

Final practicum: Easy

Yoga Download key takeaways

4. Siddhi Yoga International

200-hour certification

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Siddhi Yoga overall ratings

Siddhi Yoga International registered with Yoga Alliance in 2016, and it's a great self-paced budget online yoga teacher training program that costs under $500 for 200h yoga teacher training.

While Siddhi Yoga has been running in-person yoga teacher trainings around the world in India and Sri Lanka, they now focus mainly on online yoga certification courses. Notably, this yoga school has graduated 3,000 yoga teachers in 125 countries.

The lead teachers at Siddhi Yoga are Dr. Sumit of Rishikesh, who has a Master's degree in Physical Therapy and is a YACEP, Shobhit Ghanshyala (E-RYT 500, YACEP), and Yogacharya Sandeep Pandey, who has a Master's degree in Yoga and Indian Philosophy from Uttarakhand Sanskrit University. This is an unusual opportunity to study under Indian yoga teachers online.

Students can join as many of the Live Q&A weekend sessions held on Saturdays and Sundays which include discussions and feedback from teachers.

Siddhi offers over fifteen different online yoga courses. Additional courses beyond 200 hour, 300 hour and 500 hour include Chair Yoga, Ayurveda Nutritionist, Prenatal, Mindfulness, Mudras, Chakras, among others. All courses are offered in English and a selection of courses are offered in Hindi, also.

Siddhi Yoga syllabus

Siddhi Yoga rating & review scores

Siddhi Yoga student review

Siddhi Yoga YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 93%

Yoga Alliance overall rating: 4.81/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: 9/10

Materials & support: ★★☆

Training includes: A digital yoga teacher training manual, live Zoom training sessions (weekends only), and a private Facebook community with over 2,500 members.

Not included: A printed yoga teacher training manual or daily live sessions with lead teachers.

Final practicum: Easy

To earn your yoga certification online with Siddhi Yoga, you will need to complete the final practicum, which involves writing and filming a 60-minute yoga class for assessment.

Siddhi Yoga key takeaways

5. My Vinyasa Practice

200-hour certification

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My Vinyasa Practice overall ratings

You will master how to teach alignment based Vinyasa in the My Vinyasa Practice yoga teacher training course. This training is curated by Michelle Young (C-IAYT, E-RYT 500) and led by a team of over twenty yoga teacher trainers, to whom you will have access to 24/7 as a student of MVP.

My Vinyasa Practice makes learning very accessible with its proprietary yoga teacher training app and round-the-clock support. That, plus their mentorship program, add to why My Vinyasa Practice leads the way in the yoga TTC space.

The My Vinyasa Practice training is a great online yoga teacher training for beginners because this course focuses more on foundational yoga poses over advanced yoga poses.

My Vinyasa Practice syllabus

My Vinyasa Practice rating & review scores

My Vinyasa Practice student review

My Vinyasa Practice YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 91%

Yoga Alliance overall rating: 4.79/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: 8.7/10

Materials & support: ★★☆

Training includes: A digital yoga teacher training manual, live Zoom training sessions (weekends only), and access to a private Facebook community with over 16,000 members.

Not included: A printed yoga teacher training manual, daily live sessions with lead teachers, or the additional required reading assignments, which are Light on Yoga by B.K.S Iyengar and The Yoga Sutras by Patanjali.

Final practicum: Medium

To complete the My Vinyasa Practice training, you must create a 60-minute flow class (which can be written or recorded), pass the final exam with at least 80%, and submit a final essay.

My Vinyasa Practice key takeaways

6. Drishti Beats

200-hour certification

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I love the Drishti Beats concept of combining movement with music. This comprehensive training was filmed around the world and it was over a year in the making. It combines the wisdom of 25 years in the yoga and fitness world into one robust yoga teacher training.

Drishti Beats is owned and run by Lori Lowell (E-RYT 500) and Jeremy Lowell (E-RYT 500). You may have read Lori’s article about the top 15 online yoga teacher trainings, and while I see a lot of value in that article, it is written by the owner of Drishti Beats which is conveniently placed at the top of that list of yoga teacher trainings.

Drishti Beats has an impressive 4.96 rating on Yoga Alliance from their 172 reviews, and while I do think that’s something to be very proud of as a school, Drishti Beats has far fewer reviews and graduates than many others in the space. 

The foundation of this course is rooted in Vinyasa flow, but the training also includes a blend of Yin, Restorative, Yoga Nidra, Sound Healing and Dharma teachings. 

Storytelling is at the heart of the Drishti Beats teaching methodology and it promises to be an engaging and enriching experience.

Drishti Beats syllabus

Drishti Beats rating & review scores

Drishti Beats student review

Drishti Beats YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 98%

Yoga Alliance overall rating: 4.96/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: 9.8/10

Materials & support: ★★☆

Training includes: A digital yoga teacher training manual, live training sessions with lead teachers.

Not included: A printed yoga teacher training manual.

Final practicum: Easy

To graduate from Drishti Beats, you'll need to complete all required coursework and quizzes.

Drishti Beats key takeaway

7. Santosha Yoga Institute

200-hr Certification

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Santosha Yoga Institute is an established and Yoga Alliance approved online yoga teacher training certification program with over 12+ years of experience certifying yoga teachers.

Santosha is a sought-after in-person yoga teacher training school that holds multiple YTT's every year all over the globe.

As well as finishing the course as a 200hr yoga teacher, you'll get your choice of two extra certifications for free as part of your enrollment, including Yin Yoga, Kids+Teens, Pre Natal, or Meditation.

This transformational online yoga teacher training course is rooted in authenticity with an emphasis on studying the lineage of yoga by diving deep into the ancient texts of India, taking a dynamic approach to cover the in-depth course curriculum.

Santosha Yoga Institute syllabus

Santosha Yoga Institute rating & review scores:

Santosha Yoga Institute YTT includes

Reputation grade: C – 70%

Yoga Alliance overall rating: 4.34/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: 5.5/10

Materials & support: ★★☆

Training includes: A digital yoga teacher training manual, live training sessions with lead teachers.

Not included: A printed yoga teacher training manual.

Final practicum: Easy

To graduate from Santosha, you'll need to complete all required coursework and quizzes.

Santosha Yoga Institute key takeaways:

8. Akasha Yoga Academy

200-hour certification

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Akasha Yoga Academy overall ratings

Akasha Yoga Academy offers authentic online yoga teacher training, has a great reputation in the yoga industry, and is priced at under $1,000. To date, Akasha has issued a yoga trainer certification to over 1,100 graduates teaching on six continents.

This Bali-based yoga school registered with Yoga Alliance in 2015 and has some of the highest ratings of any yoga school on the Yoga Alliance website. It is considered the best online yoga teacher training on Yoga Alliance because of the two hundred and sixty-one graduates who rated the course 4.93/10.

What impresses me most about this self-paced online Hatha yoga teacher training is how rich, engaging, and thorough it is. Akasha's three lead yoga teacher trainers, Kristen, Burkhard, and Devdas are all RYT-500s who live, eat, and breathe yoga. You can sense their authenticity and passion as yoga educators.

Akasha's yoga TTC includes a 700-page digital yoga teacher training manual and 2-hours of live Zoom calls per day.

And while this is a self-paced course, this is the only yoga training that I'm aware of that has customized training schedules so that trainees can stay on track to finish their course in a 1-month intensive format or slower formats of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 9 months.

Akasha Yoga Academy syllabus

Akasha Yoga Academy rating & review scores

Akasha Yoga Academy student review

Akasha Yoga Academy YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 98%

Yoga Alliance overall rating: 4.92/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: 9.6/10

Materials & support: ★★☆

Training includes: A digital yoga teacher training manual, 2-hours of daily live training sessions with lead teachers, a private community support forum, and access to a private Facebook community with over 1,300 members.

Not included: A printed yoga teacher training manual.

Final practicum: Hard

To graduate from Akasha Yoga Academy and become a certified yoga instructor online, you'll need to complete all required coursework and quizzes, pass the written and multiple-choice exams, and submit three videos, including a self-practice video and a 60-minute and 90-minute practice teaching video.

Akasha Yoga Academy key takeaways

9. Jess Rose – Movement Wisdom

200-hour certification

⬇Use code YOGATIQUE for $100 off below⬇
(If paid in full)

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Movement Wisdom overall ratings

Movement Wisdom, created by lead teacher Jess Rose (E-RYT 500), is one of the most loved online YTTs with a 5-star rating on Yoga Alliance and another yoga school online where you can earn your yoga teacher certification online for under $1,000.

Jess has taught yoga to over 1 million students on online yoga platforms including YogaAligned and DoYou and she's been featured in Vogue, The Guardian and New York Magazine. Maybe you've heard of her or practiced with her online? If not, I'm sure you're going to love her. There's no way not to.

The Movement Wisdom training is the best online yoga teacher training for beginners and for any aspiring yoga teacher who actually wants to be good at teaching yoga because Jess breaks down complex topics like anatomy into easy-to-understand language.

In this multi-style self-paced online yoga teacher training, you'll study four styles of yoga, including Yin, Restorative, Hatha, and Vinyasa, while learning anatomy from a functional perspective and how to curate beautifully sequenced creative yoga flows.

This course offers an unheard of 30 day satisfaction guarantee, a 450-page training manual, and coming soon – an audio version of the training! Once you sign up, you'll have the option to join seven weekly live calls where you can get all of your YTT questions answered as you move through the course.

On average, it takes 4-6 months to complete the Movement Wisdom training. Their 4-month payment plan at just $250 per month makes the Movement Wisdom training a no-brainer!

Jess Rose Movement Wisdom syllabus

Movement Wisdom rating & review scores

A real Movement Wisdom student review

Movement Wisdom YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 96.5%

Yoga Alliance overall rating: 5/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: 9.3/10

Materials & support: ★★★

Training includes: A 450-page digital yoga teacher training manual (with the option to purchase a paper copy), seven live training sessions each week with lead teachers, and a private forum.

Not included: A private Facebook community.

Final practicum: Medium

Students have to teach a 30-minute class. They can choose any of the 4 styles they learned in the YTT. The practice should include a 5-minute meditation or breathwork practice. All students get personal feedback from Jess, their certificate and a personal letter of recommendation after graduating. 

Movement Wisdom key takeaways

10. Full Circle Yoga School

200-hour certification

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Full Circle Yoga School overall ratings

Full Circle courses are Yoga Alliance certified, affordable, incredibly comprehensive, and insanely in-depth. And if you're a bit of a spiritual seeker, you will love their metaphysical and mystical approach.

This yoga school has been offering in-person yoga teacher training since 2017 in exotic locations like Florida, Hawaii, and Bali.

Full Circle's founder, Jolie Wilson (E-RYT 500), is certified in seven different types of yogic practices. Her personal evolution journey is continuous. Jolie views yoga as ​​a lifestyle, a science, and an art.

This 12-week training includes 4-hours of live training on both Saturdays and Sundays, offering students ample time for Q&A with the teaching team.

As a graduate you'll receive full support from Full Circle Yoga School with teaching opportunities offered to alumni at both in-person and online trainings and retreats.

Full Circle Yoga School syllabus

Full Circle Yoga rating & review scores

The Full Circle Yoga YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 96%

Yoga Alliance overall rating: 4.58/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: N/A

Materials & support: ★☆☆

Training includes: 4-hours of live training on both Saturdays and Sundays.

Not included: A printed yoga teacher training manual, or a private Facebook community.

Final practicum: N/A

Full Circle Yoga School key takeaways

11. ISSA

200-hour certification

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ISSA (The International Sports Sciences Association) launched their version of online yoga teacher training called Yoga 200 in 2022. Despite the fact that ISSA is one of the newer online YTT’s, they have been offering online training and certifications in other fitness-related fields for years.

The lead educators include one of my favorite yoga teachers, Andrew Sealy, who is joined by a dynamic team of educators that include Buddy Macuha, Ayurvedic Practitioner Vasu Daudakia and others.

Throughout this 10 week training, you’ll be under the guidance of industry-leading yoga experts. You will study the history of yoga into modern day practice, how to sequence classes and transitions, 80 yoga postures, cueing, modifications, and more.

ISSA's course access allowance isn't as transparent as other trainings because students need to pay a monthly fee for continued access, whereas nearly all other online YTTs offer that for free.

ISSA syllabus

ISSA rating & review scores

ISSA student review

ISSA YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 94%

Yoga Alliance overall rating: 4.74/5

Materials & support: ★★☆

Training includes: A digital yoga teacher training manual, asana guidebook, live weekly virtual study sessions, 30 hours of video lectures, worksheets, guided meditations.

Not included: A printed yoga teacher training manual.

Final practicum: Easy

The final exam for ISSA consists of submitting a written yoga class sequence.

ISSA key takeaways

12. Happy Jack Yoga University

200-hour certification

⬇Use code YOGATIQUE for 30% off below⬇
(Annual tuition discount only)

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Happy Jack Yoga overall ratings

Happy Jack Yoga University, founded in 2010, offers over twenty yoga certifications online for under $1,500. What makes HJY unique is that you can access all the yoga courses with an annual membership rather than buying each course separately.

Jack Boken, the co-founder of HJY, has spoken at international yoga festivals and conferences and has even appeared on stage at Tony Robbins events.

Jack and Hanna, both E-RYT 500s, co-lead the Happy Jack Yoga online yoga teacher training, which is a 4-month long cohort-style training offered multiple times each year. They are supported by yoga experts you might be familiar with, like Sarah Beth Yoga.

A typical week in the life of a Happy Jack Yoga student includes one to 2-hours of live Zoom calls, 3-hours of both prerecorded lectures and self-study, 7-hours of personal practice, and 2- hours of practice teaching.

Happy Jack Yoga syllabus

Happy Jack Yoga rating & review scores

Happy Jack Yoga student review

Happy Jack Yoga YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 95.5%

Yoga Alliance overall rating: 4.86/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: 9.4/10

Materials & support: ★★☆

Training includes: A digital yoga teacher training manual, weekly live Zoom trainings, and access to a private Facebook group with over 480 members.

Not included: A printed yoga teacher training manual.

Final practicum: Easy

The final exam for Happy Jack Yoga consists of submitting a written yoga class sequence.

Happy Jack Yoga key takeaways

13. Mark Stephens Yoga

200-hour certification

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Mark Stephens overall ratings

Mark Stephens (E-RYT 500) 200-hour online yoga teacher training is offered once a year only. Mark is a thought leader in the yoga industry who has been teaching yoga globally and certifying yoga teachers for over twenty years.

He is also a textbook creator and the author of five best-selling books on yoga anatomy, sequencing, adjusting, and other topics, and in fact, some schools even require that students read Mark's Book, Teaching Yoga, as part of the required reading for the course.

This self-paced online yoga certification training includes a private community forum and bi-monthly weekly gatherings on Zoom for Q&A and guided yoga practices with Mark himself.

This 8-month training course is on the pricier side at $2,000, but Mark's expertise, experience, and wisdom are invaluable.

Mark Stephen's syllabus

Mark Stephens Yoga rating & review scores

Mark Stephens Yoga student review

Mark Stephens YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 95%

Yoga Alliance overall rating: 4.84/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: 9.3/10

Materials & support: ★★☆

Training includes: A digital yoga teacher training manual, bi-monthly live Zoom trainings, and access to a private forum.

Not included: A printed yoga teacher training manual.

Final practicum: Hard

To get certified, you'll need to submit three class sequences and three 15-minute teaching videos and pass the exam.

Mark Stephens Yoga key takeaways

14. Aligned Yoga with Briohny Smyth

200-hour certification

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Aligned Yoga overall ratings

Aligned Yoga School is where you can learn Vinyasa based principles from Briohny Smyth (E-RYT 500), yoga philosophy from Dice Ide-Klein (E-RYT 500), and mantra and pranayama from Mathieu Boldren (E-RYT 500). I did the Aligned Yoga Teacher Training!

What sets this course apart is the guest workshops. Bri has been a yoga teacher on Alo Moves for over a decade, and she's very connected in the yoga industry, which enables her to book amazing guest lecturers. Additionally, this is the only training where you'll have the chance to learn Bri's cueing methods and how to sequence her famous ladder flows.

Bri, Dice, and Mathieu are very well-known in the yoga teacher training space, and this training gives students the opportunity to learn their methodology and techniques.

While Aligned is on the pricier side at over $2,000, I think the expertise and experience Bri, Dice, and Mathieu bring to the training make it worth it.

The community support is also phenomenal. The Aligned Yoga team seems to work around the clock to ensure that every single question in the private community forum gets answered.

Aligned Yoga syllabus

Aligned Yoga rating & review scores

Aligned Yoga YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 92%

Yoga Alliance overall rating: 4.79/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: 8.7/10

Materials & support: ★★☆

Training includes: A digital yoga teacher training manual, access to a private forum and a private Facebook group.

Not included: A printed yoga teacher training manual or the suggested supplemental reading assignments.

Final practicum: Medium

To get your yoga teacher certificate, you'll need to pass all quizzes and submit a filmed 5-minute live teaching demo.

Aligned Yoga key takeaways

15. Brett Larkin Yoga ‘Uplifted'

200-hour certification

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Uplifted overall ratings

Brett Larkin (E-RYT 200) launched her online yoga school, Uplifted, in 2015 and was one of the first to offer online yoga teacher training. Through its interactive 4-month cohort courses, Uplifted has certified over 3,000 yoga teachers.

The Uplifted training is the best online yoga teacher training in the USA because it was literally one of the first yoga teacher trainings offered online.

Aside from being registered with Yoga Alliance, Uplifted is registered with ACE, NASAM, and AFAA, and it is the only online YTT registered with the US government via SAM.gov to provide yoga certification and continuing education to healthcare providers who are caring for veterans and those in the military.

Brett is the author of Yoga Life, a self-made yoga mogul, and the creator of an award-winning YouTube channel. I have her book (highly recommend), and I'm a member of Uplifted.

What I love about Brett's teaching is how she teaches yoga for modern life. This training is not about getting into peak poses, it's more about how to infuse the wisdom of yoga into your day to day practices to flow more harmoniously through life.

Uplifted has a 96% certification rate (in other words, students actually complete this training) and offers a 600-page color manual included with the training, both of which are very unusual.

This online certification emphasizes yoga philosophy, but for the asana portion, students get personalized feedback on the poses they upload to the Uplifted training app.

While Uplifted is another premium-priced online yoga training program, its team of highly qualified educators and proprietary high-touch technology make it worth the investment of over $2,000.

Uplifted syllabus

Brett Larkin Yoga Uplifted rating & review scores

Brett Larkin Uplifted student review

Uplifted YTT includes

Reputation grade: A – 93%

Yoga Alliance overall rating: 4.82/5
Yoga Alliance Net Promoter Score: 8.9/10

Materials & support: ★★★

Training includes: A printed yoga teacher training manual, access to a private forum, a training app, and access to a private Facebook group with over 13,000 members.

Final practicum: Medium

Uplifted's certification requirements include passing the online multiple-choice exam and completing a final teaching practicum by sending in a 20-minute video of your teaching.

Brett Larkin Yoga Uplifted key takeaways

How to choose the right online YTT

There are many aspects to consider when evaluating virtual yoga training. Aside from reading student testimonials and course reviews, I have some other suggestions to help you make the right course selection. Here are some things to keep in mind when comparing courses:

• What are the instructors' qualifications? (Look for RYT-500 at minimum)
• Do you feel a connection with the trainers? (Yes, even with online learning!)
• Does it focus on the lineage/style of yoga you're most interested in? (Different courses focus on different lineages more than others)
• Is a syllabus outline available for you to review? (It should be)
• How long is the course duration? (This could be 3-months if it's a cohort or indefinite)
• How long are you allowed to access the training platform? (Some courses only allow 1-year access, while others offer lifetime access)
• Is it a self-paced or cohort/group learning format? (And which do you prefer)
• How many live workshops and live classes are offered each week? (This will vary dramatically from school to school)

Formats of online yoga training courses

There are two main formats of online yoga teacher training courses, self-paced and cohort, both of which are included in this guide. Here's how the two formats for online YTT differ:

• Self-paced: You can start the course as soon as you enroll. You finish lessons as your schedule permits and progress through the course as a solo student.
• Cohort: You start the course on the date the training begins. You finish lessons in sync with your classmates, and there are set dates for live group calls. You progress through the course and finish the course with fellow students.

Pros & cons of online yoga training

Of course, as with everything, there are pros and cons to online yoga teacher training. Below are some pros and cons based on my own experience.

3 tips for online YTT students

Here are three of my top tips which helped me finish my course:

1. Set a date for yourself to finish the course by (and stick to it).
2. Calculate how many hours of the course you will need to complete each week to finish the course by your deadline.
3. Download a flashcard app to your phone so you can study anatomy, vocabulary, and poses when you're on the go.

Duration of online yoga teacher training programs

On average, it takes four to thirteen weeks to complete 200-hour online yoga teacher training. Use the table below to estimate how long it will take you to finish a 200 hour yoga teacher training online based on your availability.

Online yoga teacher training completion timeline estimator

Career options for certified yoga teachers

There are many career paths you can take once you're a certified yoga teacher.

Of course, teaching yoga classes in a local yoga studio is always an option. But so is traveling the world and leading yoga retreats. Or creating a yoga course, a yoga app, or a subscription-based yoga membership business and living the ultimate location-independent lifestyle. A yoga business coach can help you zero in on the ideal yoga niche for you.

There are also more therapeutic and trauma-informed career paths yoga teachers take, such as becoming yoga therapists or teaching yoga to people affected by psychological trauma.

And here's a little secret: There's a lot of money to be made as an online yoga teacher, aka a ‘yogiprenuer'. If you are entrepreneurial, the opportunities are limitless, and the money-making opportunities for yoga teachers are definitely there in this digital era.

Read my tips on how to diversify and maximize financial opportunities from a social media following as a yoga teacher and get answers to other common questions about yoga teacher training if you want to be inspired by the endless opportunities that await you after becoming a RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) or CYT (Certified Yoga Teacher).

Yoga News in 2024

Yoga Alliance recently released the summary from their statistical survey collaboration with Sensis, a cross-cultural marketing agency. They collected survey information from over eleven thousand yogis and the public at large to update and build upon the data from their 2016 survey.

The initiative called Yoga In The World illuminates how yoga, as a practice, continues to grow.

Here are some interesting key takeaways from U.S population participants (read the full executive summary here):

• 38.4 million Americans practice yoga. An increase of 4.6% from the last survey.
• Practitioners spent over $21 billion on yoga in the United States. An increase of $1 billion dollars over the previous data.
• The number one reason yogis in the United States started a yoga practice was for stress reduction. This is a change from the previous survey results where flexibility was the number one reason people started practicing yoga.

Our rating system

The main factors we considered for each training are reputation, materials and support, and the final practicum (exam) process.

• Reputation grade: This is an average of the two main data points from each school’s Yoga Alliance School Profile.
  
  The reputation grade scale is as follows:
  A – 90 +
  B – 80 – 90
  C – 70 – 80

• Materials & support score: This score assigns value to each online yoga instructor training based on the materials and community support included with the training. It assigns value to materials that are included with a training, such as paper a yoga teacher training manual, and additional books or study materials. 
  
  The support score assigns value to the school’s student support options, including private Facebook groups, live Zoom sessions, and private forums.
  
  Points for materials & support are assigned as follows:
  1 point – WhatsApp, Zoom & Facebook support
  1 point – Printed yoga teacher training manual
  1 point – Frequency of online workshops offered with lead trainers

• Final practicum: This rates how hard or easy the school’s final practicum is. A video teaching demo requirement adds to the difficulty score. 
  
  The range is:
  Hard
  Medium
  Easy

Our yoga teacher certification survey

We recently conducted a poll in a Facebook group with 101,000 yoga teachers. Our poll revealed significant insights into the growing trend of online yoga certification courses – 80% of respondents indicated that they have completed a yoga certification through online programs.

This trend highlights the increasing acceptance and popularity of digital learning platforms within the yoga community, offering flexibility and accessibility that traditional in-person courses may not provide. 

The poll results suggest a shift in how yoga education is being approached, with many instructors embracing the convenience and comprehensive curriculum available through online certification courses.

Yoga teacher training vocabulary:

CE: Continuing education
CYT: Certified yoga teacher
RYS: Registered yoga school
RYT: Registered yoga teacher
TTC: Teacher training course
YTT: Yoga teacher training
YTTC: Yoga teacher training course

Takeaway on online yoga teacher training

If you want to become a registered yoga teacher, one of the online yoga courses outlined above may be perfect for you! After graduating from a Yoga Alliance approved teacher training, you will be set up to embark on a successful career as an RYT 200. Begin your YTT journey today, and become a certified yoga teacher in just a few months!

Still on the fence about taking a TTC or still have questions about it? Discover if yoga teacher training is for you before committing to anything.

Some online yoga studios, online yoga teacher training programs, and brands that we write about may offer us a small percentage should you decide to purchase after reading our content. Thank you for enabling us to exist!

FAQ about online yoga teacher training

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