We thought about 11 key factors
Certification: Can you get the same certification in either format or are there differences? And will studios owners and other employers recognize your certificate?
Content: How does the format affect the quality of the teaching?
Learning: Which format is best for effective learning?
Feedback: How does the format affect the quantity and quality of the personal feedback you get on your poses and your teaching?
Price: Which option is more affordable?
Flexibility: Which format is more convenient for students?
Risk: Which format is less risky?
Commitment: Are you more likely to complete an in-person or an online training?
Scenery: Which format has the better ambiente?
Community: Which format is best for connections and good vibes?
Co2 Footprint: Which option is less harmful for the environment?
We tried to make it fair
There are huge differences in the quality of yoga teacher trainings. And the number one most important factor of all is — drumroll please 🥁 — your teacher. So to make this a fair comparison, we'll assume that you're choosing between two versions of the same program with the same, highly capable YTT leader.
What it is, and what it isn't
Finally, we also need to highlight that "online" and "in-person" are big words. There are many different versions of both online and in-person trainings. Some online courses are mostly prerecorded, others happen almost completely live on Zoom. Som in-person trainings happen in local studios, others in fancy retreat centers on remote islands. So this comparison has limits. The point is to help you understand which format tends to be the better choice when thinking about this or that aspect of your training.
The Result
Online education is better or at least just as good as in-person trainings in 9 out of 11 categories of the comparison.
And it's not just that online trainings are not more affordable, less harmful to the environment and less risky. You can expect better content because your teacher prepares every single class carefully. And you'll learn more because you don't have to study 10 for hours per training day.
Since online trainings are a lot more flexible you can take your training with you if you don't want to miss out on the spectacular scenery that makes some in-person trainings stand apart.
You don't need to worry about the legitimacy of your certification because what employers care about is not where you go your certificate but if you're a good yoga teacher or not.
And you don't need to worry about getting quality feedback. While giving and receiving feedback is not as easy over the internet as it is when you're in the same room, it's totally possible for qualified teachers to give good feedback based on pose pictures. Plus, you'll likely get a lot more personal feedback in a good online YTT because your teacher can actually take their time (instead of trying to give feedback to a room full of students and teach at the same time).
The only aspects where in-person trainings really shine are built-in commitment and community. Commitment is super helpful, but not required if you're genuinely motivated to fully understand yoga, improve your personal practice and become a standout teacher. Plus, you can easily create commitment simply by talking with friends and family about your YTT plans.
Having a training community is awesome! And while it is possible to create a sense of community in online trainings, it's just not the same as the "real deal". However, in our opinion this one aspect does not outweigh all the rest. Especially because you can always have a community experience simply by going to local classes or joining a yoga retreat.
That's why, as mentioned above, we believe that the best guideline for most people is to get your yoga education online, and your yoga experiences in person.