Private online yoga vs small-group classes: which format fits you?
A straightforward comparison of attention, scheduling, pace, privacy, community and cost so you can choose the format that suits your situation.
Written by Master Anil Choudhary, Founder & Lead Yoga Teacher at Yog Jivan.
Key takeaways
- Live group classes are 60 minutes with a maximum of eight students.
- Private sessions are 60 minutes, entirely built around one person, with pricing confirmed by enquiry.
- Many students combine the two: group for routine, private for specific work.
Both formats are live, both are 60 minutes, and both are taught personally by Master Anil Choudhary. The difference is how much of the session is shaped around you, and how much flexibility you need in scheduling. Here is a plain comparison.
Attention
In a live group class the cap is eight students, which is small enough for the teacher to see everyone and give verbal corrections by name during the session. In a private session, all the attention is on you: every posture can be adjusted, repeated or replaced on the spot.
Scheduling
Group classes run at fixed times, which is helpful if you want the discipline of a set slot and unhelpful if your work hours move. Private sessions are scheduled by arrangement, which suits shift workers, parents, frequent travellers and people working across time zones.
Pace and content
- Group: a shared sequence with modifications offered as needed. Predictable structure.
- Private: the sequence is chosen for your experience, comfort limits and goals, and can change mid-session.
- Group: you progress alongside others, which some people find motivating.
- Private: you progress at your own rate without waiting or rushing.
Privacy
Group classes ask for camera on, because real-time posture correction is the reason the class is live rather than recorded; we explain how that works before you join. If practising visibly in front of other students is uncomfortable for you — a common and reasonable preference — a private session removes that entirely.
Community
The group format offers something private work cannot: familiar faces, shared routine, and the quiet accountability of being noticed when you miss a week. For many students that is the deciding factor.
How pricing is presented
Live online group membership plans are published on the online classes page, so you can compare them yourself. Private session pricing is confirmed by enquiry, because it depends on frequency, format and scheduling. We do not publish a private price we would then have to qualify.
A simple way to decide
- Want routine, structure and a lower published price? Start with the live group class.
- Have a specific limitation, an irregular schedule, or a strong preference for one-to-one work? Start private.
- Not sure? Many students do group classes weekly and book occasional private sessions to work on something specific.
If you are new to online practice altogether, it is worth reading what happens in a first live online class before deciding.
Frequently asked
A maximum of eight, so the teacher can still give individual verbal corrections.
It depends on frequency, format and scheduling, so we confirm it by enquiry rather than publish a figure that would need qualifying.
Yes. Many students keep a group routine and add private sessions when they want to work on something specific.
Next step
Choose the format that fits your week
Live group classes capped at eight, or fully individual 60-minute private sessions.