Preply Review: Great Tutors, Flexible Learning – But Is It Worth It?

Some people thrive on self-study, diving into language apps and grammar books, but for me, there’s something unbeatable about having a personal tutor. A real human to guide me, correct my mistakes, and keep me accountable. I’ve been learning Portuguese so I can be ready for my trip to Portugal next year and I’ve heard that Preply has many great tutors. That’s why I started looking beyond iTalki and LanguaTalk, curious to see what other platforms were out there.

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At first glance, it seemed like just another tutoring site, but as I dug deeper, I realized it had its own unique approach. From the way tutors structure lessons to the platform’s booking system and pricing, there was a lot to unpack. So, I decided to give it a shot. After a few lessons, some trial and error, and plenty of real-time conversations, I gathered enough insights to share an honest review.

If you’re wondering whether Preply is the right place to find your next language tutor, stick around—I’m breaking it all down, from the highlights to the drawbacks, and whether it’s actually worth your time (and money).

What is Preply?

Preply is an online tutoring platform that connects students with tutors for one-on-one lessons in a variety of subjects, with a strong focus on language learning. It offers a flexible learning experience where users can choose from thousands of tutors based on their expertise, teaching style, and price range.

Lessons take place via video calls within the app, and tutors create personalized learning plans tailored to each student’s goals. Whether you’re looking to improve conversational skills, prepare for exams, or learn a new language from scratch, Preply provides a convenient way to find professional guidance at your own pace.

How does Preply work?

Sign Up and Create a Profile :

• After signing up on the Preply platform, create a profile with your learning goals and preferences (language, subject, etc.).
• Tutors also create profiles, detailing their expertise, experience, and teaching style.

Search for a Tutor :

• You can browse through a wide range of tutors based on your needs, such as language learning, academic subjects, or even professional skills.
• Filters are available to narrow down the search by criteria like price, availability, country of birth, language, tutor ratings, and more.
• Each tutor has a video introduction of themselves to help you get a feel for the tutor’s personality.

Book a Lesson :

• After finding a tutor, you can view the tutor’s availability and book a lesson.

Trial Lesson :

• All tutors offer a trial lesson (usually at a discounted rate) to help the student assess the tutor’s teaching style and determine if it’s a good fit for their learning style.

Online Classes :

• Lessons are conducted via Preply’s video chat feature. Students and tutors can communicate directly in the platform’s built-in classroom.
• The platform allows sharing of materials like documents, notes, or interactive tools to enhance learning.

Payment and Pricing :

• Tutors set their own rates, and students pay for lessons directly through the Preply platform.
• Preply processes the payments, taking a commission from the tutor’s earnings, and then releases the payment after the lesson is completed.
• Students can choose to subscribe to lessons, and recurring payments will be processed automatically.

The Good Stuff:

Customizable Learning :
One of the things I absolutely love about Preply is how you can pick a tutor who vibes with your learning style. Whether you’re into super structured lessons or just want to chat and improve your conversation skills, there’s someone who fits the bill. And here’s the cool part—you can even let your tutor know ahead of time what topics you want to dive into. It makes each lesson feel like it’s custom-made just for you, and it really adds that personal touch to the whole experience.

Affordable for All Budgets:
Prices on Preply vary significantly based on the tutor’s experience and expertise. You can find tutors at a wide range of price points, making it accessible for students on different budgets.

Learning Tools :
Preply’s platform is equipped with useful tools for learning, such as a built-in video chat system, a shared whiteboard, and the ability to upload learning materials. You can also take notes and save materials for future reference. Tutors can assign homework or additional resources to work on outside of lessons, enhancing the overall learning experience. They have recently launched a set of AI-powered tools like lesson insights, which is like a personal lesson recap, with key takeaways from the lesson, feedback on what you nailed and what needs work, and personalized activities based on your lesson.

Subscription :
Subscribing to lessons is honestly a game-changer! It gives students so much flexibility and convenience on their learning journey. With a subscription, you can pick how many lessons you want each week, so you can totally set your own pace based on your schedule and goals. And you know what’s great? Automatic payments mean you never have to worry about running out of lessons, your balance just refreshes every 28 days, no fuss!

Subscriptions also promote consistency and cost-effectiveness. Preply conducted an experiment involving 56,000 students and 13,000 tutors to assess the impact of subscriptions and found that they offer greater benefits compared to pay-per-lesson models. I agree! I’ve realized that when I stick to a subscription, it’s so much easier to stay on track and actually make progress.

Vocab by Preply Chrome Extension:
I can’t speak for everyone, but for me, it’s been pretty handy. This Chrome extension is incredibly useful when you need to quickly understand the meaning of a word. It allows for easy access to definitions and translations, making it an efficient tool for language learners and anyone seeking to expand their vocabulary. However, it’s important to note that this feature is currently only available for the languages of English, German, Spanish, and French.

Academic Subjects :
Preply doesn’t just offer language lessons; they also have online academic tutors who can assist you with subjects like Mathematics, Music, Art, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

The Not-So-Good Stuff:

Finding the right tutor takes a bit of time :
With thousands of tutors on the platform, coming from different countries, teaching at different price points, and bringing very different levels of experience, Preply is not a place you arrive at and get matched to someone in thirty seconds. Unlike a traditional language school where someone assigns you a teacher and you show up on Monday, here the search is yours to do. You’ll use the filters, watch intro videos, read reviews from other students, and gradually work out who seems like a good fit.

The upside of doing that work yourself is that you actually get to choose. After browsing for a while, most people find one or two tutors they feel some pull towards, maybe it’s the accent, or a background that feels relatable, or just the sense that this person is going to be patient with you. That instinct is usually worth following.

It can also happen that your first pick doesn’t quite work out. That extends the process a bit, and it’s worth knowing upfront. What softens that is Preply’s policy of letting you trial with a different tutor at no extra cost if the first lesson doesn’t meet expectations. So the search isn’t without a safety net, it just requires a bit of effort on the front end.

Preply Commission:
As a student, the commission split doesn’t affect me directly—but I looked into it before signing up. Preply takes a 33% cut from tutors in their early hours on the platform, which does feel steep. The model does tier down as tutors accumulate more teaching hours, so it’s not a flat rate forever. But in the early stages, that’s a significant chunk going to the platform, and I can see why tutors bring it up.

The honest counter to that is what Preply puts back in. Tutors get access to AI-powered tools for lesson planning and admin, free professional development resources including self-paced courses, live webinars, and teaching conferences, and a global community forum. Whether that balances out the commission is a judgement call each tutor has to make for themselves.

What I’d say as a student is this: if a tutor you like is factoring that commission into their rate, that’s probably a fair reason for the price. The platform does provide real infrastructure on their side too. It’s worth understanding the model, even if it’s not a number you’ll ever see on your own invoice.

Things You Might Want to Know Before Using Preply:

Does Preply have a mobile app?

Yes, Preply offers a mobile app available for both iOS and Android devices. It allows you to easily schedule, track, and join your lessons from anywhere, making learning on the go more convenient.

How do I find the right tutor on Preply?

Preply makes it easy to find the right tutor by allowing you to filter tutors based on their teaching style, availability, price, and expertise. You can also read reviews from other students to help make your decision.

How much do lessons on Preply cost?

Lesson prices on Preply vary depending on the tutor’s experience and expertise. You can find tutors offering lessons at a range of price points, typically from $3 to $40 per hour.

Can I cancel or reschedule my lessons?

Yes, you can cancel or reschedule lessons on Preply for free, as long as you do so at least 12 hours before the scheduled time. If you miss this window, you’ll be charged for the lesson. However, if the tutor cancels or reschedules, and it’s not due to anything on your end, you won’t be charged.

Are Preply tutors certified?

While not all tutors are formally certified, Preply offers a wide range of tutors with varying qualifications. Many have experience in teaching languages, while others hold certifications like TEFL or CELTA. You can view each tutor’s profile to see their qualifications and teaching experience. You can also filter by “Professional Tutors” if you only want tutors with teaching credentials.

How do I pay for lessons on Preply?

Preply uses a secure online payment system. You can pay for lessons using a credit or debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay, and payments are processed before each lesson starts. You can also add funds to your account balance for future lessons.

How often should I take lessons on Preply?

The frequency of your lessons depends on your personal goals and schedule. Some students opt for lessons once a week, while others prefer more frequent sessions.

Does Preply offer free trials?

Preply doesn’t offer free trials, but many tutors offer trial lessons at a discounted rate.

Is there any commitment required on Preply?

No, there’s no long-term commitment required. You can pay for lessons as you go, choosing how many sessions you want per week or month. This flexibility makes it easy to adapt your learning schedule based on your needs.

Is it possible to subscribe to multiple tutors and learn different languages on Preply?

Yes, you can subscribe to multiple tutors and study different languages on Preply. There’s no limit to how many tutors you can have, so you can learn from different experts in various languages.

What languages are available?

There are 90+ languages available including English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Korean, Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Turkish, Dutch, Ukrainian, Armenian, Hindi and more.

What Are Preply Alternatives?

iTalki – This one’s pretty similar to Preply. You can book one-on-one lessons with tons of different tutors. You can choose between professional teachers or community tutors, which is nice for different budgets. The main difference is that iTalki allows you to book single lessons while Preply doesn’t.

LanguaTalk – Another good option. It’s also like Preply, offering personalized lessons with professional tutors. They also have this cool app called Langua, where you can access more learning materials and tools to help with your studies.

Copycat Cafe – If you’re hesitant about committing to one-on-one lessons, Copycat Cafe is a fantastic option for those who want to learn at their own pace. It’s an independent learning platform that allows you to study French and Spanish through self-paced lessons and practice conversation skills with an AI. It’s perfect for building confidence before diving into live tutoring sessions. Get your 7-day free trial here.

The Verdict: Is Preply Worth It?

All in all, Preply really delivers with its amazing tutors and flexible learning options. Whether you’re after structured lessons or just want to have some fun chatting in your target language, you can easily shape your learning experience the way you want.

Yes, some of the high-quality tutors do have pretty expensive rates, and I guess that’s partly because the platform takes a cut from the tutors’ pay. This can sometimes make the cost feel a little high, especially if you’re working with a top-tier tutor who has a lot of experience. But, honestly, the expertise and personalized lessons you get in return often make it worth the price.

You’re also paying for the convenience and flexibility of choosing lessons that fit your schedule. So while the cost might be a bit higher with some tutors, the value you get in terms of quality education and flexibility is hard to beat!