Preply Reviews

Preply offers more than 50 languages, including the most popular ones, like English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Mandarin Chinese. You’ll also find tutors for less common languages like Arabic, Japanese, Russian, Korean, and Thai – perfect if you’re learning something unique.

What sets Preply apart from language learning apps is that it’s built around live, 1-on-1 video lessons with professional tutors. Each tutor brings their own teaching approach, meaning you can find someone who specializes in exactly what you need – be that nailing your IELTS exam, conversational practice before a trip to Spain, or learning English for work.

The beauty of Preply is that every tutor creates a custom learning plan based on your current level and what you want to achieve. During your first lesson, the tutor assesses where you’re at and builds a roadmap specifically for you.

This means you’re not stuck following a generic curriculum that moves too slow or too fast. If you’re struggling with grammar, your tutor can spend more time there. If you just want to practice speaking, that’s what you’ll focus on.

Preply's virtual classroom comes with everything you need for effective lessons: video calls, screen sharing, an interactive whiteboard, and a chat function. Your tutor can share files, images, and links directly in the classroom.

One feature we particularly liked is the lesson notes system. After each session, tutors can leave notes highlighting what you covered, new vocabulary, and homework for next time. Everything stays organized in one place, making it easy to track your progress.

Unlike language apps with fixed lesson paths, Preply gives you complete freedom to structure your learning. There’s no mandatory order or pre-set curriculum you have to follow.

Your tutor designs the course around your needs, which means the difficulty level and pacing adjust naturally based on your progression. If you’re picking things up quickly, they’ll move faster. If you need more time on certain topics, they’ll slow down.

For beginners starting from scratch, most tutors will follow a logical progression through basics like pronunciation, essential vocabulary, and foundational grammar. But if you’re already at an intermediate level and just want to work on specific skills, you can jump straight to what matters.

The platform also offers placement tests, which help tutors understand your level so they can tailor lessons more effectively from day one.

One of Preply's biggest strengths is how flexible scheduling is.

Since tutors are spread across different time zones around the world, you can find someone available pretty much any time of day or night.

You can book single lessons or set up recurring weekly sessions at times that work for you. You can cancel or move a lesson for free as long as you do it at least 12 hours in advance.

This policy is pretty standard and fair – tutors are reserving that time for you, after all. If something urgent comes up, you can always message your tutor directly to explain and see if they’re willing to reschedule without charge, though the final decision is up to them.

Everything syncs automatically between devices. You can search for a tutor on your laptop, book a lesson on your phone, attend the class on your tablet, and practice vocab on the app later.

Both platforms support video lessons through Preply's built-in classroom (no need for Zoom or Skype), and the quality is great as long as you have a decent internet connection.

Preply uses a pay-per-lesson pricing model where each tutor sets their own hourly rate. This means prices vary widely depending on who you choose, ranging from $3 per hour to $40 or more for highly experienced teachers with specialized credentials.

Most tutors for popular languages like English, Spanish, French, and German typically charge between $15 and $25 per hour. Once you find a tutor you like, you can subscribe to a lesson package based on how often you want to meet. Common options include one, two, or three lessons per week. The subscription automatically renews, but you can pause or cancel it anytime.

Your first lesson with any new tutor is offered at 50% off, making it affordable to try different teachers until you find the right fit. If you’re not satisfied after the trial lesson, Preply offers a 100% money-back guarantee or a free replacement lesson with a different tutor.

Beyond the trial discount, there’s a referral program where inviting friends gets them 70% off their first lesson while earning you $50 in credit. University students also receive a 15% discount on their first month’s subscription with verification.

On the positive side, it’s unanimous that when you do connect with support, the team generally resolves billing, subscription, and tutor-matching issues efficiently. However, the live chat button (a blue question mark icon in the bottom right corner) isn’t always obvious to find.

Preply's Help Center includes articles on booking lessons, managing subscriptions, and resolving payment issues, although navigation can be a bit tricky.

The platform is active on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. However, these channels focus on promotion rather than support.

We especially appreciated how easy it was to browse tutors and book a trial lesson. The filters are intuitive, and the 50% discount makes it low-risk to try different teachers.

Preply is more expensive than language learning apps since you’re paying for private tutoring, and there’s no standardized curriculum, meaning your experience depends entirely on who you choose.

We recommend Preply for motivated learners who prefer live interaction over app-based study. If you learn best through conversation or need lessons tailored to specific goals, the investment is worth it.

However, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option or prefer structured learning, you might be better off with a traditional language app.