Preply Hands-On Review: Honest Take for Language Learners

We know better than most just how many language learning apps and platforms are on offer these days. Honestly, it feels like a new one pops up on a near-weekly basis. But, we have to say, Preply isn’t like the rest.

The platform is all about 1-on-1 virtual language lessons with real people who are native and fluent speakers. We’ve been putting it to the test as digital nomads who travel a lot and need alternatives to traditional language lessons, and in this post, we’re sharing our genuine thoughts on Preply.

How Preply Works

Let’s start with what Preply is…or more importantly, what it isn’t. Preply isn’t just another gamified vocab memorization platform. Instead, it’s a huge tutor marketplace that connects language learners with language teachers for 1-on-1 virtual classes. There’s no set subscription, curriculum, or one-size-fits-all approach to language learning. Everything is completely personalized.

Finding a Preply Tutor

So, how does a fully personalized language plan even work? Well, it’s surprisingly simple. After making your Preply account, you’ll be prompted to answer a few questions about what language you want to learn, what your level is going in, and the reasons you’re looking for a language tutor. You’ll also tell the platform about your timezone, availability, and tutor preferences at this point. Then Preply does the rest!

You’ll be taken to a tutor directory displaying teachers that meet your initial specification. You can also add extra search details, such as whether you want them to be a native speaker or a professional teacher. Each tutor sets their own hourly rate, which can vary anywhere between $3 and $40+. We found most fell somewhere in the $20-$30/class range, but there are definitely more budget-friendly options.

On the tutors’ profiles, you can find more info about them, but what we really love are the personalized videos. This is a great way to get a sense of each tutor’s personality and teaching style, as well as how well they speak English (or your own native language). This helps a lot to differentiate between the different tutors as, and we can’t stress this enough, you have A LOT of tutors to choose from.

Preply has 100,000+ tutors for 90 languages, even including coding languages! We’re sorry, but that’s just plain cool!

Booking Lessons on Preply

Once you find a tutor that you like, you can immediately see their availability, click the timeslot that works for you, and book right there and then. As a new user, Preply gives you 3 free trial lessons to find your perfect tutor. Then, once you find a tutor that you like, you can subscribe to a flexible lesson plan that works best for you.

The subscriptions lock you in for lessons over the next month, with options starting from once a week to pretty much daily. After locking in the subscription, you can schedule as many lessons per week as you want with your tutor, so long as you have available balance.

You can schedule/cancel/reschedule classes using the “My lessons” tab in your Preply dashboard, choosing either one-off lesson times or recurring weekly slots. There’s also a Message tab for speaking with your tutor, as well as a Learn tab to see all your lesson materials.

Our Honest Preply Review

Okay, now you know what to expect from Preply, we’re going to get into the real reason you’re here: is it any good? Our honest opinion…yes, if you’re ready to actually study a new language. We say this because, for someone who wants to take 1-on-1 classes, be given homework, and take language learning seriously, you really can’t beat Preply. But, if all you’re for is looking to practice vocab on a low-stakes app, then this probably isn’t the service for you.

Preply is basically a facilitator for private language tutoring that does everything for you…except that actual language learning.

What we love is that it connects you with native language teachers from across the world, meaning you have so many more options than just the people in your hometown. The virtual classes also mean we can commit to regular lessons without a specific time constraint. For a group of digital nomads who are regularly on the move and changing time zones, this is a must.

The intuitive interface and easy booking process also helps curve the procrastination to start learning. We know firsthand how the struggle of looking for a teacher, reaching out to them, and waiting to hear back…only to realize the time difference won’t work. Just the thought of all the steps can be enough to stop you from starting language classes in the first place.

With Preply, you don’t have any excuse.

Now, we can’t pretend to have tried out even a fraction of all the Preply tutors, but every one we have worked with has been professional and extremely welcoming. Taking language classes can be super intimidating, but we’ve been made to feel comfortable no matter what language we’ve tested out on the site.

It’s also cool that you have a broad range of prices to choose from when it comes to tutors. That makes language learning way more accessible to way more people, especially because there are no hidden fees or costs beyond the lessons themselves.

What Makes Preply Different?

We’ll start by saying that as a collective, we’ve tested just about every language learning app on the market. That means we know what works, what doesn’t, and when a platform actually offers something worth paying attention to. And Preply is one of those platforms.

It stands out for so many reasons, but if we have to summarise it to just one thing, it’s the human-led angle. You’re speaking with a real person from day one, with Preply fully believing that the only way to truly learn another language is to speak in that language. And they have the stats to back that up, with their 2025 Efficiency Study finding that Preply students progress 3x faster, with 97% saying that practicing with a real person is key.

In our opinion, Preply somehow hits this magical balance between simplicity, efficiency, and practicality. The UX is just as smooth as the popular gamified language learning apps, but the “product” is much more focused on real language study and long-term learning.

We also have to mention that so much of what makes Preply great is its tutors. They’ve curated an incredible array of experienced, skilled, and incredible language teachers who make the virtual 1-on-1 sessions feel like the complete opposite of the boring classes we took back in school.

After each lesson, the tutors even send you notes and materials from the class. You can then message them directly with any questions or to suggest topics for your next session. This is especially cool as you have a direct line to your (human) language teacher…we haven’t seen that in many other places.

Who Is Preply Best For?

We touched on it above, but just to make things really clear: Preply is not for everyone. The platform is designed first and foremost for people ready to take language learning seriously. Now, that doesn’t mean taking classes every day, or even every week, but if you want to learn from a real tutor and practice speaking the language regularly, then Preply is the place to do it.

Here are the people we think Preply would be especially suited for:

Professionals learning for work or relocation
Remote workers prepping for expat life in a new country
Frequent travelers or digital nomads who can’t commit to regular classes
Those living in smaller towns/cities with limited in-person language tutors

Or, quite frankly, anyone who's tried the gamified apps and plateaued.

Things to Bear in Mind With Preply

If Preply is starting to sound good to you, and you’re thinking about signing up, then that’s great, and we think you should… But there are some things to keep in mind before you really commit to the platform.

To start with, it is important to understand that your experience is probably going to be mainly down to your tutor. Who you choose will determine the price, teaching style, and curriculum, and so the decision is very important. If you don’t want the pressure of having to choose your own teacher, then this might not be the right platform for you.

We also have to say again that for Preply to work, you have to be ready to put in the work first. Learning a language takes commitment and consistency, and especially when it comes to a 1-on-1 lesson format, there’s no hiding in the back of the class. If you want an easy win, we’ll point you in the direction of Duolingo.

And last but not least, Preply’s subscription model just isn’t for everyone. Although we love its flexibility, you do need to know that unscheduled lessons don’t carry over to the next month. You can schedule lessons for the future, or pause your subscription if needed, but if you forget to lock in all your lesson credits before the subscription renews, then you can’t get them back.

Preply FAQs

Can I keep learning if I'm constantly changing time zones?

Absolutely, and that’s actually one of the things we appreciate the most about Preply. You can change your timezone whenever you need, and book classes and the times that work for you. The only potential issue is if you’re in a timezone that doesn’t work with your tutor's availability, in which case you might need to switch teachers.

How do I find a tutor that fits my schedule?

It couldn’t be easier. Firstly, when you’re searching for tutors, you can set your own availability times, meaning Preply will only show tutors that fit with that schedule. Then, if you find a tutor you’re interested in working with, just click on their profile, then scroll down to see their schedule and available times.

Is Preply really helpful?

If you want to take language learning seriously with 1-on-1 virtual lessons, then Preply is amazing. It connects you with a wealth of tutors in 90 different languages, and hosts the lesson bookings, the class itself, and your notes all in one place.

Which is better, Duolingo or Preply?

It depends on what you’re looking for. Duolingo is great for gamified vocab learning and quick language refreshers, whereas Preply is designed for deeper language learning through human-led lessons and real-time conversation. If you want to really study a language, we’d say Preply is the better option.

Is 40 too old to learn a new language?

Not at all! It’s never too late to pick up a new skill, and that includes learning a new language. In fact, studies show that studying a foreign language is great for the brain at any age, and learning as an adult means you often have better focus and understanding of structure.