Preply vs italki: two tutor marketplaces compared
Prices checked 17 Oct 2026; Preply's on 6 Sept 2026 · How we check
Preply if you want 50-minute lessons and an average price for your language before you look.
italki if you want 30-minute lessons, a placement test and a guaranteed trial.
| Question | Preply | italki |
|---|---|---|
| A year costs | Set by each tutor: $3 to $50 a lesson on Preply's English tutor listing (checked 6 Sept 2026). At Preply's own averages, from $10 a 50-minute lesson in Arabic to $22 in Italian, one lesson a week is about $520 to $1,144 a year | Set by each teacher: typically $4 to $10 for a 30-minute lesson in English, French and Spanish, as italki states (checked 17 Oct 2026). One such lesson a week is $208 to $520 a year |
| A lesson is | A live 50-minute video lesson with the tutor you choose. | A live video lesson with the teacher you pick, usually 30 to 60 minutes. |
| Try it | A paid trial lesson, with up to two free replacements if it doesn't suit you. | A discounted trial lesson, with up to two credit refunds if the teacher doesn't suit you. |
| App Store rating, 10 Oct 2026 | 4.8 out of 5 from 44,896 ratings | 4.8 out of 5 from 9,847 ratings |
| Most mentioned in 1- and 2-star App Store reviews, 15 Oct 2026 | the price, billing or the subscription (106 of 176) | the price, billing or the subscription (21 of 101) |
| Google Play rating, 11 Oct 2026 | 4.7 out of 5 from 64,488 ratings | 4.8 out of 5 from 18,656 ratings |
How a lesson works in each
Both are tutor marketplaces, so a lesson has the same shape
Side by side
| Compare | Preply | italki |
|---|---|---|
| CEFR levels | None stated: your teacher sets the level | None stated: your teacher sets the level |
| A year costs | Set by each tutor: $3 to $50 a lesson on Preply's English tutor listing (checked 6 Sept 2026). At Preply's own averages, from $10 a 50-minute lesson in Arabic to $22 in Italian, one lesson a week is about $520 to $1,144 a year | Set by each teacher: typically $4 to $10 for a 30-minute lesson in English, French and Spanish, as italki states (checked 17 Oct 2026). One such lesson a week is $208 to $520 a year |
| What it is | Tutor marketplace: Marketplace of private tutors who set their own rates, paid through a plan of lessons that renews | Tutor marketplace: Marketplace of professional and community tutors, priced per lesson |
| Per lesson | Set by each tutor: $3 to $50 a lesson on Preply's English tutor listing (checked 6 Sept 2026) | Set by each teacher: typically $4 to $10 for a 30-minute lesson in English, French and Spanish, as italki states (checked 17 Oct 2026) |
| Free tier | None | None |
| Languages offered | 90 | 104 |
| Speech recognition | — | — |
| Live tutoring | Every lesson is live and one to one. | Every lesson is live and one to one; italki also sells group classes. |
| Offline mode | — | — |
| Placement test | — | Yes |
| Refund or trial | Paid trial lesson; up to 2 free trial replacements per account (a new trial with a different tutor at no charge) if the trial did not meet expectations; a tutor who did not join is handled separately, with no limit | Discounted trial lesson with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: up to two credit refunds on trial lessons if the teacher did not show up or did not meet expectations, requested within 48 hours |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web | iOS, Android, Web |
| Company | Preply Inc., United States | italki HK Limited, Hong Kong |
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Preply
Tutor marketplace
In our comparison: strongest on speaking practice and the number of languages, weakest on the free tier.
$3 to $50 a lesson on its English tutors listing; each tutor sets a rate
Marketplace of private tutors who set their own rates, paid through a plan of lessons that renews. Live lessons with a tutor are the product.
italki
Tutor marketplace
In our comparison: strongest on speaking practice and the number of languages, weakest on offline use.
$4 to $10 a lesson typical for 30 minutes in English, French and Spanish; each teacher sets a rate
Choose a teacher for the language and conversation you need, then pay lesson by lesson. You get a real person to practise with without committing to an app subscription.
Choose an italki teacher if you want to pay lesson by lesson without a subscription. Preply suits a regular weekly routine, but check the subscription and cancellation terms before you book. On either platform, try a tutor whose experience fits your goal before committing to more lessons.
Which to choose
You want 50-minute lessons and the usual price before you look
Preply
Preply prices every lesson at 50 minutes, and its page for each of its biggest languages states the average: $17 for Spanish, $21 for French, $22 for Italian and $19 for Japanese, with the cheapest tutors from $3. italki's pages state a typical price for a 30-minute lesson instead, $4 to $10 in English, French and Spanish, and an hourly range for many more languages. Both lists, language by language, are on the Preply and italki profiles.
You want a placement test and a trial you can walk away from
italki
italki states a placement test and a discounted trial lesson with a satisfaction guarantee: up to two credit refunds on trial lessons if the teacher did not show up or the lesson did not meet expectations. Preply's entry point is a paid trial lesson with up to two free replacements, a new trial with a different tutor, if the trial did not meet expectations; a tutor who did not join is handled separately. Both protect the first lesson; italki adds the placement test.
You are learning a language most apps do not carry
Either; search both for your language
Preply states 90 languages and italki 104. Marketplaces reach further than course apps because a single tutor is enough to list a language, so for a less-taught language, search both listings before deciding.
You want a budget you can predict
Preply, through its plan
Preply charges for a set number of lessons with one tutor every 28 days, at least four, so the bill follows your plan; lessons not booked before the renewal date expire. italki lessons need no subscription: you buy credits and spend them lesson by lesson, so the monthly cost is whatever you book. Two lessons a week at a mid-range rate costs more per month than any subscription app we cover; one lesson a week at the low end costs about the same as a course app's monthly plan. Decide the lesson count first, then compare the total against the subscription apps, not the other way round.
Where they really differ
- Price: Preply: Set by each tutor: $3 to $50 a lesson on Preply's English tutor listing (checked 6 Sept 2026). At Preply's own averages, from $10 a 50-minute lesson in Arabic to $22 in Italian, one lesson a week is about $520 to $1,144 a year. italki: Set by each teacher: typically $4 to $10 for a 30-minute lesson in English, French and Spanish, as italki states (checked 17 Oct 2026). One such lesson a week is $208 to $520 a year.
- A lesson: Preply: A live 50-minute video lesson with the tutor you choose. italki: A live video lesson with the teacher you pick, usually 30 to 60 minutes.
- Trying it: Preply: A paid trial lesson, with up to two free replacements if it doesn't suit you. italki: A discounted trial lesson, with up to two credit refunds if the teacher doesn't suit you.
- Both: Sell live lessons with a tutor.
Plans and prices
Preply
| Plan | Billing | Price | Per month | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price per lesson (English tutors)The range Preply's English tutor search shows; "$50+" means some tutors charge more. Each tutor's card states a price per 50-minute lesson; other languages' averages are under "Prices by language" on the Preply profile. | Per lesson | $3 to $50 | per lesson | one tutor, one lesson |
italki
| Plan | Billing | Price | Per month | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical 30-minute lesson (English, French and Spanish tutors)Each teacher sets a rate. italki's English, French and Spanish pages say tutors cost $4 to $60 an hour and a 30-minute lesson typically $4 to $10; other languages have their own figures, under "Prices by language" on the italki profile. | Per lesson | $4 to $10 | per lesson | one teacher, one lesson |
Questions people ask
Is Preply cheaper than italki?
Not by any figure either states. Preply's Spanish tutors average $17 for 50 minutes; italki says a 30-minute Spanish lesson typically costs $4 to $10. Minute for minute the two overlap, so compare the tutors you would actually book.
Do Preply and italki have free trials?
Neither has a free tier. Preply's entry is a paid trial lesson with up to two free replacements; italki's is a discounted trial lesson with a satisfaction guarantee covering up to two credit refunds.
Which has more languages?
Preply states 90 and italki 104. Both list far more languages than any course app because one tutor is enough to list a language.
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