Preply vs italki
Both are marketplaces where you book a private tutor, but they bill differently. Preply charges for a paid trial and then a subscription every 28 days, with a processing fee at checkout. italki has no subscription: you pay per lesson at the price each teacher sets. Choose Preply for a fixed weekly routine and italki for a flexible, pay-as-you-go exit.
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Choose Preply ifyou want one tutor on a set weekly schedule, are happy to subscribe for 1 to 5 hours a week, and value the free tutor switch.
Choose italki ifyou want to pay lesson by lesson, avoid recurring charges, and may need a rarer language or a group class.
Preply and italki side by side
| Preply | italki | |
|---|---|---|
| Our language learning apps rank | #7 of 12 | #8 of 12 |
| Established in | United States | Hong Kong |
| List price, 2 November 2026 | Per lesson, set by each tutor (featured English tutors 23 to 40 euro); paid trial; processing fee at checkout | Pay as you go; each teacher sets the price (featured teachers USD 9 to 20 per lesson) |
| Free tier | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Learners who want one private tutor and a weekly routine | Learners wanting single lessons without a subscription, including rarer languages |
| Not for | People who dislike recurring charges every 28 days | Buyers who want one fixed monthly price |
Both are reviewed in full in our language learning apps ranking: Preply and italki.
Where they differ
Preply 0 · italki 3 · open 2- 01
Billing model
Preply charges at the start and every 28 days for a weekly-hours subscription. italki is pay as you go, with no subscription. For someone wary of recurring charges, italki is the simpler fit.
Edge: italki
- 02
Trial lesson
Preply's trial is a paid lesson of 25 or 50 minutes, and its commission on a new student's trial is 100 percent. italki mentions an Instant Lesson that can serve as a trial. Preply does offer a free tutor switch or a full refund if the trial fails.
Depends on the buyer
- 03
Visible fees
Preply shows a processing fee and taxes at checkout and keeps 18 to 33 percent of regular lessons from tutors. The italki pages we read list no student platform fee, but also no fee structure, so final cost depends on the teacher.
Depends on the buyer
- 04
Price range shown
Preply's how-it-works page features English tutors at 23 to 40 euro per lesson. italki's homepage features teachers from USD 9 to 20. The currencies differ and the samples are featured tutors only, but italki's featured rates are lower.
Edge: italki
- 05
Language and class range
italki lists 150+ languages, lessons of 30 to 90 minutes and group classes. Preply's pages we read named 1 to 5 hours weekly but no language count. italki shows more range.
Edge: italki
When neither fits
If you want a self-paced app with no human tutor, look at Duolingo or Pimsleur instead.
Preply or italki: questions
3 answersDoes italki have a subscription?
No. Its homepage says lessons are pay as you go and each teacher sets the price.
How often does Preply charge?
Its help centre says the subscription is charged at the start and every 28 days, with a processing fee and taxes added at checkout.
Can I get my money back on Preply?
Its how-it-works page says you can switch tutor for free or take a full refund if the trial lesson does not work out.
Sources
Checked 2 November 2026- Preply trial lesson help article: trial lessons are paid, 25 or 50 minutes.
- Preply commission help article: 100 percent commission on a new-student trial, 18 to 33 percent on regular lessons.
- Preply billing help article: charged at start and every 28 days, processing fee and taxes at checkout.
- Preply how it works: 1 to 5 hours per week, free tutor switch or full refund, featured English tutors 23 to 40 euro per lesson.
- Preply Terms of Service: Preply, Inc., Delaware corporation, Brookline, MA.
- italki homepage: pay as you go, teacher-set prices, featured rates USD 9 to 20, 150+ languages, 30/45/90 minute lessons, Instant Lesson trial, group classes.
- italki about page: italki HK Limited; no student platform fee listed.