I Came to Learn English. Instead, I Had to Learn How Preply Works.
This is one of the worst user experiences I’ve had in recent years.
I came to Preply with a very simple goal: find an English teacher. Naturally, I wanted to take a few trial lessons before committing to a subscription and decide who would be the best fit for me.
Instead, I spent two full days talking to customer support, being transferred between multiple agents, and trying to understand how Preply’s trial lesson system actually works.
Here’s what happened:
* I purchased a $5 trial lesson.
* I decided to try another teacher.
* The app offered to transfer my balance and pay the price difference.
* Then, without any clear explanation, it required me to purchase a subscription for at least four lessons.
* Customer support gave me a 100% discount for another trial lesson, which didn’t work.
* I was told to update the app, try again, purchase a subscription, or even create a new account.
* In the end, I received a refund because nobody could make the system work as intended.
The most absurd part is that I never had a single lesson with any teacher, yet the system marked my trial lesson as “used.”
Customer support explicitly told me that even a failed attempt to transfer or purchase a trial lesson is treated as if the trial lesson has already been used. In other words, users can lose access to a service they paid for simply because of how the platform is designed.
Even more concerning was the support experience. During the conversation, I received multiple contradictory explanations:
* You can’t purchase a single lesson.
* You can purchase a single lesson with a discount.
* Please update the app.
* Please create a new account.
* This is a system limitation.
* There is nothing more we can do.
* We can refund your money.
At one point, I was officially advised to create a second account just to purchase a trial lesson. If creating a new account is the recommended workaround for basic functionality, the problem is clearly not with the user.
The entire concept of a trial lesson becomes meaningless if users are expected to commit to a subscription before they have the opportunity to compare teachers. Finding the right tutor is the single most important part of learning a language, yet the product actively makes that process difficult.
What disappointed me the most is that the platform hides important limitations until you reach the payment flow. The product logic is confusing, and customer support cannot provide clear or consistent answers.
I came to Preply to learn English. Instead, I spent two days learning how Preply’s internal system works.
Unfortunately, after this experience, I cannot recommend Preply to anyone.
I came to Preply with a very simple goal: find an English teacher. Naturally, I wanted to take a few trial lessons before committing to a subscription and decide who would be the best fit for me.
Instead, I spent two full days talking to customer support, being transferred between multiple agents, and trying to understand how Preply’s trial lesson system actually works.
Here’s what happened:
* I purchased a $5 trial lesson.
* I decided to try another teacher.
* The app offered to transfer my balance and pay the price difference.
* Then, without any clear explanation, it required me to purchase a subscription for at least four lessons.
* Customer support gave me a 100% discount for another trial lesson, which didn’t work.
* I was told to update the app, try again, purchase a subscription, or even create a new account.
* In the end, I received a refund because nobody could make the system work as intended.
The most absurd part is that I never had a single lesson with any teacher, yet the system marked my trial lesson as “used.”
Customer support explicitly told me that even a failed attempt to transfer or purchase a trial lesson is treated as if the trial lesson has already been used. In other words, users can lose access to a service they paid for simply because of how the platform is designed.
Even more concerning was the support experience. During the conversation, I received multiple contradictory explanations:
* You can’t purchase a single lesson.
* You can purchase a single lesson with a discount.
* Please update the app.
* Please create a new account.
* This is a system limitation.
* There is nothing more we can do.
* We can refund your money.
At one point, I was officially advised to create a second account just to purchase a trial lesson. If creating a new account is the recommended workaround for basic functionality, the problem is clearly not with the user.
The entire concept of a trial lesson becomes meaningless if users are expected to commit to a subscription before they have the opportunity to compare teachers. Finding the right tutor is the single most important part of learning a language, yet the product actively makes that process difficult.
What disappointed me the most is that the platform hides important limitations until you reach the payment flow. The product logic is confusing, and customer support cannot provide clear or consistent answers.
I came to Preply to learn English. Instead, I spent two days learning how Preply’s internal system works.
Unfortunately, after this experience, I cannot recommend Preply to anyone.
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Terrible service
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Lindsay’s Spanish lessons
My teacher is fun and patience and easy to talk to makes learning easier and no pressure
Ask too much to buy more classes
Good app. Works well.
I hate that it asks all the time to buy more classes. Let me decide please!!!
Zero incentive if you buy a bigger package of classes, it is the same price, so why push us to buy and buy.
Tutors deserve separate reviews, and the app allows us to rate them, so this review is only for the App
I hate that it asks all the time to buy more classes. Let me decide please!!!
Zero incentive if you buy a bigger package of classes, it is the same price, so why push us to buy and buy.
Tutors deserve separate reviews, and the app allows us to rate them, so this review is only for the App
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Excellent Tutor
Theresa M is an excellent tutor. She is knowledgeable, patient, and very professional
