italki vs Preply
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
italki
Connect with qualified native teachers for personalized language lessons. Learn Spanish, English, French, and over 150 other languages at your own pace and schedule. Practice conversation, master grammar, and immerse yourself in new cultures.
- Private tutoring with native teachers
- Learn over 150 languages
- Customizable lesson plans
- Flexible class scheduling
- Pay-as-you-go pricing
- Video call tutoring
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Start learning or keep improving your Spanish, English, French or any other language with private tutoring, thanks to qualified native teachers. With italki, enjoy an immersive learning experience with native teachers, and learn Spanish, French or any other language by sharing a real and human connection with your teacher. Do you want to learn a new language? Would you like to study English with a native teacher? You speak a bit of French and you’re not sure how to keep on learning? Language academies don’t fit your schedule? Download italki, register for free and learn Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean and more languages. Customize the way you learn languages; connect with native teachers according to your interests, work experience, etc. In italki you’ll find qualified language teachers to learn the language you like best (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Korean…). Make the most of this opportunity to learn languages, practice your conversation skills, get to know new cultures and grow professionally. Aside from the italki’s community’s support, video call tutoring with native teachers is the best tool for you to learn a language. italki, the app to learn languages with tutoring More than 150 languages available with native teachers - Spanish - English - French - Japanese - Korean - German … and much more! ◉ Language classes where and when you want Do you want to make the most of your lunch break at work or your daily walk to learn Spanish? Choose the class duration (30, 45, 60 or 90 minutes) and adjust it to your schedule. Use italki Classroom, Skype, Zoom or another platform for your online language classes and start speaking the language you always wanted to learn, or practice the languages you want to get better at. ◉ Master the language skills you need the most italki's qualified teachers tailor their language classes to your current level (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2). They will build every lesson based on your personal needs and weaknesses, to ensure you progress fast. Choose a course that fits your priorities: conversation, business, grammar, creative writing, exam preparation… You have lots of options available for each language! ◉ Pay as you go Forget about paying a lot without knowing if you’ll be able to attend all the classes. With italki, you pay per class. You can also buy credits to spend them little by little or buy a package and save on the final price. Educators set their own prices, from less than $10 for qualified teachers to less than $5 for tutors. You also have three classes for less than $5 each to try, so you can make sure it’s right for you! ◉ An immersive learning experience Learn and exchange with native teachers who will teach you everything you need to know about the language and its culture, and with whom you can create a real human connection, far beyond mechanical language learning. Whether you want to learn Spanish, English, Japanese or any other language, progress quickly with a total immersion. ◉ Connect with thousands of native teachers Find Spanish, English, French, Japanese, German, Italian and Korean teachers, and teachers of many more languages. Choose your teacher according to their interests, specialization, or even their accent: British or American English, to learn English and any other language you need. Some teachers use language-teaching materials in their tutoring classes, such as books, videos, cards, etc. ◉ Learning together with your friend Invite your friends to join italki to study a language, and earn $10 every time one of them spends their first $20. They will also earn $5 for adding you as their referrer. Study online, learn languages with native tutors in italki and expand your world. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Preply
Connect with professional tutors for live, personalized language classes. This platform offers a structured alternative to gamified apps, focusing on real conversations and customized learning paths to achieve fluency.
- Live, personalized classes
- Thousands of expert tutors
- Practice real conversations
- Flexible scheduling
- Study over 90 languages
- Track progress
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Preply: Learn Languages with Real Tutors - Anytime, Anywhere Looking for the best way to learn a new language? Preply is more than just another language learning app: It’s a complete online learning platform and app that connects you with thousands of professional tutors for live, personalized classes. Unlike gamified apps that rely only on repetitive exercises, Preply gives you the flexibility of self-study combined with the structure, accountability, and human connection of real teachers. With the Preply app, you can: • Learn on the go - Book and attend lessons from anywhere, right from your phone. • Access thousands of expert tutors - Choose teachers based on price, ratings, availability, or specialization. • Practice real conversations - Build confidence by speaking with a live tutor instead of memorizing phrases. • Flexible scheduling - Book lessons that fit your lifestyle, whether daily practice or weekly study. • Study over 90 languages - English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, and more. • Track your progress - Follow your learning journey with clear goals and personalized feedback. Why Preply? Most language apps stop at vocabulary drills or gamified practice. Preply takes you further by connecting you with real people who adapt lessons to your goals. Want to prepare for exams? Boost your career opportunities? Improve pronunciation? Preply tutors customize your learning path, so every lesson gets you closer to fluency. Key Benefits of the Preply App • Structured alternative to gamified apps: Skip endless exercises and focus on meaningful progress. • Personalized learning: Lessons tailored to your level, learning style, and objectives. • Affordable options: Tutors for every budget, with transparent pricing and secure payment. • Convenient experience: Same great Preply platform, optimized for mobile so you can learn anytime. • Trusted by learners worldwide: Millions of students already use Preply to achieve their language goals. How It Works • Download the Preply app. • Choose your tutor: Filter by language, specialty, budget, or availability. • Book your first lesson: Flexible scheduling makes it easy. • Learn & track progress: Stay motivated with real results and ongoing support. Whether you’re a beginner or advanced learner, preparing for exams, traveling abroad, or building a global career, Preply helps you succeed. With Preply, you’re not just downloading an app, you’re joining a global learning platform built to support your growth. Learn languages your way, with the flexibility of an app and the reliability of real classes. Start your language journey today. Download Preply and discover why it’s the best app for live tutoring, online language classes, and personalized learning.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Preply at none against italki's 4. Preply also leads on ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#98 vs unranked). italki's advantage is review sentiment (68% vs 54%). On price, rating, update cadence and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. italki sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Preply asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for italki against 4.8 for Preply. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9.7K and 44K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 68% of italki's written reviews are positive against 54% of Preply's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.
| Parameter | italki | Preply |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (9.7K ratings) | 4.8 (44K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 67.6% of reviews — better | 54.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 9.7K | 44K — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #98 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 306 MB | 237 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | italki HK Limited | Preply Inc. |
Customer experience
italki
Preply
User reviews
italki
From 9.7K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Great platform to connect with native speakers
- 🚀 Flexible scheduling and easy to use
- 💰 Affordable lessons
- 🎓 Helpful for improving language skills
- 🤝 Positive learning experience with great teachers
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy app with glitches and connectivity issues
- 💳 Concerns about pricing changes and fees
- 🕰️ Unreliable teachers who cancel or don't show up
- 🤖 Poor customer service and lack of support
- 📆 Difficulty with scheduling and calendar integration
Preply
From 44K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great app for learning languages
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 💡 Flexible scheduling and wide range of tutors
- 🤩 Excellent tutors who are patient and knowledgeable
- 📚 Helpful lesson materials and resources
Room to improve
- 🐛 Technical issues with the app, including freezing, crashing, and audio/video problems
- 🤑 Concerns about the subscription model and hidden fees
- 💤 Lack of customer support responsiveness
- 🤯 Frustration with tutors canceling or not showing up for lessons
- 🤖 Complaints about the app's user interface and navigation
Bugs and requests
italki
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes and freezes
- Inaccurate teacher availability information
- Issues with login and account management
- Problems with video/audio quality during lessons
- Syncing and integration problems with other platforms
Requested features
5 requests- Improved calendar and scheduling functionality
- Better notification system for lessons
- Ability to search for and connect with language partners
- More transparency around teacher availability and cancellations
- Streamlined payment and refund process
Preply
Reported bugs
5 issues- Lessons not properly credited or refunded
- Inability to transfer lesson credits between tutors
- Automatic subscription renewals without user consent
- Inconsistent app functionality across devices
- Tutor profiles and availability not accurately reflected
Requested features
5 requests- Calendar integration and scheduling improvements
- Better note-taking and lesson history features
- Ability to purchase individual lessons instead of subscriptions
- Improved customer support and communication channels
- More robust tutor vetting and quality control
In-app purchases
italki
- italki Plus - 1 Month$5.991 Month
- Plus Monthly Plan with Trial1 Month trial$5.991 Month
- italki Plus - 1 Year$59.991 Year
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- Plus Yearly Plan with Trial1 Month trial$59.991 Year
Preply
No in-app purchases







