Disclosure: Preply provided complimentary lessons for this review, but had no say in what I wrote. And if you’ve read this blog before, you know I’m opinionated AF.
Looking to learn a language but not interested in selling an organ to do it? You’ve come to the right place. In this Preply review, I’m comparing two Spanish tutors at very different price points to see whether you really need to spend more for quality one-on-one lessons.
I’ve been living in Mexico since January 11, 2022, and I’ve been taking some sort of Spanish lessons for nearly all that time. I’ve been using Duolingo the whole time. I’ve taken small-group, online classes a couple of times a week. Tried private tutoring in Puerto Vallarta. And I came to the same conclusion: my conversational Spanish still sucks. So, when Preply reached out to me to try out their 1-to-1 classes, I jumped at the chance.
I’ve been using the program for about six weeks so far, and here is my Preply review. Let’s dive in.
What is Preply and How Does it Work?
I’m not going into step-by-step detail about how the Preply website works. You can find that info online in other reviews and on their own website. I’ll review my experience and share whether you can make it work on any budget.
Preply is an online platform connecting students with one-on-one language tutors. You can choose teachers by price, availability, language, experience and other filters. I looked at tutors from $3 to $55, and there were pages and pages of options.
When I was looking for a tutor, it was easy to narrow down the options, at least on paper. I wanted someone who was born in Mexico. Spanish speakers from Spain have totally different pronunciation and slang. If my goal is to talk to my vecinos (neighbors) and people on la calle (the street), then I need Mexican slang. And while you can get by without speaking Spanish here, the having a language barrier in Puerto Vallarta can make everyday life more complicated
I also wanted someone who spoke some English, so if I was really struggling with a concept, we could switch. However, I haven’t needed to go there yet.
Once I narrowed down my tutors to a few, I watched their introduction videos to get a feel for their personality and how they sounded.
After finding the right match, you can take a trial lesson. If it’s not a good fit, you can try a couple more for free.
How Much Does Preply Cost?
Once you choose a tutor, you’ll have to decide on your subscription.
I found this to be a little confusing. But basically, Preply works on a 28-day subscription with one tutor, rather than a pay-as-you-go system.
Every 28 days, you are automatically charged for a fixed number of lessons. For example, a $9 tutor costs $36 for four lessons, while a $28 tutor costs $112.
You can adjust your plan, pause it for up to 20 days, switch tutors, or cancel without a penalty. However, any lessons you haven’t scheduled before your renewal date expire.
What Are Preply Lessons Like?
All the lessons are online through the Preply platform. It’s basically like their own version of Zoom or Google Meet.
After scheduling a class, it’s easy to join your session. No need to dig through emails to find a link or open your calendar, though you can connect Preply to your calendar if you want. Just open Preply.com, and you’ll see a link on the home page that takes you to your lesson.
That’s also where you can view your tutor’s notes from past lessons, ask for homework, and choose what you want to do in your next class.
Preply has an app if you’d rather, but I wanted to stay off my phone and only use the site.
Preply’s website is comprehensive, but I wish it had a short video showing new students how to get the most out of it. There are crosswords, quizzes and flashcards in the Learn tab, but I only discovered them after clicking through the site myself.
For such a comprehensive platform, Preply doesn’t make it particularly easy to discover everything it offers.
One thing I really like is receiving a summary of insights after each class. Things like how much I spoke compared to the teacher, vocab I learned and grammar I got stuck on. It even records what you sound like for you to review (which was a shocker for me).
My Experience: $28 vs. $9 Spanish Lessons
I wanted to try out a few different tutors, and Preply makes that fairly easy. My first tutor was in the middle of the price range at $28 per 50-minute lesson. My second tutor was near the lower end at $9.
Both knew I wanted to work on conversational Spanish, specifically to talk with locals. But they approached classes very differently.
The $28/Lesson Tutor: A Structured Approach
I took four classes with Esmerelda, or Esme. She was a wonderful tutor with a 4.9 rating and 8,747 lessons taught on Preply.
She was kind and patient, and she has a degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Her master’s studies focused on the acquisition of Spanish as a second language.
Esme knows how to teach.
She was extremely professional and organized, and I would have continued with her if not for my budget experiment. She incorporated grammar exercises into speaking practice, corrected me along the way, and took notes, which are found under the “Learn” tab.
She definitely has a formal, guided instruction approach.
The $9/Lesson Tutor: A Conversational Approach
After how much I enjoyed working with Esme, Cristel had a lot to live up to. And she def has.
I’ve only had two classes with her so far, with two more scheduled for next week. She takes a very different approach. It’s much more relaxed, with natural conversations about our lives. It feels more like I’m just talking with a friend who likes to correct me (a lot) than a class. Our classes adapt to where the conversation flows.
Cristel does have structured lesson plans, although because we are just talking, it seems less formal than Esme’s class. I asked her for some homework, and she doled it right out, more than I wanted actually, but in fairness, I was asking for it.
Like Esme, she provided me with a lot of notes, but instead of putting them in Notes, she put them in Canvas, which is accessible on the home page.
Despite charging a third of Esme’s rate, Cristel was just as prepared, engaged and generous with her time and resources.
How to Choose the Right Preply Tutor for Your Budget
- Decide whether you want conversation, grammar or a combination.
- Set a comfortable hourly budget.
- Read tutor profiles and reviews.
- Listen to their profile videos.
- Schedule a trial lesson.
- Explain your learning goals before committing.
- Evaluate whether a tutor listens and adapts to your needs.
- Don’t assume a higher price guarantees a better match.
- Don’t automatically filter out the lowest-priced tutors.
Preply Pros and Cons
As with any online language classes, there are some pros and cons.
Preply Pros:
- There is a huge variety of price points for every budget.
- Personalized instruction: Both tutors adapted their lessons to my conversational goals, but in different ways.
- There are so many tutor options, you are practically guaranteed to find one you like.
- Preply provides real conversational practice, unlike apps like Duolingo.
- Trial lessons let you evaluate a tutor before subscribing.
- The website provides extra course material to study outside of lessons.
Preply Cons:
- The website has plenty of useful features, but I wish Preply did a better job of introducing them to new students.
- The recurring billing system took me a little time to understand, and it might not suit someone who only wants occasional lessons.
- Top tutors get booked up quickly, so you need to schedule ahead.
My Preply Review: Is It Worth It?
For me, Preply proved that you don’t need a big budget to get quality, one-on-one Spanish lessons. My $28 tutor was organized and structured, while my $9 tutor took a more conversational approach. Both were excellent at what they did.
The biggest difference wasn’t the price. It was their teaching styles. Depending on how you learn, either approach could be right.
I’ve only taken six lessons so far, so it’s too early to say how much my Spanish has improved. I can say that both teachers provided thoughtful, personalized instruction, despite their very different prices and teaching styles.
Of course, even $9 an hour adds up when you’re paying for regular lessons. But having access to tutors at different price points makes one-on-one instruction more accessible. And if you’re thinking about moving to a foreign country, learning the local language is one of the best ways to feel more connected to your new home.”
If you’re looking to improve your Spanish without spending a fortune, Preply is absolutely worth considering. Just take the time to find a tutor who fits you.
Preply Faqs
Is Preply good for beginners?
Yes. Preply has tutors who work with complete beginners as well as advanced language learners. You can filter tutors by your proficiency level and learning goals. If you’re starting from scratch, look for someone who specializes in beginners and speaks your native language. I wouldn’t want an all-Spanish class if you are just learning the word for hello.
Can you take Preply lessons without a subscription?
You can only book an initial trial lesson without subscribing, but continuing regular lessons with a tutor requires a subscription. Preply uses a 28-day billing cycle, so it’s not ideal for someone who only wants an occasional lesson.
Is Preply better than Duolingo?
For me, yes. Sometimes Duolingo uses ridiculous sentences, like “My cat brushes my dog’s teeth.” It’s good for vocabulary, but not for speaking with a human and having a real conversation. That is where Preply excels.
Is the Preply trial lesson free?
Yes. You can try out a couple of tutors for free before subscribing.
