Preply Review: Is it Good For Learning a Language?

What Is Preply?

Preply is a 1-on-1 online tutoring platform that connects you with native-speaking tutors for language learning. You find someone you like, book a session, and meet via video call. Simple as that.

It covers 50+ languages, including less common ones like Thai, which is part of why I ended up here in the first place.

Why I Chose Preply Over Apps and Other Options

I’ve tried the usual suspects. Here’s the honest truth about why they didn’t cut it for Thai specifically:

• Language apps — Fine for vocabulary basics, but Thai is a tonal language. The same word said in different tones means completely different things. You cannot learn that from flashcards.
• Google Translate — Rough with Thai. The photo feature helps a tiny bit in the moment but falls apart fast in real conversation.
• Leaning on locals — The waitress at your favorite spot is not your Thai teacher. She has a job to do. You can’t exactly pepper her with questions mid-service.
• Self-study — Without someone correcting your tones in real time, you can practice the wrong thing over and over and never know it.

Nothing replaces speaking with a native speaker. That’s just the truth. Preply makes that accessible from wherever you are in the world.

Finding the Right Tutor

This is where Preply genuinely stands out. Every tutor has a short welcome video on their profile so you can see and hear them before you commit to a single session.

For a language like Thai where tone and delivery matter so much, this is a game changer. Reading “I’m a fun, casual teacher” in a bio is one thing. Actually watching someone on video and clicking with their energy is another.

Beyond the videos, the tutor selection for Thai was way better than I expected. You can filter by:

• Price — I saw Thai tutors ranging from around $9 to $39+ per session depending on experience
• Specialty — Conversational, business language, reading and writing, beginner-friendly, and more
• Availability — Filter by time slots that work for your schedule and time zone
• Reviews and experience — Real ratings from real students so you can see who consistently delivers

I knew I wanted someone conversational and relaxed, not rigid or overly structured. I found exactly that within a few minutes of browsing. The teacher videos made it easy.

What the Lessons Are Actually Like

Joining a session is dead simple. Click “join”, you’re in, you’re talking. No tech headaches.

You’ll be allowed to join a trial class with the teacher of your choice to start, so you don’t have to commit to them without chatting first. If you enjoyed the teacher, you can schedule more classes afterward.

My tutor came prepared every time. She built her own slides with visuals and prompts; you could tell she put real effort in.

One thing I didn’t expect to love as much as I did: my partner, Garrett, has been joining the lessons, too. We’ve been learning Thai together, and it’s honestly been a really fun way to do it!

You can share the session and practice with each other between classes. Highly recommend if you have a travel partner or significant other who’s on the same language journey.

What I Actually Got Out of The Sessions:

• Real-time pronunciation and tone correction (essential for Thai – IT’S SO HARD!)
• Conversational practice in a low-pressure setting
• Cultural context beyond just the language itself. We love being able to ask her the questions we are wondering while wandering and speaking in the streets
• A dedicated space to make mistakes without feeling awkward about it

That last one is underrated. When you’re out in the real world trying to speak a new language, there’s always a little pressure. In a Preply session, you can just go for it!

Who Is Preply Best For?

I’m coming at this from a traveler and nomad angle, but the platform works for a lot of different situations:

• Expats/immigrants and long-term travelers — Living in a country and actually wanting to connect with it on a deeper level. This is the tool for that.
• Digital nomads — Flexible scheduling, works from anywhere, no commute to a language school. It fits the lifestyle.
• Travelers heading off the beaten path — If you’re going somewhere English won’t carry you, a few sessions before you go will change your whole trip.
• People maintaining multiple languages — I plan to use Preply for Spanish next (when I hop back over to that side of the world). Having everything on one platform for different languages is genuinely convenient.
• Couples and travel partners — Join sessions together, share the cost, practice together. It’s a fun way to learn as a pair.
• People who learn by talking — If reading textbooks or “playing” on apps doesn’t stick for you, 1-on-1 conversation practice is the move!

What About Teaching on Preply?

Since I cover ways to make money while traveling pretty extensively here, it’s worth a quick mention: yes, you can teach on Preply too.

If you’re a native or fluent speaker of a language people want to learn, it’s a legitimate location-independent income stream. You set your own schedule and rates and build your own student base over time.

I used Preply as a student so I can’t speak to the teaching side personally, but a friend of mine teaches Dutch on the platform. A few things worth knowing:

• Preply takes a commission on your earnings, and it’s a bigger cut when you’re starting out
• The commission decreases the more hours you teach, so it gets better over time
• Once past that early stage, it’s a solid and flexible way to earn remotely

Teaching languages online is one of the easiest travel jobs, and always a top recommendation from me. It’s one of the ways I managed to stay abroad when I was starting out! Read more about teaching on Preply.

READ MORE: Teaching English Abroad and Online

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