Preply Alternatives for Learning English: 9 Options Compared

Key takeaways

• Preply is a marketplace of independent tutors; each tutor sets a price and the lesson quality depends on who you book.
• italki is the closest alternative if you like Preply's model but want a different payment structure.
• Cambly and Lingoda remove the "find a good tutor" problem in different ways: on-demand native speakers versus a fixed curriculum.
• Free tools cannot replace a tutor, but they can cut how many paid hours you need.
• Most learners do best with one free daily course plus a small amount of live speaking.

Why people look for Preply alternatives

Preply works well for many learners. These are the reasons that follow directly from how it is built, according to its own "How it works" page, checked in October 2026.

• Cost adds up. Every tutor sets their own per-lesson rate. A weekly lesson is affordable for some and a real expense for others, and the cost continues for as long as you learn.
• Subscription after the trial. After a trial lesson, Preply plans run from 1 to 5 hours per week and are billed every 28 days. Some learners prefer to buy single lessons when they need them.
• Cancellation rules. Lessons can be cancelled free only up to 12 hours before; later than that, the full lesson cost applies. That is fair to tutors, but hard for people with unpredictable jobs.
• Tutor quality varies. Preply lists a very large number of tutors, and you choose one yourself. Finding the right person can take several trials.
• No fixed curriculum. Content depends on your tutor. Beginners often want a clear path from A1 upward.
• Live lessons need a schedule. A video call needs a quiet place, a stable connection and a time slot.

None of these are flaws for everyone. They simply explain why other models suit some learners better.

Comparison table

Price models are described in general terms because prices change by country and promotion. Check each provider's site before paying.

Rank	Option	Type	Price model	Live speaking	Structured CEFR path	Best for
1	italki	Tutor marketplace	Pay per lesson or package, tutor sets price	Yes, 1-on-1	Depends on tutor	Closest Preply replacement
2	Cambly	Native-speaker conversation	Subscription	Yes, 1-on-1 and groups	Optional courses	On-demand speaking practice
3	Lingoda	Online language school	Monthly class plans	Yes, small groups or private	Yes	Structured classes, certificates
4	LearnLingo	Free interactive course	Free; optional Plus	No	Yes, A1 to C1	Free daily grammar and vocabulary
5	Language exchange apps	Peer conversation	Free tiers	Yes, with peers	No	Free conversation
6	British Council online	Courses and resources	Free resources; paid courses	Paid courses only	Yes	Trusted materials, exam focus
7	BBC Learning English	Free lessons and audio	Free	No	Partly	Listening and real-world English
8	Busuu	App with community feedback	Freemium	Limited	Yes	App learners who want feedback
9	Duolingo	Gamified app	Free with ads; paid tier	No	Partly	Casual daily habit

The alternatives in detail

1. italki

• Best for: learners who like private tutors but want to pay lesson by lesson.
• Price model: marketplace; each teacher sets prices for single lessons and packages.
• Strengths: a large choice of professional teachers and lower-cost community tutors, trial lessons, and lessons tailored to exams or business English.
• Limits: like Preply, quality depends on the teacher you choose, and you need to schedule around time zones.

2. Cambly

• Best for: speaking practice with native speakers at short notice.
• Price model: subscription based on minutes per day and days per week.
• Strengths: you can often start a call quickly, tutors are native speakers, and lessons can be recorded for review.
• Limits: many tutors are conversation partners rather than trained teachers, so grammar instruction can be light.

3. Lingoda

• Best for: adults who want a real class with a curriculum and a schedule.
• Price model: monthly plans of 4 to 32 live classes, renewing every four weeks.
• Strengths: small groups of 3 to 5, qualified teachers, a CEFR curriculum and a Lingoda certificate when you finish a level.
• Limits: you must book in advance and cancel with notice; classmates vary in level. See our LearnLingo vs Lingoda comparison for details.

4. LearnLingo

• Best for: free, structured daily practice, especially for beginners and Turkish speakers.
• Price model: the full course is free; LearnLingo Plus is optional.
• Strengths: interactive lessons from A1 to C1, grammar tips, listening exercises, spaced review of mistakes, 13 games and Turkish explanations.
• Limits: no human tutors, no live classes, no certificates and no AI conversation partner. It complements a tutor rather than replacing one.

5. Language exchange apps

• Best for: free conversation with real people.
• Price model: free tiers with optional paid features.
• Strengths: you trade time: you help someone with your language, they help you with English. Text, voice and video are possible.
• Limits: partners are not teachers, quality and reliability vary, and you need to stay safe online and share no personal data.

6. British Council online

• Best for: learners who want trusted materials and exam-oriented courses.
• Price model: many free learning resources; paid live courses and exam preparation.
• Strengths: clear levels, quality grammar and skills pages, and strong exam knowledge.
• Limits: the free content is self-study; live teaching is paid.

7. BBC Learning English

• Best for: listening, news English and pronunciation.
• Price model: free.
• Strengths: short audio and video programs, transcripts and real-world topics. Pair it with tips from learning English with podcasts.
• Limits: no personal feedback and no single guided path for every level.

8. Busuu

• Best for: app learners who want written feedback from other users.
• Price model: freemium, with paid plans for full features.
• Strengths: structured lessons and community corrections of your writing and speaking.
• Limits: many features need a paid plan, and peer feedback is not teacher feedback.

9. Duolingo

• Best for: a casual daily habit.
• Price model: free with ads; paid tier removes ads and adds features.
• Strengths: strong gamification and very short lessons.
• Limits: limited explanation and speaking depth for serious English goals. Our Duolingo alternatives guide covers more options.

How to choose

By goal

Your goal	Best fit
Speak confidently at work or in interviews	italki or Preply-style tutor, plus job interview English practice
Casual conversation with native speakers	Cambly or a language exchange
A clear course with a certificate	Lingoda
Pass IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge	Exam-focused tutor or British Council course
Build grammar and vocabulary from zero	LearnLingo, starting at A1
Better listening	BBC Learning English plus podcasts

By budget

• Zero budget: LearnLingo plus BBC Learning English plus a language exchange. This covers structure, listening and conversation.
• Small budget: the free stack above plus one paid conversation lesson every week or two.
• Larger budget: a tutor or Lingoda plan two or three times a week, still with a free daily course for review between lessons.

By level

• A1 to A2: a structured course first. Paid conversation is hard to use well when you cannot form sentences yet. A tutor who speaks your first language can help.
• B1: the best time to add regular conversation. You know enough to talk, and speaking is usually your weakest skill.
• B2 and above: tutors and classes give the most value; focus on fluency, accuracy and specific goals.

Not sure of your level? The free English level test takes about five minutes.

Questions to ask before you pay any tutor platform

Whichever alternative you try, the same questions protect your money and time.

• How is billing structured? Per lesson, package, or a subscription that renews automatically? Write down the renewal date.
• What happens to unused lessons? Some platforms carry hours forward for a limited time; others let packages expire.
• What is the cancellation window? Know how many hours or days of notice you need before a lesson is charged anyway.
• Can I switch teachers easily? The first teacher is rarely the perfect match. Free or cheap switching matters.
• Is there a curriculum, or does the teacher decide? Beginners usually need more structure than conversation-only platforms provide.
• How will I measure progress? Ask for a simple plan: goals for the month, and a test or task at the end.

How to judge a trial lesson

A trial lesson is short, so judge it on a few concrete points rather than on how friendly the teacher seemed.

1. Talk time. In a good conversation lesson you should speak for well over half the time.
2. Correction. Did the teacher correct important mistakes, and did you get them in writing afterward?
3. Level match. Was the language slightly above your level, so you had to stretch, but not so hard that you froze?
4. Plan. Did the teacher suggest what to work on next, based on what they heard?
5. Follow-up material. Did you leave with vocabulary or tasks to review before the next lesson?

If a trial fails three of these five, try another teacher or another platform before committing to a plan. Between trials, keep your daily habit going with a free course so you do not lose momentum. A week without practice while you search for the perfect teacher costs more progress than a slightly imperfect teacher would. Treat the search as part of learning: every trial is a speaking session, and every teacher will show you a different weak spot to note down and review.

A 30-day plan: free app plus real practice

This plan assumes 20 to 30 minutes a day and one live speaking session a week, paid or free.

Week 1: foundation

• Days 1 to 2: take the level test and start the matching LearnLingo unit.
• Days 3 to 6: one lesson a day, plus review of mistakes.
• Day 7: one BBC Learning English episode; write down five new phrases.

Week 2: first conversation

• Daily: one lesson and review.
• Midweek: one conversation session (tutor, Cambly or language exchange). Tell your partner your goal and ask for corrections.
• After the session: write the three mistakes you heard and practice them.

Week 3: build speaking habits

• Daily: one lesson, then say five sentences aloud with the new grammar.
• Two days: try the shadowing technique for 10 minutes.
• One conversation session, using the phrases from week 1.

Week 4: review and decide

• Daily: lesson plus a longer review.
• One conversation session about a topic you prepared.
• Day 30: retake the level test, compare, and decide whether paid lessons are worth more of your budget.

Our daily English study routine shows how to fit this around work or school.

Practice set: getting ready to speak with a tutor

Choose the best answer. Answers are below.

1. "Nice to ___ you." (a) meet (b) meeting (c) met
2. "I work ___ a nurse." (a) like (b) as (c) for
3. "How long ___ you lived here?" (a) did (b) are (c) have
4. "I'd like ___ my speaking." (a) improve (b) to improve (c) improving
5. "Sorry, I didn't ___ that." (a) catch (b) take (c) hold
6. "Could you give me an ___?" (a) example (b) examples (c) exampel
7. "I'm interested ___ travel." (a) on (b) in (c) at
8. "We ___ talk about my job next time." (a) can (b) cans (c) to can
9. "She ___ a mistake." (a) did (b) made (c) took
10. "There ___ many people in my class." (a) is (b) are (c) be
11. "I usually ___ English in the evening." (a) study (b) studies (c) studying
12. "What's the difference ___ these two words?" (a) from (b) between (c) of

Answers: 1 a, 2 b, 3 c, 4 b, 5 a, 6 a, 7 b, 8 a, 9 b, 10 b, 11 a, 12 b.

Compare directly

If you are choosing between Preply and a free course, read our side-by-side LearnLingo vs Preply comparison, or browse all alternatives guides. For a wider look at apps, see the best apps to learn English and free English courses online.

People Also Ask

What is the best alternative to Preply?

It depends on why you are leaving. italki is the closest like-for-like tutor marketplace, Cambly suits learners who want quick conversation with native speakers, Lingoda suits people who prefer structured classes, and LearnLingo or BBC Learning English are free options for self-study.

Is there a free alternative to Preply?

There is no free source of private tutors of the same quality, but free tools can cover most of the rest: LearnLingo for a structured interactive course, BBC Learning English and British Council resources for listening and reading, and language exchange apps for free conversation.

Why do people look for Preply alternatives?

The most common reasons come from Preply's model: prices are set by each tutor and add up over time, the subscription renews every 28 days, late cancellations are charged, and lesson quality depends on the tutor you pick.

Is italki cheaper than Preply?

Both are marketplaces where tutors set their own prices, so either can be cheaper depending on the tutor. italki is known for selling single lessons and packages instead of a weekly subscription, which some learners prefer. Compare the same kind of tutor on both sites.

Can an app replace a Preply tutor?

An app can replace drills, grammar practice and vocabulary review, which is a large part of learning. It cannot fully replace live conversation with a person. A common budget plan is a free app every day plus a tutor once a week.