Learning French opens up doors you may have never even dreamed of. Whether you’re traveling to a French speaking country, want to gain a deeper understanding of some of the most famous arts and literature in the world, or you want to explore the world of French cuisine, speaking the language will give you a deeper appreciation of all things French.
It can be intimidating to start studying the language though. Whether you’re just starting out or already know some French, there are so many apps, courses, and platforms competing for your attention that determining which one is worth your time and money seems impossible. I’ll give you a headstart and let you know about one of my favorites: Preply.
Preply is one of the world’s largest online tutoring platforms, and it has become a go-to choice for French learners from all over the world. It’s definitely a top choice for most learners, and I’ll tell you why in this article. Here is an honest look at the pros, cons, platform features, and a few things to keep in mind before you sign up.
The Pros of Using Preply to Learn French
Signing Up on the Preply Platform is Refreshingly Simple
You could be scheduling your first French lesson in the next few minutes if you want to give Preply a try. Signing up and creating your account is a straightforward process, and you only need to enter your email, answer a few questions, and then start perusing tutor profiles!
Preply’s onboarding questions ask about your current level of French, why you’re studying it, what your general schedule and availability look like, and what your goals are. With over 6,400 French tutors to choose from, narrowing them down can seem like a daunting task. These questions do all of the heavy lifting for you though, saving you time and helping you quickly identify the best possible tutor matches for you.
The Variety of French Tutors All but Guarantees You’ll Find a Perfect Match
French is the official language in 29 countries and used in over 50 countries for government, educational, and cultural reasons. This means there’s a huge diversity in the language, and Preply’s French tutors reflect this diversity. You can find French tutors from Europe, Africa, North America, and beyond.
You can also find native and non-native French speakers, tutors who specialize in topics like business French, exam prep (for DELF and DALF), or even someone who specializes in getting beginners to their first conversation.
Tutors also set their own rates on Preply, so there is a wide range of pricing to match your budget. The sheer variety of tutor backgrounds, locations, teaching styles, and specializations means that you’re more likely than not to find your perfect tutor.
Tutor Profiles and Verified Student Reviews Make Deciding Easier
With so many tutors to choose from, it can seem like an uphill battle to choose just one (even after completing the onboarding questions). Once Preply narrows down which tutors it thinks are a good match for you, you can dig even deeper into the tutors by looking at their profiles.
Each tutor has an introductory video that you can watch to get a feel for their personality. They usually describe how they like to conduct lessons, you can hear them talk and get an idea of their audio and video quality, and even learn about their interests and hobbies. Each tutor profile also lists their availability, pricing, and past student reviews.
The student reviews are one of the best ways to decide on a tutor. You can see, in their own words, what other French learners thought about each tutor. What they liked, what they didn’t like, if the tutor shows up on time, and more. It’s definitely worth taking a few minutes to read through these reviews before booking any lessons!
Booking a Lesson on Preply is Pretty Effortless
Once you have decided on a tutor (or a few), you can book a trial lesson with them. Trial lessons are usually 25 minutes and serve as a way to speak directly with a tutor. After your trial, you can decide if you want to continue learning with them or not. If you’re not happy with the trial, Preply gives you a free replacement trial with a different tutor (max 2 free replacements per account).
The Preply platform makes it super easy to book lessons too. It only takes a few clicks, and the user interface is easy to follow. The company has really invested in its platform over the past few years to make it more user friendly, and it shows. Signing up and booking are both easy and logical processes.
Preply Features that Are Worth Knowing About
Even though this article focuses on the pros and cons of Preply, the actual reason for this article is to help you decide whether it’s worth giving Preply a try. To do that, I think it’s important to give you a few more details about how the platform itself actually works. These aren’t really pros and cons, so I’ve decided to give them their own section.
The Preply Classroom Gives You Everything in One Place
All lessons on Preply take place inside the Preply Classroom. It’s a virtual learning environment directly on the Preply platform (no need for Zoom or Google Meet). The Classroom has high-quality video and audio, an interactive whiteboard both you and your French tutor can use together, real-time text chat, and document sharing. All of these features together empower you to practice all aspects of French (writing, reading, listening, and speaking). And with everything in one place, you won’t waste any of your lesson time flipping between browser tabs.
AI-Powered Practice Helps You Learn Between Lessons
One of the most exciting features Preply has released recently is its AI-powered practice tools. It’s important to study French consistently if you want to make real progress, and using these tools between lessons reinforces what you learn with your tutor so you can advance more quickly.
Stress-Free and Flexible Scheduling Gives You Consistency
We all have things come up every once in a while, and you may need to reschedule lessons because of that. On Preply, you can reschedule or cancel lessons with no penalty as long as you make any changes at least 12 hours before that lesson starts. For me, this removed a lot of the anxiety I normally feel when scheduling lessons. Making that commitment and not being able to meet it because life got in the way is frustrating. Preply completely removes that.
Things to Keep in Mind About Preply (Not Necessarily Deal-Breakers)
It’s neither free nor gamified
Preply helps you learn with real people in real time, and you learn how real people speak. That’s the whole point of learning French, right? A lot of self-learning apps get you hooked with points, games, leaderboards, and more. Their focus isn’t actually on helping you learn French. That’s where Preply is different.
Your tutor’s entire goal is to help you improve your French, and they customize each lesson to help you achieve that goal. A lot of people are shy when speaking another language in the real world, and self-learning apps give you a false sense of security that you’re progressing without having to speak. Preply actually helps you overcome that anxiety by working with someone in a controlled environment where they are rooting for your success.
Preply’s Subscription Model Requires a Commitment, But That’s the Point
When you find the tutor you want to study with, you’ll subscribe to their lessons. Subscriptions automatically renew every 28 days, so make sure to keep an eye on your calendar so you don’t have any surprises. Opinions about the subscription model seem to be pretty mixed online, but there’s a reason Preply works this way. It’s simple: Subscriptions build consistency, and consistency is how you learn French.
No Group Classes, But Private Lessons Are More Affordable Than You Think
Some other online tutoring platforms offer group classes, usually for groups between 2 and 8 students. Preply only offers private one-to-one lessons. This allows for a more personalized and flexible learning experience that meets your (and only your) needs. The main draw with group classes is that they are marketed as being a cheaper option to private lessons. One look on Preply will show you that’s not true though. With French tutors from all backgrounds and countries, you’ll definitely be able to find someone within your budget.
Preply Is Definitely Worth It for French With Everything Considered
The Preply platform is well-rounded and flexible, which makes it one of the best options for learning French. It works exceptionally well if you want personalized lessons, a wide choice of tutors to choose from, and the ability to book lessons and change them in the future if something comes up. The tools Preply has put in its Classroom are also top-notch and add a lot of value to your lessons, making them more interactive.
No platform is perfect for everyone, but Preply’s trial lesson system, the Classroom and AI practice tools, and a wide range of tutors that fit most budgets, Preply definitely makes it easy to get started learning French. If you’re on the fence, give the platform a try and book a trial lesson. This is the lowest-risk way to find out if it’s the right fit for you.
