Is Preply Legit? An Honest Review for Parents of School-Age Kids

What we read, and when

On 6 November 2026 we read Preply's About page, its homepage, its page for new tutors, its pages for math, English, children's English and children's Chinese, its community guidelines, the help-centre articles listed at the end, and four legal documents: the Terms of Service (updated 25 November 2025), the Subscription Services Terms (updated 28 August 2026), the Refund and Payment Policy (updated 16 August 2026) and the User Code of Conduct. We loaded each page at least twice. The help articles and terms read the same both times. Listing pages did not: teacher counts and the range of the price filter changed between loads, so we quote neither.

We read from outside North America, using Preply's own currency setting to see what US and Canadian families are shown; the help centre and terms are the same for everyone. We did not take lessons. This is a review of what Preply promises in writing, which is what a parent signs up to. Trustpilot refused our read that day, so we quote no third-party rating.

Is Preply a real company?

Yes. Preply's About page says it was "founded in the US by Kirill Bigai and Dmytro Voloshyn, with the early team and product built in Kyiv", and that it launched in 2012. In January 2026 it says it reached "a $1.2B valuation following a $150M Series D round led by WestCap". It describes itself as "the world’s largest language learning marketplace, with over 100,000 tutors teaching 90+ languages in 180 countries."

The detail that matters for a parent is what kind of company it is. Preply's Terms of Service are plain about it: "Preply is acting as an on-demand intermediary connecting Students and Tutors and providing the tools to facilitate tutoring services." They add that Preply "is a technology services provider that does not provide online tutoring services or functions as a language learning school."

So Preply is legit in the sense a parent usually means: a real business, with published terms, a help centre and a payment system. It is not a school that hires, trains and supervises teachers. The person on the screen is an independent teacher who set up a profile, and the quality of the lesson depends on that person.

Who teaches on Preply, and what does Preply check?

Preply's page for new tutors answers the first question directly: "No specific certification or teaching experience is required!" After registration, "our Tutor Success team will review your profile within 3 business days." A help article for new tutors gives 5 business days, and asks applicants to upload their certifications and add their degrees or diplomas. Preply says it does not always approve profiles "at the first attempt because the profile photo, video or description doesn’t meet our requirements."

Three further checks appear in Preply's own pages:

• Identity. A help article says "all Preply tutors will need to verify their identity prior to withdrawing their earnings", and that "The applicant must be 18 years of age or older". A newer article names Veriff as the partner Preply uses to check identity, and says "We already use it to verify tutor identities on Preply."
• Credentials, when asked. The Terms of Service say "Preply may request a Tutor to provide a government-issued ID" and documents for "the claimed educational credentials", and a teacher who passes gets a badge. That badge is a blue shield, which Preply's help centre says means "the Preply team has cross-checked the tutor's profile information against the necessary documents to confirm the tutor's identity", and that verified teachers' "qualifications have been double-checked by Preply to verify the authenticity of their educational background." The terms also carry a disclaimer: Preply makes no "representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, and reliability" of what a teacher submits, and "Preply cannot confirm that each User is who they claim to be."
• Background checks. Two of Preply's marketing pages say teachers are background-checked. Its English tutors page says "All our tutors go through a background check to ensure their credentials are legitimate", which ties the check to credentials. Its page on Chinese lessons for children says "Every tutor teaching Chinese on Preply has passed a background check". The Terms of Service do not promise a check. Their section on consumer reports says "Preply may or may not utilize third-party consumer reporting agencies that perform, among other things, criminal background checks, sex offender registry checks", and that "Preply does not independently verify information in the Consumer reports."

Preply also shows badges on profiles. The Super Tutor badge goes to "tutors who have shown consistently strong performance in recent months, including high attendance, strong student ratings, and prompt responses to messages." The Professional Tutor badge, says a help article updated 20 August 2026, is open to any language teacher who passes Preply's own teaching course or holds "A government-accredited or government-endorsed teaching certificate from a language teaching course of at least 120 hours", and "Every certificate a tutor uploads is manually reviewed by our team and checked against our criteria before the badge is awarded." The math page also points parents to "Professional Tutors, who hold verified teaching certificates". Neither badge is a school-teaching licence.

On its children's English page, Preply says those teachers "typically hold degrees such as a Bachelor’s or Master’s, and teaching certifications like TEFL, TESOL, CELTA, or Cambridge certification." Those are qualifications for teaching English as a second or foreign language, useful for language practice but different from a licence to teach in a school.

In Canada, that licence is issued by a provincial regulator. In Ontario, the Ontario College of Teachers says "All publicly funded school teachers and administrators in Ontario must be licensed by us and be Ontario Certified Teachers (OCT)", and anyone can search its public register by name. Our guide on how to check a teacher's certification in Canada covers each province. Preply's page for new tutors does not ask for a licence like this, so if it matters to you, ask the person for theirs and look it up yourself. Our explainer on a certified teacher versus a tutor sets out why the difference matters for school subjects.

Is Preply good for kids?

It depends on the child's age first. Preply's Terms of Service say its services are for people "18 years and older". Then: "Individuals under the age of 18 but not younger than the age of 13 can use our Services only in conjunction with and under the supervision of a parent or a legal guardian." And: "You agree and confirm that you will not allow any individual younger than the age of 13 to use the Services."

Preply does run pages aimed at children, including one for English lessons, and its math page lets you filter for "tutors who work with children or beginners". Those pages do not mention the age rule. The terms are the contract, and under them a child under 13 may not use Preply at all.

For a teenager, the terms make the parent responsible: "The parent or the legal guardian shall at all times be responsible for any and all activities related to the use of the Services". Our advice, not a Preply rule: sit in on the first lessons, keep lessons in a shared room, and keep all messages on Preply.

Preply's own rules support that. Its community guidelines say "Misrepresentation of identity, experience, or qualifications has no place on Preply", and they forbid users to "Circumvent Preply’s payment system or schedule lessons outside the platform". Its harassment policy says "Preply maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of harassment or discrimination", and it counts remarks that move "the interaction from a professional to a personal/romantic context" as harassment. Preply's User Code of Conduct forbids users to "Exploit children under 18 years of age" or "Solicit personal data from children under 18 years of age".

If something goes wrong, the harassment policy says to report it through the "?" icon on the website, or Settings → Customer Support in the app. Then "Our Trust & Safety team investigates the case." The outcomes it lists include account deactivation, and Preply says it will "cooperate with legal authorities in cases of serious threat or harm".

On progress, the children's page says "After each lesson, parents receive feedback and progress updates from the tutor", and that "Preply’s AI-powered Lesson Insights provide a summary of a child’s strengths, areas for improvement, and next steps."

How does Preply's subscription work?

This is the part of Preply that most needs reading before you pay, and Preply's help centre explains it clearly. Its article on subscriptions, dated 21 September 2026, opens: "A Preply subscription is between you and one tutor. Every 28 days, you are automatically charged for a fixed number of lessons with them."

• The minimum. "The minimum plan is 4 lessons per cycle."
• No single lessons. "standalone one-time lesson purchases are not available, including through customer support." If you run out mid-cycle, the terms allow top-ups of "up to 8 lessons" at a time, "up to two times per billing cycle".
• One teacher per subscription. For a second teacher, "you will need a separate subscription for each one."
• Unbooked lessons expire. "Any lessons not scheduled before the renewal date expire."
• Pausing. "You can pause once per billing cycle, for up to 20 days."
• Changing the plan. "you can adjust the number of lessons in your plan or the duration of each session at any time."
• Cancelling. It "Must be applied at least 1 day before your next billing date."

The Subscription Services Terms say the same thing in legal language: "Unused lessons expire at the end of each billing cycle." The same terms describe a yearly plan, and say "Preply may offer a 14-day trial period" before you commit to it. A family that cancels within that period without using lessons can request a full refund; one that has used some can request "a partial refund of the Subscription Fee corresponding to the value of unused lessons."

On top of the lessons, each payment includes "A processing fee, shown before you complete payment" and "Applicable taxes, based on your location". Preply says "your full amount is always displayed before you confirm payment."

For a busy family, the expiry rule is the one to plan around. Book the four lessons at the start of each cycle, and put the renewal date in your calendar.

What does the trial lesson cost, and what if it goes badly?

The trial is not free. Preply's help article says "Trial lessons are paid lessons", that "Trial lessons are 25 or 50 minutes", and that "Each tutor offers one trial lesson per student." You do not need a subscription to book one: "You only choose a subscription if you decide to continue after the trial." A teacher can turn a trial request down. If that happens, "The trial lesson stays in your balance. You can use it to book a trial with a different tutor."

If the trial itself disappoints, Preply offers a free replacement, and this is one of the better things about the service. The homepage says "Lessons you’ll love. Guaranteed." and "Try another tutor for free if you’re not satisfied." The help article sets the terms. It is for a completed trial that "didn't meet your expectations", and "Our team will review your case". "A replacement gives you a 100% discount on a new trial with a different tutor." "Each account can receive up to 2 free trial replacements in total." It is not available for a teacher you already subscribe to: "If you've already started a subscription with the tutor, a trial replacement is no longer available."

So a family can try up to three different teachers for the price of one trial, as long as it has not subscribed to the one whose trial disappointed and Preply approves each request. Use the trials for that. Ask each teacher the questions further down before choosing.

A refund is the other option. The Subscription Services Terms say that if the teacher "doesn't meet your expectations or the trial lesson didn't take place, you may request (a) a free lesson with another Tutor you will choose on the Preply platform, or (b) a refund of the payment." Preply's English tutors page puts it as "Preply guarantees 100% money back if you're not happy with the selected instructor", tied to "a great first English lesson". The help centre's trial articles mention only the replacement, so if you want the money back instead, say so when you ask.

Can you get a refund from Preply?

Sometimes. Preply's help article on refunds, dated 1 October 2026, says "Preply may issue a refund when you cancel your subscription and no lessons from that billing cycle have been used. The request must be made within 28 days of the charge. Each request is reviewed individually." It adds: "Cancelling your subscription does not automatically issue a refund." To ask, you "open a chat via the ? icon" on the homepage. "Approved refunds are returned to the original payment method used for the charge", and they "can take up to 30 days to appear on your statement."

The legal terms are stricter in tone. The Subscription Services Terms say "To the extent permitted by the applicable law and except as expressly set forth herein, payments are non-refundable", and that "Preply may provide a refund in the event no lessons have been used during your current subscription period, provided the payment was made less than 28 days ago." The Refund and Payment Policy says "To the fullest extent permitted by law, any refunds at any time are at our sole discretion." The Subscription Services Terms narrow that to refunds "not otherwise expressly provided for herein".

Read together: the terms set out the refunds you can request, after a disappointing trial and within the yearly plan's 14-day trial period, and the rest is up to Preply. On the 28-day plan, a family that uses no lessons and asks within 28 days meets the help centre's test, and a family that has used a lesson in the cycle does not.

The Refund and Payment Policy also puts lessons back in your balance: one that "remains unconfirmed for 30 days" with no issue reported, and one whose reported issue is not resolved within 30 days. If a trial did not take place, you can ask for a free trial with another teacher or "a refund of the payment". After 180 days without logging in, "your account will be suspended and your remaining balance will expire."

Cancelling a single lesson has its own rule. "If you cancel a lesson more than 12 hours before it starts, it returns to your balance." "If you cancel it less than 12 hours before it starts, it does not return to your balance." The same rule applies to trials. Preply adds that "late cancellations usually cannot be rescheduled". You can ask the teacher to move the lesson, but they may not be able to.

How much does Preply cost, and in which currency?

Each teacher sets their own rate. Preply's page for new tutors tells them to "Choose your hourly rate and change it anytime", and a subscription costs the number of lessons times that rate. Preply's math page says "Lessons start from $3, with an average price of $17." Its children's English page says "Online English lessons for children on Preply start from $3 per hour, with an average price of $14 per hour." The currency is not named on either page, and both sentences read the same whether the site was set to US or Canadian dollars.

The currency matters most for Canadian families. Preply's help centre says "Preply processes payments in USD, EUR, or GBP. If prices are displayed in a different currency on your screen, those amounts are indicative and for guidance only, they are not the final charge." The Refund and Payment Policy is more specific: when prices are shown in a local currency other than those three, "the payment transactions will be processed in USD." So a Canadian family that sees Canadian-dollar prices pays in US dollars, and "Your bank may apply its own currency conversion rate or international transaction fee." Check the currency on the checkout screen, and on your card statement after the first charge.

For a sense of what private help costs in Canada more broadly, our guide to what a tutor costs in Canada sets out the ranges.

Does Preply follow your child's school curriculum?

Preply's math page answers this in its own FAQ: "Yes, many Preply Math tutors have experience with school curricula and exam systems from around the world. Examples commonly mentioned in tutor profiles include GCSE, IGCSE, Edexcel, IB Math (PYP and MYP), O-Level, A-Level, Common Core, CBSE, the Australian curriculum, and HKCEE."

For a US family, Common Core is on that list. For a Canadian family, no province is. Preply's own copy and FAQ on the math page and the children's English page name no Canadian province, provincial curriculum or Ontario course. Individual profiles can: one math teacher's card listed "Canadian & UK Curriculum".

None of this means a Preply teacher cannot help with an Ontario high school math course. Some may have taught it. It means the matching is left to you. Preply's math page advises families to "use keyword search and filters on Preply to look for tutors who list your curriculum or exam board in their profile". For a provincial course, that search is yours to run. Give the teacher the course code and the unit your child is on, and ask whether they have taught it before.

What Preply does well

A fair review has to say this part clearly, because Preply gets a lot right.

• Choice. Each profile has "a bio, an introduction video, and verified student reviews", and you can filter by price, schedule, country and experience with children. For language practice, that range is hard to match.
• You meet the teacher before you commit. A trial comes before any subscription, and if it disappoints you can ask for a free trial with someone else, up to twice, or a refund.
• Some checks are done by hand. Badge certificates are reviewed manually, and verified profiles carry a blue shield.
• The rules are written down. Billing, cancelling, refunds and trials each have their own help article. Most of what a parent needs to know is public before signing up.
• Your price is protected. "Your rate will not increase without your acceptance."
• You can step back without cancelling. Pausing for up to 20 days, changing lesson length and moving to a different teacher are all in the help centre.
• There are conduct rules and a reporting route. The harassment policy and community guidelines are specific, they apply "from in-app messages to reviews, profile updates to live lessons on the platform", and reports go to a Trust & Safety team.

For a teenager practising French or Spanish conversation, with a parent who reads the subscription terms, Preply is a reasonable choice.

Questions to ask before you book

Write down your child's age, the subject and course, and what you can spend each month. Then put these to the teacher in Preply's messages, or during the trial:

• Which licence or certificate do you hold, and who issued it? If the answer is a provincial or state teaching licence, look the name up on that regulator's public register.
• Have you taught this course? Give the course code your child's school uses, or the name of your state test.
• Have you had a background check, by whom, and when? Preply's marketing pages and its terms describe checks differently, so ask the person.
• How many lessons a cycle does my child need? The minimum is four every 28 days, and unbooked ones expire.
• What currency will I be charged in? Check the checkout screen.
• Can I sit in on lessons? For anyone under 18, Preply's terms require a parent's supervision.

Our roundup of online tutoring in Canada compares how other services answer the same questions.