italki review
Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Our verdict
italki suits learners who want live tutor time rather than self study app drills, and its 30 day trial gives room to try teachers before paying. The trade-off sits in pricing: lessons start at $5, and regular sessions cost more than that entry figure.
Key facts
- Best for
- Live tutor lessons at a low entry price, with a trial before you commit.
- Price from
- $5 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Lesson price from
- $5 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Free tier
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Free trial length
- 30 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Languages
- English, Japanese, Spanish, Chinese, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Korean, Arabic (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Lesson length (minutes)
- 30 to 90 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- AI conversation practice
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Kids version
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Legal entity
- italki HK Limited (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Hong Kong (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Founded
- 2006 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Help-centre (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Learning method
- Live 1to1, Live group
- Official website
- italki.com
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
- Elsewhere
- WikidataWikipediaXTrustpilot
Pros and cons
Pros
- A free tier and a 30 day trial let you test the platform before paying, and the trial length ranks 1 of 21 brands.
- Lessons start at $5, and that entry lesson price ranks 2 of 6 brands among tutor platforms.
- Tutors cover English, Japanese and Spanish, so most learners find a teacher for the language they are studying.
- Lesson lengths come in 30 to 90 minute options, letting you book a short conversation or a longer session.
- A kids version and AI conversation practice cover both younger learners and solo speaking reps.
Cons
- Support runs on help centre only, so an urgent booking problem waits in a queue rather than reaching a person on the phone.
- The $5 entry price is above ErsteNachhilfe's €1.99 start and SpanishPod101's $4, so it is not the cheapest opening offer here.
- The $5 figure is a floor: the middle lesson price across the brands we price sits at €44.31, so regular sessions cost more than the headline number.
- Starting price ranks 13 of 35 brands, placing it mid field on the first number most buyers check.
Who it suits
- Learners who want live speaking practice with a tutor instead of self study drills.
- Learners working on English, Japanese and Spanish, who prefer teacher feedback to app exercises.
- People starting small, since lessons begin at $5 and a free tier is available to try the platform first.
Who should look elsewhere
- Shoppers chasing the lowest entry price, since SpanishPod101 and FrenchPod101 list $4 and $4 to start.
- Learners who want help on the phone or in live chat, because support runs on help centre only.
- Anyone budgeting on a single flat monthly fee, since italki prices each lesson from $5 instead.
Plans and prices
italki bills per lesson rather than through a subscription, so the entry price is the price of a single session. Entry pricing starts at $5, and the cheapest lesson on the platform is $5. Since the rate belongs to the tutor you book, budget for the lesson you want rather than a flat monthly fee.
How it compares on our data
On our data, the trial length of 30 days places italki at 1 of 21 brands, and its entry lesson price at 2 of 6. Starting price sits lower in the wider field at 13 of 35, a sign that many cheaper products carry a lower opening figure.
What you get free
A free tier is available, so you can browse teachers and get a feel for the platform before committing to anyone. The trial runs 30 days, which leaves room to book a lesson, meet a tutor and decide whether a teacher marketplace suits your style of learning.
How italki compares
9.4 vs 9.0
9.4 vs 8.8
9.4 vs 8.6
9.4 vs 9.1
9.4 vs 8.7
Frequently asked questions
How much does a lesson cost on italki?+
italki bills per lesson rather than by subscription. Entry pricing starts at $5, and the cheapest single lesson on the platform is listed at $5. Because each tutor sets their own rate, a first session at $5 is a floor rather than a typical bill.
Is there a free trial, and how long does it last?+
Yes. italki offers a free tier, so you can look through teachers and the platform before paying, and its trial runs 30 days. That trial length ranks 1 of 21 brands in our comparison, which is longer than most tutor and app trials.
Which languages can I learn on italki?+
italki covers English, Japanese and Spanish in its catalogue. Lessons are live with a tutor you pick rather than played from a fixed video library, so you can match a teacher to the language and the level you are working at, with prices starting at $5.
How long is a lesson, and can I change the length?+
Lesson lengths come in 30 to 90 minute options, so you can book a short conversation or a longer session. Teachers publish their own slots, and the live formats in live 1to1 and live group mean some sessions run as paired lessons while others run as group classes.
How do I get help if a booking goes wrong?+
Help comes through help centre, where booking and lesson questions are answered. No live phone or chat line is listed, so a time sensitive problem with a booked lesson may need a message in the queue rather than an instant reply.
Can my child learn on italki?+
Yes. italki has a kids version, and the live formats in live 1to1 and live group include paired and group sessions, which suit younger learners who find a long adult style class tiring. A parent booking can start from the entry price of $5 and the free tier.
Can I practise without booking a tutor?+
Yes. AI conversation is available, so you can get speaking practice without scheduling a lesson, which is useful for warming up between booked sessions. For feedback on grammar and accuracy, the live formats in live 1to1 and live group do more work than practising alone.
Who runs italki?+
The platform is run by italki HK Limited, registered in Hong Kong, and it has traded since 2006. Lessons are booked live with tutors rather than streamed from a course library, so the cost of a session depends on the teacher you choose, starting at $5.
Sources
- company.italki.com checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Founded
“We launched italki at the end of 2006”
- support.italki.com/hc/en-us checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“How can we help”
- support.italki.com/hc/en-us/articles/37624223919385-What-... checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Free trial length
“To start the 30-day free trial”
- italki.com checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Free tier, Languages, Lesson length (minutes), Lesson price from, Learning method, Price from
“Practice for free”
- italki.com/en/teachers/english checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Kids version
“English lessons for kids”
- italki.com/en/tos checked September 30, 2026
Backs: AI conversation practice, Headquarters, Legal entity
“Conversational interface”
Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Price per month, Price per year, Money-back period.