Updated October 17, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team
Preply vs Talkpal
Preply
Higher score in this comparison
Talkpal
Where Preply and Talkpal differ
| Compare | PreplyReviewVisitVisit | TalkpalReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €2 | $19.99 |
| Free tier | No | YesHas it |
| Languages | English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, Portuguese, Polish, Dutch, Turkish, Korean, Hindi, Indonesian | English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Dutch, Portuguese, Swedish, Hebrew, Greek, Finnish, Norwegian, Ukrainian |
| Number of languages | 90 | 130Higher |
| Offline use | YesHas it | No |
| Kids version | YesHas it | No |
| Price per month | Not confirmed | $19.99 |
| Price per year | Not confirmed | $119.99 |
| Lesson price from | €2 | Not confirmed |
| Free trial length | Not confirmed | 14 days |
| Lesson length (minutes) | 25 to 50 | Not confirmed |
| Speech recognition | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Certificate | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Family subscription | Not confirmed | No |
Same on both: AI conversation practice (Yes).
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Key differences
- Preply scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 8.6.
- Free tier: only Talkpal.
- Number of languages is higher at Talkpal: 130 vs 90.
- Offline use: only Preply.
- Kids version: only Preply.
- Support channels: only Preply offers Chat.
- Founded is lower at Preply: 2012 vs 2023.
- Languages: only Preply offers Polish, Turkish, Hindi.
- Languages: only Talkpal offers Swedish, Hebrew, Greek.
- Learning method: only Preply offers Live 1to1.
Our verdict on each
Preply
Preply suits learners who want live lessons with a tutor they choose, and parents learning alongside a child. Each tutor sets their own price, so the €2 entry point says little about the bill you run up over a term. There is no free tier, so the first lesson is a purchase.
Talkpal
TalkPal suits adults who want a broad, app based language habit with a free start and a 14 days trial, and it covers 130 languages with AI conversation. The catch is price: $19.99 monthly is steeper than the free starting points at €0 and $0.
Score breakdown
| Area | Preply | Talkpal |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.8HigherEntry sits at €2, ranking 8 of 35 brands compared, with a 12 hours cancellation window. | 8.5Entry price of $19.99 and a $19.99 monthly plan put it above €0 and $0, though under Reading Eggs at £6.99. |
| Offer | 9.2Higherfrom 100,000 tutors, 90 languages, ai conversation practice, offline lessons and a kids version on one account. | 8.9Free tier plus a 14 days trial, AI conversation, speech recognition and 130 languages make the bundle wider than the price asks. |
| Trust | 9.3HigherScreened tutors with background checks, a switch or full refund if the trial lesson disappoints, and support on email, chat and help centre. | 8.0Certificate included, a US entity at TalkPal, Inc. founded in 2023, and support on email and help centre only. |
Licences and countries
| Country | Preply | Talkpal |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
Which one suits you
Pick Preply if offline use and kids version matter most.
Pick Talkpal if free tier and number of languages matter most.
A third option
uTalk has number of languages at 150, against 90 for Preply and 130 for Talkpal.
uTalk reviewSources behind this comparison
Preply
- preply.com: 14 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Talkpal
- talkpal.ai: 15 facts, checked September 30, 2026
- apps.apple.com: 3 facts, checked September 30, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Preply | Talkpal |
|---|---|---|
| Language learning apps | 3 of 63 | 10 of 63 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Preply | Talkpal |
|---|---|---|
| Learning method | Live 1to1, AppCovers more | App |
| Legal entity | Preply Inc. | TalkPal, Inc. |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | 2012Lower | 2023 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centreCovers more | Email, Help centre |
Tutoring
| Fact | Preply | Talkpal |
|---|---|---|
| Median lesson price | €26 | Not confirmed |
| Subjects | Math, English, Languages, School | Not confirmed |
| Lesson format | 1to1, App | Not confirmed |
| Number of tutors | from 100,000 | Not confirmed |
| Tutor vetting | Screened | Not confirmed |
| Tutor background checks | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Cancellation notice | 12 hours | Not confirmed |
| Satisfaction guarantee | Free switch to another tutor or a full refund if the trial lesson disappoints | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Preply | Talkpal | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per month | Not confirmed | $19.99highest quarter | $12.99 |
| Price per year | Not confirmed | $119.99above the median | $95.99 |
| Free trial length | Not confirmed | 14 daysabove the median | 7 days |
| Number of languages | 90above the median | 130above the median | 41 |
| Lesson length (minutes) | 25 to 50below the median | Not confirmed | 30 |
Median across 25 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Preply
Pros
- You choose the tutor from a pool of from 100,000, so a weak match is a change rather than a commitment.
- A trial lesson that disappoints can be swapped for another tutor or refunded in full, and the cancellation window is 12 hours.
- Ai conversation practice and offline lessons mean study continues on days with no live session.
Cons
- There is no free tier, so nothing can be tried before paying.
- Tutors set their own prices, so the €2 entry is not the bill: the median lesson is €26.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, so there is no phone line when a booking goes wrong.
Talkpal
Pros
- The $119.99 yearly plan costs less than paying month by month at the $19.99 rate, so a longer commitment cuts the outlay.
- A free tier and a 14 days trial let a reader test the app before paying anything.
- AI conversation, speech recognition and 130 languages sit in one app based plan.
Cons
- Support runs on email and help centre only, so a blocked learner waits in writing rather than reaching a person.
- There is no offline mode, against 86.7% of apps in the same group that let you learn without a connection.
- A family subscription is not offered, and neither is a kids version, so one paying account covers a single adult.
Who each suits
Preply
Who it suits
- Learners who want live speaking practice and are happy to interview tutors until the match works.
- Parents who want adult lessons and a kids version under the same account, with 90 languages available.
- Anyone who values a switch or a full refund after a trial lesson more than a fixed course.
Who should look elsewhere
- Bunpro, because it costs $0 and suits anyone unwilling to pay per lesson from the first booking.
- Phase6, because a course at €0 is a smaller commitment than lessons at the €26 median.
- Reading Eggs, because one entry payment of £6.99 is easier on a fixed budget than a per lesson bill.
Talkpal
Who it suits
- Adults building a speaking habit on a phone who value a free start and a trial
- Learners whose target language sits among the English, German and French courses on offer
- People who want a completion certificate alongside conversation practice
Who should look elsewhere
- Families sharing one account, since a family subscription is not offered
- Learners who need offline lessons, as the app has no offline mode
- Readers who want the cheapest way in, since €0 and $0 start free
Questions about each
Preply
How much does a Preply lesson cost?+
The cheapest tutor on Preply is €2 for a lesson, and the median lesson is €26. Every tutor sets their own rate, so what you pay depends on who you book and rises as you move toward experienced teachers. Preply ranks 1 of 6 compared brands on the cheapest lesson price.
Is there a free tier or a free trial lesson?+
There is no free tier, so nothing on Preply is free to use. What stands in its place is cover on the opening lesson: if the trial lesson disappoints, you can switch to another tutor or take a full refund. With lessons of 25 to 50 minutes, the first booking is small enough to treat as a test.
Talkpal
What does TalkPal cost to start?+
The entry price is $19.99, and the monthly plan is also $19.99, so a first payment is about the same as a single month. The annual plan is $119.99, which is lower than paying month by month at the monthly rate.
Is there a free trial and a free plan?+
There is a free tier for early sessions and a free trial of 14 days that opens up the fuller app. That gives you a window to test AI conversation and roleplay before any charge, which is longer than the 7-day trial typical of the apps in this group.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- Preply vs italki
- Preply vs Mondly
- Talkpal vs Learn Laugh Speak
- Preply vs Mandarin Blueprint
- Preply vs Languatalk
- Preply vs Tutorful
- Preply vs Schülerhilfe
- Preply vs Drops
- Preply vs Cuemath
- Preply vs Fiszki
- Talkpal vs phase6
- Talkpal vs Reading Eggs
- Preply vs Wyzant
- Preply vs Codeyoung
- Preply vs Novakid
- Preply vs SpeakBrit Academy