Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team
Preply vs Tutorful
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Preply |  Tutorful |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson price from | €2 | £20 |
| Median lesson price | €26 | £53 |
| Number of tutors | from 100,000 | from 11,000 |
| Cancellation notice | 12 hoursLower | 24 hours |
| Satisfaction guarantee | Free switch to another tutor or a full refund if the trial lesson disappoints | 100% satisfaction guarantee: first lesson replaced with a new tutor, credited up to £100 |
| Trial lesson | Not confirmed | Discounted |
| Minimum age | Not confirmed | 18 |
Same on both: Tutor vetting (Screened), Tutor background checks (Yes).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Cancellation notice is lower at Preply: 12 hours vs 24 hours.
- Support channels: only Tutorful offers Community.
- Subjects: only Tutorful offers Science, Coding, Music.
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.
Tutorful
Tutorful suits families who want a wide pool of screened tutors without a fixed course, since from 11,000 tutors sit behind the matching. Tutor background checks, a satisfaction guarantee that replaces a poor opening lesson, and 24 hours notice to cancel make it a low risk way to find a tutor.
Score breakdown
| Area | Preply | Tutorful |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.8HigherEntry sits at €2, ranking 8 of 35 brands compared, with a 12 hours cancellation window. | 8.9Entry at £20 ranks mid table among compared brands, while the £53 median shows what most families pay. |
| Offer | 9.2from 100,000 tutors, 90 languages, ai conversation practice, offline lessons and a kids version on one account. | 9.5Higherfrom 11,000 tutors spanning math, english and science and 1to1 and app lessons give families genuine choice. |
| 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. | 9.2Tutor background checks are a yes, screened vetting is standard, and a satisfaction guarantee replaces a poor opening lesson. |
Which one suits you
Pick Preply if cost and cancellation notice matter most.
Pick Tutorful if offer matter most.
How they place
| Ranking | Preply | Tutorful |
|---|---|---|
| Online tutoring | 1 of 48 | 10 of 48 |
| Kids learning apps | 1 of 38 | 7 of 38 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Preply | Tutorful |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | United Kingdom |
Also worth a look
GoStudent has cancellation notice at 1 hour, against 12 hours for Preply and 24 hours for Tutorful.
GoStudent reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | Preply | Tutorful |
|---|---|---|
| Subjects | Math, English, Languages, School | Math, English, Science, Languages, Coding, School, MusicCovers more |
| Lesson format | 1to1, App | 1to1, App |
| Legal entity | Preply Inc. | Tutora Ltd, trading as Tutorful (company number 09370702) |
| Headquarters | United States | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2012 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre | Email, Chat, Help centre, CommunityCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Preply | Tutorful | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of tutors | from 100,000highest quarter | from 11,000above the median | 1,000 |
| Minimum age | Not confirmed | 18highest quarter | 10.5 |
| Cancellation notice | 12 hourslowest quarter | 24 hoursat the median | 24 hours |
Median across 34 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.
Tutorful
Pros
- A pool of from 11,000 tutors across math, english and science makes a subject match likely, including coding and music.
- Tutor background checks are a yes and tutors are screened, so families are not left to vet every tutor themselves.
- Canceling with 24 hours notice makes a clash with school life cheap to fix.
Cons
- The £53 median stands well above the £20 entry price, so regular lessons cost more than the headline suggests.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, with no phone line for families who would rather talk a scheduling clash through.
- The vetting standard is screened, so a family wanting verified subject credentials has less detail to go on.
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.
Tutorful
Who it suits
- Families who want to test a tutor with a discounted trial lesson before booking a run of regular sessions.
- Parents of learners who need help beyond core school subjects, since math, english and science includes coding, languages and music.
- Households that expect to change tutors or timetables often, since 24 hours notice keeps rearranging cheap.
Who should look elsewhere
- Families on the smallest budget, since BUKI lists lessons from PLN 50.
- Learners who want the lowest starting rate, since DojoTutor lists $10.
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.
Tutorful
How much does a lesson cost on Tutorful?+
Tutorful lists starting lesson prices from £20, but the median lesson price is £53. That gap is the point: the starting figure belongs to the cheapest tutor on the board, while the median is closer to what a family pays once it settles with a regular tutor. Budget on the median.
Is there a free trial lesson with Tutorful?+
The trial lesson is discounted, so it runs at a reduced rate rather than at no cost. A satisfaction guarantee covers the other risk: if the opening session disappoints, it is replaced with a new tutor and the fee paid is credited back, up to a set cap. Families can test a tutor cheaply, though not for nothing.