Preply vs FindTutors: Which Tutoring Platform Is Better for Private Lessons?

Starting private lessons online, whether for academic, professional or personal reasons, is a fantastic investment in yourself. It helps you build new skills, boost creativity and grow your confidence, all with the support of an expert tutor who can tailor lessons to your needs.

These days, the internet is full of tutoring platforms offering online and in-person options, which can make choosing the right one harder than ever. In this article, we compare two of the most popular tutoring platforms in the UK: FindTutors and Preply, to help you decide which one suits your goals best.

FindTutors vs Preply

Key Takeaways

📌 What you’ll find in this article:

• Features and teaching styles
  We’ll look at the main differences between FindTutors and Preply, including subjects offered, lesson formats (online or in-person), learning tools and how much freedom each platform gives to tutors and students.
• Pricing, free trials and accessibility
  We’ll break down how much lessons cost, whether you can try lessons for free, and how well each platform helps you find a tutor that fits your budget and level.
• User experience and flexibility
  Whether you want to learn an Asian language with a native tutor online or prefer a maths lesson in your local area, this guide will help you figure out which service works best for your needs.

FindTutors and Preply: Pros and Cons

FindTutors and Preply are two of the most widely used tutoring platforms in the UK, particularly among language learners and students seeking help in other subjects. While both platforms support online tutoring, they offer very different learning experiences. If you're comparing Preply vs FindTutors, it’s worth understanding how each one supports the language learning process, teaching style, and tutor flexibility.

Let’s have a closer look at the strengths and weaknesses of each.

FindTutors: Private Tutoring Marketplace

FindTutors is one of the UK’s top platforms for private tutoring. Since launching, it has steadily expanded its features and tutor base, offering support for both academic subjects and hobbies.

The platform helps you find tutors in more than 350 subjects, including English tutors, science, maths, music, sports, and more. Whether you're after a language tutor, a maths specialist, or someone to help with writing practice, FindTutors gives you access to many tutors who match different teaching styles and student needs.

💚 Pros:

• Offers lessons in 350+ subjects, from GCSEs to guitar
• Flexible formats: take online lessons, learn in-person, or combine both
• Students can post personalised ads to attract the right tutor
• Affordable hourly rates starting from £10, depending on subject and location
• Unlimited trial classes available with the Student Pass
• Teachers register and post ads for free

🔴 Cons:

• You may find fewer private teachers for niche or less popular languages
• The platform does not include a language placement test or align with the Common European Framework

For language students who want to work with different private teachers or try casual conversation practice before committing, FindTutors gives you the freedom to change private teachers, explore various lesson plans, and book at your own pace.

Preply: Online Language Learning Platform

Preply is popular for language learning, connecting students with online tutors for one-to-one video chat lessons. Preply specialises in helping users build language skills with native speakers through structured lesson packages and flexible scheduling.

It’s a good fit for language students who want to practise conversation, focus on pronunciation, or work with professional teachers in a more structured learning environment.

💚 Pros:

• Sleek interface and easy navigation
• Smart filters help you choose the right tutor based on learning style, budget, or availability
• Extra learning resources like vocabulary decks and grammar tools
• Built-in virtual classroom for seamless live lessons and conversation practice

🔴 Cons:

• Offers online-only lessons, no in-person option
• Limited to languages and a few other subjects (no sports, music or hobbies)
• No free trial lesson, even first trial lessons are paid
• Preply tutors pay a commission, which may affect pricing
• Fewer options for group classes or language courses compared to some platforms

Preply offers a mix of professional tutors and community tutors, depending on the student’s goals. While most tutors provide one-to-one support, there are some group lessons available, though not as common. Unlike FindTutors, Preply requires that you pay for trial classes, but this often comes with access to lesson plans, feedback, and a more structured learning experience.

You can also explore multiple teachers if you're unsure about the best fit, and track how many lessons you’ve taken in your dashboard. If you're looking to learn a new language or improve fluency in a foreign language, Preply helps language learners build confidence through speaking practice and ongoing support.

Why Learn a Foreign Language with Online Tutors?

Both platforms allow you to take online lessons and connect with qualified tutors from wherever you are. Here’s why giving online tutoring a try might be right for you:

💡 With FindTutors, you can always switch to in-person learning later if needed.

Flexibility and Convenience for Learning Languages

Online lessons offer unmatched flexibility. You can study from home, on your lunch break, or even while travelling, no commute required.

You also get to choose when and where to have your lessons, which makes it easier to fit learning into a busy schedule.

As long as you have an internet connection, you can learn from a PC, tablet or smartphone.

Access to Native Language Tutors

Online learning gives you access to native-speaking tutors across the UK, and even abroad. Living in a small town no longer limits the quality of the instruction you can receive.

Both platforms let you browse tutor profiles and choose someone whose style suits you best.

Personalised Learning

Online lessons are usually more personalised. You can choose which video tool to use, learn at your own pace, and take advantage of digital resources.

Even if the platform doesn’t offer a built-in placement test, many tutors can evaluate your level during your first lesson.

FindTutors vs Preply: Detailed Comparison

Let’s break down all the key features side by side.

📞 Finding and Contacting a Tutor

With FindTutors, you can browse tutor listings directly. Just search for your subject and use filters for area, level, and price. Once you’ve unlocked the Student Pass, you can message as many tutors as you like, ask questions and book trial lessons. You can even get the tutor’s phone number for direct contact.

Preply, on the other hand, asks you to fill in a short questionnaire and sign up. Once registered, you get a personalised list of tutor suggestions based on your answers, and then use filters to narrow down your search.

👩‍🏫 Tutor Profiles

Both platforms offer detailed tutor profiles with all the info you need to decide.

• FindTutors includes lesson types, location, hourly rate, subjects, languages spoken, qualifications, and student reviews.
• Preply also shows qualifications, languages, a tutor intro, and reviews.

📅 How to Book a Lesson

• FindTutors: Create an account, browse tutors, and use your Student Pass to contact and trial lessons before confirming bookings with your preferred tutor.
• Preply: You must first book a paid 25- or 50-minute trial lesson. After that, you can buy lesson packages with your chosen tutor.

🙊 Student Reviews

Reading real student reviews is one of the best ways to judge a tutor. Both platforms feature student feedback on tutor profiles so you can learn from others’ experiences before booking.

💸 Lesson Prices

Cost of tutoring varies based on the subject, tutor experience and, on FindTutors, location, since in-person lessons in cities like London may cost more than in smaller towns.

• FindTutors: Lessons usually range from £10 to £30
• Preply: Ranges from £10 to £40, and subscriptions are available

In both cases, the tutor sets their own rate. But note that Preply charges tutors a commission.

🆓 Trial Lessons: What to Expect

Trying a trial lesson is helpful when starting with a new tutor.

• FindTutors: Once you have a Student Pass, you can try out as many tutors as you want before committing
• Preply: All trial lessons are paid, even the first one

📹 In-Person vs Online Learning

Preply only offers online lessons using its own integrated classroom.

FindTutors allows for both in-person and online lessons, which gives you more flexibility, especially if you prefer face-to-face learning or want to try hybrid formats. Tutors can use Zoom, Skype or Classgap depending on your preferences.

📊 Comparison Table: FindTutors vs Preply

Conclusion

FindTutors and Preply are two excellent platforms for easily finding private tutors and starting to study languages or other subjects online. FindTutors stands out for its versatility, allowing you to alternate between online and in-home lessons, and offering a wide range of courses that go beyond traditional school subjects. It is perfect for those looking for flexibility and a variety of learning options.

Preply, on the other hand, is a great choice for learning languages, especially for those who want to focus on studying specific languages exclusively online.