Duolingo vs Preply: Quick Comparison

Pricing: Free vs Pay-As-You-Go

This is where the two platforms differ the most. Duolingo is built around free access. Preply is a marketplace where you pay per lesson.

Duolingo Pricing

Duolingo is completely free to use. The free version includes ads and gives you five hearts (lives) that reset over time. If you make too many mistakes, you have to wait or practise to earn more hearts.

Super Duolingo costs about $7 per month (billed annually) or $13 for a monthly plan. It removes ads, gives unlimited hearts, and lets you review mistakes more easily. There is also a Max tier at around $14 per month that adds AI-powered explanations for your answers.

For most learners, the free version is enough. You can complete the entire English course without paying a cent. The paid plans mainly add convenience, not content.

Preply Pricing

Preply tutors set their own hourly rates. English tutors typically charge between $10 and $40 per hour. You can find some tutors for as little as $5 per hour, especially from countries with lower cost of living. Experienced, certified teachers often charge $25 to $60 per hour.

Preply adds a service fee of roughly 18% on top of the tutor's rate when you book. However, buying larger lesson packages reduces the per-lesson cost. There is no free trial on Preply, but many tutors offer a discounted first lesson.

If you take one lesson per week at $20 per hour, you will spend about $80 to $100 per month. That is significantly more than Duolingo, but you get real human interaction and personalised feedback.

Teaching Approach: Gamified App vs Human Tutoring

Duolingo uses a gamified, repetition-based method. You translate sentences, match words to pictures, fill in blanks, and speak into your microphone. The app uses a spaced repetition system to help you remember vocabulary. It is designed to build a daily habit, not to teach you fluency through conversation.

Preply puts you in control. You choose a tutor based on their profile, video intro, and reviews. Your tutor designs lessons around your goals. If you want to focus on business English, IELTS preparation, or conversation skills, you can find a specialist. The quality of teaching depends on the tutor you choose.

The key difference is feedback. Duolingo tells you if an answer is right or wrong, but it cannot explain why you made a mistake. A Preply tutor can correct your pronunciation, explain a grammar point on the spot, and adjust the lesson as you go.

Speaking Practice: AI Voice vs Real Conversation

Duolingo has speaking exercises where you repeat sentences into your microphone. The app uses AI to check if your pronunciation is close enough. This is useful for basic pronunciation practice, but it does not teach you how to hold a real conversation.

Preply is built entirely around conversation. Every lesson is a live video call with a tutor who speaks to you, listens to your responses, and helps you improve in real time. If you want to become fluent in spoken English, Preply is the better choice by far.

Curriculum and Structure

Duolingo follows a fixed path. You start at Unit 1 and work your way through themed units covering topics like family, food, travel, and work. Each unit introduces new vocabulary and grammar through contextual sentences. The course covers roughly A1 to B2 on the CEFR scale.

Preply has no fixed curriculum. Some tutors use textbooks and structured lesson plans, while others prefer free conversation. You can switch tutors at any time if you want a different approach. This flexibility is great for intermediate and advanced learners, but beginners may prefer the structure that Duolingo provides.

Certificates and Exam Preparation

Duolingo offers the Duolingo English Test (DET), an online English proficiency test accepted by thousands of universities worldwide. It costs $59 and can be taken from home. This is separate from the Duolingo learning app and is primarily used for university admissions.

Preply does not offer its own certification. However, many Preply tutors specialise in exam preparation for IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge (FCE, CAE, CPE), and other recognised qualifications. If exam prep is your goal, you can find a tutor who has helped other students pass the same test.

Who Should Choose Each Platform?

Choose Duolingo if...

• You are a complete beginner and want a free, low-pressure start
• You can only spare 5-10 minutes per day for English practice
• You want to build vocabulary through daily repetition
• You are on a tight budget and cannot afford tutoring
• You need a structured curriculum that guides you step by step

Choose Preply if...

• You want to improve your speaking and listening through real conversation
• You need personalised feedback on your grammar and pronunciation
• You are preparing for an exam (IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge)
• You are at an intermediate level and feel stuck with apps alone
• You want a tutor who can adapt lessons to your specific goals

Frequently Asked Questions