Preply vs Duolingo at a glance
| Preply | Duolingo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Set by each tutor; from $3, average $21 per lessonchecked 2026-10-09 (preply.com/en/online/french-tutors) | Free; Super from $9.99/mo or $79.99/yrchecked 2026-10-06 (US App Store) |
| Levels | A1–C2 (beginner to advanced) | A1–B1 (beginner and intermediate) |
| Free to use | No (trial or sample only) | Yes, at least in part |
| Real-speed French | Yes | No |
| Transcripts or subtitles | Not a feature | Not a feature |
| Taught in | French, English | English |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web | iOS, Android, Web |
| Best for | A huge choice of tutors at every price; pick carefully. | The easiest free habit for week one; plan what comes after it. |
Prices as shown on the official site on the date given; they vary by country and change often.
Which is better for speaking?
Preply, by a long way. A tutor makes you answer questions you did not prepare for, which no app can do. Preply lists thousands of French tutors for one-to-one video lessons. Duolingo's speaking exercises are short sentences you repeat to the app.
Which is cheaper?
Duolingo, because every course is free; its paid plans only remove ads and add extras. On Preply we saw French tutors from about €2 to more than €36 for a 50-minute lesson, and if the first tutor is not a match it lets you try two more for free.
Which is better for beginners?
Duolingo, for the first weeks. Its bite-sized lessons give you words and simple sentences without any pressure. A tutor works from the first lesson too, but most beginners get more from a tutor once they know a few hundred words.
Which teaches real spoken French?
Preply, if your tutor speaks naturally with you. Duolingo's sentences are short and recorded for learners. Even so, a tutor usually slows down for you, so neither replaces listening to French at full speed.
Can you use both?
Yes, and it is a good combination: Duolingo every day for vocabulary and habit, one Preply lesson a week to use it. Bring Duolingo's topics to your lesson and ask your tutor to make you talk about them.
What neither does
Neither gives you long stretches of real French between native speakers. Duolingo is built for learners, and tutors adjust their speed to you. Add podcasts or video with French subtitles so your ear keeps up with your speaking. On Preply, quality varies a lot, so choose carefully and expect a nudge towards weekly subscriptions.
How it compares
| App | Price | Levels | Real-speed French | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preply | Set by each tutor; from $3, average $21 per lessonchecked 2026-10-09 (preply.com/en/online/french-tutors) | A1–C2 | Yes | A huge choice of tutors at every price; pick carefully. |
| Duolingo | Free; Super from $9.99/mo or $79.99/yrchecked 2026-10-06 (US App Store) | A1–B1 | No | The easiest free habit for week one; plan what comes after it. |
| French with Amélie | Free weekly lesson; Premium $24/mo or $240/yr | B1–C1 | Yes, with a slow version and a transcript | Real-speed dialogues by email and a private podcast. Not an app. Visit |
Prices as shown on the official site on the date given; they vary by country and change often.
Read more
The full listings: Preply (website) and Duolingo (app). More like these: Apps to practice speaking French.
Guides
- Is Duolingo free? What the free version gives you for French (2026)
- Duolingo French: how far it takes you, honestly
- How much is Duolingo? Super and Max prices (2026)
- Duolingo energy and hearts: how to keep learning French without the limits
- Is Duolingo effective? What it teaches and what it skips
- Is Duolingo a waste of time? Is it accurate? Is it dead?
- How to cancel Duolingo Super
- Preply French tutors: prices and how it works