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Starting online tutoring — whether for school or personal development — is a great investment for your child. It helps build new skills, boost self-confidence, and spark creativity, all with the guidance of a qualified tutor who can tailor their teaching to your child’s needs and learning style.
With so many online tutoring platforms now available, many parents find that choosing the right one can be a tough decision: are one-on-one lessons better than group classes? Which teaching methods are most effective? Can online classes help my child learn languages? Are they as good as in person tutoring lessons?
In this article, we’ll compare two of the most popular online teaching platforms — GoStudent and Preply — and help you understand the main differences and find the right tutor for your child’s goals!
Key Takeaways: Online Tutoring Platforms
Here are the main differences between GoStudent and Preply:
📌 GoStudent offers structured online tutoring aligned with UK school curricula, taught by highly qualified teachers. It’s ideal for students who need homework help, academic support, or preparation for exams (including the 11-plus, GCSE and A-levels). The platform handles tutor selection and provides tools for scheduling lessons, tracking progress, and organizing study materials.
📌 Preply specialises in language learning and connects students with native-speaking tutors from around the world. It includes features like placement tests, virtual whiteboards, and intro videos, making it an engaging platform for language learning.
1. GoStudent and Preply: Pros and Cons
Both GoStudent and Preply offer private lessons in a wide range of subjects and are highly rated by both tutors and students. They both deliver a high-quality learning experience and premium service — but their approach and features are quite different. Let’s look at what sets them apart.
GoStudent: The Best Platform for Academic Tutoring Online
GoStudent is an all-in-one online tutoring platform designed to support long-term academic success. Unlike other platforms with open marketplaces like Preply, GoStudent follows a structured and guided approach: students and parents begin with a free consultation with an education expert, who then matches them with a private professional tutor based on subject, academic level, personality, and learning style.
Founded in Austria and active in the UK for over 3 years, GoStudent specialises in supporting students aged 6-18 in school subjects, language learning, and exam preparation. It offers tuition in core subjects like maths, English and science, in addition to optional disciplines such as geography, history, music, computer science and a variety of foreign languages.
Tutors are selected through a rigorous recruitment process and receive ongoing training.
Lessons are delivered through an interactive online classroom integrated into a virtual platform, complete with scheduling tools, progress tracking, live chat, document sharing, and lesson recordings. Parents can easily monitor results, help set learning goals, and communicate with tutors via a dedicated dashboard.
💚 Pros:
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Personalised tutor matching after a free consultation
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Strong focus on UK school curriculum and exam preparation
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Carefully selected, trained, and regularly assessed tutors
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Integrated platform with recorded lessons, shared materials, and calendar
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One-to-one lessons
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Support available for students with special educational needs (SEN or DSA)
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GoMigo AI language tutors offer 24/7 support for 5 different languages
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Free trial lesson
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Flexible packages tailored to family goals and budgets
🔴 Cons:
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Online lessons only
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Subscription model: less suitable for those looking for occasional or one-off lessons
Preply: Ideal for Learning Foreign Languages Online
Preply is a global platform primarily focused on language learning. Founded in 2012, it connects students with native-speaking tutors for online lessons, often supported by additional tools to enhance the learning process.
💚 Pros:
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Modern, user-friendly interface
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Wide range of tutors, with filters for language, price, availability, and accent
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Integrated virtual classroom with vocabulary tools and flashcards
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Some tutors also offer academic or professional subject support
🔴 Cons:
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Online-only lessons, with no in-person options
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More limited subject range compared to platforms like GoStudent
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Fee payment required for trial lessons
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Tutors are required to pay a commission to the platform
2. Why Choose Online Learning?
Both GoStudent and Preply allow you and your children to connect with school subject tutors or language teachers for highly sought-after courses like English, Spanish, French, and many others. Your child can boost their academic test preparation or start learning a new language comfortably from home — simply by accessing the platform and connecting with their tutor once or several times a week.
👉🏻 Here are some key reasons to give online tutoring a try:
🕐 Flexibility and Convenience
Online tutoring for academic subjects and languages offers great flexibility:
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No need to travel — lessons can be taken from wherever you are
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Flexible scheduling means your children can choose when and where to study based on your family's routine
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Modern platforms are designed to give you the best possible experience, allowing you to book sessions at times that work for both you and your chosen tutor
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Lessons are accessible from any internet-connected device: computer, tablet, or smartphone 📱
🌍 Access to Native-Speaking Tutors
If your child wants to learn a foreign language, one of the biggest advantages of online tutoring is the chance to study with native speakers from all over the world:
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For UK-based families in small towns or a remote areas, children can receive high-quality teaching without needing to travel
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You can choose from a wide range of language tutors and find the one that best suits your child’s level, goals, and learning style 🌍
🎯 Personalised Learning
An online learning platform gives you more control over the study experience:
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You can choose the video call program your child feels most comfortable with, so they can learn at their own pace
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It’s possible to take an online assessment test, with tutor support, to determine your child’s level and tailor lessons accordingly
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Every lesson is adapted to your child’s needs, making learning more effective and personalised 🧑🏫
3. GoStudent vs Preply: In-Depth Comparison
Let’s take a closer look at some of the key features of these two online tutoring platforms. If you’re trying to decide whether Preply or GoStudent is the best fit for you and your child, this comparison will help highlight the most important differences.
📞 Tutor Selection and Contact
GoStudent: After a free consultation with an education advisor, the platform assigns a private tutor based on the student’s academic performance targets and learning needs. However, you can still browse tutor profiles to view subjects, availability, and experience. The focus is on personalised support and structured learning paths.
Preply: Parents and students search for a tutor using filters such as price, availability, language, and accent. Profiles often include a short introduction video, reviews, teaching styles, and background information.
🧑🏫 Tutor Profiles
GoStudent: Tutors are carefully selected, interviewed, and trained. Once matched, parents and students can view teacher bios and performance metrics, such as reviews and learning outcomes.
Preply: Profiles include intro videos, ratings and reviews, qualifications, and availability, helping students find the most suitable tutor. Some tutors only offer classes for adult learners.
📅 Lesson Booking
GoStudent: Lessons are booked via an internal platform. Students can manage sessions, view feedback, access past lesson recordings, and track progress directly from the dashboard.
Preply: After a paid trial lesson, further sessions are booked using the tutor’s calendar. You can also subscribe to a monthly plan for regular lessons.
⭐ Student Reviews
Student reviews are essential when choosing the right tutor! There’s nothing more helpful than reading first-hand experiences from other students or their parents.
GoStudent displays reviews both via Trustpilot and directly on the platform.
Preply includes individual reviews and ratings on each tutor’s profile.
💰 Lesson Prices
Private lesson costs can vary depending on the subject, tutor experience, and type of service.
GoStudent: Operates on a customised subscription model. Prices start at around £21.99 for a 50-minute lesson, with variations depending on lesson frequency and school level. The subscription includes digital and communication tools and progress tracking.
Preply: Offers flexible pricing, generally between £13 and £43 per hour, set directly by the tutors. Students pay for a monthly subscription that renews automatically based on the number of booked hours. More lessons can be added, with rates set by tutors.
Online Tutoring: Quality and Tools
GoStudent is fully focused on online lessons, using a comprehensive platform that includes scheduling tools, a virtual whiteboard, chat, progress tracking, and lesson recordings. Students also have unlimited access to their dashboard, where they can review lesson notes and access learning materials.
Preply also offers online-only lessons, but gives tutors the freedom to choose their own teaching tools. Each tutor can decide whether to use Preply’s integrated platform or external tools like Zoom or Skype.
📊 4. Price Comparison for 2025: GoStudent vs Preply
Here’s a quick comparison table to help you evaluate the costs of both tutoring platforms:
Platform |
Price Range (per lesson) |
Subscription |
Notes |
GoStudent |
£21 – £30 |
Custom monthly package |
Structured approach; includes full platform access and ongoing support |
Preply |
£13 – £43 |
Flexible monthly subscription (auto-renewing) |
Tutors set their own prices; subscription based on booked hours |
✅ 5. Comparing Key Features
Here’s your final summary — the one that will really help you make a smart choice!
Finding the right online tutoring for our children has never been easier. Each platform, with their own unique methods, help your child succeed in tests and schoolwork from the comfort of their home — while also allowing them to enjoy their free time, a well-earned break from stress and performance anxiety! So...Have you decided which solution best fits your child’s needs right now? 🤔
Feature |
GoStudent |
Preply |
Lesson format |
Online only |
Online only |
Subjects |
School subjects, languages, exam prep |
Primarily languages |
Trial lesson |
Free after consultation |
Paid |
Tutor access |
Assigned after consultation |
Open search with filters |
Learning tools |
Integrated platform: whiteboard, recordings, calendar |
Virtual classroom with flashcards and quizzes |
Reviews |
Yes (Trustpilot and internal platform) |
Yes (visible on tutor profiles) |
Tutor fees |
None (paid by GoStudent) |
Tutors pay a commission |
Level assessment |
Included during initial consultation |
Some tutors offer tests |
6. Final Thoughts
When it comes to studying online — whether it’s to catch up on school subjects or learn a new language — we’re often faced with a whirl of options regarding free sessions, pay monthly options, video lessons and different platform focuses.
GoStudent and Preply are two excellent platforms to start your digital learning journey! 🎓
The great thing about GoStudent is its highly structured approach, with personalised tutoring that closely follows the school curriculum and provides a platform where everything you need is in one place. It’s ideal if you’re looking for a consistent, well-organised learning path and want your child to be supported throughout the school year.
Preply, on the other hand, is perfect if your child is keen to learn a new language by chatting with native speakers from all over the world. It gives them the freedom to initiate contact with a tutor they like, and improve their language skills at the times that suit them best.
After all, learning should be an enjoyable experience, right? ✨