Preply vs MosaLingua
Overview
Preply is a language learning platform that connects you to language tutors based on your needs and schedule. It’s highly user oriented: you choose your language (from 35 on offer), your teacher, how many lessons you take and whether to learn 1-1 or in groups. You pay for lessons in blocks of hours and can connect with other learners via the community.
MosaLingua is a language learning program offering courses based on the MosaLearning® method. This is scientifically proven to help with language learning and to commit new knowledge to long term memory. It has features such as 24/7 access to a virtual tutor that learns your needs and interests, and Hands-Free learning which make it possible to practice whenever and wherever suits you.
Pros
- Live tutoring from native speakers with real time feedback
- 1-1 tuition enables lessons to be tailored to individual needs
- Learn what, when and where you want at your own pace and with no subscription on desktop or device
- Immersive due to live teaching
- Comprehensive - 35+ languages with varied content and lessons plans for all levels
- Free Preply blog and Q&A community
- 1-1 or group lessons available
- Placement test based on Common European Framework (CEFR) levels and structured curriculum
- Uses MosaLearning®, a scientifically researched method that optimizes memory
- Comes with a lot of course content and incorporates all of the elements of language such as vocabulary, speaking, listening, grammar, reading
- MosaChat AI gives you 24/7 access to a personal language eTutor
- You can target your weaknesses and add materials to your flashcards to help you memorize that content
- Connects you to their active team of native speaking teachers
- Web and app based so you can learn on the go
- Lessons cover useful and relevant topics and content is regularly updated
Cons
- No free trial - though trial lessons are heavily discounted and you can get a refund if you are dissatisfied with a lesson
- Classroom software can be glitchy
- Complex pricing system with auto renewal
- Only 9 languages available (though this isn’t a problem if the language you’re interested in is offered)
- Navigation is not as intuitive as I’d like it to be
Best for
Best for: Anyone wanting to receive live, individual one to one tuition. Whether this is to learn a brand new language or improve on existing skills. Also, those not wanting to commit to an annual subscription who want to learn on-the-go and by their own schedule.
Best for: Anyone who wants to learn a new language from scratch or wants to improve their existing skills. It’s great for those with busy schedules looking for a flexible, self-directed language learning resource packed with high-quality content.
Price
From $15 per hour
From $4.99 per month
Number of users
11 million
12 million
Overall
Overall: Preply develops your vocabulary and fluency by connecting you with tutors 1-1. By doing this, you can speed up your learning and get on track with a personalized program. With over 32,000 high-quality teachers, Preply stands out by allowing you to select from a huge pool and filter lessons by availability. Do remember to cancel auto renew if you decide you don’t want any more lessons
To providerOverall: The MosaLarning® system is backed by scientific research and the platform focuses on all the elements you need to master a language. The Hands-Free element and the massive library of content make it worth the investment for me. And, of course, the introduction of MosaChat AI gives you 24/7 access to real-time feedback from a personal ‘tutor’ that constantly adjusts to your level and learns about your needs and interests. As long as the language(s) you want to learn are offered by MosaLingua, I would recommend taking the 15 day free trial to see if it suits you.
To providerSupported languages
English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Korean, Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Turkish, Dutch, Ukrainian, Hindi, Hebrew, Greek, Czech, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Hungarian, Urdu, Thai, Serbian, Latin, Punjabi, Persian (Farsi), Romanian, Tagalog, Danish, Bengali, Sign and Indonesian.
Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Japanese and English
About
Preply was launched in 2015 as an online marketplace where learners pay fees to teachers for live online individual or group lessons.
It now has 32k+ teachers of over 200 nationalities who offer personal tuition in 35+ languages. You select the language you want to learn, the level you want to learn at and the teacher that best suits your needs. Discounted trial lessons help you land on the best tutor and once you have made your choice, you pay for monthly blocks of hours (minimum 4) rather than committing to an annual subscription fee.
Placement tests will identify your current proficiency. Levels are based on the Common European Framework and tutors will aim to progress you through these levels.
MosaLingua is a language learning platform founded in 2009.
Its team consists of language experts and teachers from 15 different countries. They’re available for email support and keep site content and learning tools up to date and relevant.
It offers lots of different options for language learning. But basically, languages are taught using a system based on 5 cognitive science and psychology concepts:
- Spaced Repetition System -- correctly spaced out review sessions to commit information to long-term memory
- Active Recall -- techniques that help you extract information easily from your memory, without assistance or a clue
- Metacognition -- Opportunities to reflect on your learning
- Pareto Principle – Focussing on the most frequently used words to make fast progress
- Learner Motivation and Psychology -- in-person support via email to personalize your learning method
Together, these 5 concepts form the MosaLearning® method (Motivating Optimized System for Adaptive Learning).
By joining MosaLingua, you will connect with over 12 million users and native speakers of your target language. You will also have access to constantly updated advice, resources and techniques from the Mosa team to help you learn and master foreign languages.
How it works
One of Preply’s selling points is that it’s designed around you. You’re in full control of what and when you learn and can trial different tutors to find your fit.
You simply go to Preply.com, click on ‘Get Started’, choose the language you are hoping to learn and click continue.
You’ll be asked a series of questions about your goals, current level, tutor type (eg native speaker or from a particular country where the language is spoken), when you want your first lesson, the type of lesson you’re looking for and your budget.
Following this you open a free account using your email address, Google or Facebook, and then choose from the filtered tutors who best match your requirements.
You’ll see their star rating, numbers of existing students and lessons and their proficiency in your own native language (which is essential to ensure good communication between you). Plus, you can sort the results by popularity, top picks and pricing
You can then take up to 3 discounted trial lessons, usually around 50m long. You use this time to discuss your level and focus areas and sample a tutor’s teaching style.
Once you find someone you’d like to have lessons with, you commit to a monthly subscription of a number of hours per week (between 1 and 5). You can distribute these hours in whatever way you and your tutor agree upon (eg 1 a week, or two every other week, etc).
There are several different ways to learn a language on MosaLingua. They are designed to suit different goals and learners of different levels. The levels are set according to the Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR). These are:
- A1 - A2 beginners
- B1 - B2 Intermediate
- C1 - C2 Advanced
| Present level(s) | Aim | Best program | Languages |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1-C2 | Learn new vocabulary quickly and in authentic contexts | MosaLingua Premium subscription | All |
| A1-B1 | Improve your listening comprehension | MosaSeries subscription | French, German, Spanish, Italian |
| A2-B2 | Improve your spoken English | MosaSpeak English one off purchase | English |
| A2-B2 | Improve your spoken language skills | MosaSpeak one off purchase | French, German, Spanish, Italian |
| A1-B2 | Teach yourself a language quickly and efficiently, with helpful tips from polyglots | MosaTraining one off purchase | All |
Overall, MosaLingua works with a set of flashcards, dialogues, and audiobooks.
For this review I trialled MosaLingua Premium and used it to learn Spanish.
The Spanish course consists of 19 levels. Each with a set of flashcards, dialogues and audiobooks. The number of flashcards varies. For example, Level 0 (basic) has 25 flashcards, whereas Level 9 (medium) has 897!
Using the flashcards you exercise your auditory and visual memory while you record yourself repeating the word or phrase. There are no quizzes or exams for each level.
The MosaLearning® Method is used each time you start to learn a set of flashcards and you'll be alerted when you to stop to avoid memory saturation.
What a lesson is like
On Preply, lessons vary according to your current level, your tutor and how far along you are with them.
The Preply classroom is similar to Zoom/Skype but is a built-in feature of Preply’s desktop and app versions. So, you don’t need to download any software.
Within the Preply classroom, you’ll find a note and chat section, interactive whiteboard*, and homework tab. These help to structure your learning and encourage engagement. Tutors can send attachments and lesson plans, which appear in their own area. This means your learning is easily accessible wherever you are.
*Interactive whiteboard not available on the mobile app.
After 2 hours on Preply, I improved my basic German skills by:
- Getting personalized expert teaching from a native speaker
- Conversing with my tutor in the target language
- Reading new words aloud from a shared screen and sharpening my pronunciation
- Highlighting correct answers on the interactive whiteboard
- Engaging in external resources and homework tasks set by my tutor
- Running through grammar tests
A typical Spanish lesson (and I assume other languages are the same) will start with some flashcards. It uses an approach based on visual, auditory, and written memory.
You first look at the flashcard which will have an image and accompanying audio with Spanish pronunciation.
Then, you have to record yourself repeating the word (you can record and repeat as many times as you need).
Once you have finalized your flashcards, MosaLingua generates learning statistics which give an idea of your learning speed.
You’re then invited to use the Dialogues and the Hands-Free section for practice.
There is a free section with a great selection of audiobooks, videos, and music in Spanish. These are divided according to your level and interests and some can only be unlocked once you have learned specific flashcards.
You can also navigate through the additional resources tab, which will guide you through an extensive variety of free newspapers, magazines, music, and cinema.
During my experience, I was able to practice the vocabulary I learned on the flashcards, my reading comprehension, and my pronunciation. After a week, I was able to track my progress, the number of flashcards that I had memorized, and new reading and listening material had been unlocked.
Who is it good for?
Preply’s learning style would engage anyone who’s:
- Wants to learn a new language as an absolute beginner
- Eager to improve their language skills (especially grammar and pronunciation)
- Believes they’d benefit more from 1-1 learning
- Busy and unable to commit to fixed time slots
Interested in learning a language for educational reasons or as a hobby
Compared to similar platforms like italki, Preply seems more suitable for beginners. Tutors don’t initially insist on speaking entirely in the target language. And you can ensure that your tutor is proficient in your own language to aid good communication.
With classes for kids as well as businesses, Preply really has something for everyone and doesn’t expect a foundational level of knowledge.
The tutor-contact feature means you and your teacher can discuss your skill level and lesson aims outside of lesson time. This way, Preply ensures you’re fully equipped for your lesson even before it begins.
The MosaLingua learning style would suit anyone who:
- Wants to learn a new language from scratch
- Has some grasp of a language and wants to improve
- Has a busy schedule and needs to fit lessons around their life
- Is looking for a flexible, self-directed language learning resource packed with high-quality content
- Wants a focus on developing conversational language
Features
- Personalized 1-1 live tuition
- Direct contact with native speakers
- Immersion
- Flexible learning with no annual subscription
- Desktop- or device-based to best suit your needs
- Free Preply blog and Q&A community
- MosaLearning® method based on scientific principles
- MosaLingua chat AI
- Flexible learning
- Hands-Free section
- Ability to connect to their team of native speaking teachers for advice and support
- Multiple curated resources
Is it worth it?
In short, it depends on your learning style.
If you’ve used other app-based programs like Babbel or DuoLingo and found them not to be very helpful, Preply is an outstanding resource for getting individual, live, personalized learning.
Also, if you have a busy timetable and can’t commit to fixed days, you can search tutors by availability and speed up the booking process.
I hit on two excellent tutors and found that after a couple of hours I greatly improved my vocabulary and pronunciation. Plus my understanding of German grammar (which I remember from my school days as terrifying) improved massively. If only it had been taught the Preply way when I was at school!
Getting instant feedback reassured me that I was on the right track, unlike on pre-set apps. Although some see it as complementary to other learning, I think 1-1 tutoring is an invaluable method. And Preply matches you with tutors who are advanced or proficient in your own native language so you can easily express your questions, needs and learning style preferences.
With trial lessons available at reduced prices and a range of tutors to try out, there’s little to lose and a lot to gain with Preply. So, if you’re looking for a learning plan that suits your skills and lifestyle, I think Preply is definitely worth considering.
Just make sure you understand its pricing structure, use up all your hours and cancel your subscription when you decide to stop!
Why not browse the tutors and book a trial lesson?
In a word: yes.
MosaLingua is best suited for independent learners that like to learn at their own pace.
The platform and its content are continuously updated and the MosaLarning® system is backed by scientific research and the platform focuses on all the elements you need to master a language.
The Hands-Free element and the massive library of content make it worth the investment for me. And, of course, the introduction of MosaChat AI gives you 24/7 access to real-time feedback from a personal ‘tutor’ that constantly adjusts to your level and learns about your needs and interests.
And as mentioned, since there is a 15 day free trial of MosaLingua, as well as a refund policy, you have little to lose by trying it out.
As long as the language(s) you want to learn are offered by MosaLingua, why not give it a go and see how far you can get? Just remember to stick with it, be disciplined, and keep in mind why you want to learn a language in the first place!