Some of my students ask, “Isn’t Preply’s fee high? Should I just pay you directly?” While I appreciate their thoughtfulness, I always decline. It’s not just because it breaks Preply’s rules, but also because managing my schedule would become much harder, making any potential benefits not worth it.
Recently, my Preply fee dropped to the minimum rate of 18%. Many tutors might find this high, but I think it’s quite reasonable.
Why I Use Preply
I have my own website, so theoretically, I could manage payments and bookings myself. However, doing everything independently isn’t as simple as it sounds. Although I’d save on fees, I’d spend more time on administrative tasks. Using a platform like Preply handles the following for me:
- Managing international payments
- Scheduling lessons across different time zones
- Building trust
- Collecting fees for canceled or missed classes
- Handling refunds
- Mediating disputes with students
- Offering discounts to frequent students
- Attracting new students
Managing International Payments
International transfers can be surprisingly costly, but Preply lets us use Wise, a low-fee international transfer service, for payments.
Scheduling Lessons Across Different Time Zones
Preply’s calendar automatically adjusts times for both tutors and students, even accommodating daylight saving changes without any confusion. This is incredibly convenient.
Building Trust
Using the platform, my total number of lessons and student reviews are displayed, showcasing my track record. Reviews from actual students are likely more objective and trustworthy than a self-written profile. Tutors with issues or frequent absences face penalties, ensuring responsible teaching.
Collecting Fees for Canceled or Missed Classes
When contracting directly with students, it can be difficult to enforce cancellation fees due to personal circumstances. If the cancellation policy is vague, tutors might not get paid, leading to stress. Through Preply, I can receive lesson fees according to their cancellation policy, which is a significant benefit.
Handling Refunds
Conversely, no matter how careful I am, unexpected events like power outages or computer issues might force me to cancel lessons. Handling refunds across countries is difficult, but Preply’s support team handles it swiftly.
Mediating Disputes with Students
Although I haven’t experienced this yet, there’s always a possibility of disputes with students. The platform’s mediation and support are very reassuring.
Offering Discounts to Frequent Students
Tutors might not notice this, but Preply offers discounts based on the subscription plans students purchase. Tutors’ earnings aren’t affected by these discounts, as Preply absorbs the cost, making it a great system.
Attracting New Students: Preply’s Outstanding Marketing
This might be less noticeable to tutors, but Preply’s marketing capabilities are excellent. Searching for “Japanese online lesson” on Google often shows Preply at the top. Having my own website, I know how hard it is to rank high in search results and how expensive ads can be. Preply does what individuals cannot in terms of attracting students.
A Secretary Handling All Administrative Work for Just 18%
So, is it really expensive to have all these tasks managed for just an 18% fee? I don’t think so, and I plan to continue using Preply. I believe they provide services worth or exceeding the fee.
The Risk of Relying Solely on Preply
However, Preply can be quite strict with tutors, sometimes suspending accounts unexpectedly. Many tutors use other platforms to spread this risk.
I like Preply’s system and find managing multiple calendars bothersome, so I don’t use other platforms. But if my account were suspended, I’d have to switch to another platform or build my own booking system.
If platforms are too strict, tutors might move elsewhere or contract directly with students, ultimately harming Preply. I hope Preply avoids overly strict policies.
