DO NOT use Preply - DO NOT support modern slavery
1) Teacher don’t get pay.
They keep a 100% commission (yes 100% !) of the first lesson. 33% for the nexts.
Here is the problem : they allow many customers to book a first lesson for a one time job (a one time traduction, one time prononciation explanatory, one time lesson). The student of course don’t know that you are not pay and they weren’t planning to get more than 1 hour. Then, you work for free. Preply are aware of this situation but… they encourage it. Why not ? They keep 100% all the time.
2) Teacher can’t choose their students.
Once your calendar is visible, any people can book it directly. You don’t have any saying.
A student who wants only 1 hour lesson ? No choice, you have to accept it.
You don’t teach for children but a child book ? No choice.
3) Teacher can’t cancel a lesson without being penalized.
There is only a limited number of times where you can cancel a lesson. After that, your profil will be penalized. Preply push you took make money « don’t cancel a lesson, move it! » Not simple as that. Many students ask me « I am not free for my next lesson, can you cancel it ? Hm… I can’t cancel, neither move it - because the student got recurrent lessons for exemple and they already have lessons planned in the futur.
You can’t be late, you can’t cancel. Wifi problem ? Personal problem ? You have to teach.
4) Preply can block your regular students without any reason.
Once you have made the effort to work for free to get some regular students and to keep a small amount of your effort… this isn’t the end. Preply can ban your students without any reason.
It did happen to me. 2 of my regular students where having lessons from the same campus. Preply thought a student made a double account and banned both accounts.
I made a complain and Preply lied to me. « we give the chance to the student to explain himself ». By chance the student gave me a copy of Preply’s email and here is the way Preply communicate :
« We want to notify that your profile is permanently blocked from the platform for violation of our referral policy of the terms. The decision is final and can’t be disputed. We reserve the right to discontinue the communication as well ». Wow !
5) Preply support is part of the joke
100% chat and they change every time the person you are speaking to.
Here is they favorite line « we understand your frustration but you know our rules ».
Teacher must work as Preply want without any saying and any pay.
I contacted them a lot about it and they kept saying « this isn’t disguised employee ».
Hey ! Of course not ! They don’t even pay the teacher. This is just some modern slavery !
I realized that many tutors are from poor countries. Preply use them.
I have the chance to not depend of this platform to live. Some don’t have this chance and have to accept all their demands.
Why ?
Because YOU students are using this platform, so the tutors don’t have the choice but to use it.
Are you a language lover ?
Choose a platform that RESPECT the teachers.
And for any reason support modern slavery.
Learning and teaching should be fun and not such a restraint !
