Prices checked on September 30, 2026
italki vs Preply for Indonesian: what tutors actually cost
The short answer
On italki, we counted 64 Indonesian teachers. Their median starting price is $12, half of them sit between $9 and $15, and almost all offer a trial lesson (median $7). Preply lists far more — 545 Indonesian tutors — and the first page of its listing runs from $8 to $30 for a 50-minute lesson, median $15. Both are cheap by European standards, because most tutors live in Indonesia. The real difference is not price but choice versus structure: Preply gives you a bigger pool, italki a smaller one with more flexible lesson formats. Neither gives you a syllabus.
How many Indonesian tutors are there on each platform?
Preply states 545 Indonesian teachers with an average rating of 4.96 out of 5. italki's search returns 64, of whom 13 are listed as « Professional » teachers and 60 are originally from Indonesia. More tutors means more chance of finding one available in your evenings — Jakarta is 5 to 6 hours ahead of Western Europe depending on the season (Bali one hour more), so time zones matter more than most reviews admit.
The numbers, side by side
We collected these figures ourselves on September 30, 2026. For italki, every Indonesian teacher returned by its search (64 profiles). For Preply, only the first page of its listing (15 profiles, sorted by « top picks ») — the rest of the listing cannot be read reliably outside a browser, so treat that median as indicative.
Starting prices are what each profile displays; your actual price depends on lesson length and packages.
| Indicator | italki · Preply |
|---|---|
| Indonesian tutors listed | italki 64 · Preply 545 |
| Median starting price | italki $12 (half between $9 and $15) · Preply $15 per 50-min lesson (first page) |
| Price range observed | italki $5 to $80 · Preply $8 to $30 (first page) |
| Trial lesson | italki: offered by 63 of 64, median $7 · Preply: free tutor replacement if unhappy (its own promise) |
What a tutor does that no app can
We sell a course, so here is the honest list of what a good tutor gives you that we do not:
- Correction in real time. You say a wrong sentence, someone tells you why and makes you say it again. That loop is the fastest way from understanding Indonesian to speaking it.
- Everyday Indonesian. A tutor from Jakarta or Yogyakarta will use gak, udah and banget with you — the register that courses, ours included, teach only gradually.
- Accountability. A booked lesson on Thursday gets you to review on Wednesday. Very few apps can say the same.
The limit of tutoring on its own
A tutor is a person, not a programme. Unless you find one who builds a real syllabus, lessons tend to drift into pleasant conversation around the same A2 vocabulary — and at $12 to $15 an hour, the hours needed to reach B1 (roughly 200 to 300 of study) cost far more as lessons than as self-study. The efficient split most learners end up with: structured study on your own for grammar and vocabulary, and a tutor once or twice a week to make you use it.
See how far each Indonesian app takes youHow much does an Indonesian tutor cost per month?
At the medians we measured, one lesson a week costs about $50 to $65 a month; two lessons, $100 to $130. Compare that with the hours you need: B1 takes roughly 200 to 300 hours of study in total. Tutoring alone at one hour a week would take years; tutoring on top of daily self-study is what makes the hours add up. Check the current price on each profile — tutors change their rates often, and packages usually lower the price per lesson.
How to combine a tutor and a course
Three rules that make the money work harder:
- 1
Take the trial lessons of two or three tutors
On italki, the median trial costs $7. Spending $20 to find a tutor you actually like is the cheapest decision in the whole process.
- 2
Bring your own syllabus
Tell the tutor which lesson you are on and ask them to make you use exactly that grammar. A tutor who follows your course is worth far more than one improvising each week.
- 3
Keep the tutor for speaking only
Vocabulary, reading and grammar drills are cheaper alone. Pay for the one thing you cannot do alone: being corrected while you speak.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Indonesian tutor cost on italki?+
On September 30, 2026, the median starting price across the 64 Indonesian teachers on italki was $12, with half of them between $9 and $15 and a full range of $5 to $80. The median trial lesson was $7.
How much does an Indonesian tutor cost on Preply?+
Preply lists 545 Indonesian tutors. On the first page of its listing (15 tutors, sorted by top picks), 50-minute lessons ranged from $8 to $30, with a median of $15. Prices vary by tutor, so check each profile.
italki or Preply for Indonesian — which is better?+
Preply has more Indonesian tutors (545 against 64), which helps if you need lessons at specific hours. italki has a smaller pool, a cheap trial lesson from almost every teacher, and a slightly lower median price. Book a trial on both and keep the tutor, not the platform.
Is a tutor enough to learn Indonesian?+
Rarely on its own. A tutor is excellent for speaking and correction, but without a syllabus between lessons you tend to stay around A2. Most learners progress fastest with daily structured study plus one or two lessons a week.
Can I find a tutor who explains Indonesian in French, German or Dutch?+
Some tutors teach in several languages and list them on their profile — check before booking. Most Indonesian tutors on both platforms teach in English or directly in Indonesian.
Related reading
- ➜ Best app to learn Indonesian: which one gets you past A2?
- ➜ Babbel Indonesian review: good, but it stops at A2
- ➜ How long does it take to learn Indonesian?
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Study every day. Book the tutor for speaking.
The free Discovery plan opens 10 lessons and 100 flashcards, no credit card. Pro unlocks the full A1 to C2 programme — 180 lessons, the syllabus you can hand to your tutor — at 12,99 € a month, with a 3-day free trial (card required, nothing charged during the trial) and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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