Similar to other tutor marketplaces, Preply connects students with a large roster of verified tutors for one-on-one lessons. It provides a structured environment with a virtual classroom and learning materials. Preply operates primarily on a subscription model, where students purchase monthly packages of hours with a specific tutor after a trial lesson. This system encourages consistent, ongoing study and is well-suited for learners looking to build a long-term relationship with an instructor.

Rosetta Stone is known for its signature immersion methodology, which teaches language entirely without translation by relying on picture and word association. This approach encourages learners to develop intuition and "think" in the target language from day one. The program is a highly structured, comprehensive course with a polished interface and a proprietary speech-recognition engine ("TruAccent") for pronunciation feedback. However, the complete lack of explicit grammar explanations and reliance on repetitive matching exercises can be slow and frustrating for learners trying to grasp complex or abstract concepts, making its method effective for some but not all.