Modulo

Italki

Recommended Ages

K-12th Grades

Italki is an online marketplace that connects language learners with tutors and teachers for one-on-one video lessons in over 150 languages. Users browse teacher profiles, watch intro videos, and book sessions at times and prices that fit their schedule. Founded to make access to native speakers easier worldwide, Italki now hosts thousands of independent teachers, from casual conversation partners to certified instructors. Parents like the flexibility to choose tutors who specialize in kids, test prep, or specific dialects, and to adjust frequency as budgets allow. It’s ideal for teens and adults, and for younger kids when paired with a child-friendly tutor and parent support. Quality and style vary widely by teacher, so reading reviews and trying trial lessons is essential. To maximize value, set clear goals—conversation, grammar, exam prep—and share them with your tutor so lessons stay focused.

Upper‑elementary through adult learners who want real conversation practice, individualized instruction, or access to less‑commonly‑taught languages that local options can’t provide.

Pros

Global marketplace for 1:1 online language lessons with native speakers in over 150 languages; homeschool reviews highlight its flexibility, wide tutor choice, and relatively affordable pricing compared to in‑person tutoring.

Cons

Quality, teaching style, and reliability vary between tutors; there’s no single built‑in curriculum, strong internet is required, and younger kids often need a parent present to manage calls and homework.

Families normally pay directly per lesson; some charter schools may cover online tutoring if purchased through approved vendors, but this varies widely and needs to be confirmed with each program.

Italki tutoring typically ranges from $4-80/hr depending on the tutor

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Italki
$4.00 USD

Skills

What kids will learn
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World Languages
World Languages
ESL
ESL

Italki Mission

italki’s mission is to connect language learners with real people so they can practice speaking and make faster, more meaningful progress. The platform matches students with professional teachers and community tutors for one-on-one online lessons in more than 100 languages, using flexible, pay-per-lesson pricing so families can tailor study plans to their goals and budgets.

Italki Story

italki was founded in 2006–2007 by Kevin Chen and Yongyue Jiang after Kevin’s experience studying Mandarin in Shanghai convinced him that classroom learning alone wasn’t enough—learners needed real conversations with native speakers. The site began as a free language-exchange community and soon added a teacher marketplace, allowing tutors worldwide to offer paid lessons via video chat. Over time, italki has grown to millions of users, thousands of teachers, and support for well over 100 languages, adding features like trial lessons, subscription options, and AI-generated practice materials while keeping its core focus on personalized, human-to-human learning.

About Modular Learning

FAQ: Additional Details about Italki

During an Italki lesson, your child might sit at the kitchen laptop greeting their tutor in Spanish or Japanese, playing vocabulary games with on‑screen pictures, answering questions about their day, and laughing as they try tongue‑twisters or sing snippets of songs while you listen from the next room.

Italki is an online marketplace that connects language learners with one‑on‑one tutors and community teachers via video call. Families create a free account, search for tutors by language, price, and schedule, book trial lessons, and then purchase lesson packages so kids can meet weekly or more often with a native‑speaking teacher.

Adult involvement is high when choosing tutors and scheduling classes and can be moderate during lessons for younger kids (sitting nearby, helping with tech, or joining in simple activities), then tapering off as teens manage their own bookings and practice.

Kids should be comfortable appearing on camera, following instructions from a new adult, and staying engaged for a 25–60‑minute video call; younger learners often benefit from a parent nearby and very short sessions.

Italki makes it easy to find 1‑1 language tutors worldwide, which is ideal for autistic, ADHD, and anxious learners who need highly personalized pacing and communication. Parents can search for tutors experienced with kids, neurodivergence, or specific needs, and can adjust session length and frequency to avoid overload.

Less a curriculum than a marketplace, but 1‑1 native‑speaker tutors can be excellent for 2e learners, especially teens with strong interests. Look for tutors who mention neurodiversity, patience, or experience with kids, and don’t be afraid to trial a few before committing.

If a teacher cancels or there is a problem with a lesson, Italki typically resolves issues through rescheduling or platform credits rather than cash refunds; specific policies are detailed in Italki’s help center and terms of service.

Not ideal for very shy children who freeze on video, families wanting a complete app‑only solution without live human interaction, or those unable to commit to regular scheduled sessions.

Alternatives include Homeschool Spanish Academy, local language teachers, Mango Languages or Duolingo for self‑paced practice, Coffee Break Languages podcasts, and immersion programs like Concordia Language Villages.

Italki continues to refine its platform with features like trial‑lesson pricing, package discounts, flexible scheduling, teacher filters, and mobile apps, while expanding its roster of tutors across 100+ languages.

Book trial lessons with a few teachers to find a good fit, then set a consistent weekly time and ask the tutor to assign tiny between‑lesson tasks (like recording a short video message) to keep momentum going.

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Meet Kevin and Yongyue

Kevin Chen and Yongyue Jiang co-founded italki with the shared belief that language learning should be social and global. Kevin, who holds degrees from the London School of Economics and Georgetown University, had worked in finance and other startups before turning his attention to education technology; Yongyue brought complementary technical and entrepreneurial experience from Shanghai’s startup community. Together, they built italki into a platform that empowers independent teachers to earn income online and gives learners around the world access to one-on-one instruction that would be hard to find locally.