italki Review

Sunday, June 22nd

2025 Japanese Lesson Reviews

italki

• Pricing from $10 to $40 per hour
• Trial lesson usually available at half-price
• Tutoring and video-call lessons
• Highly qualified tutors and teachers
• 30- to 90-minute sessions
• Synchronous meetings
• 4.8-star average rating

italki is an affordable platform for linking up with language tutors. Instead of providing its own pre-made lesson content, italki is a marketplace where you can discover a tutor to guide you in your Japanese learning process. Particularly helpful because you talk with an educator who is fluent and often from Japan, you have the freedom to choose a tutor who matches your learning preferences and schedule. Each tutor sets their own rates and times, so you can find your perfect fit without breaking the bank.

Browse tutors and pick your best match

To get started, you can select either an "instant" lesson or schedule one within the next 72 hours. These selections will narrow the list of available teachers and tutors ready to help you practice Japanese. To get a glimpse of what you can expect to learn, you have the option to watch a preview video from each tutor. For instance, one of the top recommendations we received mentioned being a professional teacher in Japan. She has a step-by-step teaching plan and notes that the students who succeed best with her tutoring lessons are those who are willing to study and complete work outside of sessions. She also states that she likes to discuss social issues, business and finance, nature, and music during sessions to make sure that your learning is developing a conversational style that's relevant to the current times. However, the videos typically don't depict exercises or interactions with students, as those aspects of sessions are tailored by the tutor during the time you meet with one another.

Tutoring rather than full courses

italki sessions are conducted exclusively through video conferencing tools like Skype or Facetime. So, you'll need to make time to meet with your tutor each week. It's a synchronous process, so there is a little less flexibility than with other programs. italki also doesn't directly provide educational services; rather, it acts as a platform that connects learners with proficient language tutors. Ideally, italki complements your existing Japanese learning resources and courses.

Price range is different with each tutor

At italki, the cost of Japanese lessons varies depending on the tutor or teacher you select and the duration of the session. Prices typically range from $5 to $15 per hour for trial lessons, with full lessons costing anywhere from $15 to $40 per hour with the average being about $20 per hour. Session lengths range from 30 to 90 minutes, and the prices will change depending on how long of a session you choose or the topic planned for the session. For instance, one tutor offers an exam prep session for $20 an hour whereas a "general Japanese” session for 45 minutes is $18. To help you decide between tutors and prices, you can view student ratings for each tutor, providing insight into the quality of their service. Many of the tutors we researched received a perfect 5-star rating from their students.

Progress depends on you and your outside study

italki operates as a tutoring service rather than a structured language-learning program, meaning there are no preset lesson plans or targets to meet. Your advancement will vary with different tutors, and you'll need to rely on external lesson materials (which may be provided by the tutor) to see progress toward fluency. While some tutors may offer specialized lessons like "test prep” or particular levels of Japanese like "Intermediate Japanese I”, you'll need to actively seek out these opportunities on italki. This approach is more self-directed compared to other platforms we've evaluated.

Unclear refund policy if you don't use credits

Refunds from italki are somewhat unclear. During our research we found that to get a refund from italki, you must use "credits" bought through its platform instead of making direct payments with a card or other payment method. If you've used credits, you can get them refunded back to your account, but there isn't a specific refund policy for paying with a card. Luckily, there's no penalty for canceling, whether it's you or your tutor who cancels. However, we had trouble finding any information about payment policies if you decide not to use italki credits.

Students love the teachers and the price

Overall, the reviews for italki are highly positive. According to Trustpilot, italki has an impressive average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. Students particularly appreciate the high quality of instruction offered by the teachers as well as the low prices. Looking at the reviews for Japanese tutors on italki's website also showed impressive feedback. The entire first page of tutors received perfect 5-star ratings from their students.

Use italki with your other learning methods

italki has established a strong reputation for excellent tutoring. However, the platform's emphasis on tutoring sessions may leave students without a specific curriculum to follow. If your primary method of learning Japanese relies solely on italki, you might need to supplement it with outside resources. This potential extra cost contributes to italki's rating. On the other hand, if you're looking for a high-quality language-focused tutoring service to improve your Japanese learning, italki comes highly rated and recommended by students.