Preply Business vs Busuu for Business: Which is best for corporate language training in 2025?

Global teams rely on strong communication to work efficiently across borders. As more companies expand internationally, language training has become a key part of employee development and team collaboration.

To meet these goals, many organizations now look to external partners that offer flexible, scalable language learning solutions. Two options that often come up in this search are Preply Business and Busuu for Business.

Each platform takes a different approach to corporate language training. While both offer structured learning paths, how they deliver training, track progress, and support teams varies.

Preply Business vs Busuu for Business: Which platform fits your team’s needs?

Choosing between Preply Business and Busuu for Business depends on what your organization wants to achieve through language training. Both platforms offer online learning, but they differ in how learners interact with content and instructors.

Preply Business focuses on live, tutor-led sessions that are tailored to specific industries and roles. Learners work directly with language experts who can adjust to individual learning styles and professional contexts. This model emphasizes conversational practice and immediate feedback.

Busuu for Business is built around structured self-study lessons supported by AI tools and peer feedback. Employees follow a predetermined curriculum with interactive exercises that can be completed independently. The platform uses community interaction for language practice rather than dedicated tutors.

Understanding these fundamental differences helps determine which approach aligns with your company’s language training objectives, whether for cross-border collaboration, client communication, or professional development.

What is Preply Business?

Preply Business is an online corporate language training solution built around personalized, 1-on-1 instruction. Each employee is matched with a tutor based on their goals, schedule, and industry-specific needs. Lessons are delivered live through a virtual classroom where learners engage directly with professional language instructors.

The platform supports over 50 languages and offers access to more than 30,000 tutors across different time zones. This extensive network allows multinational teams to learn in their preferred language, regardless of location or working hours. The curriculum follows the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels while adapting to specific professional contexts.

• Personalized learning paths: Tutors create custom lesson plans based on individual proficiency levels and job requirements
• Scheduling flexibility: Lessons can be booked according to each employee’s availability, accommodating different time zones and work patterns
• Industry-specific content: Training materials can be tailored to reflect terminology and scenarios relevant to sectors like technology, finance, healthcare, or manufacturing

The tutor-led approach creates accountability through regular sessions and relationship building. Learners receive immediate corrections during conversation practice, helping develop proper pronunciation and natural speech patterns. This real-time interaction is particularly valuable for employees who need to communicate confidently in meetings, presentations, or client interactions.

What is Busuu for Business?

Busuu for Business is an online language learning platform designed around AI-powered courses and standardized lesson plans. The system uses a self-paced model where employees complete interactive exercises, vocabulary units, and grammar lessons independently. Learning activities include multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blank exercises, and audio recognition tasks.

The platform supports approximately 12–14 languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, and Japanese. Courses are structured according to CEFR levels (A1 through B2), providing a clear progression path for learners. Each lesson combines vocabulary acquisition, grammar instruction, and practical usage examples.

• Community feedback: Learners can submit writing and speaking exercises for review by native speakers in the Busuu community
• AI-powered review: The platform uses algorithms to identify areas where learners need additional practice and schedules review sessions accordingly
• Business-specific modules: Standard courses include business communication topics like email writing, meeting participation, and professional introductions

For organizations with large cohorts of learners at similar levels, Busuu’s standardized approach offers consistency across teams. The platform works well for employees who prefer self-directed learning and can maintain progress without regular tutor interaction. However, the lack of live instruction limits opportunities for spontaneous conversation practice and immediate clarification of complex language concepts.

Key feature comparison

Understanding the specific capabilities of each platform helps identify which solution better addresses your organization’s language training requirements. The following comparison highlights the key differences between Preply Business and Busuu for Business:

The differences in language availability are particularly relevant for global organizations operating in diverse markets. While both platforms cover major business languages like English, Spanish, and German, Preply’s broader selection includes less commonly taught languages that may be crucial for specific regions or projects.

For learning and development teams managing corporate language training programs, the reporting capabilities also represent a significant distinction. Preply provides detailed insights into individual learner progress, including speaking time analytics and proficiency advancement. Busuu offers aggregate usage data and completion metrics but with less granular detail on conversational abilities.

Pros and cons

Preply Business

Preply’s tutor-based model offers distinct advantages for organizations prioritizing personalization and speaking proficiency, though it comes with certain limitations:

Pros:

• Offers live, real-time practice with professional tutors who provide immediate feedback
• Provides access to a large global tutor network across 50+ languages, supporting diverse team needs
• Allows flexible scheduling across time zones, accommodating varying work patterns
• Includes dedicated account management and learner support for program oversight
• Adapts to specific industry terminology and communication scenarios

Cons:

• Does not offer built-in group lessons for team-based learning
• Tutor experience and teaching style may vary across the network
• Requires more active scheduling and commitment from learners

This approach works particularly well for multinational teams with diverse language requirements and varying proficiency levels. The flexibility in scheduling and content customization supports employees working across different functions, from technical roles to customer-facing positions.

Busuu for Business

Busuu’s self-directed learning model presents different strengths and limitations for corporate language training:

Pros:

• Delivers a standardized and structured curriculum across learners
• Offers a cost-effective model for training large cohorts
• Enables self-paced learning with integrated review tools
• Provides consistent content delivery without scheduling constraints
• Includes gamification elements that can increase engagement

Cons:

• Provides limited opportunities for live speaking practice
• Offers fewer supported languages compared to other platforms
• Customization and personalization are more limited
• Relies on peer feedback rather than professional instruction

Busuu’s approach may align well with organizations that need to deploy language training at scale with minimal administrative overhead. The platform suits employees who are comfortable with self-directed learning and don’t require extensive speaking practice for their roles.

Enterprise rollout and ROI

Implementing language training across an organization requires careful planning to ensure adoption and measurable results. Both platforms offer structured processes to support this transition, though with different approaches to implementation and measurement.

Implementation process

The typical rollout process for corporate language training includes several key phases:

1. Needs assessment: Identifying language goals, assessing current employee proficiency levels, and aligning training with business functions
2. Platform setup: Configuring the learning environment, creating user accounts, and establishing reporting structures
3. User onboarding: Introducing employees to the platform, setting expectations, and providing initial guidance
4. Progress monitoring: Tracking engagement, completion rates, and proficiency gains

Preply Business assigns dedicated account managers who guide organizations through each phase, from initial assessment to ongoing program management. This hands-on support includes assistance with tutor matching, custom reporting setup, and strategic program planning.

Busuu for Business typically follows a more self-service approach, with optional support for enterprise clients. The platform provides standardized onboarding materials and automated setup processes, requiring less administrative involvement but offering fewer customization options.

Measuring impact

Effective language training should demonstrate clear business impact beyond simple completion metrics. Key performance indicators typically include:

• Proficiency advancement: Progress through CEFR levels (A1-C2) as measured by assessment tests
• Engagement metrics: Completion rates, session frequency, and time spent learning
• Business outcomes: Improved communication efficiency, expanded client relationships, or successful project collaboration

Both platforms provide dashboards for tracking these metrics, though with different emphasis. Preply focuses on proficiency gains and speaking confidence, with detailed reporting on conversation practice and tutor assessments. Busuu highlights completion statistics and learning milestone achievements, with less granular data on conversational abilities.

For learning and development managers, connecting these metrics to specific business objectives is crucial for demonstrating ROI. This might involve correlating language training with improved customer satisfaction scores, increased cross-border collaboration, or successful market entry initiatives.

Moving forward with the right training solution

The choice between Preply Business and Busuu for Business ultimately depends on an organization’s specific language learning priorities and operational requirements. Each platform represents a different approach to corporate language training, with distinct advantages for particular use cases.

• Preply‘s model emphasizes personalization through 1-on-1 instruction, making it well-suited for organizations where speaking proficiency and industry-specific communication are priorities. The platform’s flexibility in scheduling and content customization supports diverse teams with varying language needs and work patterns.
• Busuu offers a more standardized, self-directed approach that can efficiently deliver consistent training across large groups. Its structured curriculum and independent learning format work well for organizations seeking a scalable solution with minimal administrative overhead.

For companies evaluating these options, considering the specific language requirements of different teams and roles can help determine which approach will deliver better results. Technical teams might benefit from specialized vocabulary training, while customer-facing roles may need more conversational practice – factors that influence platform selection.

Both platforms represent the evolution of corporate language training beyond traditional classroom models, offering digital solutions that can adapt to modern workplace requirements and distributed teams. By aligning platform capabilities with organizational objectives, companies can implement language training that genuinely enhances global communication and collaboration.

Ready to explore how personalized 1-on-1 lessons can empower your global team? Book a demo today.

FAQs about Preply Business vs Busuu for Business

How does each platform handle specialized industry terminology and jargon?

Preply Business supports specialized terminology through tutors who can tailor lessons to include industry-specific vocabulary and communication scenarios. Tutors can incorporate company materials and adapt lessons for technical, legal, financial, or other specialized contexts.

Which platform better accommodates teams distributed across multiple time zones?

Preply Business offers greater flexibility for global teams through its worldwide tutor network, allowing employees to schedule sessions that align with their local working hours. Busuu’s self-paced format eliminates scheduling concerns but lacks live interaction options for real-time practice.

What administrative support do learning managers receive to maintain program engagement?

Preply provides dedicated account managers who offer strategic guidance, usage insights, and engagement recommendations. Busuu offers platform access and reporting tools but includes less personalized support in standard plans, focusing instead on automated notifications and progress tracking.

Are both platforms suitable for smaller teams with limited training budgets?

Preply Business scales effectively for small teams through flexible lesson packages without enterprise-level commitments. Busuu for Business can accommodate smaller groups but its pricing model and features are optimized for larger deployments, potentially making it less cost-effective for limited user numbers.