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There are many alternatives to Open English, but sometimes we might be unable to determine which one to choose and based on what criteria. Today, as ingilizcetavsiye.com, we have explored and evaluated platforms in the industry that can be considered similar and alternative to Open English. Let's take a look together.
In our now digitized world, I didn't want to spend my money and hours on transportation to physical courses while attending university. On one hand, I was trying to improve my English personally and learn new words; on the other hand, I was researching online English courses and reading their reviews. I chose Open English and took a few months of training because it had advertisements and evaluations on many websites.
So, how was Open English before looking at its alternatives and similar platforms? Which aspects had contributed to my English education, and which aspects had led me to give it up?
Learning English... Ah, if only it were as easy to learn just with books and songs, right? Like many of you, I too have heard of Open English numerous times on YouTube and many other platforms. And yes, that's why it was my first choice on my path to learning English.
Open English has pretty nice features for those, like me, who are just starting their language adventure. We can choose the teacher we want, determine our lesson hours, and thus progress our learning process at our own pace. I confess, when I joined the platform, my only desire was to find a teacher whose native language is English and to deepen my practice day by day. However, the teacher selection process was somewhat challenging for me. The past lesson experiences of the teachers and the fact that some of them were not native English speakers... Well, these reasons made it quite difficult for me to choose. But in the end, I found a young and energetic American teacher whose native language is English, and I entered my first lesson.
The fact is that not all teachers working at Open English are professionals. Many of you, like me, may want the person you are being educated by to have a past degree or certificate in this field because it is important that the person in front of you fully understands your learning psychology and methods. Unfortunately, Open English cannot guarantee this. That was exactly what I experienced with my first teacher. Not being able to go beyond 'Hello, how are you?' in our first lesson was a big disappointment for me.
Of course, practicing speaking is an activity that will greatly improve your language, but what I wanted was a slightly more regular and step-by-step learning plan. These expectations, combined with the question marks in my mind before registering on the platform, unfortunately made me give up continuing with Open English. I researched platforms that target a more comprehensive English learning process by caring about the levels of their students, and I took trial lessons from many of them.
So what did I pay attention to while doing this? Which platforms are similar to Open English? And which one of the similar ones is better than Open English? I tried to answer these questions in light of my experiences for you.
Flalingo, I recently met, but quickly fell in love with as a language learning platform. Here, it was frankly easier to find teachers who are native English speakers and have training in teaching. The platform offers personalized education using materials from Oxford University Press. I felt that my English level was steadily progressing and improving in this context because these resources are prepared according to your age and English level, and Flalingo teachers use them very effectively in lessons. Additionally, all lessons being one-on-one is a big plus if you don't find group lessons efficient.
While there are many teachers on the platform, Flalingo brought the most suitable teachers for me and my goals with its AI-supported smart teacher selection algorithm. When learning a new language, choosing the instructor that suits your purpose is of critical importance. You might need to be a bit lucky at this point. If you come across a teacher you like on the platform, try to intensify your sessions with them.
With all these features, I can say that Flalingo is one of the preferable English learning sites.
| Criteria | Values |
|---|---|
| My Evaluation Score | 4/5 |
| Average of Internet Reviews and Complaints | 4.5/5 |
| Most Liked Feature | Quality of content and teachers |
| Least Liked Feature | Customer service reaching out without notice |
| Selectiveness Regarding Teachers | Professional teachers with rigorous interviews |
| Used Materials | Oxford University Press Materials |
| Customer Support Unit | Customer service is very attentive |
Cambly is a well-known online English learning site aiming to improve our English skills through live lessons and assignments.
One of the features I like on the platform is that they offer suitable lessons and instructors for you, whether you are a beginner or advanced. Also, I could quickly reach customer services when I encountered a problem. Moreover, they try to attract new students to the platform with various discount campaigns.
Although it is stated on their website that we can take lessons from native teachers, there are many non-native teachers on the platform. I think companies need to be a bit more honest in such matters. In my experience with Cambly, due to the lack of consistency in price information initially, they offered different prices on the same day and I was uncomfortable with this and requested a subscription cancellation. Unfortunately, we did not have a very healthy process there either.
| Criteria | Values |
|---|---|
| My Evaluation Score | 3/5 |
| Average of Internet Comments and Complaints | 3.8/5 |
| Most Liked Feature | Finding Affordable Lessons |
| Least Liked Feature | Absence of Customer Representatives |
| Selectiveness Regarding Teachers | Marketplace Hence Inexperienced Teachers Are Available |
| Used Material | Information Not Found |
| Communication of Customer Support Unit | No Customer Support Units |
Preply is one of the platforms similar to Cambly. Firstly, you can get online English education from the teacher you want for various fees. According to what they say, there are teachers who are certified and teach in more than 10,000 different fields on their platform. Although Preply, which approaches us ambitiously with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, I honestly couldn’t find any feature that stands it out from other platforms. When you look at nearly 10,000 user reviews on the internet, affordable prices and trial lessons are generally praised. But are these enough for you to prefer a platform? Of course not. Other users mention that the platform's customer service is not smooth and they have trouble with refund issues. When you sum up all the pros and cons, Preply is of course a preferable platform similar to Cambly, but the appreciation is of course yours, dear readers.
| Criteria | Values |
|---|---|
| My Evaluation Score | 3.6/5 |
| Average of Internet Reviews and Complaints | 3.8/5 |
| Most Liked Feature | One-on-one lessons |
| Least Liked Feature | Lessons suitable for the level |
| Selectiveness Regarding Teachers | Not very selective |
| Used Material | Unknown |
| Customer Support Unit | Average customer service |
LiveXP is another one of the Open English-like language learning sites. Firstly, there are many lessons and teachers available here with the help of one-on-one lessons. Also, you can access the platform from devices other than a computer. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find too many realistic user reviews about the platform. Many reviews on various review sites are written to praise features that are not too prominent and non-existent on the platform. In this sense, I must confess that it did not give me as much confidence as other platforms. Especially the users being billed without reminder posts by the automatic subscription renewal system is one of the things to be considered before deciding. Users have rightly been disturbed by this situation. In addition, the lack of teacher quality assurance on the platform is also a significant source of concern. While LiveXP offers a wide range of teachers without any certificate or school requirement, some users have encountered non-professional teachers. This has led to user dissatisfaction.
| Criteria | Values |
|---|---|
| My Evaluation Score | 2.5/5 |
| Average of Internet Reviews and Complaints | 2.9/5 |
| Most Liked Feature | One-on-one lessons |
| Least Liked Feature | Teacher and material qualities |
| Selectiveness Regarding Teachers | Not very selective |
| Used Material | Unknown |
| Customer Support Unit | Poor customer service |
When choosing between language learning apps and websites, considering the differences in the experiences they offer is crucial. Although each app and website claims to provide a unique experience to its users, there can be both noticeable and subtle differences between these experiences.
This platform stands out with its high standards in providing personalized education using quality materials from Oxford University Press. The AI-supported smart teacher selection algorithm greatly facilitates finding the most suitable teacher for you.
With its abundance of live lessons and interactive assignments, having lesson options suitable for every level is a big advantage on this platform. However, difficulties related to pricing policy and subscription cancellations overshadow the experience.
Despite having a large pool of teachers, the platform lacks a distinctive feature. Based on user reviews, while affordable trial lessons and general user satisfaction are noteworthy, there can be issues with customer service and refund processes.
While it provides convenience to its users with extensive accessibility options (access from various devices), it has received criticisms regarding issues like the automatic subscription renewal system and the absence of teacher quality assurance.
The journey of learning English can be a thorny path for many. While various platforms attempt to assist in this journey, the experience and quality offered by each platform can differ significantly. In this article, I have tried to compile these based on my own experiences.
When choosing an ideal Open English alternative, it is important to take into account your personal needs and expectations. By paying attention to criteria such as the experience offered to you by the platform you choose, teacher quality, customer service, and pricing policy, you can make a correct choice. Although Flalingo stands out among other platforms, what is crucial is to be on a platform that will support you and motivate you in your language learning process. Every individual has different needs and learning styles, so choosing the best platform is entirely in your hands. We wish you a good language learning journey!
