Which online French class suits your child depends on their age and what your family wants from it. For children aged 4 to 12 who need other kids to talk to and the same teacher every week, a small group by age and level is usually the better fit. For one-to-one lessons at flexible times, especially for teenagers, look at Preply or italki; for a wide choice of group classes and teachers, Outschool. We run one of the four options, the one marked “Our classes” in the table, so keep that in mind as you read.
Online French classes for kids compared
The table compares our classes with Preply, italki and Outschool on format, ages, class length, price, trial and how you pay, so you can see at a glance which online French classes for kids fit your child’s age and your timetable. Small notes show what depends on the teacher.
| Feature | Our classes | Preply | italki | Outschool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Small groups by age and level (6 children at most, 4 for beginners); also one-to-one | One-to-one | One-to-one; italki also has group classes | Group and one-to-one classes |
| Ages | 4–12 | Depends on the tutor | From 3 Each tutor sets the ages they teach | 3–18 Each class sets its own age range |
| Class length | 30 or 45 min, depending on level | 50 min | 30, 45, 60 or 90 min Depends on the tutor | Group: 25–40 min One-to-one: 25–30 min In the classes we saw |
| Teachers | Native French teachers from France | Independent tutors | Independent tutors | Independent teachers |
| Price per class | Group: $14.25 (£10.50 · €12.75) at 1 class a week, from $10.25 (£7.50 · €9) on the annual plan with 3 a week One-to-one: from $17.75 (£13.25 · €16) | Set by each tutor | $12–$39 for 30 min $20–$69 for 60 min Kids’ lessons we saw; set by each tutor | Group: $10–$19 a class One-to-one: $25–$50 a session In the classes we saw; set by each teacher |
| Trial | $4 / €3 trial class | 25- or 50-min trial lesson If the first tutor isn’t a match, 2 more to try for free | 30-min trial lesson, $5–$20 Set by each tutor | Check each class |
| How you pay | Billed every 4 weeks; no commitment, cancel the renewal anytime | Subscription billed every 4 weeks | Per lesson, or packages of lessons | Per class Some ongoing classes are billed weekly |
| Who chooses the teacher | We place your child in a group, with the same teacher every week | You do | You do | You do, class by class |
Prices checked on 30 oct 2026 on each platform's website. On Preply, italki and Outschool each teacher sets their own price, so it changes from one profile to the next: for italki and Outschool we give the ranges we saw in their French listings. We’ve stuck to what each platform says on its own website.
What are the best online French classes for kids?
For most children aged 4 to 12, a small live group with the same teacher every week works best, because it gives them other kids to speak French with and a steady routine. One-to-one suits teenagers and families who need flexible hours. Outschool suits families who want to try different teachers and topics.
Preply or italki: one-to-one at flexible times
Both are marketplaces of tutors. You pick a tutor and book one-to-one lessons at times that suit you, and each tutor sets their own price. On Preply, lessons last 50 minutes. The trial lesson lasts 25 or 50 minutes, and if the first tutor isn’t a match, you can try two more for free.
On italki, some French tutors have lessons just for kids, from age 3 with some of them. The kids’ lessons we saw cost $12 to $39 for 30 minutes and $20 to $69 for an hour, so with some tutors a 30-minute lesson costs less than one of our group classes. Trial lessons last 30 minutes and cost $5 to $20, depending on the tutor.
The main difference is how you pay. Preply is a subscription billed every 4 weeks. On italki, you pay lesson by lesson.
Good for: teenagers and adults, and anyone who needs a flexible timetable or one-to-one attention.
Keep in mind: you choose the tutor yourself, and each tutor plans their own lessons. In one-to-one lessons your child has no classmates to speak French with.
Outschool: lots of classes and teachers to choose from
Outschool is a marketplace of independent teachers, with group and one-to-one classes, and you pay per class.
In the French classes we saw, a group class cost $10 to $19 for 25 to 40 minutes, so it can cost less than our group classes. One-to-one sessions cost $25 to $50 for 25 to 30 minutes. Each class sets its own age range, from 3 to 18 across the site.
Good for: trying different teachers, topics and formats.
Keep in mind: each class is run by its own teacher, who sets the ages, length, price and timetable.
Best online French classes for kids by age: 4–6, 7–9 and 10–12
The best class changes as your child grows. From 4 to 6, look for short, spoken classes full of songs and games. From 7 to 9, look for missions and role play. From 10 to 12, look for real conversation and debates, in a group at your child’s level.
Ages 4–6: songs, games and no reading
At this age a class should be short and completely spoken. In our experience, a child of four or five can follow about 30 minutes on screen if the activity changes every few minutes and every word comes with a picture, an object or a gesture. Nothing needs to be read or written, and a child who stays quiet at first can still join in by moving and pointing. Starting this young also brings its own benefits of learning a second language.
Check how long the class lasts, how many other children are in it and whether new words arrive inside games or as lists. On any platform, read the class description or ask the teacher, because each one works differently.
Ages 7–9: missions, roles and first reading
Children this age get bored of repeating words. They want a job to do: run a shop, solve a mystery, plan a trip. A role also makes speaking less frightening, because it’s the character talking and not them. This is when reading and writing can start to join the games, and French story books for children help at home.
Ask how the group is formed. A seven-year-old starting from zero and an eight-year-old who hears French at home need different classes, so level matters as much as age.
Ages 10–12: conversation they care about
At this age children concentrate for longer and have opinions about everything, but they also hate getting things wrong in front of others. Good classes run on debates, role play and team projects about things they care about, such as school uniforms or phones at the table, with a teacher who corrects without stopping the conversation.
One-to-one starts to make more sense at this age. A small group still offers something a tutor can’t: other kids to speak French with. Our classes stop at 12, so for teenagers, look at Preply, italki or Outschool.
What should I look for in online French classes for kids?
Look at the size of the group, how the class is taught, who the teacher is and how you pay. A good class gets your child speaking French, not just listening to it. Ask what a typical class looks like before you pay. A trial class is the quickest way to check.
- The right language. If you’re still choosing, we looked at whether Spanish or French is easier for kids.
- Speaking time. The fewer children in the class, the more often each one speaks. In a one-to-one lesson your child speaks the most, but has nobody their own age to speak to.
- How much French the teacher uses. Ask whether the class is in French and how a beginner follows it. Pictures, objects and gestures let a child understand without anyone translating.
- The same faces every week. Children open up when they know who they’ll see. On a marketplace, check whether a class is ongoing or a one-off.
- Level as well as age. A complete beginner and a child who hears French at home shouldn’t share a group just because they’re both seven.
- Timetable and time zone. If you live abroad, check the times in your own time zone, and what happens when you need to move a class.
- How you pay and how you stop. Subscription, per lesson or per class: read how cancelling works before you pay.
How to get your child ready for their first online class
You don’t need much, and you don’t need to speak French yourself. A laptop or tablet with a camera and microphone, a stable connection and a quiet corner are all you need. The rest is about helping your child arrive relaxed, and these small steps make the first class easier.
- Check the set-up the day before. Open the link, and test the camera and sound.
- Pick a quiet spot with room to move. Away from the TV and from brothers and sisters.
- Tell them what will happen. “You’ll meet a teacher and some other children, and you’ll play in French.” There’s no need to practise words beforehand.
- Stay close if they’re under 6. Most small children are more comfortable with a parent nearby in the first sessions. Sit off to the side and let them answer the teacher themselves.
- Don’t worry if they stay quiet. Many children understand more and more for a while before they’re ready to speak. An article by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, republished by Colorín Colorado, calls this a normal “silent period” that can last a few months.
- Afterwards, ask what they liked. Not what they learned. And don’t ask them to “say something in French for Grandma”: even confident children freeze. If they want more, try these ideas to teach kids French at home.
What our teachers do with children growing up abroad
Many of the children we teach grow up with several languages at home: they hear French from one parent and answer in English, German or whatever the street outside speaks. They aren’t beginners, and starting them from zero would bore them. What they’re missing is a reason to speak, so we put them with children at the same level who live the same double life.
In class, if a child answers in English, the teacher waits for an answer in French. When a child makes a mistake, the teacher repeats the correct form without stopping them. With the youngest, a class is a hello song, a game or story and a tiny mission for home, like finding three red things, and teachers use puppets and big gestures and change activity every few minutes. With a shy child, they don’t push: they ask with a gesture and wait. With older children, they give them a role to play, so that speaking feels less exposed.
At home, it helps not to turn every English answer into a correction, because that makes French feel like a test.
Frequently asked questions
How much do online French classes for kids cost?
The group classes we looked at cost about $10 to $19 a class, depending on the platform and the plan. One-to-one usually costs more: on italki, the kids’ lessons we saw cost $12 to $39 for 30 minutes. On Preply, each tutor sets the price. The table above shows every option.
Are group or one-to-one classes the best online French classes for kids?
For most children between 4 and 12, a small group works best: it gives them other kids to talk and play with, and the same routine every week. A private tutor gives your child all the speaking time and more flexible hours, and tends to suit teenagers who already know what they want to work on.
From what age can a child start online French classes?
From about 4, when a child can follow a short live class on screen. At that age, a good class is songs, stories and games, with no reading needed. If your child isn’t 4 yet, songs and stories in French at home are a good start.
How long should a French class be for a 5-year-old?
About 30 minutes. That is long enough to sing, play and speak, and short enough for a 5-year-old to stay with it, as long as the activity changes every few minutes. A small group helps too, so that nobody waits long for their turn.
Do online French classes help if we already speak French at home?
Yes. Many children raised abroad understand French but answer in another language. A group of kids at the same level gives them a reason to speak it, as long as the class places each child by level, so that a child who already hears French at home doesn’t start from zero.
Try a French class with Diluu
At Diluu, children aged 4 to 12 learn in small groups by age and level, with the same teacher and classmates every week. Classes run Monday to Sunday in every time zone, follow a programme that builds week after week, and parents get progress reports. Group classes are at a fixed time each week, and one-to-one costs more. You can see how our small French groups work for each age and level.
If your child is between 4 and 12, one class will tell you more than any table. The trial costs €3 ($4 in the US): a real live class with a native teacher from France, and no commitment afterwards. If you carry on, you choose a plan billed every 4 weeks and can cancel the renewal whenever you like.
