What Frello does

Frello is a Lyon-headquartered SaaS company that provides a French-language learning and teaching platform purpose-built for socio-professional integration. Its product suite spans foundational alphabétisation for non-literate adults, French as a Foreign Language (FLE, A1-B2), Français Langue d'Intégration (FLI) for newly arrived migrants, Français professionnel, six sector-specific Français sur Objectifs Spécifiques (FOS) tracks (BTP, restauration, transports et logistique, services à la personne, hygiène et propreté, plus general professional French), literacy and illettrisme remediation (FLM), supplementary grammar, culture and game-based tracks, and mock exams for the DILF, DELF and TCF certifications. The platform combines over 1,600 hours of interactive activities with auto-correction for most exercise types, a trainer and admin dashboard for assigning tasks, managing learner groups, and tracking progression per competency, and a Unicode-based instruction system designed for non-literate learners. Mobile applications on iOS and Android extend autonomous practice, and 17 placement tests (including a 15-minute express FLE test) support needs assessment. Frello holds the Qualiopi certification (Certificat QUA006971), the French national quality label required for training organizations to access public funding.

Frello operates a hybrid go-to-market: a product-led self-serve motion with a free first-lesson tier and a 14-day paid trial for independent trainers, combined with a sales-led enterprise motion in which advisors run live demos and provide quote-based pricing for training organizations, enterprises and public institutions. Customer segments include French-language training organizations (FLE), independent trainers, companies and local authorities employing allophone staff, Alliances Françaises and Instituts français, France Travail agencies, and temp staffing agencies. Hosting is delivered through AWS and OVHcloud with EU data residency for GDPR compliance. The company is incorporated as a société par actions simplifiée (SAS), founded in 2017 and incubated by Normandie Incubation, and is privately held with no disclosed external venture capital backing.

Name

Frello

Legal name

Frello

Website

https://frello.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Frello is a Lyon-based SaaS platform that delivers French-language learning content (alphabétisation through B2, sector-specific FOS, and certification prep) to training organizations, independent trainers, enterprises, and public institutions for socio-professional integration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. SaaS subscription (organizations): Organizations (training centers, companies, public institutions) pay a subscription based on structure size and number of learners. Pricing is quote-based and provided during demo calls with sales advisors.
2. SaaS subscription (independent trainers): Independent trainers pay a recurring subscription with a 14-day free trial. Subscription can be cancelled at any time from the customer portal during or after the trial period.
3. Freemium access: Free access to the first lesson of each program for self-service learners and trainers evaluating the platform before committing to a paid subscription.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Frello is a SaaS platform for teaching and learning French as a foreign, integration, professional, or native language, with over 1,600 hours of auto-corrected interactive activities covering levels A0 through B2. It delivers dedicated programs for alphabétisation, FLE, FLI, sector-specific FOS (BTP, Restauration, Transports et logistique, Services à la personne, Hygiène et propreté), French for the workplace, civic integration (Parcours civique), literacy remediation, and certification preparation (DILF, DELF, TCF), complemented by a trainer dashboard, mobile apps, and placement tests.

Product overview

Frello is a digital French language learning platform designed for socio-professional integration. The platform operates as a unified system with over 1,600 hours of interactive activities across multiple specialized programs. The core offering includes foundational French as a Foreign Language (FLE), French for Integration (FLI), and French for Specific Purposes (FOS) programs targeting sectors like construction (BTP), restaurants, transport, personal services, and hygiene. The platform also provides literacy programs (Alphabétisation), French for native speakers (FLM), grammar and culture tracks, and exam preparation for DELF, DILF, and TCF certifications. Supporting infrastructure includes a mobile app, instructor/admin dashboard for progress tracking and task management, and placement testing tools. The platform differentiates through auto-correction, pedagogical differentiation for heterogeneous groups, and gamified learning components.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alphabétisation A progressive French literacy program designed for non-literate adults learning to decode and recognize letters and words, using visual Unicode-based instruction to reduce cognitive load for people with no prior schooling.
• Français langue étrangère (FLE) A French as a Foreign Language program covering listening, reading, writing, speaking, vocabulary, grammar, and phonetics across levels A1 through B2.
• Français langue d'intégration (FLI) A progressive FLI program for newly arrived beginners in France, designed to facilitate socio-professional integration.
• Français professionnel A professional French program at levels A2–B1 covering workplace skills including job search, professional communication, and basic math and digital competencies.
• FOS BTP (Construction & Public Works) A specialized French for Specific Purposes program for construction and public works sector workers at levels A2 and B1, focusing on professional vocabulary, safety regulations, and workplace communication.
• FOS Restauration A specialized FOS program for restaurant and catering sector workers at level A2, covering food service vocabulary, hygiene rules, and professional communication.
• FOS Transports et logistique A specialized FOS program for transport and logistics workers covering warehouse operations, equipment handling, safety procedures, and vehicle-related vocabulary.
• FOS Services à la personne A specialized FOS program for personal services workers covering home care, hygiene assistance, daily activities, and professional communication.
• FOS Hygiène et propreté A specialized FOS program for hygiene and cleaning sector workers covering cleaning products, equipment, safety protocols, and professional vocabulary.
• Parcours civique A civic integration program covering the principles and values of the French Republic, institutional systems, rights and duties, history, geography, and French society for CIR signatories.
• Parcours grammaire A supplementary grammar track at levels A1, A2, and B1 featuring explanatory videos and practice activities.
• Parcours jeux Gamified ludo-educational activities for working on French language skills at level A2 and above in an engaging format.
• Parcours culture A cultural immersion program at levels A1 to B1 for discovering French culture and understanding French habits across various themes.
• Préparation DILF Mock exams and preparation materials for the DILF (Diplôme Initial de Langue Française) certification at A1.1 level.
• Préparation DELF Mock exams and preparation materials for DELF certifications at levels A1, A2, B1, and B2.
• Préparation TCF Mock exams and preparation materials for the TCF (Test de Connaissance du Français) certification.
• Français langue maternelle (FLM) - Lutte contre l'illettrisme A program for French speakers with literacy difficulties organized in 3 levels (D1, D2, D3), covering reading, writing, grammar, spelling, and basic competencies to combat illiteracy.
• Remise à niveau en orthographe A spelling remediation program for French speakers with writing difficulties, covering agreements, word spelling, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, and conjugation.
• Tests de positionnement FLE FLE placement tests to assess learner proficiency including an express 15-minute positioning test, used by trainers for needs assessment and grouping.
• Tests de positionnement FLM FLM placement tests to assess French as a Native Language level for speakers with literacy needs, including illiteracy detection.
• Application mobile Frello Mobile application for iOS and Android enabling learners to practice French autonomously and complete trainer-assigned tasks, extending learning beyond scheduled sessions.
• Plateforme formateur et admin Frello The trainer and admin web platform that powers Frello's programs, providing task assignment, group management, granular competency progress tracking, and organizational structure management for training organizations and independent trainers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 57% of modules are completed in full autonomy by learners, reducing trainer workload per learner.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core infrastructure and key institutional partner.

• AWS (Amazon Web Services)core infrastructureOthersCloud infrastructure provider hosting Frello's platform data. Data is stored on AWS servers located within the European Union, ensuring GDPR compliance. OVH is also used as a secondary hosting provider. Both are referenced in Frello's privacy policy as data processors under strict EU data transfer safeguards.
• OVHcloudcore infrastructureOthersSecondary cloud hosting provider alongside AWS, both located in the EU. Referenced in the privacy policy as data processors for platform and application data storage.
• OFII (Office Français de l'Immigration et de l'Intégration)key institutional partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench government agency for immigration and integration. Under CIAI 2026, OFII-funded French language training is considered effective working time and paid as such. Frello positions itself as a platform supporting OFII-aligned CIR (Contrat d'Intégration Républicaine) training pathways, including the Parcours civique program aligned with the civic integration exam.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Duolingo: The dominant consumer language-learning app with a freemium model covering French. Comparable in delivery format (mobile + web SaaS) and learner engagement mechanics, but Duolingo is a generalist platform while Frello focuses on French for migrant integration and professional contexts.
• Babbel: One of the largest paid language-learning platforms globally, offering French among many languages. Comparable as a packaged-software language-learning product, though Babbel targets general consumer/B2B learners whereas Frello specializes in French for socio-professional integration.
• GoFLUENT: Global corporate language-training provider combining digital content with human coaching. Comparable as a packaged B2B language-learning platform for workforce upskilling, including French; larger scale and broader language portfolio than Frello.
• Rosetta Stone: Long-standing language-learning SaaS with French content and enterprise/L&D offerings. Comparable as a packaged language-learning platform serving institutional buyers; broader language portfolio but less specialized in French integration pathways like CIR/DELF.

Regional players

• OpenClassrooms: French-origin online education platform focused on career-oriented skill training with mentorship. Comparable as a French-headquartered EdTech SaaS targeting professional upskilling, though OpenClassrooms focuses on tech/digital careers rather than language learning.

Others

• Kahoot!: EdTech gamified learning platform used by educators and trainers for engagement. Comparable as an adjacent educational SaaS with gamification mechanics similar to Frello's "Parcours jeux" track, though Kahoot is a general-purpose platform rather than a language specialist.
• Alliance Française (network): Global non-profit network of French-language teaching institutions; existing Frello customers include Alliance française Seattle. Comparable as the institutional channel and traditional provider of FLE that Frello's platform both serves and augments.

Direct peers

• Speexx: B2B language-training SaaS used by enterprises and training organizations for workforce language upskilling. Comparable in targeting organizations and offering structured language programs for professional integration, similar to Frello's enterprise/FOS positioning.
• Busuu: Subscription-based language-learning platform offering French with B2B/B2C tiers. Closely comparable as a packaged-software language-learning SaaS with similar monetization, though Busuu is multi-language and not specialized in French for socio-professional integration.
• 7Speaking: European B2B-focused language-learning SaaS for corporations, with strong French-market presence. Comparable as a packaged language platform targeting enterprise L&D and integration needs, including French for professional use — Frello's most direct overlap in segment and product.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Frellofle

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Frello