Puzzle English

Name

Puzzle English

Legal name

ООО «Паззл Инглиш Технолоджиз»

Website

https://puzzle-english.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Language Learning

NAICS

Language Schools (61163), Language Schools (611630), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Language Learning Platforms (Self-Paced) (EDAMAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intelligent Practice & Mastery Learning Platforms (Spaced Repetition, Skill Drills) (EDAFAFAD), Language Assessment, Placement Testing & Proficiency Certification Tools (EDAFAOAH), Assessment Analytics & Item/Question Intelligence (IRT, Item Banks, Diagnostic Insights) (EDAFAFAG)

Keywords

• Online english learning
• Language learning platform
• English language courses
• Educational technology platform
• English language training

Headquarters

HQ city

Moscow

HQ country

Russia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Subscription - Premium Access: Monthly and annual subscriptions giving unlimited access to all exercises and materials. Automatic renewal with monthly payments or one-time annual/five-year/lifetime payments.
2. Course Sales - Teacher Method: One-time perpetual license purchase for individual courses (Beginner through Upper-Intermediate). Lifetime access to purchased course.
3. Component Subscriptions: Individual module subscriptions: Tasks, Words, Personal Plan, Dialogues, Books, Podcasts, Games - each with 1-year access.
4. Corporate/B2B Subscriptions: Business English packages for companies with multiple employee profiles and progress tracking.
5. Live Lessons with Teachers: 25-minute speaking practice sessions with teachers, included as gift with certain plans or available separately.
6. Installment Payments: Revenue from installment payment processing through Sberbank, Tinkoff, Dolyami, and other financing partners.
7. Affiliate Partner Revenue: Revenue sharing through Admitad affiliate network for partner referrals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Puzzle English operates an educational IT platform for online English language learning, delivered through a website and mobile apps (iOS, Android, Huawei). The platform offers over 20 digital trainers and sequential courses from absolute beginner to Upper-Intermediate (CEFR A1–C1), combining self-study exercises with optional 25-minute live teacher lessons under a Flipped Classroom methodology. Revenue is generated primarily from freemium subscription tiers (monthly, annual, multi-year, lifetime), one-time course purchases, individual component subscriptions, live teacher sessions, and corporate B2B training packages.

Product overview

Puzzle English is an educational IT platform offering a comprehensive suite of English language learning products and modules. The core offering consists of the main Puzzle English Platform with over 20 digital trainers and sequential courses (from Beginner A1 to Upper-Intermediate B2), available via web and mobile applications (iOS, Android, Huawei). Key products include Метод Тичера (self-study courses), Видеопазлы and Аудиопазлы (video/audio comprehension training), Тренажёр Грамматики (grammar practice), Транслейты (translation exercises), Уроки (structured lessons), Диалоги (conversational training), Подкасты (podcasts), Книги (English book library), Игры (educational games including Переводилка, Дуэль Умов, Мастер Фраз, Багаж Слов, Кроссворды), Слова/Tренировки слов (vocabulary training with spaced repetition), Данетка (vocabulary game), Песни (songs), Личный план (personalized learning plan), Авторские курсы (specialized courses for business/travel), Детский курс (children's course ages 4-12), Puzzle Movies (online cinema with dual subtitles), and Премиум subscription tiers. The Master of English tier offers lifetime access plus tutor sessions and the Oxford Test certification. The platform uses the Flipped Classroom methodology combining self-paced exercises with live teacher sessions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Метод Тичера (Teacher Method): A sequential English learning program from zero to advanced level with video lessons and teacher explanations.
• Puzzle Courses
• Puzzle Movies
• Master of English
• Academy

Products and services

• Puzzle English Premium Subscription Paid subscription giving unlimited access to the Puzzle English platform's 20+ digital trainers and full content library, available in monthly, annual, 5-year, and lifetime plans with optional family profiles for 3 users.
• Teacher Method (Метод Тичера) Sequential Self-Study Courses Sequential self-study English courses from absolute beginner (A1) through Upper-Intermediate (C1) with video lessons, training exercises, and topic-end exams, sold as one-time perpetual licenses with lifetime access.
• Author's Courses (Авторские курсы) Specialized themed English courses including Business English, Travel English, and Game of Thrones English, designed for advanced learners seeking specific domain vocabulary and contexts.
• Children's English Course (Детский курс) English course designed for children aged 4-12 with alphabet learning, basic vocabulary, simple grammar, and conversational practice delivered through a playful, game-based learning format with native speaker immersion.
• Oxford Test (Оксфордский тест) Adaptive English language assessment developed by Oxford University that takes approximately 90 minutes and awards an official international certificate aligned to the CEFR scale.
• Master of English Premium Package Long-term premium tier providing 10-year platform access, 32 mentor sessions with teachers, the Oxford Test with international diploma, and 1-year Puzzle Movies subscription as included gifts.
• Live Lessons with Teachers (Puzzle Courses) 25-minute live one-on-one speaking practice sessions with qualified teachers delivered via Zoom, available separately or as gift inclusions with Premium and Master of English tiers.
• Corporate English Training (B2B) B2B subscription package for companies providing Business English training to employees, with a dedicated corporate portal for managing multiple employee profiles, progress tracking, and subscription administration.
• Puzzle English Mobile Apps Two mobile applications — the main Puzzle English app and the dedicated Teacher Method app — providing on-the-go access to training exercises across iOS, Android, and Huawei platforms with unified cross-device login.

Quantifiable outcome

• Guaranteed CEFR level improvement by at least 1 level with 2 teacher lessons/week and 80% homework completion over 6 months
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

AI capability8 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AdmitadminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliate partner program for driving new user acquisitions. Registered through store.admitad.com with dedicated landing pages. Contact for partnership inquiries: [email protected]
• Oxford UniversitycoreTechnology or IntegrationAdaptive English language test developed by Oxford University. Upon completion, users receive official international certificate recognized by employers and educational institutions. Certificate assigned according to CEFR scale.
• Puzzle CoursesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership offering free introductory lessons with teacher. Puzzle Courses provides 8 lessons with teacher as gift for new subscribers.
• ЛитРесminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLargest e-book and audiobook service in Russia and CIS with 1,000,000+ titles including 48,000 free books. Partnership provides additional reading content offers to Puzzle English subscribers.
• ВикиумminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline platform for developing cognitive functions and brain productivity. Partnership offers free premium week of Vikium training as gift with subscriptions.
• СбербанкminorOthersInstallment payment partner. Sberbank provides buy-now-pay-later installment plans for Russian citizens aged 18-70 with Sberbank cards.
• Тинькофф Банк (T-Bank)minorOthersInstallment payment partner. Tinkoff Bank offers 2-minute approval, 3-10 month installment plans for purchases from 3,000 to 200,000 RUB.
• Долями (MandarinLab)minorOthersBuy-now-pay-later service splitting purchases into 4 equal parts every 2 weeks without commission or additional charges. Operates on Tinkoff Bank internet acquiring.
• XsollaminorOthersAlternative payment gateway for foreign cards and additional payment methods for international users.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Direct peers

• Duolingo: Public, US-based language learning platform with gamified mobile-first approach and large freemium base. Most direct global competitor to Puzzle English in the self-paced English learning category, with comparable freemium-to-paid conversion model and AI-driven personalization.
• Memrise: Mobile-first vocabulary and language learning platform with spaced repetition methodology. Direct competitor on the vocabulary training leg of Puzzle English's product and uses similar spaced-repetition algorithms for memorization.
• EnglishDom: Russian/CIS-focused online English learning platform offering self-study courses, live tutor sessions, and corporate B2B training. Direct competitor operating in the same Russian-speaking geography with similar hybrid learning model and freemium-to-paid conversion strategy.
• iTalki: Global online language tutoring platform connecting learners with teachers. Overlaps with Puzzle English's live teacher session component and target learner demographic (adults seeking conversational English practice).
• Busuu: Subscription-based language learning platform with community features and AI-powered study plans. Direct competitor in online self-paced English learning for adult learners, with similar freemium hooks and CEFR-aligned progression.
• Preply: Global marketplace for online language tutors with hybrid self-study content. Competes with Puzzle English on the live-tutor leg of the hybrid model and targets similar adult learner segments seeking flexible English instruction.
• Babbel: Berlin-based subscription language learning app focused on conversational fluency. Direct global competitor in the self-paced adult English learning category with comparable CEFR-aligned curriculum and freemium/subscription pricing model.
• Lingoda: Online language school offering live group and private classes with certified teachers. Competes on the live lesson side of Puzzle English's offering and serves similar adult professional learner segment seeking structured CEFR progression.
• Skyeng: Leading Russian online English school combining self-study platform with live tutor sessions. Direct domestic competitor using a similar Flipped Classroom-style hybrid model targeting Russian-speaking learners, with comparable B2C subscription and B2B corporate offerings.

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First: Global education company offering English courses across online, in-person, and study abroad formats. Broader incumbent with overlapping English learning capability across B2C and B2B segments, though anchored to a much larger institutional portfolio beyond just language learning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/puzzleenglish
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/puzzle-english

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Puzzle English