Online tutoring is one of the better ways to earn extra cash online. So, if you are looking for extra income and you have experience with tutoring, you might want to consider this option.
In this article, I will talk about the best online tutoring sites to earn from so you will know where to start.
I will include a brief summary of each option so you will have an idea of which option to go for. Rest assured that all the sites I will include on this list are legit.
At the end of this article, I will also add a bonus tip on what you can do if you want to work as an online tutor or earn a full-time income online to optimize your income.
Who can work as an online tutor, and what can you expect?
Working as an online tutor is not for everyone. While some sites will accept applicants with no previous tutoring experience, most of them will require you to have some experience. Some will even ask for certain requirements, like a teaching degree or certification.
That’s why it’s not a suitable option for someone who doesn’t have teaching skills, which is why I would only recommend you go for it if you fit the bill. Otherwise, you’ll just be wasting your time applying as an online tutor because these sites will eventually find out that you are not qualified.
After all, they must make sure that the tutors they accept can meet the needs of the students who are their clients.
Now, when applying as a tutor, you will typically be going through the regular job application process, where you will be interviewed for the position. And if you get hired, expect that the platform you join will conduct a background check, which is very common with companies like these.
You will have to pay for the background check, but most of the time, the fee will only be deducted from your first pay, so you don’t have to shell out money to get started. That being said, some sites will ask you to pay the fee upfront, so be prepared to do that as well.
Once you clear the background check, you can start working for them. Typically, you’ll have to set your availability, but some sites will set your schedule for you. One thing remains constant, though – you need to have a certain level of commitment if you want to work as an online tutor.
As you can probably tell, you need to have the patience and perseverance to teach students. Plus, if you can’t attend the tutoring session because of some emergency, you’ll need to inform the site ahead of time. Otherwise, they might not assign any more tutoring sessions to you if you frequently neglect to inform them beforehand.
As for how much you can earn, it will depend on how skilled you are as an online tutor. If you are an experienced tutor, you can most probably earn a full-time income if you work 8 hours a day because you can command a higher pay rate.
But if you are new to this field, then the amount you can earn will be nowhere near a full-time income, in my opinion. That’s because your rate will be quite low, and you can’t demand higher pay because you lack the experience. So, make sure to adjust your expectations accordingly.
8 Best Online Tutoring Sites
Now that you know what to expect from this kind of earning opportunity, let’s discuss the options you can choose from. As mentioned earlier, they are all legit, so you can really earn from them.
It is not a prioritized list, so you can just choose which options suit you best. I will keep updating this list if I find more sites that are worth it in the future, so make sure to bookmark this page and check on it from time to time for new sites.
#1 – Skooli
Skooli is a website that offers an opportunity to earn by working as an online teacher. But to work as a Skooli tutor, you need to have a bachelor’s degree or teaching certification, master's or PhD, state or provincial teaching license, or ESL and other teaching qualifications.
As a tutor, you’ll be paid an hourly rate when conducting tutoring sessions, and it will be set by Skooli. As for how you can withdraw your earnings, once you have reached a minimum of $100 in earnings, you can request a payout for the full outstanding amount at any time via PayPal.
The good thing, though, is that it is available more or less worldwide, so you can apply as a tutor regardless of where you live.
#2 – MyTutor
MyTutor, as the name suggests, is an online tutoring platform that will let you earn by tutoring students. It offers two types of tutoring – the Schools Programme and Private tutoring.
All tutors will start with the Schools Programme, where you’ll be asked to log in to the member dashboard and pick a schedule for the classes you want to teach.
For Private Tutoring, you’ll have to be chosen by MyTutor as one of the tutors who can conduct a private tutoring session. So, you must do well in the Schools Programme to be considered for private lessons.
As for the payment method it uses, you will be paid directly into your bank account twice a month. MyTutor is only available to people in the UK, so if you live somewhere else, this is not for you.
#3 – BookNook
BookNook is another online tutoring platform that will allow you to earn extra cash by tutoring students. Once you get accepted as a tutor, you will need to log in to the Tutor Portal to see all the available tutoring opportunities.
When working as a BookNook tutor, you will be paid by the hour, and the rate will be $18 per hour. Payments are made twice a month via direct bank transfer if you live in the US. If you don’t live in the US, you will be paid through WorkMarket via PayPal or HyperWallet.
BookNook is only for US residents. However, you don’t need to be currently living in the US to apply as a tutor. As long as you can conduct sessions on US time, you’ll be able to apply as a tutor.
#4 – Course Hero
Course Hero is an online learning platform that provides students with access to study resources and online tutors. So, to earn from it, you must work as one of their online tutors.
Once you become a Course Hero tutor, the only way to earn from it is to answer questions from students. Just log in to the member dashboard to view all the questions you can answer. So, you don’t have to conduct a tutoring session like the other sites on this list.
Your goal as a tutor is to write correct, helpful, and unique answers and explanations that help students learn. When you answer questions, you’ll earn a specific amount. Then, you can withdraw your earnings via PayPal anytime you want.
Course Hero is available more or less worldwide, so you can apply as a tutor anywhere in the world. When you apply as a tutor, you must pass the quizzes for the subjects you’ve chosen so that Course Hero can see that you are capable of tutoring the subject/s of your choice.
#5 – Cambly
Cambly is an online tutoring platform that specializes in providing tutoring services to students who wish to learn about the English language. When tutoring students, you will have to use the platform’s chat system, which will involve a webcam and a microphone.
You will get paid for every minute you chat with a student, and you can earn $0.17 per minute if your student is 18 years of age or older. For kids below that age, you’ll earn $0.20 per minute. Then, you’ll be paid every week via PayPal as long as you’ve earned something within that week.
#6 – Wyzant
Wyzant is a tutoring platform that can provide in-person or online tutoring services to its clients. Online tutoring is much more convenient for both you and the student because you can conduct the session in the comfort of your home. But if your client lives near you, you can choose to conduct in-person tutoring services.
What’s good about this site is that you can set your hourly rate as a tutor. Just keep in mind that you will only receive 75% of the total payment because you’ll have to share the 25% with Wyzant.
Payments are made via direct bank transfer, so it’s a convenient payout method, in my opinion. Wyzant is only available in the US, so if you live somewhere else, this opportunity is not for you. When you apply as a tutor, you’ll also be asked to provide your Social Security Number, so be prepared to give out that piece of information when applying.
#7 – VIPKid Teach
Another online tutoring platform that specializes in teaching English to students is called VIPKid Teach. It is one of the platforms that will set your schedule as a tutor. You can log in to the member dashboard and find out if you have any teaching assignments for the day.
You will be paid for every session you successfully finish. On average, the rate per class is around $7 to $9, which isn’t bad considering it’s only a half-hour’s worth of work. You have the option to withdraw your earnings via PayPal or direct bank transfer. You can also choose when to get paid (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly).
VIPKid Teach is available more or less worldwide, but you have to clear a background check to become a tutor. Just keep in mind that VIPKid is very particular about who they accept as tutors.
#8 – SuperProf
SuperProf is a private tutoring platform that will let you earn money by tutoring clients. You will be asked to create an ad for the kind of tutoring services you want to provide when you become a tutor. You can offer Math, English, piano, singing, tennis, Spanish, French, guitar, personal training, and swimming lessons to students.
You can set your rate per hour for providing the tutoring services you indicated. As for how you will get paid, your student can use a different platform to pay you, or they can use SuperProf to send the payment to you. It will all depend on your agreement with the student.
If they choose the SuperProf option, the payment will be sent to you by SuperProf via PayPal, but only if you’ve earned at least £30. Keep in mind that if you are not a premium member, there will be a 10% service fee for every withdrawal.
SuperProf is available in 42 different countries like the US, UK, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, and many more. Then, you can opt for a premium membership to increase your chances of getting hired.
Final Thoughts
So, those are the best options you can go for if you want to earn as an online tutor, in my opinion. As mentioned earlier, all the sites on the list are legit, so you can sign up without worrying if you will get paid.
And as I’ve mentioned earlier, you need to have a certain level of commitment if you want to earn as an online tutor. If you are not prepared to do that, then this is not the right opportunity for you.
Now, if you are looking to earn a full-time income on a flexible schedule and you don’t want to rely on a 3rd party website, I suggest you build your own online business instead. For that, you can check out this guide on how to build your own online business so you can get leads even when you sleep.
If you have any comments, questions, or experience with online tutoring sites, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.