Answers
Straight answers to the questions people actually ask about online tutoring - what platforms charge, what tutors earn, what lessons cost, and how long learning really takes. Where a page states a fact about another company, it cites the source and the date it was checked.
Platform fees
How much commission does Preply take from tutors?
Preply takes between 18% and 33% of each lesson, depending on how many hours the tutor has taught on the platform. New tutors start at 33%, which falls to 28% after 20 hours taught and reaches the lowest tier of 18% after 400 hours. Trial lessons with a new student are charged separately at 100% commission, so the tutor is paid nothing for them. TutorBoost charges 10% on Pro, or 20% on the free plan, and 50% on a trial.
Does Preply pay tutors for trial lessons?
No. Preply's help centre states that "the commission for every trial lesson with a new student is 100%". The tutor teaches the lesson and the platform keeps the entire amount the student paid. This applies to each new student separately, so a tutor who takes five trials in a month is unpaid for all five. By comparison TutorBoost charges 50% on a trial, so the tutor keeps 50% of it.
What do online tutoring platforms charge tutors in commission?
Most large online tutoring marketplaces take between 15% and 33% of each lesson. Several use a sliding scale that starts high and falls as the tutor accumulates teaching hours, so the advertised "as low as" rate is usually not the rate a new tutor pays. Some also charge full commission on introductory or trial lessons.
Earning as a tutor
How much do online tutors actually make per hour?
Take-home depends on three numbers: the rate you set, the platform commission, and how much of your available time is actually booked. A tutor charging 25 USD an hour on a platform taking 30% keeps 17.50 USD per taught hour - and if only 60% of their offered hours are booked, the effective rate against time worked is closer to 10.50 USD.
Do you need a degree to teach English online?
Not always. Requirements split sharply by employer type: most large online schools hiring for children require a bachelor's degree and often a TEFL certificate, while open marketplaces where tutors set their own rates generally do not require a degree at all. On marketplaces, demonstrated ability and reviews usually matter more than credentials.
What tutoring costs
Choosing a tutor
How do you choose a good online tutor?
Choose for fit with your specific goal rather than for credentials. Shortlist three tutors whose profiles name the thing you actually want to do, book a trial with each, and judge them on whether they diagnosed your level and proposed a plan - not on whether the conversation was pleasant. Consistency of schedule matters more than any single qualification.
Is online tutoring as effective as in-person tutoring?
For one-to-one tutoring the evidence and practice suggest online is broadly as effective as in-person for most subjects, and better on the factors that predict progress: frequency, consistency, and access to a specialist tutor. In-person retains real advantages for young children, for hands-on subjects, and for learners who need the social pressure of a room.
Learning a language
How long does it take to become conversational in a new language?
For an English speaker learning a closely related language such as Spanish or French, comfortable conversation (around CEFR B1) typically takes roughly 250–350 hours of focused study and practice. Harder languages such as Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese or Korean take approximately three to four times as long. Consistency matters far more than total hours: an hour a day beats seven hours on Sunday.
What is CEFR B2 level, and what can you actually do with it?
B2 is the fourth of the six CEFR levels and is the point at which a language becomes usable for work. A B2 speaker can follow native-speed conversation on familiar topics, argue a position, and work in the language with effort. It is the level most universities and employers ask for, and corresponds to roughly IELTS 5.5–6.5 or TOEFL iBT 72–94.