Online Teaching Platforms You Need To Know

With the overwhelming number of teaching platforms available, it can be hard to know which one to choose. There are so many variables to consider from peak teaching hours, student availability, credential requirements, what payment platforms are used and, of course, the pay. 

Non-negotiables for teaching online are a stable high-speed internet connection, a quiet working environment, a headset with a microphone, and a computer with a camera. 

Read more: What Do I Need To Teach English Online?

While it’s natural to opt for larger, more popular online teaching platforms like Preply, lesser-known platforms come with hidden perks—like less competition and more opportunities to stand out. That’s why we’ve included both popular English teaching platforms, plus a few alternatives that may escape your notice, but are worth exploring. 

Preply

Pay: $10–$45 an hour 

Payment platform: PayPal, Payoneer, Wise, Skrill

Types of English: General English, Conversational English, Business English, Exam Prep, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), Kids’ English

Class size: 1-on-1 

Preply allows anyone interested in tutoring to make a living. Teachers are diverse, spanning more than 180 countries! 

No TEFL or teaching qualification is required, but excellent communication skills are a must as students come from all over the world. 

Preply is a stand-out tutoring platform as it offers amazing flexibility in that you can set your own rates and create your own schedule with no minimum hour requirement. 

“Preply stood out to me because I have autonomy to decide my working hours. I appreciate the freedom to set my own rates and market myself in a way that aligns with my personal teaching style.” – Wendy, TTA Alumni

To find out more from Wendy, read her review of Preply!

Preply takes care of student engagement through gamified learning, fun content, discounts, and reminders—so you can focus on teaching.

Virtual classrooms with interactive whiteboards support teaching and learning while smart calendars make scheduling easy, so you never miss a lesson! And when your creative juices are low or you’re short on time, you can use Preply’s AI teaching tools to assist with lesson planning. 

Example of a tutor profile on Preply

Training is provided through webinars and free courses, and a supportive tutor community provides a sounding board where you can connect and socialise through forums or at Tutors Café.

Payment is made after every lesson and you can withdraw your earnings any time!  Preply takes a commission (100% on trials, then 33–18%), which goes toward finding students, platform tools, and free tutor support.

You can become a Preply tutor in three easy steps:

1. Sign up
2. Create your tutor profile
3. Await approval

Native Camp

Pay: $2-$15 per hour (varies according to tutor rank)

Payment platform: Payoneer for tutors outside the Philippines and bank transfer for tutors based in the Philippines

Type of English: Kids’ English, Business English, Conversational English, Exam Prep

Class size:  1-on-1 and group classes

Native Camp is a well-known teaching platform with over 13,000 tutors from more than 140 countries—including around 2,000 native English speakers. Most students are Japanese, though there are learners from other nationalities as well.

“I find the students to be a pleasure to teach. I have yet to come across a student who was rude or disengaged. This is likely because either they or their parents are paying for the lessons, and they value their time. Most students are punctual and eager to learn.” – Dariusz, TTA alumni and Native Camp tutor.

To find out more from Dariusz, read his review of Native Camp.

No formal qualifications are required, but teaching experience and strong English skills—like grammar and pronunciation—are expected. No minimum hours are required offering you the flexibility to build your schedule as you like. 

Teaching materials are provided on the Native Camp platform, reducing teacher preparation time.  Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are mentioned as the required browsers for an optimal teaching experience. 

Native Camp provides enhanced feedback by combining tutor input with AI scoring, giving students visual insights into their progress. 

Payment methods vary by location and are confirmed once you’re hired. Pay is performance-based and tied to your tutor rank, so keeping your student ratings high is key to doing well on the platform. Note that you’ll only discover your tutor rank after completing the application and signing the contract.

Example of teacher rankings
(Source: Native Camp)

Join the team at NativeCamp by:

1. Signing up and completing basic information
2. Taking an English proficiency test
3. Completing an internet connectivity and teaching environment check
4. Completing the online Self-Learning Program 
5. Teaching a demo lesson
6. Finalising registration with additional personal information

Amazing Talker

Pay: $15–$28 per 50 minute 1-on-1 lesson (on average)

Payment platform: PayPal, TransferWise, Payoneer

Type of English: Kids’ English, English For Adults, Conversational English, Exam Prep, Academic English, Middle School English, Basic English

Class size: 1-on-1

AmazingTalker is an online teaching marketplace with about 9,000 teachers and over 2 million students. 

The main requirement to secure your spot as a tutor on AmazingTalker is being a native English speaker, but non-natives may qualify with a degree in English or a related field. Teaching experience is also a nice-to-have and will boost your application. 

You’ll get matched with students automatically and can message them to introduce yourself and pitch your skills. Students are more likely to choose you if you are able to differentiate yourself from the competition, which you can do by having a well-established niche. 

Benefits include the ability to set your own rates, plan your own lessons, and teach without any minimum hour requirements. 

An example of tutor rates
(Source: AmazingTalker)

AmazingTalker offers a supportive space where new tutors can join teacher groups, get advice, and work toward their goals. Teacher training and support are available through video resources. 

Classes are held over Zoom, but are gradually being shifted to AmazingTalker’s new AT Classroom, which features an interactive whiteboard and many other teaching tools. A tutorial guide is provided to help new teachers navigate their way around the classroom.

Payment is monthly. Earnings are added after each lesson. A variable fee applies to your hourly rate but decreases as you earn more. 

Join AmazingTalker using the following steps:

1. Apply on the website
2. Answer questions
3. Sign up
4. Complete an application form and await approval
5. Teach a demo class

Palfish

Pay: $10-$12.50 per hour

Payment platform: Payoneer, bank transfer to Chinese bank accounts only

Type of English: Kids’ English

Class size: 1-on-1

Palfish is a language learning app with over 60 million users worldwide. It boasts over 50,000 native English-speaking teachers, all of whom hold teaching qualifications.

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Examples of the Palfish interface

(Source: Palfish)

Applicants need experience teaching kids ESL, a clear neutral accent, a 120-hour TEFL/TESOL/CELTA, and 10+ hours weekly availability during Beijing evenings. Tutors are hired from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand.

You can set your own rates and schedule, teach anytime from anywhere, and adjust your rate twice a month.

PalFish uses AI to personalise learning, with lessons held in PalFish Class and course content provided by Pearson, the reputable education company. That means you don’t have to worry about lesson planning, but you do need access to a device. With Palfish you can teach using your phone or iPad making it convenient to teach from wherever you are.

You can promote your brand on the PalFish platform to drive engagement and attract students through various types of posts. Students are between 3 and 12 years old.

To become a PalFish teacher, you need to:

1. Download the Palfish app onto your mobile device
2. Register and join as a teacher
3. Upload a photo of yourself
4. Write and record a self-introduction 
5. Await verification

 

Lingoda

Pay: $8-$13 per hour

Payment platform: PayPal or bank transfer

Type of English: Conversational English, Business English

Class size: 1-on-1 and group classes

Lingoda is an online language school that offers live classes 24/7 with certified native-speaking teachers who total over 1,500 worldwide and has roughly 27.6K students. The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) is used with English offered from A1 to C1 level.

Teachers need two years of teaching experience, a TEFL certificate and C2-level proficiency in their target language to qualify as a Lingodie—a term used to describe Lingoda’s team members. Enthusiasm is a must because your learners are highly motivated adults with high expectations, and they’ll feed off your energy.

As a Lingoda teacher, you can choose your classes and set your own schedule. You can opt for fixed working hours if you prefer more structure. Classes can be booked just hours in advance or months ahead. There is no minimum hour requirement and most Lingoda teachers work a minimum average of 5 hours per week. 

Example of a Lingoda class in action
(Source: Lingoda)

Classes are held over Zoom. Both individual and group classes are 60 minutes long, with group classes kept to a maximum of five students. 

Teachers use The Lingoda Methodology which employs real-life scenarios to make learning meaningful and relevant for students and provide feedback after classes. Teachers may use Lingoda’s CEFR-aligned teaching materials or their own. 

Teacher support is available through Lingoda’s Teacher Relations Team, Teacher Support Centre and Teacher Community. Teachers also receive a 25% discount on language courses, so you can learn along with your students!

Payment is monthly through bank transfer or PayPal. 

If you want to become a tutor on Lingoda, you need to:

1. Apply online
2. Complete an interview
3. Complete online onboarding

 

italki

Pay: $8-$15 per hour

Payment platform: PayPal, Payoneers, Hyperwallet, bank transfer via Payoneer

Type of English: Kids’ English, Business English, General English, Conversational English, Exam Prep

Class size: 1-on-1 and group classes

With over 5 million students and 10, 000 teachers, italki stands out as an online language teaching platform. 

To teach on italki, you need either an accredited language teaching certificate—such as TEFL or CELTA—a university degree in language education, a valid teaching license, or work experience at a language school.

Prospective teachers will need to choose between two roles: Professional Teacher or Community Tutor. As the name suggests, Professional Teachers are qualified English teachers with teaching experience and a lesson price range of $10-120 per lesson. The range of Community Tutors is $5-120 per lesson, but tutors can upgrade to Professional Teacher status once they are certified. 

Lessons are conducted over platforms like Skype, Zoom, Facetime, and the italki Classroom. Teachers need to offer students a minimum of two platform options. The Ask A Teacher feature allows learners to receive feedback from up to five teachers after completing tasks, though providing feedback is optional for teachers. 

A number of features boost teacher and student engagement: 

• italki Plus – Boost visibility by becoming an italki Plus teacher through the use of lesson audio recording in the italki classroom. Students subscribed to italki are matched with italki Plus teachers only. 
• Teacher Podcast  – A unique Teacher Podcast feature allowing teachers to create their own podcasts and share them with students. 
• Affiliate Program helps you earn additional income with a minimum of $10 commission per referral. 

• Excellence Reward – Teachers rewarded for excellence receive a profile badge and 2% bonus. 

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italki supports learning in a variety of ways
(Source: italki)

A support hub is available on the italki website for students, teachers and the wider community. 

The platform is partnered with numerous payment providers and withdrawals are limited to a $30 minimum. 

If you want to become a tutor on italki, these are the steps you need to take:

1. Application submission and await outcome
2. Complete onboarding
3. Set up your account

Engoo

Pay: $2.40-$10 per hour

Payment platform: PayPal, Payoneers, Hyperwallet, bank transfer via Payoneer

Type of English: Kids’ English, Business English, General English, Conversational English, Exam Prep

Class size: 1-on-1

Engoo has a mix of tutors from over 70 countries. All you need to qualify as a tutor is English fluency and the necessary technology. Teaching experience and a teaching qualification such as a TEFL certificate is helpful, but not required.  College students and graduates are welcome to apply. 

With Engoo, you set your own working hours and use ready-made lesson plans. Teachers need to ensure their system meets the requirements in order to teach through the Engoo teaching platform where all lessons are conducted.  

Lessons are 25 minutes long and can only be booked one at a time—meaning you need to wait for your current lesson to start before booking the next one. The only exception is if you’re booking two consecutive lessons with the same tutor, back-to-back. This makes Engoo more appealing to the spontaneous flexible teacher on the go who is happy to log on and teach as lessons pop up. So for those looking for stability, Engoo is best kept as an additional income stream.

 

An example of the lesson interface
(Source: Engoo)

Engoo’s support staff are available 24/7 to support tutors. Student and staff feedback helps maintain high teaching quality. 

To become a tutor at Engoo, you need need to:

1. Register
2. Complete an English and internet connection test
3. Complete self-guided training
4. Teach a demo lesson
5. Set your availability and wait for student bookings

Choosing the right online teaching platform comes down to your goals, schedule, and how much flexibility you’re after. Whether you’re chasing a full-time income or just picking up lessons on the side, there’s a platform to match your needs.

Popular sites offer name recognition and steady traffic, but don’t overlook the smaller players. They often give you a better chance to build a loyal student base or grow quickly. Ultimately, the best fit is one that aligns with your teaching style, availability, and long-term plans.

Before signing up, test out a few platforms to find the best fit. Happy teaching!