Teaching On iTutorGroup: What You Need To Know

With the plethora of online platforms offering English language lessons to learners, and teaching positions to English teachers and tutors, it is difficult to know which online teaching companies are legit.

We’re going to get to the bottom of this by asking those who know best: the teachers themselves.

In this series, we’ll talk to teachers currently teaching online in 2025 and ask them the important questions.

Read more: Online Teaching Platforms You Should Know

Meet Tasmika, a former tutor with the iTutorGroup 

Tasmika is a South Africa-based educator with a BCom degree, PGCE qualification and TEFL. She has several years of experience teaching both in-person and online. She has taught a diverse range of learners, from young children to adult professionals preparing for exams such as IELTS and Cambridge B2/C1.

She started teaching online during the pandemic for the flexibility, “and later to gain meaningful experience in online education”.

Tasmika, tell us more…

Why did you choose iTutorGroup?

I came across iTutorGroup while researching flexible, work-from-home teaching jobs that supplied learning materials. 

The following aspects appealed to me:

• the potential for consistent student bookings, 

• pre-made lesson materials, and 

• a professional setup that did not rely heavily on self-marketing. 

I wanted to avoid platforms where I would have to constantly bid for lessons or rely on flashy teacher profiles. TutorGroup also advertised support and structure, which seemed ideal as a beginner in online ESL.

How long did you teach on iTutorGroup? What was your experience like?

I taught with iTutorGroup for just over a year, and my experience was mixed. 

Pros

•  Ready-made lesson materials
• A weekly calendar with relevant resources attached, making planning easier. 

I also particularly enjoyed working with adult learners. 

Read more: How Do Adults Learn Foreign Languags: How To Teach English To Adults

Cons

• Pay structure 
• Inconsistent scheduling
• The constant pressure to maintain high student ratings.

This made it difficult to view the platform as a viable long-term option. 

In my opinion, it’s better suited to teachers seeking flexible, part-time work to supplement their income, rather than those looking for a stable or sustainable career path in online education.

How easy was it to start teaching on iTutorGroup?

The application process was straightforward. 

To teach with iTutorGroup, you are required to hold a completed Bachelor’s degree and a TEFL certificate. 

After submitting the necessary documents and completing a short demo lesson, I received my Phase 2 email, which included a link to book a live interview and teaching demonstration. 

No formal training was provided. Once onboarded, I created my teacher profile and updated my availability. I was then given access to the platform to start teaching. 

It took around one to two weeks to begin receiving bookings; however, the number of classes each week varied significantly. 

There is strong competition among teachers on the platform, particularly from countries where average pay expectations are lower, which makes securing consistent bookings more challenging.

Tasmika’s work-from-home setup

Did the platform allocate students to you, or did the students have to choose the teacher?

Students are automatically assigned based on your availability, performance rating, and teacher tier. 

While this sounds efficient in theory, in practice, if your student feedback rating drops below 7/10, you may experience a noticeable decline in class allocations. 

Cancelled lessons or perceived underperformance can also quickly affect your booking rate. 

Overall, the system felt rigid and heavily performance-driven.

What was the pay structure?

Standard pay ranged between R40 and R50 ($2.25 and $2.81) per 45-minute class, with performance-based bonuses linked to student ratings.

For example, if one out of four students rated a lesson 8/10, the bonus might be R10 ($0.56) extra. 

Financial penalties are tied to poor ratings or missed lessons. 

I earned an average of R3,000 to R4,500 ($168 to $253) a month, mainly teaching early morning peak hours (3:30 am to 7:30 am SAST).

There is a six-hour time difference between China/Taiwan and South Africa.

Bonuses were difficult to secure consistently and eligibility depended on maintaining an average rating of 7/10. There is also no clear pathway for pay progression or long-term incentives. 

While the platform may offer a useful experience for new online teachers, it’s probably not financially sustainable as a full-time gig for South African educators in the long term.

Read: 7 Awesome Tips For New TEFL Teachers

What did a typical day look like for you?

A typical day for me began at 3:20 am, allowing time to review lessons and students scheduled during peak demand hours. 

I primarily taught 25- or 45-minute sessions, with brief breaks in-between. 

Lesson materials were provided in advance, which reduced preparation time, and the content was generally easy to deliver.

Most lessons were well-structured, with clear slides and learning objectives, which was especially helpful for newer teachers. 

After each session, I completed a short attendance register that included a feedback section for each student to view. However, class allocations were not guaranteed. There were occasions when I would log in and remain available for several hours, only to find that no lessons had been booked.

What were your students like?

Most of my students were older children, teenagers, or adult professionals, many based in China or Taiwan. Some were preparing for business meetings, while others wanted to improve conversational fluency. One-to-one classes were rare, as most sessions were Group classes. 

Students were generally respectful and interested, though sometimes quiet or distracted. 

Building rapport was possible with repeat students, but the platform doesn’t allow for much long-term student-teacher matching unless your rating remains consistently high.

How did the student feedback system work?

After each lesson, students are encouraged to rate their teachers out of 10. This rating has a direct impact on how many classes you are allocated and whether you qualify for bonus pay. If your average falls below 7/10, your booking rate declines noticeably. 

Even one or two low scores can pull down your average, and there is no way to challenge ratings. Class cancellations are tracked and result in penalties. 

Teachers are expected to be highly energetic and dedicated.

Was teaching on this platform sustainable as a full-time job?

In my experience, no, not if you’re from South Africa.

The hours are unsociable, the pay is low, and class bookings are inconsistent.

While it might work as a side job or stepping stone for inexperienced candidates into online teaching, I couldn’t rely on it for a full-time income. 

Even with maximum availability during peak times, I struggled to earn more than R4,500/month. You would have to supplement your income with another teaching platform or part-time work to sustain yourself.

Did you experience any technical issues?

Technical issues on the iTutorGroup platform itself were rare, and the system generally functioned well. However, loadshedding in South Africa posed a significant challenge. 

If you miss a lesson due to a power cut or experience connectivity issues, you are automatically removed from the class, and it is marked as an unpaid session. This also affects your reliability rating, unless you have provided advance notice and valid proof of the issue.

As a result, investing in a UPS and backup internet connection is essential.

Read: What Internet Speed Do I Really Need To Teach English Online?

Does the platform offer support to teachers?

iTutorGroup provides:

•  basic training 

• onboarding support,

• initial resources, and 

• an assigned mentor or support contact. 

But, beyond the early stages, support feels limited and inconsistent. I found that there is no strong teacher community or ongoing professional development pathway.

Training is often unpaid, and communication from support staff can be slow or impersonal. If you raise concerns about ratings or class allocations, the responses are frequently generic and unhelpful. 

There is no structured progression or development framework in place, making long-term growth within the company difficult.

Would you recommend this teaching platform?

I would recommend this platform for valuable experience for new teachers lookin for short-term experience. It lacks the support needed for long-term sustainability.

If you are a recent graduate or young professional looking to supplement your income while gaining experience, it’s worth trying. But if you’re hoping for a stable, full-time remote teaching job with competitive pay, I would advise exploring other platforms.