10 Easy Ways to Make Money Teaching English Online in 2021

Do you like to help kids learn and are looking to make some extra money? If so, you should consider teaching English online.

You might not think you have what it takes to tutor online, but don’t give up just yet. You might be surprised at how teaching English online works.

Hint: You don’t necessarily need to know the native language of the student you’re teaching English to.

Companies That Pay to Teach English Online

Each online tutoring company has a different protocol for its tutors. And each protocol makes teaching English online fun and different.

There are many options out there, but here are the top ones to help you get started.

1. VIPKid

Snapshot View

• Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in any subject
• Pay: $14-$22 per hour
• Hours: Flexible based on your schedule

VIPKid teaches students ages 4-15 the English language. There’s no minimum hour requirement and you can set your own hours.

Classes are full immersion classes, meaning you don’t need to know or learn another language to teach with VIPKid.

If you have a college degree you might be the right candidate for a side hustle with VIPKid, a tutoring service that caters to students in China.

2. Tutor.com

Snapshot View

• Requirements: Degree, sophomore student, expert level knowledge
• Pay: Dependent on the subject you teach
• Hours: Flexible based on your schedule

Tutor.com offers tutoring services to people for a variety of school subjects.

Some of the subjects they need tutors for include math, science, English, Social Studies, and more.

Tutors with Tutor.com primarily teach students ages fourth grade through college.

To become a tutor with Tutor.com you need to either have a college degree or be at least a sophomore college student.

In addition, you need to be an expert in the subject you want to teach. Also, you need to be available to tutor at least five hours during any given week.

You’ll need a Windows 7 or higher operating system and at least 4 GB of ram or greater to use the Tutor.com teaching system.

Your download speed needs to be at least 15 Mbps and your upload speed needs to be at least 5 Mbps.

You’ll also need a land-based Internet connection, a working headset and microphone system, and a Microsoft Word 2007 or later program.

3. GOGOKID

• Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in any subject, 2 years teaching experience, ESL certification
• Pay: $14-$25
• Hours: Flexible based on your schedule

GOGOKID teaches the English language to Chinese students. The kids you teach will be ages 4-12.

The technical requirements for teaching at GOGOKID include needing a wired DSL connection with a minimum download speed of 25 Mbps.

You also need to have a Mac OS 10.10x or higher or a Windows 7, 8, 10 or higher. You’ll need at least 8GB of ram and an IntelCore i5 or higher.

And you’ll need an HD external camera or an HD integrated camera, along with a headset and microphone with stable output.

4. Chegg

Snapshot View

• Requirements: Degree or currently enrolled in college
• Pay: Up to $20 per hour
• Hours: Flexible based on your schedule

Chegg tutors teach students in middle school, high school, college and beyond.  

The tutors teach a variety of different subjects including:

Lower teaching level gigs such as those geared toward middle schoolers are also available.

In order to find out more about pay scales and other questions regarding tutoring with Chegg, you can visit their website at the link above.

5. EF Teach Online

Snapshot View

• Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in any subject, TEFL general certificate
• Pay: $12-$20 per hour
• Hours: Flexible based on your schedule

EF Teach Online teaches English to Chinese students ages 6 to 10 years old. Classes are available seven days a week, all year long.

Technical requirements include having a Windows 8 or higher or Mac OS 10.11 or higher. You must use Google’s Chrome browser to access your platform and to teach.

Wifi or cable connection is acceptable, and you must have a download speed of at least 25Mbps and an upload speed of at least 3Mbps.

PC or laptop required, no tablets or mobile devices.

6. TutaPoint.com

Snapshot View

• Requirements: Bachelor’s degree and two+ years of tutoring experience
• Pay: Average $15 per hour
• Hours: Flexible based on your schedule

TutaPoint.com hires tutors to teach high school level subjects to students. Tutapoint.com has stricter requirements for tutors than the other companies we’ve featured here.

In order to qualify to be a tutor with them, you must have at least two years prior teaching or tutor experience.

They prefer candidates who are either:

• Current teachers
• Retired teachers
• Teaching assistants
• College professors or
• Others with a proven capability in teaching others

Other qualifications include being a resident of the United States, having a valid Social Security number and meeting all other tutor requirements including an interview process.

TutaPoint.com tutors start tutoring at a base pay rate of $13 per hour but can also earn extra money through bonuses and incentives.

7. Cambly

Snapshot View

• Requirements: No degree, teaching certificate, or experience required
• Pay: Up to $12 per hour
• Hours: Flexible based on your schedule

Cambly hires tutors to teach English to people of all ages, all over the world.

You might tutor working professionals or young students looking to learn English. All lessons are 1-on-1

Classes you teach with Education First may be group classes of 5-6 or one-on-one classes. You might notice that pay is lower with Cambly.

Part of the reason for this is that requirements for tutors are minimal. See the Cambly website for more information.

8. QKids

Snapshot View

• Requirements: Bachelor’s degree, Teaching license or English teaching certificate
• Pay: $16 to $20 per hour
• Hours: QKids works with you to set your schedule

QKids tutors teach English to kids ages 4-12 years old. You do need a stable internet connection.

Wired connection is preferred but not required. You’ll also need a headset with a microphone and a computer with a webcam.

Minimum download speed is 4Mbps and upload speed is 2Mbps.

9. TutorABC

Snapshot View

• Requirements: Bachelor’s degree or higher, teaching certificate or English teaching certificate, minimum 1 year teaching/tutoring experience
• Pay: Base pay with bonuses
• Hours: Flexible based on your schedule

TutorABC helps teach kids 5 and up the English language. You do have to commit to at least 6 “peak” teaching hours per week with this company.

Technical requirements with this company are vague; you must have a computer with a stable internet connection. Windows or Mac OS.

10. Say ABC

Snapshot View

• Requirements: Bachelor’s degree or above
• Pay: Up to $17 per 40 minutes
• Hours: Flexible based on your schedule

Say ABC tutors teach small group classes for students aged 5 to 12. You need to have a desktop or a laptop with a webcam.

In addition, you need to have a headset with a microphone, high speed internet, and Google Chrome as your browser.

What Is Tutoring Online Like?

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Sarah K.

Sarah has been working as a teacher with VIPKID and making some serious side hustle cash in the process.

Sarah was kind enough to share what she’s learned since she started teaching English online.

Well Kept Wallet: What is VIPKID and what do they do?

Sarah: VIPKID was founded with the intention of providing an international school experience to Chinese children.

Teachers have the advantage of doing it all from the comfort of their own home.

They use an online platform that connects teachers with Chinese students between the ages of 4-15.

They also provide teachers with the lesson plans needed to teach students.

The program is based on the U.S. Common Core standards and provides students with one-on-one lessons.

Students can have any skill level; from those learning their first English words to students who are practically fluent.

They may just need help speaking with native speakers as they work to refine their vocabulary and conversation skills.

Well Kept Wallet: How did you find out about VIPKID and what made you decide to start teaching with them?

Sarah: I found out about it through a friend that is working as a teacher with them. She was having so much fun teaching the students.

In addition, she was making very good money at the same time, so I chose to try it out as well.

Well Kept Wallet: How much money can a person make by teaching online?

Sarah: A teacher can make almost as much money as they choose to with the program.

Teachers are paid per class taught, so when you decide how much you want to make, you open your schedule accordingly.

Night owls can often make quite a bit more money. Though most teachers average between $700-$2000 a month.

VIPKID also gives bonuses, prizes, referral bonuses for getting new teachers to sign up, as well as holding competitions twice a year to go to Beijing!

Tutor Qualifications

Well Kept Wallet: What are the necessary qualifications for teachers?

Sarah: As a teacher, you are required to have a bachelor’s degree in any subject, though teaching is preferred.

In addition, you should have practical experience dealing with children (in the form of activities such as Scout leaders, teachers, daycare teachers, Sunday school teachers etc.)

Well Kept Wallet: What are your favorite things about teaching English online?

Sarah: I really love teaching. One of my absolute favorite things is getting to know my regular students and watching them learn and grow.

One of my students is actually planning a trip to the U.S. and has asked if we can meet! It is a very exciting to know that the kids love their classes and their teachers!

It is such a sweet feeling to know at the end of the 25-minute class the kids don’t want it to be over!

Well Kept Wallet: How do you schedule your classes around your regular life and other job(s)?

Sarah: Scheduling for me is very easy. I wake up and teach in the morning before my family wakes up.

I coordinate my schedule in such a way that I am done with work before 8 a.m. so I can get to the other things I have scheduled for the day.

If I want extra hours, I can work at night after my own child goes to bed or wake up even earlier in the mornings.

The great thing is that I can work as little or as much as I want and I can base my hours on my own life’s schedule!

The flexibility is amazing, and since I do not have to ask for days off or teach to anyone else’s schedule,

I am able to ensure I always have time off for the events that matter to me!

How Can I Excel At Being A Tutor?

Well Kept Wallet: What advice do you have for people considering teaching English online?

Sarah: If you want to teach English online, remember that even with all of its flexibility, it is still a job.

You should be up and ready to give it your best and have fun with the kids in the process.

And while it is a wonderful job, it is not always easy. You will have to work at it.

Take the time to study the materials they give you, listen to the advice given by teacher mentors, and be patient as you wait for your schedule to fill.

Similarly, be patient with your students! These kids are AMAZING and worth your best efforts in every single class you teach.

What Else Do I Need to Know About Teaching English Online?

Know that of the tutoring companies mentioned here, not all companies will necessarily have tutor openings at any given moment.

Since each company has different needs at different times, it’s important to check their individual websites to determine if they are currently hiring additional tutors.

Also, it’s a good idea to read all contract terms and Terms and Conditions information on any site that you apply to be a tutor at.   

A Note About Taxes

It’s important to remember that as an independent contractor you are responsible for any taxes due on the income you make with VIPKID or any other side hustle job you take on.

Since tutoring and other side hustle pay counts as income, you’ll be responsible for paying taxes on that income according to the tax rate/bracket you fall into for the year.

We suggest putting aside thirty percent or so of your side hustle pay in a separate savings account to cover any potential taxes that you may find due after you’ve filed your tax return.

This advanced savings plan will help ensure you’re prepared for any large tax bills due after you’ve filed your return for the year.

You don’t want to put yourself in a situation where you’ve made thousands extra in cash and are scrambling to find money to pay taxes on that income.

Should I Try Teaching English as a Side Hustle?

You might be wondering whether or not a teaching side hustle would be a good fit for you. The answer to that question depends on a number of things.

First, you’ll want to ask yourself if you enjoy working with children. Second, you’ll want to assess your level of patience.

People who are patient even in trying circumstances will likely better enjoy the work of teaching a second language to children.

Third, you’ll want to assess your skill level when it comes to instructing others. Are you good at showing others how to learn new things?

Do you have the ability to explain things in different ways? This skill will help you work with students’ vast array of learning styles.

Knowing the answer to questions like these will help you better determine if a teaching side hustle is good idea for you.

Summary

Teaching English online as a side hustle is a great way to earn more money in order to reach your financial goals.

There is a variety of subjects you can teach and tutor in, from ESL to math to science and more. In addition, most tutoring companies have flexible schedules.

For that reason, you can tutor when it works best for you. If you like helping others, teaching English online might be just the side hustle you’re searching for.