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How much does teaching English online really pay?
Cambly publishes a fixed $0.17 a minute, $10.20 an hour, and asks for no degree or certificate. It also says it is limiting new tutors for now.
There are two models. On Cambly the rate is fixed and students come to you. On marketplaces such as italki and Preply you set your price and they take a cut. A fixed rate is simple. A marketplace can pay more, but you have to win your own students.
What do you need for teaching English online?
- Fluent EnglishCambly asks for no certificate, degree or teaching experience.
- A quiet room and a good connectionYou are on camera.
- Time in any size of blockCambly says there are no minimum hours.
What teaching English online really pays
| Item | Figure | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cambly | $10.20 an hour | $0.17 a minute, on its own page |
| Cambly Kids | $12 an hour | $0.20 a minute, on its own page |
| italki | You set your rate | Its cut is not confirmed: its page could not be read when we checked, and guides differ |
| Preply | Takes 33% falling to 18% | Reported by 2 guides |
| US tutors’ median | $20.84 an hour | 2025 figure for employed tutors |
Our sum: 20 paid hours a week on Cambly at $10.20 is $204 before tax. Only your chatting minutes count.
What it adds up to
| Hours a week | Cambly at $10.20 | Cambly Kids at $12 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 hours a week | $51 | $60 |
| 10 hours a week | $102 | $120 |
| 20 hours a week | $204 | $240 |
Before tax, and only your chatting minutes count. Our sums on Cambly’s numbers above: an example, not a promise.
When does teaching English online pay you?
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Cambly | Weekly, it says, by direct deposit and more |
| First money | No published figure |
What is the catch with teaching English online?
- Cambly says it is temporarily limiting new tutors, and profile checks may take longer.
- On Cambly you earn for the minutes you spend chatting, so waiting time does not pay.
- Check italki’s cut at sign-up, because we could not confirm it.
- Preply’s rates come from independent guides, because Preply’s page could not be read when we checked.
How to start with teaching English online
- Check who is hiringCambly’s page shows whether new tutors are limited.
- Do your own sumCount only the minutes you will really teach.
- Try a fixed rate firstThen compare it with a marketplace.
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Sources
- Cambly: become a tutor, checked 5 Nov 2026
- SideHusl: Cambly, checked 5 Nov 2026
- Teast: Preply vs italki vs Cambly, checked 5 Nov 2026
- SmartCookie: tutor platform commissions 2026, checked 5 Nov 2026
- O*NET (US Department of Labor): Tutors, checked 5 Nov 2026