Do you speak English fluently? If yes, you can turn your language skills into a money-making opportunity by teaching English online. In today’s connected world, there’s a huge demand for English tutors from students across the globe. Thanks to the internet, you can now teach English from the comfort of your home and earn a decent income.
Online English teaching is an attractive option for many reasons. It offers flexibility as you can choose your own working hours, and you don’t need to commute or rent a physical space.
Whether you’re a student, a stay-at-home parent, or someone looking for a side hustle, online English teaching can be a convenient and rewarding way to make money teaching English online.
In this guide, we’ll explore the world of online English teaching. We’ll discuss how to get started, what qualifications and tools you might need, and how to find students and reputable online teaching platforms. We’ll also share tips and strategies to help you succeed as an online English tutor and maximize your earnings.
How To Make Money Teaching English Online?

If you’re interested in making money by teaching English online, there are several steps you should follow to increase your chances of success.
First, obtaining a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification is essential, as it is a standard requirement for most online teaching platforms and companies.
These certifications provide you with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively teach English to non-native speakers.
While not always necessary, having some teaching experience can also boost your chances of being hired. You can prepare references from previous teaching experiences or ask other professionals in the field to vouch for your abilities.
In addition, keep in mind that availability is crucial when teaching English online. You must be willing to teach during peak hours, which can vary depending on the time zone of your students. For instance, peak hours for teaching English online to South Korean students often fall between 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Furthermore, investing in a stable and reliable internet connection is vital. Slow or unreliable connections can disrupt classes and negatively impact the learning experience for both you and your students.
Similarly, purchasing a laptop or desktop computer with a webcam, microphone/headset, and high-speed internet/wifi is recommended.
Additionally, setting competitive hourly rates for your lessons is necessary to stay relevant in the market. Research the current rates offered by other online English teachers and price your services accordingly.
Lastly, preparing lesson plans and class materials suited to your student’s level is crucial. Customizing content according to each learner’s needs ensures they receive the best possible education. With these steps in mind, you can successfully launch a fulfilling career as an online English teacher.
What Are Some Effective Teaching Methods For Online English Classes?

Some effective teaching methods for online English classes include:
- Real-life Tasks: Focus on practical activities that are similar to real-life situations. This helps students learn English better.
- Relaxed Environment: Create a calm and positive atmosphere for learning. This reduces stress and helps students learn more easily.
- Step-by-Step Learning: First, introduce new English concepts. Next, give students opportunities to practice. Finally, encourage them to use the new language independently.
- Communication Focus: Emphasize communicating and interacting in English. This improves students’ speaking and listening skills.
- Interactive Activities: Keep students engaged with games, quizzes, role-plays, discussions, and multimedia like videos and audio. This caters to different learning styles and maintains interest.
- Feedback and Correction: Provide timely feedback and corrections to help students learn from their mistakes and track their progress.
- Maintain Control: Set clear rules and expectations, and emphasize the importance of politeness and punctuality. Maintain a controlled classroom environment, even when teaching adults.
- Equal Participation: Encourage all students to participate and share their thoughts, while carefully managing discussions to keep a positive learning atmosphere.
Sites That Pay You To Teach English Online
You can earn money teaching English online with these sites.

Preply
This online marketplace connects over 160,000 tutors with students worldwide for 1-on-1 lessons across 180+ countries.
Tutors create a profile, set their own hourly rates (average $15-$40/hr), and keep 100% of their earnings. Students can filter tutors by price, ratings, schedule, and teaching specialties.
QKids
This Chinese edtech company hires North American tutors to teach English to children ages 4-12 in 30-minute lessons using a set curriculum.
Pay is $16-$20/hr based on credentials. The minimum weekly commitment is 6 hours scheduled in multi-hour blocks matching Beijing dayparts.
VIPKid
One of the largest online ESL companies, VIPKid has over 800,000 students. Native English tutors teach either 25 or 50-minute classes using provided materials. Base pay averages $18-$22/hr. Weekly minimums are 7.5 peak hours across the Chinese evening schedule.
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iTutorGroup
Offering classes to students in over 80 countries, iTutor pays $8-$24/hr depending on the tutoring program. The most popular are conversational English group classes for kids and adults. The minimum weekly commitment is 10 hours.
Cambly
This “English chat” platform is casual English practice with no formal lessons. Tutors make $0.17/minute ($10.20/hr) talking to international adults on any topic. Extremely flexible scheduling with only a 1-hour weekly minimum.
Verbling
Connecting over 10,000 tutors teaching 58 languages, this site serves students worldwide. Set your own rates for teaching conversational English with an average pay of around $15-$20/hr and a 5-hour weekly minimum.
Allschool
This platform has no degree/certification requirements to teach any subject online. Tutors build customized courses and set pricing freely. Based in Singapore but serves global students.
Tutlo
Hiring only natives from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. Pays $5-$11/hr teaching 25 or 50-minute group ESL classes to Singaporean students, with a scheduling preference for their peak hours.

Berlitz
The iconic language school operates learning centers in over 70 countries and also employs remote tutors to teach live, online English programs.
Amazing Talker
Requirements are native English fluency and experience teaching any subject. Pay averages $10-$25/hr teaching conversational English to adults/children globally. Must supply own lesson materials.
Learnlight
Tutors need a foreign language teaching certificate plus 2+ years’ experience to teach business professionals on this corporate English training platform. Highly credentialed instructors.
Open English
Focused on the Latin American market, Open English offers group and private English lessons. Must have a TEFL certification and commit to 10-20 flexible weekly hours.
Tips for Maximizing Your Online English Teaching Income

- Offer Different Types of Classes Providing a variety of classes like conversation practice, exam prep, and business English can help you attract more students and earn higher rates.
- Sign up with several online teaching platforms to increase your chances of getting more students and making more money.
- Promote your services on social media to find your own private students, which could allow you to charge higher rates for one-on-one tutoring.
- Create and sell high-quality lesson plans on sites like Etsy to earn some extra income while helping other teachers.
- Share Extra Content Post fun, engaging English content on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc. Companies may pay you for advertising on your channels.
- Take advantage of prime teaching times in different time zones to get more bookings and make more money.
- Research to find online tutoring companies that pay the best rates and offer great incentives for teachers.
- Develop targeted courses like business English or test prep to meet specific needs and charge premium prices.
- Identify your unique teaching style and expertise to stand out and attract students who connect with your approach.
- Look into additional ways to make money like creating and selling digital products or offering personalized coaching sessions.
FAQs About Making Money Teaching English Online
Can You Really Make Money Teaching English Online?
You can definitely earn money by teaching English online. Online English teachers usually earn between $10 and $40 an hour, but some experienced teachers can make even more than that. The pay rate can be between $7 and $40 an hour, and you might be able to get paid more if you have a lot of expertise or if you teach certain types of students.
How To Make Money Teaching English Online Without a Degree?
You can start by creating your own online school and offering your services via your website or a platform. You can join online groups for English teachers to learn about job opportunities and requirements, as well as teaching strategies and resources.
How Much Can You Make Teaching English Online to Chinese Students?
Generally, hourly rates for online English teachers range from $10 to $45 for Chinese students.
Can I Teach English Online From Home?
Yes, you can definitely teach English online from home as long as you have a reliable internet connection and meet the necessary qualifications required by the online teaching company you choose to work with.
Conclusion
Overall, while online English teaching can be a profitable side job, it requires effort and commitment. If you’re willing to put in the work, it can be a rewarding experience, both financially and personally, as you help students around the world improve their English skills.
If you’re patient and dedicated, online English teaching can provide a flexible way to make money from home. You can choose to work early mornings, late nights, or whenever it suits your schedule.

Hi, I’m Ralph Matthews, the founder of Money Path Mastery blog. I used to be stuck in a boring office job for years, but I decided to change that. I learned how to make money online with side hustles and working from home. Now, on my blog, I share the simple strategies that helped me achieve financial freedom. Now I want to help those people who want to quit their 9-5 job too. Check out my easy tips to secure your financial future, just like I did.