Preply

Teach the language you speak and get paid by the hour from home

$10–$50estimated earnings per hour

Preply is one of the largest language tutoring platforms in the world, with millions of active students looking for teachers across dozens of languages. You set your rate, your availability, and your teaching style. The platform handles student matching, payments, and the virtual classroom. No mandatory qualification is required to start as a tutor, though having certifications or demonstrable experience improves your position in search results.

How to get started step by step

1
Create your tutor profile. Sign up at preply.com as a tutor, indicate the language or languages you teach, and fill in your profile in detail: your experience, your approach, and the type of students you prefer to work with. Your profile is your pitch and what decides whether a student picks you or someone else.
2
Record an introduction video. Preply places a lot of weight on the intro video. A clear, natural video that projects confidence can make a huge difference in how many students contact you. It does not need to be professionally produced, but the audio should be clean and it should show how you communicate.
3
Set your rate strategically. When starting out, setting your rate slightly below the average for your language helps you land the first students and reviews. With five or ten positive reviews you can start raising your price gradually. Check what other tutors in your language charge to find your benchmark.
4
Prepare your first lessons carefully. The first lesson with each student is the most important. Preply rewards retention: the more students rebook with you, the more visibility you get on the platform. Spend time understanding what each student needs and tailor the lesson to their specific goals.
5
Get paid weekly or biweekly. Preply takes a commission from your first hours with each new student, which decreases as you accumulate more hours with them. Payments are processed weekly via PayPal or Payoneer once you reach the minimum withdrawal threshold.

Pros

✓Millions of active students looking for tutors at any given time
✓You set your own rate and schedule with complete freedom
✓No mandatory qualification required to start
✓The platform handles payments, reminders, and the virtual classroom
✓Earnings grow with reputation: more reviews mean more students

Cons

✗Preply takes a high commission on the first hours with each new student
✗Getting the first students takes patience and a well-crafted profile
✗Competition is high for in-demand languages like English
✗Earnings depend on retention: without recurring students they are hard to stabilise

Tip to maximize earnings

Your intro video and your first reviews are the two factors with the most impact when starting out. Record an authentic video that shows your energy as a teacher and put real effort into your first students even at a lower rate. With ten positive reviews you are in a completely different position to raise prices and attract students organically.