Introduction
There's a tutor on Preply with 3,000+ lessons completed and a perfect rating. She's been teaching for four years. Every week, the same students book her. Every week, she pays 18% commission.
She's paying $5,400/year for a service she no longer needs: student discovery.
This is the marketplace trap. And smart tutors have figured out how to escape it.
The Marketplace Value Proposition
Let's be fair to platforms—they solve a real problem.
What Marketplaces Do Well
- Global reach: Access to students worldwide you couldn't find alone
- Trust: Platform verification and reviews reduce student risk
- Infrastructure: Scheduling, payments, video—all handled
- Marketing: Millions in ad spend you don't have to pay
For a new tutor with zero students, this is genuinely valuable. The commission is the price of entry to a global market.
What Marketplaces Don't Do
- Build personal relationships with your students
- Make students loyal to you vs. the platform
- Decrease their fees once students are acquired
- Give you ownership of your business
The Discovery vs. Delivery Framework
Think of tutoring in two phases:
Discovery (Finding Students)
- Marketing and advertising
- Building initial trust
- Facilitating first contact
- Handling the trial lesson
Delivery (Teaching Students)
- Conducting lessons
- Building relationships
- Tracking progress
- Maintaining scheduling
Marketplaces charge for discovery but bill on delivery.
You pay commission on lesson #1 (discovery provided) and lesson #200 (no discovery needed). The rate is the same.
The Math of Smart vs. Default Strategy
Default Strategy: Platform Forever
Year 1-3: Same tutor, 60 lessons/month at $30/hour, 25% average commission
| Year | Gross | Commission | Net | |------|-------|-----------|-----| | 1 | $21,600 | $5,400 | $16,200 | | 2 | $21,600 | $5,400 | $16,200 | | 3 | $21,600 | $5,400 | $16,200 | | Total | $64,800 | $16,200 | $48,600 |
Smart Strategy: Discovery → Direct
Year 1: Build base on platform (100% platform) Year 2: Transition repeat students (50% platform, 50% direct) Year 3: Mature mix (30% platform, 70% direct)
| Year | Gross | Platform Cost | Direct Cost | Net | |------|-------|--------------|-------------|-----| | 1 | $21,600 | $5,400 | $0 | $16,200 | | 2 | $21,600 | $2,700 | $324 | $18,576 | | 3 | $21,600 | $1,620 | $453 | $19,527 | | Total | $64,800 | $9,720 | $777 | $54,303 |
Three-year difference: $5,703 more with the smart strategy.
How Discovery Actually Works
Understanding how students find tutors reveals why ongoing commission doesn't make sense:
Initial Discovery (Platform)
- Student searches "Spanish tutor" on Preply
- Platform algorithm shows your profile
- Student books trial lesson
- You teach, they become a regular
Platform provided value: Steps 1-3
Ongoing "Discovery" (None)
- Student already knows you
- Student already trusts you
- Student opens app and rebooks
- You teach again
Platform provided value: Nothing new
The student isn't being "discovered" on lesson #50. They're just using the platform as a booking interface—and you're paying 25% for calendar software.
What Smart Tutors Do Differently
1. Treat Platforms as Customer Acquisition
View commission as a marketing expense. Preply's 33% commission on a new student? That's your customer acquisition cost. Acceptable for the first few lessons.
2. Build Independent Infrastructure
Set up your own booking capability before you need it:
- Professional booking page
- Payment processing
- Automated reminders
- Simple website
3. Create Multiple Discovery Channels
Don't rely solely on platforms:
- Social media presence (Instagram, TikTok)
- SEO for your name/specialty
- Referral incentives
- Local community presence
4. Let Natural Transition Happen
You don't need to "steal" students. Long-term students often:
- Google your name out of curiosity
- Follow you on social media
- Ask about alternatives when referring friends
- Prefer the lower prices of direct booking
Make yourself findable, and the transition happens organically.
The Referral Multiplication Effect
Here's where the strategy compounds:
Platform Path: Student → Refers friend → Friend joins platform → Books you → 25% commission
Direct Path: Student → Refers friend → Friend finds your website → Books direct → ~3% processing
Every referral through your direct channel saves 22%+ per lesson, forever. Over time, your referred student base grows—entirely outside the platform ecosystem.
Objections from Platform Loyalists
"But platforms keep investing in marketing"
True—and you should use that. Keep your platform profile active for new student discovery. Just don't pay discovery fees on students who already know you.
"Platforms provide security for students"
For new students, yes. For students who've taken 50+ lessons with you? They already trust you. Platform "security" adds no value.
"It's too complicated to run my own system"
Modern all-in-one tools make this genuinely simple. If you can use a smartphone, you can run a booking page.
"I'll lose platform visibility if I reduce activity"
Maybe. But you're trading platform visibility for direct relationships. Which is more valuable long-term?
The Ideal Business Mix
After 2-3 years, aim for this distribution:
| Source | % of Students | Commission | |--------|--------------|-----------| | Platform (new students) | 20-30% | 18-25% | | Direct (repeat students) | 40-50% | ~3% | | Direct (referrals) | 20-30% | ~3% |
Average effective commission: ~8-12% instead of 25%+
Implementation: The 90-Day Plan
Days 1-30: Build Your Foundation
- Set up independent booking system
- Create professional landing page
- Establish social media presence
- Test the entire booking flow
Days 31-60: Establish Discoverability
- Optimize for your name in search
- Add booking links to all profiles
- Create referral-ready materials
- Continue platform teaching normally
Days 61-90: Let It Work
- Students naturally find your direct option
- Referrals go to your website
- Platform percentage starts shifting
- Track the mix and adjust
The Long-Term Vision
Five years from now, your tutoring business can look like:
Option A: Platform Dependent
- 100% platform income
- Zero owned assets
- Commission at platform's mercy
- No business equity
Option B: Platform Smart
- 20% platform (discovery)
- 80% direct (relationships you own)
- Student list you control
- Sellable business asset
Same teaching hours. Same students. Dramatically different outcomes.
Start Your Discovery-Only Strategy
TutorLingua gives you the infrastructure to capture direct bookings while you continue using platforms for discovery. Same students, more income.
También disponible en español: Por Qué los Tutores Inteligentes Usan Marketplaces Solo para Descubrimiento
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