Introduction
"Join free! Start teaching today!"
Every tutoring platform leads with this message. And technically, it's true—you don't pay upfront to create a profile. But "free" is the most expensive word in business.
What these platforms actually cost you isn't visible until you start teaching and watching your earnings shrink. Let's break down the real price of "free" tutoring marketplaces.
The Visible Costs: Commissions
You already know about commission. Here's what the major platforms take:
| Platform | Commission Range | Trial Lesson Policy | |----------|-----------------|-------------------| | Preply | 18-33% | 100% to platform | | iTalki | 15% flat | You keep 85% | | Verbling | 15% flat | You keep 85% | | Cambly | Fixed ~$10/hr | N/A | | Superprof | 0% (student pays) | Varies |
On $30,000/year gross earnings:
- Preply (new tutor): $9,900 in commission
- Preply (veteran): $5,400 in commission
- iTalki: $4,500 in commission
These are the advertised costs. But they're just the beginning.
Hidden Cost #1: The Trial Lesson Tax
Preply takes 100% of your first lesson with each new student. This sounds minor until you calculate the impact.
Scenario: You teach 200 lessons/month, with 10 new students
- 10 trial lessons at $30 = $300 lost completely
- That's $3,600/year in "free" lessons
- At 50 new students/year, that's $1,500 in unpaid work
iTalki and Verbling don't have this policy—you keep your trial lesson earnings (minus normal commission).
Hidden Cost #2: Package Discounts Come From You
When students buy lesson packages on Preply, they get a discount (typically 5-10%). Where does that discount come from?
Not from Preply's commission. From your earnings.
Example: 10-lesson package at $30/lesson with 6% discount
- Student pays: $282 (instead of $300)
- Preply's commission (25%): $70.50
- Your earnings: $211.50
- Per-lesson rate: $21.15 (instead of $22.50)
You're already paying commission, and now you're funding the discount too.
Hidden Cost #3: Payment Processing Fees
Platforms pay you through services like PayPal, Payoneer, or Skrill. Each charges withdrawal fees:
| Service | Typical Fees | |---------|-------------| | PayPal | 2-4% + currency conversion | | Payoneer | 2% withdrawal + conversion | | Skrill | 1-2% + conversion |
On $2,000/month in earnings, that's $40-80/month in payment fees—$480-960/year beyond the platform commission.
Hidden Cost #4: The Price Race to the Bottom
Marketplaces create intense price competition. When 500 tutors teach the same language, students filter by price. This creates downward pressure:
- New tutors undercut to get reviews
- Experienced tutors lower prices to maintain bookings
- The "market rate" drops over time
The result: You earn less than you would with independent pricing power.
Many tutors who charge $40/hour independently can only charge $25-30/hour on competitive platforms to stay booked.
Hidden Cost #5: Review Dependency
Your business depends on platform reviews. One bad review (sometimes unfair) can:
- Drop you in search rankings
- Reduce new student inquiries
- Force you to lower prices to compensate
You've built your reputation on rented land. The platform controls your visibility.
Hidden Cost #6: No Student Ownership
When students find you through a marketplace, the platform owns that relationship:
- Student contact info stays on the platform
- Communication happens through platform messaging
- If you leave, you lose access to your student base
You're building someone else's asset, not your own.
Hidden Cost #7: Opportunity Cost
Time spent on platform admin is time not spent building your own presence:
- Optimizing platform profiles
- Responding to platform messages
- Navigating platform rules
- Dealing with platform-specific issues
Every hour on platform maintenance is an hour not invested in your independent business.
Let's Calculate the True Cost
Scenario: Full-time tutor, 100 lessons/month at $30/hour
Gross Revenue
$3,000/month ($36,000/year)
Platform Costs (Preply, new tutor)
| Cost | Monthly | Annual | |------|---------|--------| | Commission (33%) | $990 | $11,880 | | Trial lessons (5/month) | $150 | $1,800 | | Package discounts (~3%) | $90 | $1,080 | | Payment fees (~2.5%) | $75 | $900 | | Total | $1,305 | $15,660 |
Net Earnings
- Gross: $36,000
- Platform costs: $15,660
- Net: $20,340 (56.5% of gross)
The "Free" Platform Actually Costs
$15,660/year — or $1,305/month
What Would Independence Cost?
Let's compare to running your own booking system:
Independent Costs
| Cost | Monthly | Annual | |------|---------|--------| | All-in-one platform (TutorLingua) | $29 | $348 | | Payment processing (~3%) | $90 | $1,080 | | Basic marketing (optional) | $50 | $600 | | Total | $169 | $2,028 |
Net Earnings (Same Gross)
- Gross: $36,000
- Costs: $2,028
- Net: $33,972 (94.4% of gross)
The Comparison
| Model | Annual Net | % of Gross | |-------|-----------|------------| | Platform dependent | $20,340 | 56.5% | | Independent | $33,972 | 94.4% | | Difference | $13,632 | +37.9% |
The Real Question: Discovery vs. Delivery
Platforms excel at one thing: finding students. Their marketing reaches people you couldn't reach alone.
But they charge the same commission whether they found the student yesterday or two years ago. You're paying for discovery on every single lesson, forever.
The smart approach:
- Use platforms for what they're good at: initial discovery
- Build your own system for: repeat students, referrals, direct inquiries
You don't have to choose one or the other. Use both strategically.
Breaking Free: The Transition Path
Phase 1: Establish Independence
Set up your own booking system while still using platforms. Zero risk—you're adding a channel, not removing one.
Phase 2: Capture New Channels
- Create social media presence with booking links
- Build a simple professional website
- Encourage referrals through your direct booking page
Phase 3: Natural Transition
Over time, more students find you directly. Platform percentage decreases naturally without forcing any changes.
The Bottom Line
"Free" platforms cost $10,000-15,000+ per year for a full-time tutor. That's not a fee—it's a business partner taking 40%+ of your revenue.
These platforms provided real value when they introduced you to students. But paying that premium on every lesson, forever, including students who've been with you for years?
That's not partnership. That's dependency.
Calculate Your True Platform Costs
TutorLingua helps you understand what you're really paying—and gives you the tools to keep more of what you earn.
También disponible en español: El Verdadero Costo de las Plataformas "Gratuitas"
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