Preply: offer online tutoring, but budget for unpaid trial lessons and commission
Apply to teach a subject you genuinely know, set your rate and availability, and understand the substantial fees before taking bookings.
Shared by Ways2Earn
How it works
Preply connects tutors with learners for online lessons in languages and other subjects. UK adults can apply using the desktop website, create an introduction video and profile, and set their own availability and rate. You need a computer, reliable connection, webcam and microphone, plus the subject knowledge and communication skills to deliver worthwhile lessons. A specific teaching certificate is not universally required, but applications are reviewed and can be declined where a subject has low demand; neither approval nor regular students is guaranteed.
The major catch is that Preply keeps 100% of every trial lesson with a new student. Subsequent lessons start at 33% commission, reducing towards 18% as completed teaching hours increase. Include unpaid trials, planning and administration when deciding whether your effective hourly return is worthwhile, rather than treating the advertised lesson rate as take-home pay. Confirmed earnings enter a balance that you withdraw through supported payment methods; UK bank transfer is available through Wise, with method-specific fees and currency conversion to check. Complete identity verification, keep bookings and payments within the platform, and retain records of income and expenses.
At a glance
- Reward
- Confirmed lesson earnings after 18–33% commission
- Required spend
- Free profile; 100% commission on each new student trial; withdrawal/conversion fees may apply
- Time needed
- Profile, lesson preparation and live teaching
- Eligibility
- UK adults aged 18+ who meet profile and identity checks and can teach effectively with suitable equipment
- How you receive it
- Confirmed balance withdrawn via supported bank transfer, Wise, PayPal, Payoneer or Skrill
Affiliate disclosure
Direct, untracked link. No Ways2Earn referral code.
Community comments
Diddly
Wait, Preply takes 100% of the fee from every new student's trial lesson AND up to 33% commission after that? How do tutors make that worthwhile?
SaverSteve
Any platform that takes 100% of your pay for the first hour's work with every single new client is taking tutors for a ride in my book.
Zippy
The unpaid trial is harsh, so most tutors set their hourly rate 25% higher than they want to net and only target students looking for 10+ lesson packages where commission drops toward 18%.
Diddly
Makes sense, you definately have to price the commission and trial time into your hourly rate from day one
Gooner28
Working the entire first hour for £0 while Preply pockets 100% of the student's trial payment feels really unfair on tutors.
GeorgeOfTheJungle
Once you build up 5 or 6 regular weekly students on Preply the recurring calendar bookings make it much steadier than hunting one-off gigs