Bridge TEFL 
Expert Series Webinars 
BridgeUniverse Blog 
TEFL Jobs 
Language Training 
About Bridge 
Whether you’re already an independent online English teacher or hoping to become one, something great about running your own show is that you can set and scale your hourly teaching rates. However, you may feel puzzled about how much you should charge students. Ideally, you should choose a rate that won’t make you lose potential learners or undersell yourself. Let’s dive into how you can set your rates as a freelance English tutor.
If you’re new to teaching, you’ll want to get initial training and qualification with a TEFL certificate. You can explore our online TEFL courses to get started!
What is an independent online English teacher?
As the number of online English learners continues to rise, ESL teachers now have more options for teaching virtually. Many teachers seek jobs with online English tutoring companies, while others choose the freelancing path, which can mean freelancing for an online language school, creating a profile on an online teacher marketplace, or starting your own teacherpreneur business.
Learn more about what it means to be an independent online English teacher.
Freelance teaching through a marketplace
For many freelancers, marketplaces like Preply, italki, and Verbling are appealing options. A teacher marketplace is an online platform that acts as an agent, or “middleman,” between you and potential students. These marketplaces allow freelancers to set their own rates and market their services to a pool of students seeking English teachers.
This freelance option comes with a lot of conveniences:
-
You simply have to create an online teacher profile on the platform, set your own rates and hours, and let the marketplace advertise your classes to potential learners.
-
Once you’ve started teaching, the platform also helps you organize your schedule and manage financial transactions with students.
On the flip side, tutoring via a marketplace has the following disadvantages:
-
As the platform acts as a “middleman” between you and learners, it takes a percentage of your class earnings.
-
Attracting as many prospective students as possible requires you to craft a competitive marketplace profile. This profile includes an engaging description of your services and a stellar self-introduction video for teaching online that helps you stand out among a sea of freelance ESL tutors.
Starting your own business as an English teacherpreneur
On the other hand, starting your own online ESL teaching business means that you handle everything yourself – from marketing to designing your courses to collecting payments. You may find this option attractive for the following reasons:
-
You’re completely in command of your class rates, schedule, teaching methods, and class materials.
-
All of your class earnings go straight into your own pocket, without your having to pay a commission to anyone.
-
You can usually manage start-up costs easily, as the most important things you have to invest in are a quality internet connection and computer equipment.
Standing on your own two feet, however, also comes with the following challenges:
-
Establishing your own tutoring business requires a lot of hustle. You have to market yourself effectively, source your own materials, and acquire certain skills that will help you successfully launch your freelance venture.
-
You have to juggle your time between teaching and handling business operations, such as issuing invoices to individual students or companies and collecting payments.
An independent online English teacher can choose from different paths, and each one comes with its own level of flexibility, control, and responsibility. Whether you teach through a marketplace or build your own business, this career path gives you more say over your schedule, your students, and your teaching services.
Ready to be your own boss? Read the free eBook
New to TEFL? How to Become an Independent English Teacher
downloadWhat financial issues do independent online English teachers have to consider?
While going independent can be synonymous with greater income potential, you should not overlook the following factors that may affect your income:
Overhead costs
The money you’ve spent on your technical equipment, internet connection, marketing expenses (like web hosting and media ads), and even that cool teaching background of yours all count as business expenses and can become a cost burden that you will want to recover later on.
Pro Tip: Keep track of overhead costs by making a list of the expenses you’ve incurred for your online English teaching business.
Hourly rate to charge
English teachers generally charge by the hour, although this rate may vary depending on the number of students you have per class, the type of lesson you give, or the special course packages and promotions you offer. Find more on this topic in the next section.
Cancellation or refund policy for students
Class cancellations can greatly affect your pay – imagine how much you could lose if a student cancels many classes in a month. This is why having a cancellation or refund policy is vital to your financial security as a freelancer. Aside from establishing your rates, you should also create your own rules about the latest time students can suspend a class before it is considered paid.
Students’ budgets for English classes
It’s not uncommon to find potential online English students who are motivated to take classes but cannot pay the hourly rate you charge. For this reason, having class promos and being a bit flexible on your pricing can help them achieve their English goals without the need to sacrifice their budget (though you should not completely sacrifice your earnings either).
Before setting rates, an independent online English teacher needs to look at the full financial picture. Business expenses, cancellations, student budgets, and long-term income goals all shape what a sustainable online teaching rate should look like.
How do independent online English teachers set their rates?
The hourly price you set for English classes is more than just a number. It is one of the first impressions you give as a freelance online English teacher. So, when you settle on a price for your classes, consider these most important factors.
Qualifications
Having TEFL certification, completing specialized courses or training, or earning a master’s degree in TESOL gives you a competitive edge and boosts your teaching skills. These qualifications, therefore, give you the leverage to charge a higher hourly rate.
Experience
Experience involves more than counting the years you’ve worked as an English teacher. Take stock of the projects you’ve worked on, the clients you’ve taught, and your achievements. The more experience you gain, the higher you can afford to set your rates.
-
For instance, depending on their location and the market they cater to, newbies in the online ESL teaching field typically charge from $12 to $20 hourly.
-
On the other hand, teachers who have top-notch experience may charge up to $25 an hour or even more.
Type of classes
One-on-one vs. group classes
You can create a pricing model for your online English classes based on the number of students per class. While you can set a fixed hourly rate for one-on-one classes, you can charge your group classes per head or collectively (especially if you are teaching groups of students who work in the same company).
In general, teaching groups is a great way to earn more per hour. Even if it comes with a lower price tag per learner, you will still earn more when you multiply the individual rate by the number of students per class.
Specialized niches
One way to maximize your earning potential as an independent online ESL teacher is to specialize in areas such as teaching Business English, technical English, or preparing students for English proficiency tests like the IELTS or TOEFL.
Having a TEFL niche shows that you’re a true expert in a particular subject and that you can tailor classes to fit students’ specific needs and goals, which is enough reason for you to charge more.
-
Qualified online teachers who teach English proficiency exam prep usually charge from $25 to $40 hourly.
-
Meanwhile, private tutors who specialize in industry-specific English, like medicine, engineering, or hospitality, can charge as high as $60 per hour.
Promotional classes and packages
Besides charging by the hour or per lesson, you can also offer course packages or promotions for one-to-one or group classes, which is an excellent way to attract students. For instance, you can offer a special price if a student or a group takes a certain number of classes per week or month.
Trial classes
You can also offer trial classes for free or at a discounted price. If you freelance through a teacher marketplace, the platform will ask for your trial class rate when you create your profile. However, make sure you check how much the platform takes from your trial class. For instance, Preply takes a 100% commission on payments from every new student’s first class, while italki doesn’t charge any percentage of your trial class’s earnings.
Country of residence
Do you live in a country where the cost of living is high or low? Your current region is also a deciding factor in choosing a final hourly rate. If you’re residing in big economies like Japan or the U.K., for instance, you can expect greater earnings, but high taxes and living costs may offset them.
Financial goals
Before you determine your online class rates, ask yourself, “How much do I want to earn?” It also helps to set a monthly or yearly income target first that you’re sure you can meet, then check whether you can reach your goal with the rates you’re considering, minus overhead expenses and taxes.
Competitors’ rates
Get a ballpark figure or a price range by finding out the going rate of other freelance online English teachers who have roughly the same level of qualifications and experience as you. You can do this by looking at their class prices online (like browsing a teacher marketplace or visiting freelancers’ websites), by asking fellow freelancers, or by joining a community of online English teachers.
Setting rates as a freelance online English teacher takes more than picking a number that sounds fair. Your qualifications, experience, niche, class format, and market all play a role in building a rate that reflects your value and supports your teaching business.
How can I raise my hourly rate as a freelance online teacher?
Remember that you can always scale your rates and charge more per hour as you build your career. Here are some ways you can bump up your class prices and make the most of your earning potential:
-
Gain more experience. When you get more students, teach more classes, and receive good reviews on an online teacher marketplace or social media, you boost your value as a freelance online ESL teacher.
-
Top up your qualifications by earning additional Specialized TEFL/TESOL Certification in your area of expertise, such as Teaching Business English or Teaching Young Learners.
-
Choose a niche like teaching English pronunciation or teaching TOEFL test prep.
-
Improve the quality of your work in curriculum or class material development. One way to do this is by taking specialized courses, such as Bridge Micro-credential courses, to enhance your teaching skills.
-
If you haven’t changed your rates for more than a year, chances are you’re due for a raise.
Setting and increasing your class rate as an independent online English teacher is entirely up to you, although charging what you’re worth will take some reflection. By weighing the key factors that influence teaching rates, you’ll be able to choose an initial pricing strategy that is fair to you and your students, as well as raise your hourly rate in the long run.
Raising your hourly rate usually happens step by step as your skills, experience, and professional profile grow. When you improve your expertise, define your niche, and strengthen the quality of your services, you give students a clearer reason to invest in your classes.
Working as an independent online English teacher gives you more control, but it also asks you to make smart decisions about pricing, positioning, and long-term growth. When you understand what affects your rates, from expenses and student budgets to qualifications and niche expertise, you can build a pricing strategy that supports both your business and your learners. A strong hourly rate is not just about charging more. It is about charging in a way that reflects your value, sustains your work, and helps your freelance teaching business grow over time.
