Two Disclaimers: I originally wrote this in November 2019, but I added the company I recently started working with. I also included referral links in this post.
Time and time again, I have heard that one of the keys to building wealth is multiple streams of income. Multiple streams of income provide a peace of mind and flexibility that does not come with having one income. They also provide an opportunity to pay down debt or take advantage of good ol’ fashioned compounding interest!
This summer, I started my first of two side hustles teaching English online. I learned about VIPKid, randomly applied, and turns out, I really enjoy teaching English online! The students I’ve met have been so fun, and there’s very little prep time. There’s also a whole bunch of different communities out there for those teaching English online. I recently started with another company, iTutorGroup, and it’s been a great addition to my wallet. There’s a ton more out there (I’m currently considering a third company), but here’s a quick rundown of the one’s I currently work for.
VIPKid
VIPKid is a huge player in the online English Language Learning market. I think it is the largest, at least of those teaching children in China. There are now over 90,000 teachers and 600,000 students, and now they’re trying to expand into other countries. Each class is 25 minutes with one student; there are a couple of classes at a very high level that run 50 minutes, but those will likely be changing soon due to new regulations by China’s Ministry of Education. I really like the user platforms on VIPKid, and the classes are laid out pretty much minute by minute. I think it’s a little tougher to get booked on here; it takes time and waiting can be frustrating. I really like teaching their classes though, and I had a better month this month than in the past few combined, so I don’t plan on straying anytime soon.
If you’re interested in VIPKid, consider using my referral link here.
iTutorGroup
iTutorGroup is the newest addition to my hustle and it’s already been a blessing to my wallet. On iTutorGroup, you can teach 25- and 45-minute classes to adults or children. You can also teach classes ranging in number of from one student to six. The most I’ve taught at once is three. The biggest advantage of iTutorGroup are that classes are booked for you! That means there’s less of a waiting game than VIPKid. However, the payment system is a little strange. They compensate based on location. I’m not sure how they determine or how the scale changes, but it’s worth noting. For the most part it also seems like 45-minute classes are paid less than 25-minute classes, but that’s due to the fact that you can receive bonuses!
If you’re interested in iTutorGroup, consider using my referral link here.
EF (kids)
EF goes by many names: Education First, English First, or just plain old EF. They do more than just teaching English online: they have schools around the world, and they have a tour program for schools. It’s no surprise they got into the online education game. They have an adult and kids side, and you have to choose a side when you apply. I chose the kids side; So far, I’ve had two classes at EF, and they’ve gone well, so I’m excited to get booked for more. EF runs pretty similarly to the other companies I work for: they have 25 minute, 1-1 classes, and you must leave feedback for each child. The quirk to EF is that you must submit an invoice at the end of each month for your classes, but it was more painless than I thought it’d be.
If you’re interested in EF, consider using my referral link here.
Company | VIPKid | iTutorGroup | EF (kids) |
Class Runtimes | Most 25 mins | 25/45 mins | 25 mins |
Class Sizes | 1-1 | 1-1, 1-2, 1-up to 6 | 1-1 |
Classroom Requirements | Decorate background yourself | Red collared shirt, iTutor background recently changed to any background; iTutor logo must show | Decorate yourself |
Rating | Parent feedback on 5 apple system | Client feedback on 10 scale; average rating 9.5 | n/a |
Compensation | Start 7-8/class plus bonuses | Ranges based on location plus bonuses | Start ~$6.20/class plus bonuses |
Booking Style | Parents book you | Company books for you | Company books for you |
Scheduling Requirements | No minimum | Minimum 5 hours | No Minimum |
Cancellation | Max 6 cancellations per contract | Flexible; based on contract. Max 6 Teacher No Shows a contract | Flexible |
Contract length | 6 months | 6-12 months | 6 months |
All in all, teaching online is a relatively low barrier to entry way to earn some extra cash, or even make a living. Quite a few of the people in the online teaching communities I’m a member of do this full time! If you’re interested, please reach out and let me know! I’d love to help you through either process and show you the things I think can help make you successful.
