The internet is a wonderful thing. It has opened the door for people to earn a full-time income or side income from anywhere in the world. Teach English online, learn how to start a travel blog, become famous on social media, or be a brand ambassador for large companies. It’s all possible.
If you’re looking to teach English online, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve edited this post to include new schools that are hiring online English teachers!
Update January, 2023: There are many great online companies you can work for! Teaching English online looks a little bit different these days. Even though China has changed its rules regarding foreign English teachers, and many of the online platforms that were once popular aren’t hiring at the moment, there are still some great jobs available.
We’ve left this article as is, and included updates throughout — many of the companies are trying to pivot into teaching students in other markets. We will update this post as we hear more.
Having said that, DON’T WORRY! There are still many companies that you can apply to, such as Preply, Skooli, Cambly, iTalki, Outschool, Teachable, Ef Education First, Learnlight, Skimatalk and Profy.
In this post, I’m going to list the best online teaching English jobs, how you can find a job with them, and how much money you can expect to earn from teaching English online.
Ready to get straight into it? Click here to jump to the best online English teaching websites.
If you’ve been on this blog before, you’ll know that we volunteered to teach English in Myanmar and Laos, and we moved to China for a year while teaching English as a profession. All of those experiences teaching were incredible.
These days, we’re all about helping travellers find ways to earn money online so that they can turn travel into a lifestyle — without actually having to move abroad as we did.
We’ve been travelling since 2008 and thanks to the internet, we’ve been able to earn more money online than we ever did in our well-paying jobs in Canada.
We want to help you do the same thing. I’m happy to share these top companies to teach English online so that you too can make money from anywhere in the world.
Can I Teach English Online?
You can teach English online if you meet these requirements — almost all of the companies will require the following:
- Native English speaker, or near-native English speaker
- Solid internet connection, microphone, webcam, and quiet space for lessons
- You have a Bachelor’s degree or you are currently enrolled (in some cases this isn’t obligatory)
- A TEFL Certificate (in some cases this isn’t obligatory) — click here for a list of the top TEFL companies.
- You’re from Canada, the UK, or the United States (in some cases, all first-language English countries)
- You are enthusiastic, passionate, and positive
These are the basic requirements to teach English online, and I will list a few more specific requirements for each company below.
It makes sense that you must be able to speak English at a native level and that you have a solid internet connection (if you don’t, why would students sign up with you?), but I really don’t think having a university degree in any subject should be a requirement to teach English online, or in-country.
But hey, those are the rules.
Do I Need a TEFL Certificate to Teach English Online?
Yes, you do need a TEFL certificate to teach English online with higher-paying companies. We suggest MyTEFL as they are one of the cheapest, legitimate certificates. Click here to receive a 50% discount.
However, there are some great companies to consider if you don’t have your TEFL: PrePly, Cambly, and Skimatalk don’t require a TEFL certificate. EF Education First only requires a 40-hour TEFL which you can easily (and affordably) obtain here.
In most cases, no previous experience is required, but it helps if you have worked with younger children in the past and have taken a TEFL course — which will give you a proper understanding of lesson plans and how to run a class.
Plus, if you have a TEFL certificate, are a native English speaker, have a good internet connection, and are enthusiastic, your odds of getting accepted for the job will be much higher.
Some of the companies below don’t require a university degree or a TEFL certificate.
There are a few TEFL companies that we recommend for various reasons. With a certificate from one of these companies, you’ll be able to teach English online in no time. Click here to learn about the top, most reputable companies.
Not only is teaching English online a great job for digital nomads and remote workers, but it’s also an excellent gig for stay-at-home parents and retirees who want to keep busy now that their careers are finished.
Update: See our latest posts about the things you’ll need to know before teaching English online, our list of 15 pros and cons of becoming an online English teacher, and the essential equipment you’ll need in order to teach online.
☞ SEE ALSO: Teaching English in Madrid – A Guide to TEFL Jobs
How Much Does It Pay to Teach English Online?
In general, teaching English online pays between $10 – $26 / hour.
While you might not become a millionaire when you teach English online, you will earn enough for a life of travel, or it could be a nice addition to your current income.
This is especially true if you’re basing yourself in a country with a low cost of living.
For most teachers, this job is coupled with another form of income (such as blogging), or at least supplemented with free accommodation through house sitting or some other sort of exchange.
While you’re teaching online, you could be taking care of a dog and living in a pool villa in the Caribbean! If you haven’t heard of house sitting & pet sitting, click here to learn how to receive free accommodation around the world while earning income from your online teaching jobs.
With Preply, you set your own pay rate. Most English teachers online charge between $15-$25 per hour depending on their qualifications.
EF Education First offers $20 USD / hour, is based in the USA, and is available for Americans and UK citizens. You must be living in the USA or the UK.
Some companies pay per minute, while others pay hourly. In some cases, you must commit to a certain amount of hours each week, while in others, you set the teaching schedule.
There’s also the opportunity to earn bonuses and referral pay. Plus, if a student cancels on you, you will receive compensation. Some companies pay via PayPal or Payoneer, while others do a direct deposit to your bank account.
12 Best Companies to Teach English Online
Wondering what is the best company to teach English online? It depends on your qualifications, but right now the best options are Preply, Cambly, and Italki because you can work remotely and you set the pay rate.
There are lots of online teaching jobs out there, but if you want to teach English online, you need to make sure you’re going with a reputable company.
Update 2023: All of the online English teaching websites that are based in China are now closed to foreign teachers. Right now, the best websites to teach English online are Preply, Cambly, Italki, EF Education First, Outschool, and Profy.
My best piece of advice when applying to teach English online is to submit your application to more than one company on this list. The more places you apply, the greater your odds of getting hired.
1. Magic Ears – Teach English Online to Chinese Students
(Update 2023: not hiring)
Magic Ears is currently the top choice for ESL teachers from the USA and Canada. Founded in 2017, this company is a great option for English teachers.
The platform connects teachers with Chinese students aged 4 – 12. Lesson planning, marking homework, and speaking with the student’s parents are all dealt with by Magic Ears — you’re simply there to teach!
Classes are 25 minutes long, and you can earn up to $26 per hour. Have a look at this honest Magic Ears review for more details.
Pros to Teach English Online With Magic Ears:
- It’s a high-paying position at up to $26 per hour
- Offers positions to applicants from USA, Canada, UK, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia
- You can work remotely from anywhere in the world
- Magic Ears offers a TEFL for just $20 (may not transfer to other online English teaching jobs)
- Set your own schedule
- Don’t have to commit to a certain amount of teaching hours
- Classes are 4-on-1 which is easier to manage than a larger group
- Magic Ears creates the lesson plans for you
- Application and interview procedure is easy
- Use their teaching platform — no need to download any apps or programs
- You don’t need to speak Mandarin or Cantonese
- Salaries are paid via PayPal
- There’s an engaging community on Facebook and assistance is available
Cons to Teaching English Online With Magic Ears:
- Time change issues if you aren’t living in Asia
- Bachelor’s Degree or active enrollment in a Bachelor’s Degree program is required
- Classes can change up to 24 hours before
2. GoGoKid – Teach English Online to Chinese Students
(Update 2023: Not hiring)
GoGoKid is a great option for teachers from Canada and the United States. This relatively new company has been around since 2018 but has been quickly making a name for itself.
The platform connects English teachers with Chinese children aged 3-12. You won’t have to worry about creating lesson plans, marking homework, or speaking with the parents, GoGoKid takes care of that and you get to focus on teaching ESL.
Classes are 25 minutes long each, and you can earn up to $7-10 dollars per class. However, there are incentives for an additional $2.50 per class bringing the potential total to $12.50 per class, or $25 USD per hour.
Pros to Teach English Online With GoGoKid:
- It’s high-paying at up to $12.50 per class ($25 per hour)
- Work remotely from anywhere in the world
- Set your own schedule (but open at least 30 “peak hour” slots within your first 30 days)
- Classes are 1-on-1 which is easier to manage than a larger group
- GoGoKid creates the lesson plans for you
- Application and interview procedure is easy
- Use their teaching platform — no need to download any apps or programs
- You don’t need to speak Mandarin or Cantonese
- Salaries are paid via PayPal or wire transfer
- There’s an engaging community on Facebook and assistance is available
- GoGoKid offers online academy training and live workshops
Cons to Teaching English Online With GoGoKid:
- Only Canadians and Americans can apply
- You must hold a Bachelor’s Degree (in any subject)
- You need to have a TEFL Certificate (which isn’t a con really, as it will help you be a better teacher)
- Time change issues if you aren’t living in Asia
- The interview process is a bit confusing
- The payment and bonus system is also confusing
3. VIPKID – Teach English Online to Chinese Students
(Update 2023: Not hiring)
VIPKID is an excellent option for North Americans who want to teach English online to children in China. This company came onto the scene in 2013 and has been exploding ever since.
The platform connects Chinese students with teachers and they deal with the lesson planning, marking of tests, and speaking with the parents of the children you teach. When I taught English in China, those were things I had to do on my own, which was definitely a downside!
Classes are 25-30 minutes each, with a potential earning of $22 / hour. Learn more about working with this company in our honest review of VIPKID.
Pros To Teach English Online With VIPKID:
- Work remotely from anywhere in the world
- VIPKID creates the lesson plans for you
- VIPKID is a recognized and professional company
- Set your own schedule to work as many or as few hours as you like
- It’s high-paying (up to $22 / hour)
- The students are adorable and well-behaved
- All classes are 1-on-1
- Helpful community of teachers and staff of VIPKID
- You don’t need to speak Mandarin or Cantonese
- Holiday and seasonal incentive (ie: paid extra for working Christmas)
- $50-$60 referral bonus
Cons To Teach English Online With VIPKID:
- It’s only for North American teachers
- You must have a University degree (in any subject)
- Only teaching children in China (as opposed to different ages, in different countries)
- Time change issues if you aren’t in Asia
- If your internet cuts out for more than 3 minutes, you will be charged with cancellation of a class
4. Qkids – Teach English Online to Chinese Students
(Update 2023: Not hiring)
This program is actually very similar to VIPKID, but there are a few differences.
Pros To Teach English Online With Qkids:
- You don’t need to have a degree, BUT you must be currently enrolled in University
- High-paying – up to $20 / hour
- All materials and lessons are provided
- Training is included
- Flexible schedule
- You don’t need to speak Mandarin or Cantonese
- Very engaged community
Cons To Teach English Online With Qkids:
- You must actually be living in Canada or the United States
- No holiday or seasonal pay incentive (ie: no extra pay if you work during Christmas)
- It’s only for North American teachers
- You’ll only teach Chinese children (rather than students from around the world, and of all ages)
- Time change issues since you aren’t living in Asia
- You must commit to a minimum of 6 hours per week
- 4 students maximum per class (could be either a pro or a con depending on what you prefer)
Both VIPKID and Qkids are great companies and they both pay their teachers well, but each has its own style. Maybe apply for both of them (or all of them in this article), so that you have a better chance at being hired, and making more money!
5. Cambly – Tutoring Online to Worldwide Students
Cambly is a much more informal teaching setting than other companies.
The people who you’ll be talking with already speak English at some level and for the most part, they are just wanting to practice their conversational skills.
This is a platform where students sign up and pay a fee, and log in via an app to chat with tutors who are online. Teachers (tutors) can log in at random, or you can book a shift.
Although there are students from all around the world, most of them hail from Saudi Arabia. Recently, however, there has been a boom in South Korean and Turkish students. Here are the pros & cons of online tutoring with Cambly.
Pros Of Teaching English Online With Cambly:
- Work online from anywhere in the world
- No experience necessary
- No university degree or TEFL certificate required
- Set your own hours
- Meet people of all ages from all over the world
- Can have repeat students who you really get to know
- Informal setting where you just chat with students about casual topics
- Lessons and materials are available with Cambly if needed
- Easy sign-up
- No contract needed
- Safety protocols in place (ie: ban students immediately for inappropriate behavior)
Cons of Teaching English Online With Cambly:
- The pay isn’t very high ($0.17/minute, which is $10.20 / hour)
- No guaranteed hours
- It can be tedious to “chit-chat” all of the time
- There’s a free trial available for new students meaning you may have to deal with a few who aren’t serious about practicing their English
- There’s the potential for inappropriate students, especially if you are a female tutor (hit that “ban” button!)
- You will need to be sensitive to the cultures of many countries, and be aware of what is acceptable to talk about / not talk about
*Note: It was suggested by a female Cambly teacher to not use your real identity when signing up as a tutor. I thought this was a great idea because you’ll avoid having people potentially searching for you on social media. One downside of the internet!
Click here to read our review of Cambly and click here to apply.
6. Italki – Teach English Online (or any other language)
Italki is completely different from the companies and programs I listed above. With Italki, you set the pay rate that you will be charging your students.
If there’s a language that you are fluent in (English, Japanese, German, Russian, etc.), then you can apply to become a teacher of that language. You will be in charge of the lesson and the platform it is taught on (Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts).
The rates you should charge are based on your previous experience, your credentials, your student feedback, and what others are charging to teach online.
From what I can see, the professional teachers are charging around $25 / hour, while the community tutors are charging around $12 / hour. Basically, if you price yourself out of the market, you won’t have any students.
You must be a native speaker of the language you are choosing to teach.
Pros Of Teaching Online With Italki:
- You are in charge and set your own fee and your own schedule
- You decide what you teach
- Classes are 1-on-1
- Teach English Online and Work from anywhere in the world
- There are 2 types of profiles – professional teacher or community tutor. You must show certifications to be considered a professional
- The platform deals with payments and assists with student issues
Cons To Teaching English Online With Italki:
- They take a 15% commission on your completed lessons
- You need to come up with the lesson plans yourself (check out our guide to online English lesson planning)
7. EnglishHunt – Teach English Online (or by phone) to Korean Students
Update 2023: This company isn’t currently hiring, but they will be again in a few months. Please check back soon.
The online teaching jobs available with this company vary, but right now they are looking for native English speakers who are from the USA to teach Korean business students.
You’ll be speaking by phone, but via softphone technology downloaded to your computer. Another option is to actually move and find a job teaching English in South Korea.
Pros To Teach English Online With EnglishHunt:
- It pays $2 per 10 minutes
- You will be teaching adults
- The curriculum is provided
- 2 shifts to choose from: Mon-Fri 6am to 9am, or 6pm to midnight Korean time (you don’t need to be available for the entire shift)
- You can teach English online or by phone and work from anywhere in the world
Cons To Teach English Online With EnglishHunt:
- For United States residents only (but can be living abroad)
- Must have an American bank account for salary deposits
- Their software isn’t compatible with Apple products
- You must have 48 hours of college credits or a TEFL/ESL certificate
8. EF Education First – Teach ESL Online to Chinese Children
This is a highly recognized English school with classrooms around the world. But, they also offer English teaching jobs online for both citizens of the UK and the USA.
EF Education First is the longest-running online English teaching company (50 years!) and is highly reputable as well.
If you’re living in the USA or the UK, EF Education First Online is your top choice when it comes to online ESL jobs. To read our review of EF Teach Online, click here.
Pros Of Online English Teaching Jobs With EF Education First:
- Easy to sign up
- You get to work from home
- Create your own flexible schedule
- Earn up to $19 / £12.50 an hour (UPDATE: Teachers for EF can now be paid up to $20 / hour)
- $30 payment for the introduction/training of EF classes (for US teachers)
- Salaries are deposited into your bank account
- Teach the same students each class
- 1 on 1 classes
- Lesson materials are available for you
- Work on EF’s user-friendly platform
- No props or toys are needed
- 24/7 troubleshooting support
- You don’t need to be able to speak Mandarin or Cantonese to teach English online with EF
- Make a difference in a child’s life
Cons Of Online English Teaching Jobs With EF Education First:
- You must be from the UK or the USA
- You must be actually living in the UK or the USA
- You must hold a Bachelor’s Degree or higher in any subject
- You must have a 40-hour minimum TEFL certificate
- The time change can be a bit difficult if you’re not a morning person, or if you prefer to not work at night
9. PalFish
Update 2022: Not hiring
This is a relatively new company with many teaching English online jobs available.
Founded in 2015, this is another company connecting English teachers with Chinese students.
And actually, Palfish says that even if you’re a non-native English speaker, but you have a very neutral accent, you are welcome to apply as well.
Another bonus of teaching English online with Palfish? You don’t need a university degree to teach. But, you do need a TEFL Certificate which you can easily get here.
You can sign up to be an “official” teacher, or as a “free talk” teacher.
Pros of Teaching English Online With PalFish
- You can work from anywhere in the world
- Choose your own hours
- Earn upwards of $30/hour (depending on which type of teacher you choose to become)
- Receive teaching bonuses
- Can be a non-native English speaker
- Don’t need a University degree (but you do need a TEFL Certificate)
Cons of Teaching English Online With PalFish
- You must have a Payoneer account or a bank account in China
- You need to do your own marketing to attract students
- The time change is difficult for teachers
- You must have a TEFL Certificate
- You aren’t paid for lesson planning, checking homework and evaluating students
- The app can be glitchy
- Not much assistance from the company
Read our review article, here.
10. Learnlight (teach English and other languages)
Learnlight is a great platform for teaching English online to business professionals from over 100 different countries in a wide variety of sectors.
They offer teachers an extensive library of materials to ensure you’re offering the best classes possible to your students. There are programs for Virtual Groups, One-to-One sessions, Specialized Skills Courses and Level Assessments.
You’ll need a TEFL certificate, 2 years of experience, proficiency in the English language, 10Mbps internet connection, a laptop or desktop computer, a headset, and a webcam for this position.
The great thing about Learnlight is that you can get jobs teaching English online, as well as Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian.
11. Skimatalk (no experience required)
This platform specifically focuses on teaching English online and doesn’t offer any other language classes. They connect eager learners with teachers from all around the world.
You’ll only have to teach English online for a maximum of 25-minute classes with Skimatalk and you can choose to teach as many or as few classes as you wish.
For this platform, no previous teaching experience or a Tefl Certificate is required, making it one of the best platforms for new online English teachers to get their foot in the door.
You must be a native speaker from able to speak American, British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, and/or Irish English fluently.
All classes are done over Skype. One downside to this platform is that you’ll have to complete three 25-minute classes at first for free, and then your fee will automatically be set to $8 per 25-minute session.
After you have some classes under your belt, you can choose your own rates, making this a great platform for earning more money. Click here to read our review of Skimatalk.
12. PrePly (teach English and other topics online)
PrePly is an online English teaching platform that helps students to prepare for the professional world by teaching them how to speak confidently in public and understand the written word.
The platform helps students connect with tutors and online English teachers who can help them achieve their learning goals. Students come from all over the world and ages range from young learners to seniors.
With PrePly, you won’t need a TEFL certificate or previous experience, though if you have both it will help you to attract more students.
If the student likes you, they can choose to hire you as their online English teacher to teach English online to them for 5, 10, 15, or 20 hours (purchased in packages from the website or app).
Your earnings will depend on the hourly rate you set in your profile. PrePly takes 100% fee for your first lesson, and then around 18%-33% after that. The more you teach English online with PrePly, the lower their commission rate will be.
Preply helps students prepare to speak confidently with professional tutors from around the world. Language learners can easily find a tutor who matches their learning goals and begin taking lessons within minutes.
Students are from every corner of the world and the age of students will vary from young to old. You can also teach other topics such as school and university subjects, arts, hobbies, and other languages.
Read our review of Preply here.
How Much Money Can You Make Teaching English Online?
Typically, you can make between $10 – $26 USD per hour as an online English teacher. With companies like Preply, you set your own rate.
So, Is Teaching English Online Worth It?
Yes! Teaching English online is worth it.
You can make good money, and in many cases, you can teach English online from anywhere in the world.
On top of earning a good wage, as a teacher, you’ll be able to make connections with your students. It’s rewarding to know that you’re making a difference in their lives.
I hope that this article inspired you to teach English online, either as a full-time job or as a side hustle.
Becoming an English teacher is an enriching profession. The year I spent teaching English in China is still one of my fondest memories, I had such a wonderful experience with my students.
But, these days you don’t actually have to travel to China (or abroad) to teach, it can all be done virtually! Check out the teaching English online jobs above and get started today.
