How to Get Paid to Teach English Online and Earn Money Anywhere

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This guide shares how to make money teaching English online for beginners! Online teaching jobs are amongst the best freelance jobs for beginners and can give you freedom and flexibility.

I’ve always wanted to live the kind of lifestyle where I could earn money online and work from anywhere. The only problem was – how?

Finding a well-paying job online isn’t easy, but with the increase in positions to teach English online, the doors have opened for more people to earn an income at home or abroad.

I started English teaching in 2017 when I quit everything to teach in South Korea and then Vietnam for a summer. What I found there was the financial freedom to see a new part of the world. And by the end of my contract with South Korea’s EPIK program, I jumped at the chance to teach online.

In this guide, I share how to teach English online and earn money anywhere, and what you need to know before getting started!

And for even more insight into the life of an online English teacher, peep my honest list of the pros and cons of teaching English online so you can gauge if it’s right for you!

Read More: Where to Find Free TEFL Courses + Scholarships

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, if you click my links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Learn more on my disclosure page. Thank you for your support!

How to Teach English Online: Contents

What is online teaching?
2021 Changes to the Online Tutor Industry
Requirements to Teach Online
Do You Need to a TEFL Certificate to Teach English Online?
Online Teacher Employment Status
How Much Can You Earn Teaching English Online?
What Is Teaching Online Like?
What Are Your Responsibilities as an Online Teacher?
Equipment for Online Teaching
Best Companies to Teach Online

What is Online Teaching? 

Online teaching is usually conducted via video chat or occasionally over audio, between an experienced teacher and a student looking to learn English, a foreign language, or any other in-demand subject.

As you learn more and dive deeper into the world of online teaching, you’ll find that many companies are based out of China and other parts of Asia, as the desire to learn English is quite high in this part of the world.

This new era of digital communication and remote working has created a fantastic opportunity for folks to get paid to teach English online!

Recent Changes to the Online Teaching Industry since 2021

China-based teaching platforms once offered the bulk of and some of the best paid online teaching positions. And unfortunately that golden age of teaching online has come to an end.

That’s because as of the end of July 2021, China introduced new laws affecting the country’s after-school tutoring industry. These new laws essentially outlawed the employment of foreign English tutors/teachers who do not reside in China.

This means that once popular and well-know companies like VIPKid, PalFish, DaDaABC, etc, are no longer in business or offer employment to American teachers. (Although it appears PalFish may now be hiring Filipino English teachers seeking online work)

But the end of online teaching jobs from China doesn’t mean the total end to teaching English online! I’ve complied lists of other opportunities that aren’t based in China:

• Platforms to Teach English Online to Korean Students
• Platforms to Teach English Online to Japanese Students

How to Teach English Online: Job Requirements

First things first, let’s make sure you have the right qualifications to teach English online! They’re not too strict, but there are definitely a few key things you need.

1. Be a native English speaker.

Most companies are particular about where their teachers are from and only hire people from native speaking countries such as the US, Canda, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and sometimes South Africa too. 

Other companies hire teachers who can prove they speak at a native level regardless of nationality.

2. Have an ESL certificate or teaching qualification.

Besides your ability to speak English, having some form of teacher qualification or TEFL certificate is usually another important job requirement for English teachers. 

If you don’t have one, don’t fret! It’s so easy to get TEFL certified (teaching English as a foreign language) online! But you need to know where to look – there are about a million and one different companies.

Read more: Best TEFL Courses For Teaching English Online and Abroad

3. Hold a Bachelor’s degree (for some).

For the most prestigious’ online teaching platforms, they want teachers to have a bachelor’s degree. It doesn’t need to be in education, but that obviously is a plus! And if you have a teaching license, that usually means you don’t need to have a TEFL too.

No degree? No worries. Learn more about the best companies to teach English online without a degree.

4. Have experience teaching or with kids (for some).

As with any job application, showing that you have experience teaching or working with kids can give you a huge leg up against other teachers applying at the same time. 

Some online teaching platforms require a minimum level of teaching experience, while others have it as only a preferred qualification. 

Do You Need a TEFL Certificate to Teach English Online?

It depends on the company, but the answer is sometimes, yes, and sometimes, no. Some companies hire English teachers without a TEFL certificate like Cambly!

However, having a TEFL certificate can offer major perks for online English teachers. It not only will help you become a better teacher by giving you necessary teaching tools and skills, but it can make you stand out to students and help you earn more money in the long run.

Read more: Best Cheap TEFL Courses Onlineheap online TEFL course

Recommended Affordable Online TEFL Course: iTTT

iTTT is a highly trusted and accredited TEFL provider that offers a wide variety of courses both online and in-person, at a price that can’t be beaten! Courses start at as low as about $300 and upward and they have a wide variety of options to suit your needs.

And I have the pleasure of offering my lovely readers in need of a TEFL course a 20% discount through this link!

Learn more about the 20% discount with iTTT and their courses via my explainer guide.

So, How Does Online Teaching Work?

While every online teaching platform operates differently, here’s an overview of a typical online English teacher job description. 

Online Teacher Employment Status

As an online English teacher, most companies will treat you as an Independent contractor. This means that you won’t pay any taxes on your income as it’s paid to you, but instead, you’re responsible for paying taxes on that income at the end of the year.

So you’ll need to set aside a percentage of each and every paycheck for when tax season comes around. In America, the current federal tax rate for independent contractors is 15.3%, plus you’ll need to pay local and state taxes too.*

I typically set aside about 20% of every paycheck in a separate savings account, just to be safe! I do not want to be hit with any surprise bills.

*I’m NOT a tax professional, just your friendly neighborhood travel blogger! Be sure to consult a tax professional or check out the local laws in your area to find out what you need to do for your financial situation!

How Much Can You Make Teaching English Online? 

Companies pay online English teachers anywhere from $10 – $26 per hour, which could mean over $2,000 a month if you put in the time and effort!

But figuring out your earning potential is not a one-size-fits-all answer, and I have to be honest and let you know it’s not always easy to earn a full-time income teaching online (but the supplemental income is great too!).

Here are a few things that can affect your online English teacher salary:

• The company
• Set your own rate vs. company fixed rate
• Teaching qualifications and experience
• Pay levels, incentives, and bonuses
• The effort and time you put into marketing yourself and growing a student base

Some companies allow teachers to set their rates, giving ultimate financial freedom to the teachers. But you’re at the demand of the market, and if you price yourself too high, students may not book you.

Teaching qualifications and experience can also play a role in what your base pay is. Some platforms determine this starting rate during the interview process, while others have an equal playing field for all teachers who meet their basic requirements.

And finally, many companies offer increasing base pay levels, and monetary bonuses to incentivize you to teach more, sell more, and promote more.

How Are Online Teachers Paid?

Online teachers are often paid via a third-party payment processing site such as Paypal and sometimes even through direct deposit to your bank account. 

How often you’re paid depends on the company, but it’s common for online teachers to be paid monthly or biweekly.

What Is Teaching Online Like?

Peak Hours

Depending on where your students are from, you’re most likely going to be teaching during their after work or school hours, plus weekends. From my experience, most online teaching platforms cater to Chinese, Korean, or Japanese English learners looking to supplement their studies after school.

This means peak teaching hours for many online teaching opportunities are usually between 5 pm – 9 pm Beijing time on weekdays, or 4 am – 8 am CT in America. 

There are also programs geared towards European students and South Americans. For example, Verbling is a foreign language exchange based in Sweden, and Open English is based out of Central America, so no matter where you’re living, you have options for teaching hours. 

Regular Students vs. Trial Lessons

These online English platforms are a business, offering additional educational opportunities to students around the world, which is essential to remember as a teacher – this isn’t regular school!

That means some companies offer trial lessons as a way to recruit new students and earn their business.

Trial lessons are typically free or discounted introductory classes for prospective students who haven’t purchased a course or class package from the company yet. Every platform has its own rules for handling trials, but teachers are earn a different rate for trial lessons than regular lessons. You may even earn a commission or reward for any students who make a purchase due to the trial lesson you taught.

Again, this all depends on the company, and not every platform offers trial lessons.

Finding Students: Marketing Yourself

As an online English teacher, you’ll be competing with other tutors to attract students. So, you’ll have some responsibility for marketing yourself and promoting your teaching abilities to prospective students. This is important because more students booked with you means more money earned (obviously).

The best way to market yourself as an English teacher is by highlighting your qualifications and specific experiences on your teaching profile. So things like having a college degree in a related field, having a TEFL certificate, and previous experience can make you more attractive as an online teacher.

Some online platforms operate similarly to a social media page where teachers can allow their personality to shine as a way to attract students. Be sure to take advantage of this additional way to market yourself if you have the option.

One on One vs. Group Teaching

Many teaching platforms offer one-on-one lessons, where the teacher is only presenting material to one student at a time.

However, some courses may be taught in a group setting, where teachers can teach a class of 1-4+ students. 

Children vs. Adults

There are more opportunities to teach children available, especially elementary-aged students, but if you prefer teaching adults, there are also a few websites that cater specifically to adult or business English. For example, Cambly, italki and Lingoda have adult teaching programs.

Video Chat on Skype vs. Company’s Own Platform

Most online lessons are conducted via video chat, and more often than not, the company you’re working for will have their own video platform for you to use. But this isn’t always the case. Some will ask you to use Skype or another video platform to conduct lessons.  

What Are An Online Teacher’s Job Responsibilities?

Again, entirely depending on the company you choose to teach English with, these responsibilities may vary slightly.

But on my job hunt, I found that most companies expect these critical things from their online teachers:

• A positive and professional attitude, and you may need to wear a specific color t-shirt or apparel 
• Student assessment after each class of how they did or what they struggled with – some asking for a basic summary, others more extensive
• Prop creation and use, as well as an attractive backdrop/background.
• Little to no lesson planning as materials are usually already created and provided – but some platforms require teachers to develop their own class slides
• No required parent communication from the teacher, all handled through company staff

Equipment for Online Teaching: What You Need As An Online English Teacher

You don’t need anything high-tech to start an English teaching career online, but you need at least a smartphone or computer with a webcam (companies will tell you to know their preference), fast WiFi, and headphones with a microphone. 

But aside from those necessities, here’s the complete list of what you need to teach online:

• Computer, travel-friendly laptop, or smartphone with webcam
• Headphones or earbuds with microphone 
• Reliable WiFi
• Tripod for those teaching on their phones
• Quiet and clean space
• Backdrop with your name, the company’s logo, visually attractive photos or graphics like a map, etc.
• General lesson props like flashcards, a reward system, stuffed animals or attention grabbers for young children

Best Companies to Teach English Online

For those wondering which company to teach with, you have a lot of options, and it can be overwhelming to choose from SO many different platforms that are all similar but slightly different.

I recommend reading reviews of the key platforms that catch your eye and applying for 2-3 at a time to try them out and see what you prefer.

I’ve gone through and outlined the comparisons between best English teaching platforms to simplify your search and decision process! 

But to briefly summarize the above guides, here are what I’d consider some of the best paying online teaching jobs in the market that are pretty popular with teachers for a reason. 

• Twenix: Up to $16/€15/£14, teach professional adults based in Spain and Italy.
• Cambly: $10.20-$12/hour, apply to teach both adults and children from all over the world
• italki: $9-$19/hr, international adults seeking English tutors
• Engliphone: $17-$20/hr, a well-reviewed platform that works with students from South Korea
• Lingoda: $8-$12/hr, teach students of all ages your native language
• Verbling: $15-$20 (set your rate), teach any language as long as you’re native, teach adults

There you have it! An ultimate guide to how to teach at home or anywhere around the world and earn an income online!