Tutor comparison. Source checked September 2026.
Preply vs EF Education First vs italki for tutors
Preply publishes a typical asking band for English tutors. EF Teach Online describes competitive pay without publishing an hourly figure. italki lets tutors set a price and publishes a fee schedule by lesson type. These records describe the teaching model and source basis.
Compare the teaching models
On a small screen, scroll sideways to compare all three platforms.
| Dimension | Preply | EF Education First | italki |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching model | Set your rate marketplace for one to one lessons. | Scheduled online English lessons for adults and teens. | Set your rate language marketplace. |
| Pay basis | The teach page says USD 15 to 25 per hour on average. This is an asking price, not take home. | The official recruitment page says pay is competitive based on skills and market demand. It does not publish an hourly wage. | Tutors set the asking price. The current fee record does not publish a standard hourly wage. |
| Fees | Regular lessons start at 33% commission and slide to 18%. A new student trial is 100% commission. | No tutor side fee is published. | 0% trial, 21% single lesson, 19% five lesson package, 17% ten lesson package, 15% fifteen or twenty lesson package, and 30% group class. The 21% figure applies to single lessons, not every italki booking. |
| Requirements | The teach page does not list a specific degree, certificate or experience requirement. | The current record lists C2 English, a bachelor's degree and an accredited TEFL certificate of at least 40 hours. It allows applicants without prior teaching experience. | Language and category requirements can differ. Check the teacher application page before applying. |
| Status | Active marketplace. | Active in the current board record. | The current board record marks intake as limited. |
Preply: set your rate marketplace for one to one lessons; EF Education First: scheduled online English lessons for adults and teens; italki: set your rate language marketplace. Choose by the work you want to do and the evidence you can verify, rather than by an old estimate or an unsupported earnings ranking.
How to use this comparison
- Read a published rate in its original unit. A lesson price, per minute rate, monthly scenario and hourly wage are different things.
- Treat asking prices, community reports, estimates, and promotional examples as context. They are not a typical earnings result.
- Check the linked teacher page before applying. Intake, requirements, fee rules and class availability can change.
Sources: Preply teach page checked 16 September 2026 · EF Teach Online checked 13 September 2026 · italki commission schedule checked 18 September 2026. See the company pay directory for the underlying board record.