What to Look for in a Platform
Tutoring has needs that general video call tools do not always cover. Before you compare prices, answer four questions about your own tutoring:
- Does your student need to write or draw during the lesson? Working math problems by hand is one example. Conversation practice usually does not need it.
- Do you teach the same student every week? If so, you need a way to set up repeat lessons and charge for them without starting from scratch each time.
- Who pays? If your students are children, a parent may book and pay while the child attends. Your platform then needs to handle two people.
- Do you want the platform to find students for you? Marketplaces bring students to you and take a larger share of each lesson. Your own booking page costs less per lesson, and you bring the students.
The rest of this guide goes through each question, then shows what each platform charges, using numbers from each company's own website on November 4, 2026.
Whiteboard: Can Your Student Write on the Screen?
A shared whiteboard lets you and the student write on the same space during the call. Here is what each platform's own pages say:
- Wyzant has a whiteboard in its Learning Studio. Its help center says you can upload up to 30 pages to the whiteboard.
- Preply has a whiteboard in its online classroom, opened from the Tools menu. Preply's help center says the whiteboard saves automatically by lesson date and time, and recommends that students join in a web browser rather than the Preply app to get every feature.
- Zoom includes whiteboards on every Workplace plan. Its pricing page lists 3 editable whiteboards on the free Basic plan and on Pro, and unlimited whiteboards on Business.
- Talkspresso does not have a whiteboard. You can share your screen from a desktop computer, so you can open a whiteboard app or a document in another window and show it to the student. The student can see what you write but cannot write on it.
If your student has to work problems by hand on screen, choose a platform with a whiteboard, or pair your booking tool with one that has it.
Weekly Lessons: Repeat Students and Packages
If you teach the same student at the same time each week, check two things: how the lessons get scheduled, and how they get paid for.
On Talkspresso, you can sell a package of several one-to-one sessions as one purchase. You set the session dates when you create the package, and the student is enrolled in those dates when they buy. Email reminders go out before each session. Two limits to know: there is no booking that repeats every week on its own, and there is no monthly subscription billing for students. Students also cannot reschedule a package session themselves, so you handle changes.
TutorBird is business software built for tutors rather than a video platform. Its pricing page lists a calendar with attendance tracking, lesson reminders, rescheduling and cancellations, automatic invoicing and online payments, and a student portal with optional self-service scheduling. For video, it lists integrations with Zoom and Lessonspace.
If you teach many students every week and bill monthly, TutorBird's pricing page lists features for that pattern, such as attendance tracking and automatic invoicing. If you sell lessons in blocks (for example, eight sessions before an exam), a package on Talkspresso covers it.
Parents Who Pay: Two People, One Booking
When a parent pays for a child's lessons, you need to know three things: who paid, who is attending, and where the lesson link goes.
On Talkspresso, each booking has one person on it, and the confirmation, reminders and join link go to the email of the person who booked. Here is how to set it up for a parent and a student:
- Add an intake question. You can add questions that the client must answer before the Pay button works, such as "Student's name and grade" and "What topic should we cover first?" The answers come to you with the booking.
- Tell the parent how the link works. The join link goes to the parent's email. The parent can forward it to the student, or open it on the device the student will use.
- Use the guest link if needed. From inside the call, you can send a separate guest link to another person. It stops working when the call ends.
Students do not need an account or an app to join. The video call opens in the browser from the link in the email.
Before you choose any platform, book a test lesson as if you were a parent, and check which email address gets the join link.
Cancellations and No-Shows
A missed lesson is a lost hour. Look for a platform that charges at booking and lets you set a cancellation policy.
On Talkspresso, clients pay when they book. For paid one-to-one sessions, you can set a cancellation policy: choose how much notice a client must give (from 2 to 72 hours) and the fee if they cancel later (25% to 100%). The terms are shown at checkout. You can also let clients move a session themselves, with a limit on how many times and how close to the start time. These settings apply to single one-to-one sessions, not to packages or group sessions.
You can also set buffer time between lessons (up to 120 minutes) and a minimum notice period before someone can book, so a parent cannot book a lesson that starts in ten minutes.
Fees: What Each Platform Charges
Every number below comes from the platform's own website, checked on November 4, 2026. Prices change, so check the linked page before you sign up. The numbers in brackets point to the sources listed under the table.
| Talkspresso | Wyzant | Preply | TutorBird | Zoom Workplace | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Your own booking page with video calls and payments | Marketplace where approved tutors list their services | Marketplace for tutors, free to sign up [3] | Business software for tutors | Video meetings |
| What you pay | Free plan, 10% per booking. Pro is $29.95/mo or $299/yr, 0% platform fee. PayPal processing fees apply [1] | Wyzant keeps a 25% platform fee on your posted rate, and 0% for new students you refer. All lessons are subject to a 9% service fee [2] | Preply keeps 100% of each trial lesson with a new student, then 33% to 18% of your hourly rate, depending on total hours taught [3] | $16.95 per month, plus $4.95 per additional tutor or staff member. 30 days free [4] | Basic is free, with meetings up to 40 minutes. Pro is $14.16 per user per month, billed annually [5] |
| Whiteboard | No. Screen sharing on desktop | Yes, in the Learning Studio [6] | Yes, in the classroom [7] | Not listed on the pricing page. Integrates with Lessonspace and Zoom [4] | 3 on Basic and Pro, unlimited on Business [5] |
Sources (all checked November 4, 2026):
- Talkspresso plans: talkspresso.com/plans
- Wyzant, "What is the fee structure for tutors listed on Wyzant?": support.wyzant.com
- Preply, "Preply commission model": help.preply.com
- TutorBird pricing: tutorbird.com/pricing
- Zoom pricing: zoom.us/pricing
- Wyzant, "How many pages can I upload to the whiteboard?": support.wyzant.com
- Preply, "Preply whiteboard": help.preply.com
What the percentages mean on a $50 lesson
Using the published rates only, before payment processing and taxes:
- Talkspresso Free plan: a 10% platform fee is $5. PayPal's processing fee applies.
- Talkspresso Pro: no platform fee on the lesson. You pay $29.95 a month instead.
- Wyzant: a 25% platform fee is $12.50 (for students you did not refer).
- Preply, new tutor at 33%: $16.50 in commission. Preply's own example: a new tutor charging $10 an hour receives $6.70.
Wyzant's 9% service fee is not included above, because its page does not say who pays it.
On a marketplace, part of what you pay is for students finding you. On your own booking page, the platform takes less of each lesson and you find the students yourself.
Which Setup Fits Which Tutor
- You need students and do not have any yet: a marketplace such as Wyzant or Preply brings students to you, in exchange for a larger share of each lesson.
- You teach math or science and need a shared whiteboard: Wyzant, Preply and Zoom all list a whiteboard. Talkspresso does not.
- You run a tutoring business with many weekly students and monthly invoices: business software such as TutorBird lists invoicing and a student portal, with video through an integration.
- You already have students (from your school, word of mouth or social media) and want them to book and pay on your own page: Talkspresso gives you a booking page, video calls, packages and payment at booking, with no monthly fee on the Free plan.
You can also combine tools: a marketplace to find your first students, then your own page for students who return.
For more comparisons, see Best Platform for Paid Video Calls, Best Platform for Online Coaching, Talkspresso vs Calendly and Talkspresso vs Zoom.
Getting Started on Your Own Page
If you decide to run tutoring from your own page:
- Create one service per lesson type, such as "60-minute math lesson" or "SAT reading, 8-session package."
- Add intake questions for the student's name, grade and goals, and mark the ones you need as required.
- Set your cancellation policy, buffers and minimum notice before you share the link.
- Connect Google Calendar so lessons do not overlap with the rest of your week.
- Book a test lesson yourself and check what the parent receives by email.
- Share your page link with current families, your school contacts and your social media profiles.
Talkspresso handles booking, video calls and payments in one place. Free plan, 10% per booking. Pro is $29.95/mo or $299/yr, 0% platform fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best platform for online tutoring?
It depends on what your lessons need. If students must write on a shared whiteboard, choose a platform that has one, such as Wyzant, Preply or Zoom. If you need students to find you, a marketplace fits. If you already have students and want them to book and pay on your own page, Talkspresso fits that setup.
How do I get paid for online tutoring?
On a marketplace, the marketplace collects payment and pays you after its fee. On Talkspresso, the client pays when they book, the platform fee is 10% on the Free plan and 0% on Pro, and PayPal's processing fee also applies.
Can I use multiple platforms for tutoring?
Yes. You can use a marketplace to find students and your own booking page for students who return. Keep one calendar connected to both so lessons do not overlap.
How do I market my online tutoring services?
Start with people who already know you: current families, schools and community groups. Share your booking page link wherever parents look for you. Our guide to Marketing Your Expertise lists channel guides for email, Instagram and content.
Is it necessary to pay for a tutoring platform?
No. Some platforms have free plans with limits: Zoom Basic is free with meetings up to 40 minutes, and the Talkspresso Free plan has no monthly fee and a 10% platform fee per booking. Preply says it is free to sign up and charges commission only when you get bookings.
