Using the best online tutoring services can give pupils a big boost in their education. These services can be especially helpful if students are working towards a particular educational goal, such as an entrance exam or upcoming test, as tutors can often create individualized learning plans to help students meet their objectives.
All of the best remote tutoring platforms now come packed with useful learning tools. Most of our choices, below, have interactive white boards, so pupils and teachers can draw directly on worksheets. A lot of them also allow you to choose between either voice chat or text chat, which is brilliant as some pupils may prefer to correspond via one medium over the other.
When we were ranking the online services, we took into account several factors, such as price, ease of use, and the tutor vetting process. Although Wyzant came out top overall, the other tutoring services still impressed us with their various features, so we’re confident that whichever option you choose you’ll find a brilliant tutor.
These tutoring services are mostly aimed at students in the K-12 bracket, although a few cater to college students too. If you’re an adult learner, you may want to have a browse through our guide to the best online learning platforms, which is mostly aimed at those who are a little older and have some free time they want to dedicate to education.
Or if you’re specifically looking for language lessons, have a look through our guide to the best learn Spanish online courses or best learn French online apps and websites, as these platforms will give you a solid grounding in your subject.
1. Wyzant: Best online tutoring service overall
If you’re looking for a more traditional tutoring experience but online, Wyzant is the choice for you. There is very little that is as effective as regular one-on-one tutoring with an experienced tutor, and that’s what Wyzant has to offer. Wyzant works like a marketplace of tutors: these teachers advertise their credentials, knowledge, and experience, and earn clients this way. As a parent, you can browse profiles to find a tutor who will best meet the needs of your student and whose personality matches with them the best.
Because Wyzant has a more traditional tutoring structure, it also has a more traditional payment system. Tutors set their own rates, which typically lie within the $30 - $70 range.
We like that the company now operates with a 'Good Fit Guarantee', which means that if you spend an hour with a tutor and feel that they're not a good match, you'll get a full refund.
- Read our full Wyzant review
2. eTutorWorld: Best for individualized lesson plans
‘Individual’ is the real buzzword on this platform, as the company boasts about its completely personalized approach to learning. This means that from the get-go, pupils (or their parents) will be quizzed about learning goals and preferred teaching methods. The personal ‘curriculum’ that’s designed for pupils will then be based around the student’s competencies and the areas where they most need to improve.
You don’t get to pick your tutor on this platform, as instead you’ll be matched with one that best suits your needs. This might not appeal to people who like to have total control over their learning environment, but eTutorWorld does have a thorough vetting process that guarantees all tutors are experts in their area. In fact, 90% of tutors on the platform have over five years of teaching experience, as well as expert knowledge of their specific subject.
User reviews of the platform are glowing on TrustSpot, with a 4.6 rating out of five overall. There’s only a handful of subjects covered here though (math, science and English) but tutors are able to cater to any specific goals surrounding these topics.
- Read our full eTutorWorld review
3. TutorMe: Best online tutoring service for immediate help
TutorMe’s main USP is that you can access a tutor whenever you need. It promises to connect you to an expert “within 30 seconds” of your initial query, so you can get help with that tricky math problem or organise some last minute revision, even if you’re dropping them an email in the middle of the night.
On top of this, it also has an award-winning ‘Writing Lab’ feature, where students can submit essays or papers then receive feedback within 12 hours. It’s a good way to get some tips if you’re struggling in a particular topic and want to make sure your next assignment doesn’t get you a bad grade.
You’ll also find that the tutors are top quality, having gone through an extensive vetting process (the site claims that it only accepts 4% of applications it receives from tutors.) Throw into the mix an excellent bunch of features, like white board tools and video chat, and it’s easy to see why this platform is so popular.
It’s not necessarily the cheapest option, although there is the opportunity to have lessons billed at a $1 per minute rate (this could quickly add up, but it might be useful if you only need a five minute chat with an expert.) There are no group tutoring options though, and it’s also tricky to book lessons in advance, which is why it hasn’t quite netted the top spot on this list.
- Read our full TutorMe review
4. Skooli: Best online tutoring service for math
Generally, students need the most help from tutors in math topics. While Skooli has tutors for most subjects, we highly recommend that you choose this platform for your math tutoring needs, because it covers a broad range of topics within this particular subject.
It’s transparent pay-per-minute payment structure is also perfect for students who don’t want to commit to a subscription. You can use Skooli as little or as much as you need, and if you require more in-depth help from a tutor, that’s available, too. You’ll get feedback from your tutor and can improve on your skills in and outside the classroom. Plus, Skooli has a satisfaction guarantee - if you're not happy with your first 30 minute session, you can try out a different tutor for free. And if you're still not satisfied after that, you'll get a full refund.
- Read our full Skooli review
5. SpecialEdTutoring.com: Best online tutoring service for special needs students
Not every student is given the same opportunity to learn, and not every student learns the same way. Some have different learning abilities and challenges that can make them fall behind in a classroom where they are not given the best opportunities and individualized attention. Special education hopes to change that, but with a burdened school system, even students with no diagnosed learning disabilities are falling behind. The parents of these students, whether special needs with an IEP or those who are experiencing an increasing amount of difficulty, should look into the services that SpecialEdTutoring.com can provide. You can’t browse tutor profiles or know for sure if the subject your child is experiencing difficulty in will be covered, but that’s where you can benefit from a free consultation. Every tutor has a degree in Special Education and can follow your student’s IEP, so you can be confident that the service is worth your time and money.
- Read our full SpecialEdTutoring.com review
6. Preply: Best online tutoring service for languages
This online tutoring service is exclusively for language students. Lessons are offered in 50 different languages, including Spanish, French and Italian. When we were testing out the platform, we found it really easy to navigate through, and the helpful scheduling tool meant that we could quickly see when tutors were available for lessons. The site puts more emphasis on your language proficiency, rather than your educational grade – it caters for all ages, but there's no way to filter tutors by grades.
If there’s any downside to this platform it’s that there’s an abundance of tutors, so narrowing down your search can feel like a mammoth task. And although a lot of tutors offer very reasonable prices on this site, lessons have to be booked in blocks (so there’s no option to sneak in a short and sweet session as a one-off before an exam.)
That said, we did like that the platform offers a ‘free trial’ period, where you can ask for your money back if you don’t think the tutor was a good fit for your learning needs. But with so many tutors available, we think it’s likely that you will find someone who can help you with your language skills.
- Read our full Preply review
7. Club Z!: Best online tutoring service for kids
Exploring the idea of online tutoring, but not sure if it’s the right fit for your student? Turn to Club Z! The service’s flexible programs - with in-home, online, and franchise-based options - can help your student learn outside the classroom. The online tutoring option mimics the in-person tutoring offered by Club Z!, making it a popular and attractive choice for busy parents. Plus, it has a fantastic reputation and is well-known across the country. Though this can be expensive, we recommend that parents look at Club Z! simply for its patient and qualified tutors keen on helping students succeed.
- Read our full Club Z! review
8. Tutor.com: Best online tutoring service for high school students
Backed by The Princeton Review, the go-to source for students planning for higher education, Tutor.com is a good choice for high school students. It has all the subjects high school students could potentially need help in, and right there on the website, you can get help with test prep. While Tutor.com won’t necessarily be everyone’s top choice, it should be for students in military families or students whose parents are offered tutoring packages through other institutions. For students who have a parent in the military, online tutoring through Tutor.com is free, so it’s a no-brainer option. Other students who will be paying full price for the service may see a hefty cost, but will benefit from a very generous money back guarantee, known on the site as the Good Grades guarantee, even though it’s relatively restrictive.
- Read our full Tutor.com review
Why trust us for online tutoring
We realize the experience you have with online tutoring comes down to the effectiveness of the individual tutor that you’re working with. But because we can’t find the single most amazing tutor online from thousands of online profiles, the best that we can do is evaluate the platforms that host them. We compared pricing and payment plans to find you the best deal on tutoring services. We’ve also made sure the services we recommend offer support and are easy to contact if you encounter any problems.
Choosing an Online Tutoring service
Accreditation
We think the best sites are those that hire their tutors based on their credentials, like Skooli or MindLaunch. You’ll want to find someone with teaching and tutoring experience before entering a session. You’ll also want to check out the safety and privacy policy of the tutoring service in order to protect both you and your students and to manage your payment options securely. It’s also worth it to check to see if the site you’re using has a guarantee that protects you from having to pay for a bad first session with a tutor.
Features
There’s a lot of technology that makes sharing information easier than ever. That said, even the most cutting-edge tutoring suites require some patience and know-how to use. Make sure you use the free trials and the demo learning suite tools to make the most of your experience before signing up for a certain number of minutes or entering into a payment plan.
Scheduling
If you’re looking for help with a problem immediately, you’ll want to use the drop-in tutoring features of Chegg and TutorMe, another peer-to-peer tutoring service. These sites’ employment standards aren’t as high as others, but if you’re in a time crunch or low on funds, these are good go-tos. If you have a bit more time or need more involved help, you can schedule ahead with someone who has more teaching experience on sites like Skooli, or Mindlaunch, another site that requires teaching credentials before hiring.
Payment
You’ll want to watch for payment plans that require you to pay a lot upfront. Though pay-as-you-go plans tend to be a bit more expensive than purchasing a package of hours, it might be worth it to use this option to make sure you’re happy with the service and your tutor.