How to set the prices for my online classes?

You finally decide to embark on the adventure of online teaching, that's great news! If you are passionate about teaching, this may be a big experience for you. It's a challenge but it's also an amazing opportunity to branch out and explore new horizons. 

Become an online teacher now 

The problem you may be facing now is: how much should you charge for an hour of class? This is not easy, you do not want to be above the average because you still want to get students booking your classes. You also don't want to come short either because you need to make a profit. Here are some useful pieces of advice to know how to price your online course.

A few factors to take into account

There are several variables you must consider in order to charge the right price for your distance course.

• The subject

First, taking the time to choose the subjects you are going to teach is essential. It might seem obvious but in reality, it is not always the case. You must pick ONE area in which you are an expert.

Let’s say, for example, that you are studying engineering at university. In this case, the best would be to teach sciences, such as mathematics or physics, because it is an area you truly master. Thanks to this knowledge certified by a degree, you will have the possibility to offer your classes for a higher price. Students will tend to pay more if they see you are an expert and you can really help them to improve their level in the subject. To sum up, giving value to your degree and skills is very important.

• The experience

The second variable to take into account is your experience with the subject and with teaching. This criterion will have a major influence on a private tutor’s salary. In the same way as the expertise, the experience reassures students who ready to invest money in their classes. If you have more experience in teaching, you will be more confident and trustworthy in the classroom.

This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to have 5 years of experience as a teacher. The important thing is that you are passionate about education and you have fun during the lessons with your students. This is normally what it takes for them to keep choosing you. If you are starting, check out this post about all you need to know about online tutoring 

And although experience is an important part of your profile, don't let your humble beginnings drag you down. You have to start somewhere. If it's your first time, try setting a realistic price and be really open with your students about what you can offer. 

• The level

Besides, you also have to look at the level of the subject you would like to teach. There is a difference between a university teacher and a homework support teacher. It's the same with languages. According to your level, you will be able to teach students at an advanced level, C1-C2, or beginners, A2-B2. Obviously, the higher the level, the higher the price you can charge because it is assumed the lesson preparations are longer as well.

• The preparation time

Finally, the price can change according to the amount of time spent preparing the classes. If a class requires you to create exercises or to do research for instance, then you can charge a little more than if you are able to arrive in the classroom without any preparation. In fact, the teacher’s work, even beforehand, must be represented somehow.

Moreover, the more prepared a course is, the better the quality. Therefore, it is obvious that the price is going to change. But the preparation time not only depends on the teacher and its investment but also on the subject and the level taught as well. Some topics require less work than others.

In the end, however, it's all about taking the jump and having faith in your abilities to teach. Years and years of experience and a fancy title do not compensate for a lack of passion. If you want to teach, there's nothing preventing you from becoming a great online tutor. 

Do your own research on the market

To set the right price for your online private classes, beware of the market that you are about to join. Make some research, take a good look at the prices other teachers are setting for their lessons, and after all of this is done, choose your price. Being aware of what works in this particular market will help you avoid setting a price too high. 

Once you considered the different factors, keep in mind that teaching online allows you to save time between two classes and to save money because you do not have to commute. These time and money savings should be included in your pricing.

Moreover, offering your services on the Internet means that students from all around the world will be able to get access to it. The average prices applied in your region may not correspond to the ones in another region of the world. Let’s say you live in England, if you set your price according to the costs of private tutoring in your country, it may be too high for students from Spain, for example.

Therefore, you must do your own research not only in the country you live in but internationally as well to have an idea of the average price in the world. This is important especially if you teach a language as you might have students coming from all over the world. 

Offers and discounts

On Classgap, the students can book hours of class individually or pack of 5 or 10 hours with the same teacher. Of course, if a student buys 10 classes with you, he is really committed to going all the way up the 10 hours. Thus, the odds of keeping this pupil for a long time are higher. 

It is advisable to set different prices for each pack with a difference of 3 to 4 euros/dollars/pounds. You should charge less money for a pack of 5-10 classes than for an individual class. This is the best way to encourage students to book more hours with you in the long run. And it helps you have a steady income for a couple of weeks at least. Here's an example:

It is, therefore, more profitable to sell a pack, which also enables you to strengthen the loyalty of your students more easily. In addition, you can personalize the price of the classes for a very loyal student you have been working with for a while already. 

However, we do not recommend you to drop your prices.  If your prices are too low, the work you put into the preparation of your courses is not well represented. In the long run, this strategy is not sustainable, neither for you nor for other teachers because you make the students believe the prices of the classes with another teacher are too high, which may not be the case.

Average rates applied on the online tutoring platform Classgap

You will find in this table below the average prices for online private lessons for the subjects with the most supply and demand on the platform. We hope to give you a rough idea of the rates you can suggest.

Nevertheless, we will always be able to find teachers charging a lot more or a lot less. Classgap is an international platform and you can find students and teachers from all around the world. The prices you might see can, therefore, depend on the purchasing power of the teacher’s country. For instance, a teacher living in the US might set higher prices than the average. 

Get the word out about your classes

Once you've set the prices for your classes, it's time to let other people know. Being a new tutor is sometimes hard because you have to compete with other more senior teachers on the platform. Good marketing is the key to advance quickly in the field. And how can you make students know you better? 

• Social Media: take advantage of Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn and let your peers know you are teaching on Classgap. Encourage them to like, share, retweet... It's a great way to reach potential students in a fun and engaging format. Make sure to link your post to your profile and explain what you are going to be teaching and how. 
• Promoted teacher: this is a helpful option that you can do from the start. Classgap offers what it's called "promoted teacher". It's a way to help new tutors find a space for promotion. You pay a price and you instantly appear in the first positions in the tutors' list. Additionally, you get the lowest commission and you receive a list of potential students. 
• Good ratings: once you've done a few lessons, you will notice that your ratings help you get more students. At the end of your classes, encourage your pupils to leave a good review about your lessons. This is the most organic way to achieve a good status on the platform. 

So, are you ready to be the best online teacher on the platform? Start online tutoring now.