How to start a tutoring business

How to start a tutoring business, step by step

1. 01

   Pick one subject and level

   "Tutoring" is too broad to sell. "Algebra 1 for ninth graders", "SAT math", "AP Chemistry" and "reading for kindergarten to third grade" are things a parent searches for at 10 p.m. before a test. Start with the subject you know cold and the age group you're comfortable teaching.

   Write down what a student can do after working with you: pass the unit test, raise a practice score, read at grade level by spring. Parents buy that outcome, and it gives you a way to show progress.

2. 02

   Choose online, in person or groups

   Online tutoring widens your market to any time zone and cuts travel. In-person tutoring at the student's home or a library suits younger kids and parents who want to see you. Small groups of three or four lower the price per student while raising what you earn per hour.

   For online sessions, Zoom's free Basic plan caps meetings at 40 minutes, which is too short for most lessons. Zoom Pro costs $16.99 a month, or $14.16 a month billed annually. Add a shared whiteboard and a document camera or tablet for math.

3. 03

   Sell packages, not single hours

   A single session invites cancellations. Sell packages: eight weekly sessions for a unit, or a twelve-session test prep course that ends the week before the exam. Packages commit the family, fill your calendar in advance, and let you plan the lessons as a sequence.

   Put a clear cancellation rule in writing, such as 24 hours' notice or the session counts. Offer a short first session at a lower price so a student and parent can decide whether you're the right fit before buying a package.

4. 04

   Have background checks ready

   Parents trust you with their child, often alone in their home or in a private video call. Schools and tutoring platforms may run their own checks, and parents may ask to see one before the first session. Know how your state handles fingerprinting for people who work with children.

   If you grow into a tutoring company, screen every tutor you hire. Checkr's background check packages start at $29.99 per report for a basic criminal search, with broader searches at $59.99 and $94.99.

5. 05

   Start on Wyzant, then go direct

   A marketplace like Wyzant brings you students who are already searching, but it keeps part of every lesson. Wyzant keeps a 25% platform fee, so you take home 75% of your posted rate, and students pay a 9% service fee on top. For students you refer yourself, you keep 100% of your rate.

   Use the marketplace to collect your first reviews. Then send new families to your own site, where they buy packages directly and you keep the full price.

6. 06

   Build a site parents can book from

   Your site needs your subjects and grade levels, your format, your packages with prices, your background and qualifications, results from past students, reviews, and a booking calendar for the first session. Replo builds that site from a description of your tutoring and puts it live on your own domain.

   Replo doesn't schedule sessions or run lessons. Embed a Calendly or Cal.com calendar for trial sessions. Replo checkout can sell a fixed-price package, like eight sessions of SAT math, in USD, so families pay before the first lesson.

7. 07

   Track progress and ask for referrals

   After every session, send the parent two lines: what you covered and what to practice. Before each package ends, show the progress against the goal you set at the start, using a quiz score, a test grade or a reading level.

   Then ask for a review and a referral. Parents talk to other parents in the same class, team and group chat, and one strong result in a class can bring more students from it.

What it costs to start a tutoring business

What it costs to tutor online from home and take bookings on your own site. Start on Zoom's free plan for short sessions to cut the monthly cost.

Your first 30 days

1. Week 1

   Pick the subject and format

   • Choose one subject, one level and one outcome you can promise.
   • Decide on online, in person or small groups for your first students.
   • Write two session packages and a 24-hour cancellation rule.
   • Set up Zoom, a whiteboard and a calendar for trial sessions.

2. Week 2

   Get listed and launch

   • Create a Wyzant profile with your subject, rate and a clear photo.
   • Launch your site with packages, qualifications and a trial booking calendar.
   • Tell teachers, coaches and parents you know which subject you tutor.

3. Week 3

   Teach the first students

   • Run trial sessions and offer each family a package at the end.
   • Set a measurable goal with every student in the first lesson.
   • Send parents a two-line summary after every session.

4. Week 4

   Show results, get referrals

   • Share each student's progress against the goal you set together.
   • Ask happy parents for a review on your site and on Wyzant.
   • Ask every family to pass your name to one classmate's parent.

Build your tutoring site

Frequently asked questions

Is tutoring a profitable business?

Yes, because your costs are tiny. Online tutoring needs a video plan, a calendar and a domain, about $14 to $27 a month in our table. Most of what a family pays is yours, especially on direct bookings that skip marketplace fees.

How much does it cost to start a tutoring company?

About $11 up front and $14 to $27 a month to tutor online yourself. A company that hires tutors adds a background check for each hire, from $29.99 per report at Checkr, plus payroll and insurance costs.

Is $30 an hour good for tutoring?

It depends on where you book it. On Wyzant, the 25% platform fee leaves you $22.50 from a $30 lesson. Booked directly through your own site, you keep the $30 minus card fees, which is why moving repeat families off the marketplace matters.

Do I need an LLC to be a tutor?

No. You can tutor as a sole proprietor and get a free EIN from the IRS for your bank account and tax forms. Consider an LLC when you hire other tutors or sign contracts with schools, since it separates business debts from your own.

Is AI replacing tutors?

Not the part families pay most for. AI tools can explain a concept, but a tutor notices when a student is stuck, keeps them accountable week after week, and reports progress to parents. Use AI to make practice problems faster and spend sessions on the student.