Earn Money by Teaching English Online (with and without a TEFL)

Earning money online by Teaching English is a great way to work anywhere, on your own time, and thankfully you can do so with or without a TEFL.

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While there are some advantages to getting your TEFL certificate, as it will likely make you more confident teaching English online and, in some cases, more employable, both options are available to you.

When I did a TEFL course in 2017 – that stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language – I had the plan to teach English in schools abroad. Thankfully although I changed my plans and did a WHV in Australia instead, I found a fantastic new way to utilise my TEFL by teaching adult English conversation online. This has proved a great way to earn money while living abroad in places such as Malaysia and Thailand.

After losing a new job due to a pesky lockdown (who hasn’t amirite?), my TEFL course has again proved useful.

What do online teaching websites look for in a new tutor?

Requirements vary, and there is likely an English online programme for everyone. However, do your research before committing to becoming a tutor to make sure it’s the right job for you.

It will be easier to be accepted as an online tutor on some websites if you have a degree – a BA degree in any subject would be fine. However, some websites accept tutors without a degree, including Cambly, which I outline below. Obviously, if you have previous teaching experience, it’s a bonus, although I’ve never seen it as a requirement. Most websites welcome beginners.

Most high-paying English tutor jobs do require a TEFL.

Don’t want a TEFL? Scroll down to my section on Teaching English online without a TEFL certificate.

You will also need a headset, laptop or desktop  (with the exception of PalFish Freetalk below) and a great WiFi connection. Plus, it obviously helps if you enjoy speaking to new people. 

Please note many online English teaching companies prefer native English speakers. Some companies prefer American or Canadian accents, while a few websites accept any nationality as long as you speak in fluent English.

What can you earn teaching English online?

With a TEFL Course, you can expect to earn around 15USD – 25USD an hour. (Experienced tutors can charge even more.)

Without a TEFL Course, you’re looking at earning about half that at around 10USD+. However, the advantage is a very chilled-out workflow and no lesson planning required. Perfect for nervous teachers.

Scroll down to learn more about these options and websites you can apply to.

But first off…

Which is the best TEFL course?

There are many TEFL certification companies to choose from, so shop around when selecting your TEFL course. Choosing a recognised, accredited course is the most important thing to be aware of. Some short courses and budget courses do not actually provide recognised certificates. This is particularly important if you want to join high-paying TEFL jobs or teach abroad in the future, so be careful about which company you choose.

Get your TEFL certificate with The TEFL Academy.

The TEFL Academy is an Award-Winning TEFL provider, often regarded as the best in the industry! The TEFL Academy is also where I did my own TEFL course with them, so I can vouch for them. Their course made me feel confident to teach English online and also helped me get real online TEFL jobs!

In October 2022, The TEFL Academy is currently offering up to 60% cost of TEFL courses, so this is the best time to sign up!

The TEFL Academy also offers fantastic top-up courses, teaching business English or teaching English one-on-one online.

But to get you started, one of their official TEFL courses is the best way to get started on your journey. Whether you want a full TEFL diploma or an initial TEFL certificate to get started, The TEFL Academy offers fully accredited and recognised courses.

This means you’ll be able to teach anywhere in the world or online! Most importantly, their in-depth studies don’t skip out on the essential rules of Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

Get your TEFL certificate with TEFL.ie

My second recommendation for where to get your TEFL certificate is TEFL.ie  (The TEFL Institute of Ireland) for 4 reasons:

• They have glowing reviews (usually 5*)
• They have multiple course options, including a specific online teaching specialism
• You can learn online
• They offered my readers a 20% discount.

The best-accredited course option (well-respected and good salary options) is probably the 120-hour Premier TEFL course. Thankfully if you’re stuck at home right now, you can access the full course online.

After this course, you should have all the knowledge and tools to teach English as a foreign language online or in a school.

If you’ve already got your TEFL course but are feeling overwhelmed by teaching online, they also have this 30-hour Teaching English Online Specialism TEFL course.

Get a 20% discount off any TEFL.ie course
with the discount code UPSKILL20.

Good luck, and let me know how it goes!

Teaching English Online with a TEFL

The benefits of teaching online with a TEFL are:

• flexible hours
• you can work from anywhere in the world
• working from home
• a reasonable pay rate of around 20 USD an hour (16GBP, 18 Euro, 32AUD)
• more likely to get hired on ANY English tutoring website

If you’re feeling nervous about your first job teaching English online, check out these top TEFL teaching tips, helpfully provided by the experts from The TEFL Academy.

How to get accepted as a tutor on a Teaching English online website:

First of all, research the company (at least read the About Me page) and put effort into your application. The first part of setting up a profile is very straightforward, but try to sell yourself.

Secondly, you will have to do a Video Interview. These are usually ‘pretend’ lessons lasting a few minutes. There will be no child present, and you can practise beforehand. Usually, you can record it more than once to make sure you’re happy before sending it on. You will also receive lesson slides in advance so you can plan exactly what to say!

Don’t be scared of your video interview! Usually, there is no one present, and you pre-record it. The worst-case scenario is that someone watches it and deletes it. In the best-case scenario, you have a new awesome job!

Watch examples on YouTube of successful video interviews for your website of choice. Each website has its own requirements, so watching a couple of their mock lessons online first will help you feel confident, especially as each interview has the same lesson slides, so you can’t get caught out.

Make props (you can use a puppet or cuddly toy) so your lessons are more interactive.

Make a colourful background (such as hanging a map or animal pictures) so it looks like a more professional classroom.

PALFISH – great for first-time teachers

Most native speakers can apply.

PalFish is one of the few options where you can apply from the United States, Canada, the UK and Ireland, New Zealand or Australia. They are also one of the few companies where you don’t need a degree.

PalFish is a good option for first-time teachers because you can sign up and do ‘Free Talk’ while waiting for your interview for the ‘Official Kid’s Course’. With FreeTalk, you just chat over the phone to students from China over a mobile app (just voice calls) so it’s perfect for first-time tutors.

Pay rate for Palfish FreeTalk:

Set your own rate from 1.5 RMB per minute, which works out to around 12.70USD per hour. However, PalFish takes a 20% cut so experienced teachers tend to charge closer to 5RMB per minute. Not bad for just chatting on the phone! (Once a student asked me to teach her for only 0.6RMB a minute… I respectfully declined.)

Tip: the conversation ideas I give for Cambly below will apply to PalFish FreeTalk too!

Meanwhile, you can apply to the Palfish Official Kid’s Course. With this high-paying option, you get given clear lesson plans and teach young children in China. So far, I’ve not signed up to the Official Kid’s Course because I am scared of young children (lol seriously) so please let me know how you go!

However, I have used FreeTalk intermittently for several months. It’s been great when I didn’t have access to my laptop or a bright working environment.

Download the app to start chatting on PalFish FreeTalk directly on your phone – please use my invitation code 90907039, if you sign up. Thanks, guys.

Pay rate for Palfish Offical Kids Course:

A minimum of 50 RMB (8 USD) per 25-minute class plus bonuses. Bonuses include 5 RMB if you’re not late and an extra 5 RMB per class each time you get promoted to a higher teaching level.

Sign up for PalFish Official Kid’s Course here

You need to sign up to PAYONEER to get paid with PalFish.
Get an extra 25USD when signing up by using my refer a friend code.

English First

Applicants from UK and USA only.

This highly regarded school has English classrooms all around the globe, but you can teach online with them too. A bonus of this platform is that you don’t need any props or toys; like PalFish, you will be provided with lesson materials.

However, unlike PalFish, English First is more competitive, and you must actually be based within the UK or USA.

The web support from EF is probably amongst the best on this list – I recommend them as the company is well known for its reliability and great teaching quality. You will have a flexible schedule and be able to work from home.

Pay rate for English First

They pay from 13-20USD an hour and transfer the money straight into your bank account.

Apply to English First Online here.

Another popular website for online English teachers with a TEFL is also Dada. Their acceptance rate is only 3%, but I know a first-time teacher who was accepted. They pay $14.50-23 per hour. (Update Jan 2024: Dada is not currently hiring.)

How to Teach English Online without a TEFL

If you don’t have a TEFL, you can still earn money working from home by helping others practise their English conversation.

TEACH ENGLISH ONLINE WITH CAMBLY

Personally, I use Cambly for this purpose even though I did complete an accredited course. While the pay is low (10.22 USD an hour), the hours are totally flexible, and the form of teaching is so informal that it’s more like chatting with friends.

I find it interesting speaking to people from all over the world, especially as I travel solo so much. (Not to mention that teaching English online is definitely one of the best travel jobs available!)

You can sign up for Cambly here.

Earn Money Online with Priority Hours on Cambly

Sign up for’ Priority Hours’ to make the most out of Cambly. When you sign up to a priority hour, Cambly ‘pushes your profile’ forward, so you’re more likely to get calls.

This is very advantageous for new users as you won’t have any regular students. Also, even if no one calls for the full 60-minutes, you will still get paid for 15 minutes (though this has NEVER happened to me, haha).

While you’re waiting for calls, you can just scroll the internet. Easy peasy.

If you do choose to use Cambly, please use my referral link. This costs you nothing but gives me a small bonus if you enjoy it and complete 10 priority hours.

Ideas for Conversation Topics for chatting on Cambly:

Most of my ‘students’ have been from China, Japan, South Korea or The Middle East, but I’ve also had students from countries such as Brazil. It’s fascinating to learn first-hand about their countries and the individual’s interests.

Honestly? At the moment, everyone just seems to want to talk about the current global crisis, but it’s a good reminder of our global community rather than feeling overly stark.

Tip: Use a fake name or surname so students can’t find your social media accounts.

Are you worried about thinking on your feet? This website is a fantastic resource jam-packed with conversation topics and questions, just in case you get stuck.

The website is particularly useful for students studying for their IELTS. IELTS are English-speaking exams foreign students must pass to attend an English-speaking university, so occasionally, you will get a student who’d like to practise for this. Don’t worry; it’s friendly and easy, and you can use questions from this resource.

I begin all my Cambly lessons by saying:

‘Hi, I’m Cassie; I’m from England. Where are you from?’ I then asked them if they would like to practise any specific topic today. 99% of the time, they say no! I ask them where they live, work, interests, and hobbies. As I’ve travelled a lot, I ask if they’ve visited any other countries. Finding a common ground makes the conversation run smoothly.

On the rare occasion I get younger students (12+), I ask them about their family, hobbies, favourite subjects at school and their pets.

Setting up your Cambly profile

Setting up your initial profile on Cambly is very simple. You can still mention your TEFL certificate, any teaching experience or degree if you have them. Otherwise, just add all the relevant details and write a description about yourself.

In your profile description, you could write about your hobbies, interests and countries you have visited.

You also need to add a video introduction! Don’t be phased out by this; it’s pretty simple. I just used my laptop webcam. Make sure you have good light (film in the daytime in a bright room) and speak clearly, using your headset microphone if you have one.

There are many Cambly introduction examples on Youtube and on the application form itself. My intro was 90-seconds, and I just wore a plain t-shirt with a plain wall behind me. I made sure to speak clearly and tried to seem friendly and approachable.

You can talk about where you’re from, your interests and the countries you’ve travelled to. You could also reference your ‘teaching style’. For example, I said something like, ‘I am a friendly and patient teacher who likes to put even the most nervous students at ease. I hope all my students finish our class with a smile on their faces and feel inspired and confident about their progress.’

You can sign up for Cambly here.

TEACH ENGLISH ONLINE WITH VIPKID

Candidates from the USA and Canada only!

You don’t need a TEFL, but you do need a degree to teach online with VIPKid.

VIPKid is another popular online English teaching website. Although flexible, it is possible to have a more concrete structure for your weekly workload and get solidly booked in advance. This is a pro or a con depending on what you’re looking for.

It should be easy to get clients with VIPKid as parents are keen to find tutors for their children. Your students are based in China. You will be given clear lesson slides for each class, so you don’t have to worry about coming up with conversation topics.

Pay rate for VIPKid tutors:

14-22 USD an hour, all incentives included.

You can sign up for VIPKid here. (This is my friend Erika’s referral link, who has successfully taught English full-time online with VIPKid for several months.)

A similar website to VIPKid is QKid, which has a pay rate of up to 20 USD and a similar setup. However, with QKid, you actually have to be located in the US or Canada (rather than just a resident).

Good luck, and let me know how it goes!