Note: This article was written prior to the 2021 ESL laws in China. You can find updated information below.
I have been teaching with the “big orange”, VIPKID, for a few years now. Many teachers absolutely love this company! However, there are plenty of alternatives if the VIPKID life isn’t for you, you don’t have a degree, or would like to teach something other than English as a second language. Here are some teaching alternatives to VIPKID, what they pay, and how to apply!
GogoKid
GogoKid has been dissolved as of summer 2021
GoGoKid is another Chinese-based ESL company that is very similar to VIPKID. I have taught with GogoKid and personally did not like it as much as VIPKID. However, many ESL teachers find more success teaching with GogoKid over VIPKID, or using a combination of the two!
GogoKid’s base pay ranges from $7 to $10 per 25-minute 1:1 class. However, GogoKid uses a credit score system to provide raises every month based on attendance, parent reviews, and the number of classes you teach every month. A teacher with the highest credit score can make up to $25 an hour. You can create your own schedule, but peak hours are from 12am-9am and 9pm-11:30 EST.
Applicants must be a resident of the US or Canada and have a bachelor’s degree, although it does not have to be in English or teaching (I have mine in Biopsychology). You must also have a year’s experience working with children, such as tutoring, babysitting, teaching, etc. GogoKid is a great alternative to VIPKID, but is a very similar company.
Outschool
Outschool is run VERY differently than many of the other companies listed, and you are not limited to teaching English. With Outschool, teachers create their own courses on any topic and Outschool does the advertising for you. There are classes ranging from math and English skills, cooking, various clubs, and even D&D sessions for kids. You create your courses, set the price, and limit the age range to who you would like to teach. For example, my most popular class is Rabbit Club, where up to 9 students, ages 7 to 12, create new treats, toys, and crafts each week with other rabbit owners. It’s so much fun!
Having a Halloween Party during my Rabbit Club Outschool class!
Outschool takes 30% of your earnings instead of having teachers pay each month to use their platform. Classes are taught over Zoom and are available to learners aged 4 to 18. Teachers do NOT need to have a college degree but need to have a good deal of knowledge over the topics they will be teaching.
Unlike GogoKid and VIPKID, Outschool offers its classes to students all over the world. As of now (February 2021), most of the students live in the United States. You can easily create your own schedule without crazy early mornings or late nights like Chinese-based companies! However, teachers must be a resident of the US or Canada to apply.
Cambly and Cambly Kids
Cambly
Cambly is an ESL site that teaches adults all over the world English. You can choose to either teach actual lessons, help with resumes and school work, or simply chat to someone in English. I have chatted with people all over the world on Cambly who were just looking to improve their English through conversation!
Cambly allows you to set your own schedule, as there are always learners online looking for tutors at any time during the day. You can just log in and teach when you have time!
Cambly tutors earn $0.17 a minute, or roughly $10.20 an hour with Cambly. It’s a great option for extra income when you have the time.
Cambly Kids
Cambly also offers special classes for kids that are set up similarly to other ESL programs like VIPKID and GogoKid. These classes are $0.20 a minute or $12 an hour, but typically last for 30 minutes. Like Cambly for adults, there is not a specific peak time for Cambly Kids, and you can teach at any time of the day!
You do not need a degree or experience to teach with Cambly or Cambly Kids; you only need to be a native English speaker! This is an excellent option for those who need more experience before getting a higher paid ESL job online and can be one of the best alternatives to VIPKID for beginner ESL teachers.
iTalki
iTalki is another language learning site where you tutor 1:1. However, you can teach any language! Learners on iTalki are adults looking to improve their foreign language skills, including English. There are two levels: professional teacher and community tutor. Professional teachers need a bachelor’s degree and/or a teacher’s license. Community tutors only need to be fluent in a spoken language.
Tutors and teachers on iTalki set their own rates and their own schedules. If you speak a language, you can teach on iTalki!
Magic Ears
Using fun props is super important when teaching ESL to kids!
Magic Ears is no longer accepting applicants and will be dissolved by the end of 2022
Magic Ears is another Chinese ESL company but is newer than VIPKID and GogoKid and a bit more rigorous in their application process. Applicants need to have a Bachelor’s degree, hold a 120-hour ESL certification, and experience teaching children. Magic Ears pays up to $26 an hour and classes are 1:4 instead of 1:1. Magic Ears also assigns teachers instead of allowing parents to choose. This means that you are more likely to be fully booked, but you may not have regular students every week. Peak times are between 7am and 9am EST daily, and 9pm to 10:30pm EST on Saturdays and Sundays. Overall, Magic Ears runs very similarly to VIPKID, and may be an excellent alternative.
I have not taught with Magic Ears, but have heard good things about the company!
Chegg
If teaching ESL isn’t your thing, Chegg is a tutoring website that would be an excellent alternative to VIPKID. You can browse questions within your field that students have posted to help them work through, or tutor over video chat. For video tutoring sessions, Chegg pays $20 an hour. However, many of the students on the platform are high school and college students with limited funds, so don’t expect to tutor a single student for an hour.
Chegg is excellent for students because you don’t need a college degree. However, I have read that the platform is very saturated with tutors fighting for hours right now. This can be a great opportunity for extra income, especially if you’re knowledgeable in a less popular field, but I wouldn’t depend on it as your sole income.
Studypool
Studypool is similar to Chegg. It’s another platform that offers homework help to high school and college students online. Students post questions they need help with in a variety of different subjects, and you apply as a tutor to help. Students choose their tutors. Students also post the rate they can afford, so you know upfront what you will earn for answering their questions.
Studypool is another great option for extra income if you love to teach and tutor in subjects other than English. To become a tutor, you need to either currently be a college student or have a bachelor’s degree. You can earn on your own schedule with no hour commitments. Studypool will pay after a $50USD threshold has been met via Paypal.
There are over 10,000 questions posted daily on Studypool, so you can definitely earn some extra pocket change with this site! The top tutors on Studypool make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, making Studypool one of the best alternatives to VIPKID if you want a different type of teaching gig.
I hope some of these alternatives to VIPKID help you earn some extra income! There are plenty to choose from with varying subjects, times, and requirements to become a teacher. Please send me a message if you have any questions!
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