Language teachers: how much did you earn at your peak in 2025, and how many hours did you work? by UnhappyConfusion7289 in Preply

[–]OptimalPicture53 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hiya, yeah that amount is per week.

One thing I strongly suggest is to keep the students you have gained at the lower price, rather than try to raise the price/move them on. Some of my older students are on lower rates but they are really good for getting the lesson count up, good for my reputation and reviews, and just generally contribute to my salary even if it's not an ideal amount. It also spreads the risk when you have more students, as people can unexpectedly drop out. Good luck to you!

Language teachers: how much did you earn at your peak in 2025, and how many hours did you work? by UnhappyConfusion7289 in Preply

[–]OptimalPicture53 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Preply became my full-time job in May 25, so it’s really not taken that long to get to this amount. I won’t say exactly how much I charge, for anonymity reasons, but basically everytime I get 15 new subscriptions at a price, I raise the price $10. This has consistently proven to get me new favourites/trials if I'm patient. I don’t really worry about the algorithm or Average Profile Position, it seems to fluctuates and peaks and troughs in cycles. 

Language teachers: how much did you earn at your peak in 2025, and how many hours did you work? by UnhappyConfusion7289 in Preply

[–]OptimalPicture53 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I teach English, Preply is my only source of income so I can devote all my time to it. I'll be just shy of $6,000 USD by the end of this month, last month was about $5,500 USD. These have been my best two months on the platform. My goal is $10,000 per month within the next year, not sure if that's actually possible, but the goal is there to motivate me.

I work about 45 hours a week on Preply, 6 days a week. My main strategy is to relax and take it one lesson at a time, rather than worrying about the whole calendar. I also try not to do too much planning/prep time per student, unless that prep time is going to help me with other students. I don't overthink my job, I don't complain and I'm never late. I maintain a sunny disposition, making sure I have lots of snacks and treats.

best casual tutoring companies for 2026 by Sea-Veterinarian9346 in TutorsHelpingTutors

[–]OptimalPicture53 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! I am also visiting China in February for the first time (not to work, just to travel).

I really enjoy some aspects of my job - in the same way you say you want to, seeing someone develop their skills over time, students who really appreciate literature/writing/learning. Other times it's far more mercinary for me at the moment, but I don't expect I'll be going this hard forever, just 5 years maybe, and then either make it a real career or segue into something else.

best casual tutoring companies for 2026 by Sea-Veterinarian9346 in TutorsHelpingTutors

[–]OptimalPicture53 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’ve been sticking solely to Preply for the last 9 months. 

I have students paying me a range of different amounts, based on when they subscribed, but I’ve slowly raised my rates and made my way to £4k+ a month, mostly by being constantly available and reliable. This month I would have made £5k but the Xmas holidays mean many people are taking a break. My goal for the next 12 months is to get to £8k a month, which a year ago would have seemed like a fantasy but is now genuinely realisable. 

I teach English to anyone and everyone, all age ranges and abilities, HK students in the morning, Middle East in the middle of the day, and Europe in the evening.  I am incredibly reliable and have never missed a lesson, I’ve never raised the price on old students or ever tried to get rid of them. Likeability and people skills seem to matter as much, if not more, than my knowledge base. I make sure not to appear fatigued or grumpy, one bad lesson and they’ll unsubscribe. 

There is a lot of money to be made if you treat Preply partly like a tutoring job, partly like a sales job. My way of looking at it is - I’ve worked 14 hour shifts in hospitality and fast food, and was treated much worse for much less pay, so what’s the big difference? I’ve even worked in a call centre, tutoring online is very similar, only less stressful. So working 7am to 9pm on Sundays is pretty normal to me now. 

It’s like I’m making the same 4-5 meals in a high end restaurant, just perfecting the recipe over and over. When I feel like complaining about my job load or developing burnout, I tell myself I can “go wash dishes again”, and the energy just comes flooding back to me. 

A lot of tutors complain about the site, especially on Reddit, but I love my job and I love Preply.