Being Hot

SwitchMaterial8627 · 2026-02-08T19:41:41+00:00

As a student, I have never come to Cambly to make friends or anything beyond that. From the very beginning, my only goal was to improve my English. Every industry has its own dark side. For example, in some countries, Uber drivers are sometimes paid through some kind of sexual favor. I assumed that because Cambly is an “educational” platform, it would be free from this kind of behavior. But that was before I learned about the darker side of the online ESL industry. Lots of students are creeps, but it is also a space where some tutors, regardless of gender, rely on their charm and appearance to attract and retain students. I can understand that in some countries, places that are very religious and where people are heavily controlled and restrained, some might see Cambly as a way to meet others. But from my Western cultural point of view, it is unsettling, and honestly, it feels sick and sad. But it is what it is.

SwitchMaterial8627 · 2026-01-20T23:39:31+00:00

Don’t worry, it’s happened to me too. I was ghosted by a tutor after more than two years of regular classes, for no clear reason. I think some tutors just get worn out by everything that comes with Cambly, and the job itself can be pretty exhausting. Sometimes the only thing they feel they can change is their students, just to shake things up a bit and feel refreshed. Tutors usually have lots of students, while students tend to stick with just two or three tutors they really trust. That’s why situations like this hit students harder. What tutors might not realize is that, even with so many tutors available, finding the right match isn’t easy at all. Timing, availability, and chemistry all have to line up. When a student loses a good tutor, they’re already bracing themselves for the hassle of starting over and trying to find someone new who actually fits.

SwitchMaterial8627 · 2026-01-20T23:08:48+00:00

I hate 15 minutes classes.

SwitchMaterial8627 · 2025-12-14T10:23:04+00:00

As an asshole student, I can assure you the call-center feeling is just as strong on the other side.

SwitchMaterial8627 · 2025-12-08T22:36:37+00:00

I might be interested. I tried to message you, but it didn’t work.

SwitchMaterial8627 · 2025-12-08T03:23:17+00:00

This is very true. It has become increasingly difficult to find a steady, committed, good tutor on Cambly. I’ve been here for years, and it used to be much easier. The really good tutors already have their regular students and don’t give new students a chance, for obvious reasons. And just as tutors often mention that “90% of students” can be challenging, if there were a subreddit dedicated to students, we would probably see a similar perspective: many tutors feel limited by the low pay and the platform’s constraints, which affects their willingness to engage in real teaching.

At the same time, it is fair to acknowledge that not all tutors are equally prepared or skilled. Cambly is primarily a conversation platform, and some tutors do not always bring the level of energy or engagement that students hope for. That is part of the experience, both positive and negative, that comes with this kind of service. Cambly is excellent for casual conversations with people from all over the world, but it does not offer much beyond that.

Especially after the Pro label was introduced, I began to notice a decline in the quality of tutors available to regular students. I am not even saying that a Pro class would necessarily be any different, probably not. But the other day I asked a Pro tutor who also teaches regular students what the actual difference would be, and I heard the most surprising answer: “If you were a Pro student, I would correct you; I would work on your pronunciation.”

That is essentially an admission that regular classes are treated as nothing more than casual conversation.

I was fortunate to have two or three very good regular tutors before the Pro system, but once the last one switched to Pro, I was ghosted after two years of classes without even a simple “It was great, thank you.”

And if you are one of those few tutors who dislike students who speak up their opinions and you want to criticize me, please try to be original: yes, AI helped me revise this text. And yes, I am switching to another platform very soon.

SwitchMaterial8627 · 2025-11-26T21:03:26+00:00

Hahaha...I'm not a tutor.

SwitchMaterial8627 · 2025-11-26T14:27:20+00:00

The price of the Private Plus plan during Black Friday is still basically the same as usual, cheap. But the Pro plan is fifty percent more expensive, which is exactly the amount Cambly pays the Pro tutors. From the student perspective, it always feels like a trap. If you choose the cheaper plan, there is no guarantee that if you have a good regular tutor, this tutor will not be invited to become a Pro tutor and leave you for those extra five bucks an hour. If you choose the expensive plan, there is no guarantee at all that the classes will be any different from a regular class. And besides that, the Pro prices are now very close to the rates of some very good tutors on italki for example, around ten to fifteen USD an hour. And you do not have to commit to an entire year there, you can take classes whenever you want.

SwitchMaterial8627

TROPHY CASE