Is Tutorful worth it for tutors?
Tutorful's commission is straightforward, which makes the decision unusually easy to model: work out what you keep, then work out what you would have to charge a private client to end up in the same place.
Quick answer
Tutorful takes roughly 25% of your advertised hourly rate, so you keep about 75%. A 30 pound lesson pays you around 22.50, and a 35 pound listing returns somewhere near 21 to 26 depending on the specifics. Commission continues for as long as you teach that student through the platform instead of stopping after the first lesson. The useful way to judge it is to work out what you would need to charge a privately found student to match your Tutorful take-home, then ask whether you could realistically fill those hours yourself. For most tutors the answer is yes eventually and no this term. That gap is what the platform is for.
What you keep, and the private rate that matches it
| Your listed rate | You keep, about | Private rate to match | Difference to the student |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 18.75 | 18.75 | Student pays 6.25 less |
| 30 | 22.50 | 22.50 | Student pays 7.50 less |
| 40 | 30.00 | 30.00 | Student pays 10 less |
| 55 | 41.25 | 41.25 | Student pays 13.75 less |
Step-by-step
- 1
Work out your real hourly take-home
Take your listed rate and multiply by 0.75. That's what actually reaches you, and the figure to compare against any other use of the hour. Tutors who quote their listed rate when describing what they earn are overstating it by a third.
- 2
Price the listing, not your take-home
This sounds obvious and is routinely got wrong. If you want 30 pounds an hour, you need to list at 40, not 30. Setting your listed rate at the number you want in your pocket means quietly taking a 25% pay cut. Tutors do it constantly.
- 3
Understand that commission does not stop
Unlike marketplaces that charge a one-off new-client fee, platform commission on tutoring typically continues for the life of the relationship. A weekly student for three terms is thirty-plus lessons, all at 75%. That is not an argument against using it, but it does mean a long-running student is where the cost concentrates.
- 4
Judge it on whether you could fill the hour yourself
The honest test is not whether 25% is high. It is whether that hour would otherwise be empty. A tutor with a waiting list is paying 25% for something they did not need; a tutor with three free evenings is buying students at a price that compares well with any advertising they could run instead.
- 5
Build the direct channel for the long run
The tutors who do best treat the platform as a way to fill a new timetable and their own reputation as the way to keep it full. Parents recommend tutors to other parents constantly, and those referrals arrive commission-free. A simple site with your subjects, levels and availability is what makes you findable when a parent asks around and someone gives them your name.
Tips & best practices
- List at your target rate divided by 0.75. Wanting 30 an hour means listing at 40.
- Exam-level and specialist subjects support materially higher rates than general primary support. Check what comparable tutors in your subject list at before setting yours.
- Commission runs for the life of the student, so the platform suits filling gaps better than carrying your whole timetable.
Common questions
How much commission does Tutorful take?
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Around 25% of your advertised hourly rate, so you keep roughly 75%. A 30 pound lesson returns about 22.50 to you.
Do I pay commission on every lesson?
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Yes, for as long as you teach that student through the platform. It is not a one-off finder's fee, which is the main difference from marketplaces that charge only on a first booking.
What should I list my rate as?
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Divide the hourly figure you actually want by 0.75. To take home 30 pounds, list at 40. Listing at the amount you want to earn is how tutors accidentally give themselves a 25% pay cut.
Is Tutorful worth it for a new tutor?
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Usually yes. With no reviews and no referrals, 25% to reach parents actively searching is a reasonable trade, and the platform handles payment and scheduling while you build a reputation.
Can I take students off the platform?
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Platform terms generally prohibit moving an introduced student off-platform, and doing so risks removal. The sustainable route is building your own separate pipeline rather than converting students you were introduced to.