12 Best Websites to Teach Languages Online and Make Money

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Are you a globetrotter looking for a way to work remotely? Or searching for a side hustle you can do from the comforts of your own home? Or perhaps, you have a passion for languages and teaching. If you answered yes to any of these questions, then it’s time for you to teach languages online!

Being an online language tutor isn’t easy. Like any teaching job, it has its challenges. But it can be rewarding and a lot of fun, too. The demand for online language teachers has been increasing because more people want to learn a second or third language for various reasons.

If you’re interested in teaching and looking for extra income, this is an opportunity you should not miss.

Why should you teach a language online?

You may have been toying with the idea for quite some time but you’re not entirely sure if being an online language tutor is for you. Here are some perks, if you’re still on the fence about it.

You can teach something you already know. What is your native language? Whether you’re a native English, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, or Korean speaker, your native tongue already gives you an advantage. You can be eligible for online language teaching jobs, provided you can prove your proficiency.

Also read: 14 Fulfilling Jobs for Polyglots

No commuting! Much of our time is wasted on the road and in traffic. With virtual jobs, you don’t have to worry about this.

You can work remotely. All you need is a laptop and a stable internet connection, and you’re set!

You can set your hours. Most websites that let you teach languages online also let you set your own teaching schedule. You can work in the morning if that’s what you prefer, or work in the evenings if you’d like to. You can work as much or as little as you want. This job is as flexible as it gets.

You can set your rates. First-timers may have to set lower rates but as you gain more experience, you can set higher rates and earn more. It’s a great way to get paid doing what you love and using the skills you already have to help others.

Now that we’ve identified the perks of being an online language teacher, it’s time to check out your options. Note that we also have another article on websites where you can teach English online, even without a degree!

Websites to teach languages online with no certification or degree

1. Preply

Preply is a popular site if you wish to teach languages online. It has over 100,000 active language learners every year. However, the site also offers lessons on different subjects and hobbies.

As a Preply tutor, you can set your hours. Earnings depend on the hourly rate you set and some tutors average more than $3500 per month in lesson payouts.

Note: Preply is currently hiring tutors all over the world for languages such as German, Dutch, English, French, Korean and Japanese. Don’t wait, sign up now.

Languages you can teach:

Preply has over 100 subjects, including languages. Popular languages include:

• English
• Spanish
• French
• Italian
• Chinese
• Russian
• Arabic
• German
• Japanese

Requirements:

• Teaching experience is recommended but not required
• Must be fluent or a native speaker of the language you wish to teach
• Reliable internet connection, quality camera and microphone

2. Italki

Italki boasts over 10,000 teachers, 5 million learners (no shortage of students!), and hundreds of languages taught via one-on-one lessons.

There are two types of teaching profiles on Italki – professional teacher or community tutor. Each applicant can choose only one teacher type. Professional teachers are trained educators who have extensive teaching experience. But in this article, we’re focusing on community tutors.

Community tutors can teach general and conversational language lessons. They only need to have native fluency in the language they wish to teach. They set their own rates, from a minimum of $4 per lesson.

Languages you can teach:

Italki offers over 130 languages but not all languages are open for applications. You can view the updated list here.

Requirements:

• Must be 18 years old or older
• 1-3 minute introduction video
• Native or C2 level in your teaching language(s)

3. Verbalplanet

Listing over 30 foreign languages, Verbalplanet is one of the biggest platforms for those who want to teach languages online.

As an online language tutor on Verbalplanet, you have full control of your hours and lesson rates. The platform itself is free to use and there’s no membership fee. You also get to keep 100% of what you earn.

Languages you can teach:

• English
• Spanish
• French
• Italian
• German
• Chinese
• Japanese
• Russian
• and more

Requirements:

• Accomplished tutor profile
• Identify the languages you wish to teach and your rate per lesson.
• Language teaching qualifications and experience are not particularly required but may help you get approved faster.

4. Cambly

One of the best websites to teach English is Cambly.

While you’ll be limited to English, the awesome thing about this reputable site is that it doesn’t require TEFL or TESOL certifications. It also doesn’t ask for any teaching certificate, bachelor’s degree, or teaching experience.

With Cambly, you can start tutoring at any time of the day that fits your schedule. You can work as little or as much as you want. No minimum hours!

What Cambly requires is native or near-native fluency in English, as well as a reliable computer and internet connection. It also doesn’t pay as high as the others on this list ($10.20/hour on Cambly and $12.00/hour on Cambly Kids but it’s great for absolute teaching newbies.

Languages you can teach: English only, but you can specialize based on student needs (e.g., English fluency, business English, exam preparation, etc.)

Requirements:

• Accomplished profile and application form
• Native or near-native fluency in English
• Teaching device and reliable internet connection

5. MyLingoTrip

MyLingoTrip is an online language school that lets learners schedule private, one-on-one lessons via Skype. Lessons for two are also available.

The site currently offers 12 languages. Each lesson is scheduled to last 60 minutes.

Using MyLingoTrip as a tutor is completely free. Teachers invoice their students directly for their lesson fees using PayPal or an alternative invoicing service, which means you can receive payment electronically from your students regardless of currency.

Languages you can teach:

• English
• French
• German
• Italian
• Spanish
• Greek
• Swedish
• Dutch
• Russian
• Japanese
• Korean
• Chinese

Requirements:

• A love for teaching languages
• Must enjoy working with international students
• Must be a native speaker of the language you want to teach
• You feel comfortable speaking English if you want to teach a non-English language
• Basic computer skills

Websites to teach languages online with a certification or degree

6. Verbling

Verbling is one of the most popular websites for those looking to teach languages online. It also has one of the largest international communities, which means you get to teach students from all over the world.

All private lessons are done via Verbling Video, its own video chat technology. Teachers can set their hourly rates, which they can cash out anytime through PayPal, TransferWise, Payoneer, or Verbling Credit. You can also teach full-time, part-time, or just occasionally.

Languages you can teach:

Verbling allows you to teach over 60 languages online. However, teachers can teach only one language so you’ll have to decide which one to choose before applying. Some of the most popular languages on the site include:

• English
• French
• Spanish
• Japanese
• Mandarin Chinese
• Italian
• Portuguese

Requirements:

• Previous experience teaching your target language. A reference letter or any other proof of relevant teaching experience is required.
• A formal teaching certificate will increase your chances of admission
• Must be a native speaker or C2 level in the language you wish to teach

7. Lingoda

Lingoda specializes in group sessions of 3-5 students but also offers private sessions.

The website stands out for its flexibility as teachers can book both long-term (months in advance) and short-term (hours in advance). This allows you to have a flexible schedule that supports a busy lifestyle.

There’s also no minimum workload required. The in-house designed materials also help minimize class preparation. Classes are done via Zoom.

Languages you can teach:

• English
• German
• French
• Spanish

Requirements:

• C2 or above fluency level of the language you would like to teach
• A certificate to teach your chosen language as a foreign language
• At least 2-3 years of teaching experience
• Must be comfortable speaking English

8. VivaLing

Created by a team of language and education enthusiasts, the VivaLing Academy is perfect for kid lovers who want to teach languages online. It offers language courses for kids 3 to 15 years old.

It also offers business language courses, exam preparation courses, and conversation courses for adults.

Your skills in child management, language teaching, and online teaching, as well as your character, will be reviewed during the recruitment process. Onboarding includes online language teaching training and teaching practice.

Languages you can teach:

• Mandarin
• English
• Spanish
• German
• French

Requirements:

• Native level of the language you want to teach
• A minimum of two years of experience working full-time with children or adults
• A teaching certificate and/or an educational degree in the language you teach (minimum 120 hours)
• High-quality computer and stable internet connection
• At least 12 hours over 4 days of availability per week during after-school hours in Europe and on weekends

9. Live Lingua

If you want to teach and earn money online, Live Lingua is also a great option. It offers live language lessons with native-speaking teachers.

Students are connected to their ideal tutor after a quick learning style quiz that determines their learning goals, preferred accent, and fluency level.

After submitting the application via their website, you will be asked to also take a quiz. Your quiz results will be used to match you to students based on their learning style.

Languages you can teach:

• Spanish
• English
• French
• Portuguese
• German
• Italian
• Japanese

Requirements:

• Must be a native speaker of the language you would like to teach
• Experience learning a second language
• At least two years of experience teaching languages to foreigners
• Have a university degree in teaching your chosen language as a second language
• Have access to a good computer with both a microphone and a camera, along with a reliable internet connection
• Love for teaching

Websites that require previous teaching experience

10. Wyzant

Wyzant differs from others on this list in that it offers both online and in-person tutoring. However, the site is open to only US residents.

There are a variety of languages you can teach (as well as other subjects) and you can set your own rates. Tutors retain 75% of their posted hourly rate for lessons with students, while Wyzant retains 25% platform fee.

Certifications and teaching experience are not explicitly required but preferred. On the online application, you’re encouraged to be detailed and provide relevant teaching experience, degrees, licenses, educational history, rate, and travel radius for in-person lessons.

Languages you can teach:

• English
• French
• Spanish
• Italian
• German
• Chinese
• Arabic
• Japanese
• Russian
• Portuguese
• and more!

Requirements:

• Complete application form
• Must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. resident, and possess a valid Social Security number
• Some teaching experience

11. Lingoci

If you want to teach Swedish or teach Dutch, Lingoci is one of the few language learning websites that offer these courses.

This online platform connects language learners with experienced, native tutors with lessons that are fun, personalized, and effective.

What’s great about Lingoci is that it sends your earnings directly to your bank account when possible so you won’t lose a percentage of your income to PayPal fees or currency exchange fees.

Languages you can teach:

• Spanish
• French
• German
• Italian
• Japanese
• Swedish
• Dutch

Requirements:

• Native speaker. But if you are a German tutor, they may be able to consider your application if you possess a C2 or native level of the language.
• Online teaching experience
• A formal teaching certificate will increase your chances of success, but is not required
• English fluency level above B1
• Reliable internet connection and technology for online classes

12. AmazingTalker

If you wish to teach languages online without worrying about how to get students, AmazingTalker is a great platform.

The site boasts 80 languages and subjects and over 500,000 learners, making it one of the most popular language-learning websites. Want to teach Arabic? Looking to teach Vietnamese or Indonesian? You can with AmazingTalker!

Teachers can set their own hours, own rates, and tap into a variety of training resources. All tutors are paid on a monthly basis. You can also join teacher’s groups within the site and get support in dealing with the common challenges of online tutors.

Languages you can teach:

• English
• Japanese
• Chinese
• Korean
• German
• Spanish
• French
• Indonesian
• Italian
• and more

Requirements:

• Must either be a native speaker or have a degree in the language you wish to teach
• Experience in 1-on-1 language tutoring or related classroom experience
• Ability to create your own lesson plan

Tips on how to teach languages online

So you’ve decided that you want to teach a foreign language online. What now? How do you actually start?

Identify your motivation

Why did you decide to teach languages online? Are you teaching to earn money for your future travels? Or to connect with other language learners? Maybe you’ve learned a second language and you want to teach it to others so you can retain your knowledge.

These are all valid reasons that you can keep in mind to stay motivated.

Choose the language(s) you’ll teach

You can teach your native language but if you wish to teach other foreign languages, that’s also fine. You can teach Spanish or teach French if you feel proficient enough in these languages.

Check if you meet the qualifications

Some websites require their online language tutors to have a degree, language certifications, or teaching experience. Do check these details before applying.

That said, having certifications will definitely give you an edge when applying for online teaching jobs. If you plan to teach English long-term, signing up for TEFL courses is highly recommended, and the same goes for other languages.

Know how much to charge

How much do foreign language teachers make? You’re probably most curious about this.

How much you charge for teaching languages online will depend on your qualifications, experience, and whether you can satisfy your students. You can set lower rates at first and then increase your rates as you gain more experience and good reviews.

Consider tutoring for free at first

To build experience, that is. If you’re a newbie, getting experience is a great way to build confidence and thus, be able to charge more. You can take volunteer gigs as a tutor or maybe even round up a few students whom you can teach online.

Prepare for classes and customize

It’s not enough that you know the language. It’s not even enough that you’ve taught it in the classroom.

Teaching languages online is a different story and would take more creativity and patience. Students also learn differently. Some learn more effectively when you make them read or write. Others like listening and speaking. Customize your lessons for different types of learners.

Make sure you have the required technology

Websites use different video platforms but all require high-speed internet connection, camera, and a high-quality headset.

There you have it! We hope this list of sites will encourage you to teach languages online. After all, it’s not just a way for you to earn extra income. Helping others learn a foreign language is also a noble job!

Now, if you’re a Korean or Japanese speaker, look into these dedicated guides for teaching your language online.