Most people don’t avoid teaching online for extra income because they don’t have anything to teach.
They avoid it because the internet makes it feel like you need to become a “course creator” overnight, build an audience from scratch, and somehow record a perfect class in your bedroom with zero awkwardness.
Meanwhile, real life is happening. You’ve got a job, responsibilities, and a limited amount of energy to spend after work.
So here’s the honest version:
Teaching online can be a great way to earn extra income. But it only works smoothly when you choose the right path for the kind of time and attention you actually have.
Some teaching models pay you quickly but require you to show up live. Others take longer to build, but can earn repeatedly. Some platforms bring you students. Others give you control but expect you to bring traffic.
This guide breaks it down so you can pick the route that fits you, start without overbuilding, and avoid the common traps that make people quit early.
First: “Teaching Online” Isn’t One Thing
When people say “I teach online,” they could mean four totally different thing.
● They might be tutoring students one-on-one after work.
● Teaching small group classes on weekends.
● Have a course on a marketplace that sells occasionally.
● Or they might sell their own teaching products from a store they control.
All these are valid. They just work differently, and they require different levels of promotion, setup, and patience.
Once you understand that, the whole topic becomes less confusing.
The Platforms That Actually Work (Grouped by How You Get Paid)
Tutoring marketplaces (you teach 1:1; the platform helps you find students)
These are best when you want straightforward weekly income, and you’re okay with platform rules and fees.
Preply
Preply is one of the biggest tutoring marketplaces, especially for languages. The most important detail is the fee model: Preply takes 100% of your first trial lesson with each new student, then takes a commission on future lessons that generally ranges 18%–33% depending on how many lifetime hours you’ve taught.
What that means is simple: the “trial lesson” is the cost of acquiring a student. If you can keep students long-term, it can work very well.
Cambly
Cambly / Cambly Kids is more conversational. It’s beginner-friendly because you’re often helping people practice English rather than teaching formal lessons. Pay is straightforward but generally lower than premium tutoring.
This is best for people who want simplicity and flexible hours more than high rates.
Wyzant
Wyzant is strong for academic tutoring, especially in the U.S. You set your own rate, and the platform keeps a 25% fee, meaning you keep 75% of what you charge.
This works well if you can tutor something in demand (math, science, writing, test prep) and want pricing control.
Class-based platforms (you teach small groups; you can earn more per hour)
Great if you can teach confidently and want higher leverage than 1:1.
Outschool
Outschool lets you create and run live online classes, mostly for kids. Teachers receive 70% of the class price (Outschool’s fee is 30%).
This model can be surprisingly powerful because one class can pay better than one-on-one tutoring — but you do need a clear class topic, structure, and the ability to run live sessions.
Course marketplaces (you upload a course; the platform sells it to its audience)
Best if you want “build once, sell many times,” but you’re competing in a crowded marketplace, so topic choice matters.
Udemy
Udemy has a huge built-in audience. The tradeoff is that your revenue depends on how the sale happens (Udemy discovery vs your own promo), and subscription-style programs depend on engagement.
Udemy works best when you teach a practical, searchable skill that solves a clear problem.
Skillshare
Skillshare pays based on member engagement/watch time, and they’ve added eligibility requirements. Starting in 2026, teachers need at least 50 followers to qualify for royalty payouts.
Skillshare tends to fit creatives and project-based teaching better than long, heavy courses.
Personal store platforms (you keep control; you bring traffic)
Best if you want ownership: pricing, branding, customer list, and long-term stability. The tradeoff is: you’re responsible for getting traffic.
Teachable
Teachable is a popular “sell your course” platform. Their pricing includes a Starter plan with a 7.5% transaction fee, while higher tiers can have 0% platform transaction fees (payment processor fees still apply).
It’s a great fit if you can send people from social media, a blog, YouTube, or email.
Podia
Podia is simpler and beginner-friendly. Podia states the Mover plan has a 5% transaction fee, while the Shaker plan has no Podia transaction fee (again, payment processor fees still apply).
This is great if you want a clean setup without over-engineering your business.
╰┈➤ Also Read: 25 Best Side Hustle Ideas for a 9-5 Worker
What Actually Works (In Real Life) — Choose a Model That Matches Your Goal
If you need money sooner, tutoring and group classes are the most reliable starting points because you can earn as soon as you get students.
If you want something that can earn repeatedly later, courses and your own store are the long-term play — but they require patience and a plan for getting attention.
A lot of smart people do this in stages: they tutor first, learn what students struggle with, then turn that into a course or product later. That approach keeps you earning while you build.
What to Teach (Even If You Don’t Feel “Expert Enough”)
This is where people overthink.
You don’t need to be the world’s top expert. All you need is to help someone get a result.
Think of it like this: you’re not selling knowledge. You’re selling a smoother path.
If you can help someone move from confused to clear, stuck to moving, beginner to confident — you can teach.
That can be languages, school subjects, job interview prep, writing, Excel, Canva, Notion, basic bookkeeping, study habits, or any skill you can explain clearly.
Clarity beats credentials in most beginner-friendly teaching markets.
What to Avoid (So You Don’t Waste Weeks)
The biggest trap is building too much before you’ve been paid even once.
People spend weeks recording a course, designing logos, writing sales pages… and then realize no one wanted that version of the topic.
A better move is to earn your first dollars quickly — tutoring, running a small class, or teaching a tight mini-topic. Then build bigger once you know what people actually ask for.
Another trap is pricing too low for too long. Low pricing can help you get traction, but staying cheap turns teaching into burnout.
And finally, don’t depend on one platform forever. Platforms are great for starting, but long-term stability comes from ownership: repeat students, an email list, a clear offer, and a system you control.
Final Thoughts
Teaching online for extra income works — but it works best when you stop treating it like one big vague idea and start treating it like a model you can choose.
Tutoring pays faster. Group classes pay more per hour. Marketplaces help you get discovered. Your own store helps you build an asset.
Pick the path that fits your schedule and personality, start smaller than you think you need to, and focus on getting your first proof of demand.
Because once you’ve been paid for teaching even once, you stop wondering if it’s possible.
And you start building from something real.
