What do you need to teach English online?
Most online English teaching companies ask for some combination of five things: fluency in English, a bachelor's degree in any subject, a TEFL certificate of at least 120 hours, some experience with learners, and a stable internet connection with a headset and webcam. Very few require all five, and requirements vary sharply between companies.
Last updated 29 September 2026.
Teaching English online is a genuinely global job. The ability to work remotely, set your own hours and get paid to teach your own language has made it a realistic income for thousands of people. There are a great many companies that will hire you. The hard part is working out which one fits you, and this guide is here to help with that.
How current are these figures? Read this first.
This guide was first published in May 2020. The pay figures below come from that original research unless a company's entry says otherwise. Online teaching pay and entry requirements change often, so treat every figure here as indicative and confirm the current terms on the company's own site before you apply.
Re-checked on 29 September 2026
- VIPKID: live and recruiting. Its own page now states $14–$22 per hour, rising to $15.60–$28.40 including incentives. The figure below has been updated to match.
- GoGoKid: live and recruiting. Pay figure not re-sourced.
- Cambly: live and recruiting. Cambly no longer publishes a per-minute rate on its main tutor page, so the rate below is from 2020 and should be confirmed at sign-up.
- italki, Preply, AmazingTalker, 51Talk, Lingoda and Englishunt: live, with commission rates, entry requirements or starting pay corrected below.
- Removed: DaDa ABC, First Future, WaijiaoYi and Qkids, which have closed, stopped hiring teachers outside China, or could not be confirmed as operating.
Pay figures marked as 2020 have not been re-verified, because those companies do not publish an official rate. Where a company's requirements or pay have changed since, the company's own site is the authority, not this page.
What are the requirements for teaching English online?
Teaching English online is not a one-size-fits-all job. Because demand for English teachers is high, companies set very different entry requirements. Most ask for some or all of the following:
- Fluency in English. Many companies prefer or require native speakers, and some specify particular nationalities for visa or market reasons.
- A bachelor's degree, usually in any subject.
- A TEFL certificate. A 120-hour course is the usual minimum where one is asked for.
- Some prior experience, especially for roles working with children.
- A stable internet connection and equipment: a headset, a microphone and a webcam.
That is not an exhaustive list, but it gives you the shape of what is needed. Although companies rarely state it outright, you will generally earn more the more qualified you are, and you will have more options open to you. Qualifications widen the field; they do not guarantee a rate.
Do I need to be a native speaker?
Being a non-native speaker is not necessarily a barrier to teaching English online, though it does narrow the list of companies open to you. As with any job, you need to show you are the right person for it.
Non-native speakers often underrate their own position. You are bilingual, and you have learned English as a second language from scratch, which means you understand the process your students are going through in a way a native speaker may not. Native speakers learned the language intuitively from birth and frequently cannot explain why a rule works. You can.
The important thing to remember is that native speakers do not automatically make better English teachers. Do not let it stop you applying.
Do I need a degree or a TEFL qualification?
A degree is not always required, though some companies do ask for a bachelor's in any subject. A TEFL qualification is not always essential either, but it helps considerably.
Generally, the more qualified you are, the higher your earning potential. A teacher with a degree, a TEFL certificate and classroom experience will usually sit in the higher pay bracket. Without those, you will typically start nearer the bottom of the scale. Not having them does not rule you out of online teaching altogether.
Companies hiring native English speakers
MagicEars
With MagicEars you teach young learners aged 4 to 12. A TEFL certification is required. You do not necessarily need a completed bachelor's degree, but you must at least be studying for one, and being a native speaker from the United States or Canada is a strict requirement. Classes can have up to four students at once.
Earnings: $20–$26 per hour (2020 figure, not re-verified)
Worth knowing: parents book a class rather than an individual teacher, and the system assigns the child to a teacher. Useful if you are worried about filling a timetable with regulars.
VIPKID
Based in Beijing, VIPKID pairs you with Chinese children aged 4 to 12 for one-to-one lessons. You must be a native speaker from the United States or Canada with at least two years of experience working with children. A bachelor's degree is needed; a TEFL certificate is not. Contracts run for a minimum of six months, but you can work as much or as little as you like within that.
Earnings: $14–$22 per hour, or $15.60–$28.40 including incentives (VIPKID's own published figures, checked 29 September 2026)
Worth knowing: lesson planning is done for you.
ALO7
To teach with ALO7 you must be a native speaker from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada or Australia. A bachelor's degree and TEFL certification are required and experience is preferred. Students are aged 5 to 18.
Earnings: $15–$22 per hour (2020 figure, not re-verified)
Worth knowing: ALO7 runs both one-to-one and group classes, so the work varies week to week.
Fluentify
Fluentify requires native-speaker status, a bachelor's degree and TEFL certification. Experience is essential: two or more years, including online teaching and work with adults. A business background is preferred. It is selective, historically accepting around 10 percent of applicants.
Earnings: roughly $23–$24 per hour, structured as €10 per 30-minute session plus bonuses (2020 figure, not re-verified)
Worth knowing: Fluentify focuses on speaking practice for business professionals, so it suits teachers who want adults only.
Others hiring native speakers
| Company | Earnings (2020 figures unless stated) | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| iTutorGroup | $8–$20 | iTutorGroup provides the lessons. It has one of the widest learner ranges, from children to retired adults. |
| Englishunt | $16+ (Englishunt's own site, checked September 2026) | One of the harder companies to join: degree, TEFL and experience all required, US citizens only. Englishunt also offers freelance writing, voice recording and essay marking. |
| GoGoKid | $14–$25 | GoGoKid pays on a credit-score system, so performance raises your rate. Degree and TEFL required, experience preferred. Confirmed live and recruiting, 29 September 2026. |
| Kaifu English | $10–$18 | Students sit a placement test with Kaifu English, so you know the level in advance. North American, British and Australian accents preferred. |
| 51Talk (Hawo) | $18–$22 | 51Talk now asks for a four-year bachelor's degree and a neutral accent, with ESL experience preferred. |
| Lingoda | $8–$13 | Lingoda supplies all materials and runs lessons on Zoom. It now asks for C2-level language, a teaching certificate and two to three years of teaching experience. |
Companies hiring non-native English speakers
italki
On italki you can teach both adults and children, which suits teachers who want flexibility. Teachers set their own prices, and italki takes a commission of between 15 and 21 percent on most lessons. Native speakers are preferred, but a C2 level of English is generally enough to get started.
Earnings: $10+ per hour (2020 figure, not re-verified)
Worth knowing: italki is not limited to English. If you are a non-native English speaker who is a native speaker of another language, you can teach that too.
Palfish
Palfish is open to non-native speakers and has one of the quickest onboarding processes. You set your own rates and can earn more with more qualifications. Learners vary in age, though most are young. The Palfish site is in Chinese, so you will need translation to navigate it.
Earnings: $10–$18 per hour (2020 figure, not re-verified)
Worth knowing: adding qualifications unlocks more Palfish programs to teach.
AmazingTalker
AmazingTalker hires non-native speakers and has some of the most relaxed entry requirements. Lessons run 25 or 50 minutes, teachers set their own rates, and you prepare your own lessons. AmazingTalker takes a commission that starts at 30 percent and falls as your monthly earnings rise. A TEFL certificate is preferred rather than required, but previous English teaching experience matters.
Earnings: $18+ per hour, with its top 10 percent of teachers historically earning $18–$76 (2020 figures, not re-verified)
Worth knowing: because teachers set rates on AmazingTalker, the earning ceiling is unusually high for those who build a reputation.
Companies that do not require a degree
Engoo (formerly Bibo Global Opportunity)
Engoo has one of the most relaxed entry standards of any company on this list, which makes it a realistic starting point for non-native speakers. The pay is modest, which is what you would expect where no degree, TEFL or experience is required.
Earnings: $6+ per hour (2020 figure, not re-verified)
Worth knowing: Engoo asks only for proficiency in English and the right equipment.
Cambly
Cambly has flexible arrangements and low entry requirements. No experience is necessary, though you do need to be a native speaker. Pay was historically calculated per minute of teaching.
Earnings: $10.20+ per hour, paid at $0.17 per minute (2020 figure; Cambly no longer publishes a per-minute rate, so confirm at sign-up)
Worth knowing: Cambly learners come from all over the world, which makes the teaching varied. Confirmed live and recruiting, 29 September 2026.
Preply
Preply lets you set your own lesson price, then takes commission from your earnings. It keeps 100 percent of every trial lesson with a new student, then 33 percent of later lessons, falling to 18 percent as your teaching hours build up. No degree or TEFL is required, which makes it a common starting point.
Earnings: $15+ per hour before commission (2020 figure, not re-verified)
Worth knowing: the commission taper on Preply rewards sticking with the platform rather than dipping in and out.
Ginseng English
Ginseng English suits teachers who want adults and a curriculum. Unlike most companies here, you are not teaching one-to-one. You teach a class of students from around the world against a set course. Experience and qualifications are viewed favorably but are not required.
Earnings: $10–$15 per hour (2020 figure, not re-verified)
Worth knowing: Ginseng English is a good fit if you would rather not teach children.
Made up your mind?
You do not have to decide yet. Hopefully this guide has given you a clearer idea of what to expect when you apply to online English teaching companies, and where your own qualifications and circumstances fit.
Teaching English online is hard work. Speaking English does not by itself make you a good teacher. That takes practice and training. But it is among the most rewarding jobs you can do remotely, and the connection you build with learners across the world is the part almost every teacher says they did not expect.
Before you apply anywhere, check the company's current requirements and pay on its own site. This guide points you in the right direction; the company's own page is the authority.
