Struggling with your studies and thinking about getting a tutor? Not sure what your options are or which tutoring service is best for you? Here’s everything you need to know about tutoring services, including options, costs and tips for success.

Jump to:

• How to choose a tutor: Type | Environment | Curriculum | Credentials | Cost
• Where to find a tutor: 5 ways to find the right tutor | 35+ tutoring services
• Tips for tutoring success: 10 tutoring success tips | 20 questions to ask tutors

How to choose a tutor

Start by determining what your ideal tutoring experience looks like. Consider the type of tutoring you need, your preferred tutoring environment, curriculum, tutor credentials and cost.

Tutoring type

“In general, there are four types of tutoring: content specific, test preparation, skills specific and homework help,” says Craig Selinger, owner and learning specialist at New York City-based Themba Tutors. “The differences between the four are based on the tutor’s academic and professional training in these areas. Homework help requires the least amount of expertise/training, while teaching specific developmental skills requires a higher level of background knowledge, training and experience.”

Compare these options to identify which type of tutoring is best for you.

General/homework help

Best if you need (or your child needs) help in multiple subject areas or you’re struggling to complete homework. Tutors who offer general homework help are often more affordable than those who specialize in specific subjects, but they don’t necessarily have the training required to teach advanced subjects.

Unlike other types of tutoring, which are typically ongoing, many companies offer one-time homework help to assist students on demand.

Read Also: The Ultimate Homework Help Guide

Subject specific (content specific)

Best if you’re seeking help in a specific subject area. Content specific tutors typically hold subject degrees, so they’re well-versed in the nuances of advanced subjects like physics and math.

Test prep

Best if you need help preparing for an exam, including the ACT, SAT, NCLEX, MCAT or LSAT. A test prep tutor can help you earn higher scores with study strategies, test taking advice and practice exams.

Skills specific

Best if you need to bolster overall skills rather than specific subject grades. Examples include reading, writing, organization and study skills.

Rather than focus on rote learning, skills specific tutors help students enhance their executive functioning; in other words, the skills they need to be better students. Because of that, some refer to themselves as academic coaches rather than tutors.

“There are tutors that specialize in specific subjects, some who are more generalists, some that focus on supporting students with learning differences and others who are academic coaches and help students learn the executive function and academic skills needed to be more successful in school,” says Lesley Martin, founder and academic success coach at Class Tracker.

Environment

It’s important to choose a tutoring environment conducive to your learning style.

Private tutoring

One-to-one private tutoring is individualized for your specific needs. Sessions take place online, in-home or another location (like the tutor’s home, a local library or a coffee shop).

“Private tutoring allows personalized instruction where you are the focus,” says John Manison, owner of Apex Tutors in Los Angeles. “However, the disadvantage is sometimes it can make you feel singled out and alone because you don’t get to participate with others who need the same help.”

Options include independent tutors and companies that offer private tutoring.

Group tutoring

Group tutoring is typically cheaper than private tutoring since there are multiple students per tutor. Though group tutoring lacks the personalized attention of private tutoring, Manison says tutoring centers usually employ quality tutors so you get a standardized experience.

“Group tutoring is great for allowing students to riff off each other and learn from each other,” he says. “Sometimes, however, tutoring centers can be stuck in their ways and don’t adapt to students’ needs as much.”

Antonio Cruz, a mentor at Ivy Scholars, says a typical group tutoring session consists of the tutor and up to 5 students, who are encouraged to collaborate with one another – a benefit they can’t get from one-on-one tutoring.

Though group tutoring has benefits, LA Tutors 123 co-owner and program director Eric Kim says one-on-one tutoring is typically preferred.

“You can tailor the curriculum and teaching style exactly to one student rather than having to accommodate two different students’ needs,” Kim says. “Working in a group may be cheaper for the individual, but this also means your lessons are less efficient and one of the students is either bored or left behind.”

Independent tutors VS tutoring companies

You also need to decide whether you want to work with an independent tutor or a tutoring company.

Michelle Smallwood, owner of Tutor Doctor Lakeway in Austin, TX, says one advantage to independent tutors is they are often teachers, so you might already know them. That familiarity might facilitate progress, especially if your tutor already understands your challenges and learning style.

Independent tutors also tend to be more affordable, since they don’t have the overhead tutoring companies do, but their schedules and student capacities are limited.

You’ll likely find more options for independent tutors who specialize in a single subject, skill, grade level or learning disability. However, that means you could need multiple tutors for different subjects or as you advance your academic career.

Tutoring companies, on the other hand, have multiple tutors who offer a standardized experience if you need help in a different subject or move on to the next grade. If your tutor quits, you’ll have an instant replacement.

Having multiple tutors in-house also makes for flexible scheduling, but tutoring companies are often more expensive than independent tutors and they do not always have tutors for every subject.

In addition, it’s important to determine whether you’ll work with the same tutor each session or someone new.

“When companies rotate tutors, the tutor often leaves a short note explaining what they went over in the previous session, but it is difficult to fully capture the nuances of how a child learns in a short note,” says Anna Moss, founder of Mind the Test. “Some students enjoy working with a variety of tutors, but in my experience, the learning process flows much more smoothly when the tutor stays the same.”

In-home VS learning centers

Some companies offer in-home or online tutoring, while others operate at learning centers. Decide which is best for you.

“In-home tutoring has the advantage of allowing a student to be in a safe environment and not on public display as they would be at a center,” John Manison says. “However, unless you find a solid company, in-home tutors can be hit or miss.”

Anna Moss says location is one of the biggest variables in tutoring success. The location should be convenient for the student and distraction-free to foster learning. Some tutoring centers, she says, consist of a single massive room with a lot of distracting noise.

Offline VS online tutoring

Manison says the primary benefit to virtual tutoring is the flexibility to meet any time without leaving your home, though it’s not as hands-on as in-home tutoring.

“The obvious advantage of in-person tutoring is that face-to-face interaction – that ‘human touch’ so to speak,” says Cardinal Education CEO Allen Koh. “It is easier to process lessons and concepts face-to-face with a student.”

Koh says distractions might make online tutoring more difficult for those who lack focus or have learning differences.

However, attitudes about in-person versus virtual tutoring might be shifting in COVID-19’s wake.

“Pre-pandemic, in-person lessons were definitely preferred by most clients, but this past year has proven that the online format can be just as, if not more, effective than in-person tutoring,” says Kim.

Tutoring technology

Kim cites technology advancements like document sharing, screen annotation, session recording and playback as reasons why online tutoring can be as effective as offline – though he echoes Koh’s sentiment that you might be better off with face-to-face tutoring if you struggle to focus.

Heather Krey’s company, Test Prep For Success, operated as a brick-and-mortar tutoring center until the pandemic forced her to go 100% online. She says there are some “wonderful pros” to the online environment like no risk of virus transmission, no travel time and a paperless system.

Cons like interrupted sessions due to poor Internet connections are manageable, she says, but online group tutoring can prove challenging.

“Small group classes have the same pros, but do have a more significant drawback: students tend to turn their microphones on mute and are much less likely to participate in class than when it was in person,” she says. “The classes still work quite well, but I am still working on techniques to get the online kids participating in class.”

Impulse Learning cofounder Tutor Matthew Yekell says he uses tools like screen sharing, drawing pads and visual aids to make his tutoring sessions more interactive than in-person sessions. He adds that virtual tutors are often available on short notice.

“If a student needs last-minute assistance before a test or a paper is due, I can pencil in an additional session into my calendar with online tutoring,” he says.

Curriculum

Decide whether you prefer personalized or programmed curricula.

• Personalized: Customized tutoring for your specific needs, typically offered by private tutors and some tutoring centers when you need skills specific or subject specific tutoring.
• Programmed: Pre-created, standardized tutoring in which every student has the same curricula, often seen with learning centers and test prep tutoring.

Lindsey Wander, founder and CEO at WorldWise Tutoring, says personalized tutoring is more effective and convenient, but also more expensive than programmed tutoring.

“Personalized tutoring can fall into the categories of boutique tutoring or mass tutoring,” she says. “With boutique tutoring, the tutors are high quality, hand-picked and personally matched with the students. With mass tutoring, tutors take an assessment to show mastery (which does not measure their ability to teach it), and then the algorithm matches tutors with students. Obviously, boutique tutoring is more efficient but also pricier.”

Michelle Smallwood says programmed tutoring has benefits like lower costs, greater subject availability and more scheduling options. However, she cautions that pre-made curricula might not align with what students are learning in their classrooms. In addition, struggling students might not speak up to get the help they need in a group setting.

Tutor credentials

Ask about a tutor’s experience before you commit, especially since it can impact pricing. Experienced, credentialed tutors cost more than inexperienced, non-credentialed tutors.

If you need subject or skills specific tutoring, look for a tutor who has formal training in teaching methods and tutoring strategies. Examples include professors, teachers, tutoring centers and some independent tutors.

If you just need a little help with your homework or assistance with general concepts, you might not need to pay for that experience. Instead, you could go with an online homework help service or even a fellow student.

“During my years at veterinary medical school, we had upper-level students tutoring us first and second year vet students,” says Diana Ludwiczak, who operates the blog How I Got Into Veterinary School. “The tutors were in their third and fourth semesters of vet school and held a 4.0 GPA in any of the classes they were tutoring. The veterinary college approved each and every tutor before they held tutoring sessions.”

Tutoring costs

Tutoring costs vary significantly depending on the type of tutor you hire, their experience and specialty, where you live and whether the tutoring will be conducted online or in person.

According to Tutors.com, the average tutoring prices are $25 to $80/hour for private tutors, $25 to $50/hour for online tutors, $45 to $100/hour for test prep tutors and $150 to $200/month for tutoring centers – but those averages don’t tell the whole story.

“The cost of tutoring varies widely, and you don’t always get what you pay for,” says Anna Moss. “Many tutoring companies charge parents over $130 per hour and then turn around and pay their tutors under $20 an hour. Parents think they’re getting an expert tutor worth $130 an hour, but they’re really getting an underpaid, and often inexperienced, employee.”

That doesn’t mean you can’t find a qualified tutor at tutoring companies, though you should ask about your tutor’s credentials before you commit – especially since some companies charge as much as $1,500/hour for specialized test prep tutoring.

“Large companies typically have a lot of support like online question banks and pre-made materials, which can be a real benefit that comes with the higher price tag,” says Joa Ahern-Seronde, cofounder of JEM Achievement.

Amanda Medders Paldao, founder and director of Tri-Ed Tutoring, says you can get lower rates by finding part-time tutors, like teachers who tutor outside of school hours.

“The pro of going with an individual is often a cost savings,” she says. “The pro of finding a tutor through a company is knowing you have a vetted tutor and don’t have to spend the time searching for the right fit. It’s also helpful to work with a company if you need a tutor for multiple subjects or services.”

However, you should also be wary of prices that seem too good to be true, which could mean the tutor is inexperienced and/or underqualified.

“If you find a tutor for less than $50 per hour, you need to ask yourself why the fee is so low,” says Heather Krey, who adds: “If you are financially unable to afford the tutor’s rate, talk to them about it! I offer rate reductions based on financial need and have never turned down a family who has requested one.”

On demand tutoring prices

Prices likewise vary for on demand tutoring. Homework help sites typically offer a limited number of questions plus access to previously answered problems, and cost between $15 and $60 per month.

Chegg Study, for example, costs $14.95/month and comes with up to 20 questions. Course Hero costs $40/month for up to 10 tutor questions, discounted to $10/month if you pay annually. Study.com costs $60/month.

See More Pricing in The Ultimate Homework Help Guide

Other sites charge by the hour or minute. For example, TutorMe plans start at $69/month for up to two hours. Or, pay as you go for $1/minute. Skooli charges $0.82/minute, while The Princeton Review costs $29 to $40 per hour.

5 ways to find the right tutor

Once you’ve identified which type of tutor you need, you can start searching for the perfect fit. Here are five ways to find the best tutor for you.

1. Referrals

Nearly everyone we spoke with said referrals are the best way to find a good tutor. Options include:

• You (or your child’s) professors, teachers and guidance counselors
• Fellow students who do well in school (they might have tutors)
• Parent teacher organizations
• Educational foundations and tutoring associations

“The best way I’ve found to find great tutors is to first ask around your immediate college/school peer group,” says Will Peach, a medical student who offers study tips at WillPeachMD.com. “Oftentimes, by word of mouth, you’ll find the best tutors skilled in your subject who don’t actively advertise their services. I’ve found two excellent tutors this way, both in biochemistry and anatomy.”

Peach says having your colleagues vet and make their own recommendations is immensely valuable for two reasons: “They’re best-placed to understand your subject (and your concerns), and they spend their money ‘road testing’ tutors first. For students (like myself) who are on a budget, this is super useful. It’s an organic, old school way that still works the best.”

You can also ask teachers in your child’s school system, say Aleka Shunk, a New Jersey teacher and part-time tutor who founded Bite Sized Kitchen.

“These are the best tutors to seek out since they are able to communicate easily with their [student’s] teachers, ask how they are teaching something and also see what weaknesses the student has,” Shunk says.

Jennifer Ledwith, owner of Scholar Ready, says word-of-mouth is the best strategy for finding a tutor because the person giving the referral has done business with the tutor, so they can share any positive or negative aspects about working with that tutor.

“A client testimonial is more trustworthy than a tutoring company’s claims,” she says.

Talking with students, parents and other referral sources can also help prepare you for your tutoring sessions, says Anna Moss, since they can give you an idea of what to anticipate regarding workload, teaching style and tutor expectations.

2. Your school

If you’re seeking a tutor for a K-12 child, see if an after-school tutoring program is available or if additional in-school help is available during class time.

If you’re in college, check with your school’s office of academic success, academic support or student services department to see if they can recommend tutors.

“Another strategy is to look at a bulleting board in the department’s office where you want to look for tutoring,” says Ludwiczak. “If you need tutoring in organic chemistry, pay a visit to the chemistry department and you will usually find a bulletin board with tutors on it.”

3. Social media

If you can’t find a direct referral, you can take to social media. For example, you can post a Facebook question seeking tutor recommendations from local students and parents.

4. Online search

Conduct online searches to find both local and online tutors.

If you’re seeking local tutors, try searches like:

• Tutors near me
• Tutors [your city]
• Tutoring service near me
• [Your city] tutoring service

If you prefer an online tutor or a tutoring service that specializes in a specific subject or skill, try searches like:

• Math tutor
• Physics tutor
• Spanish tutor
• Reading tutor
• Special needs tutor
• Online tutoring service
• Homework help
• Instant homework help

You’ll likely get a ton of results, so be sure to thoroughly vet any prospects before you make contact.

“Searching the web can be hit and miss,” says Antonio Cruz. “Sometimes you find excellent tutors, other times, you find people who are far less skilled than they claim to be, or otherwise not worth the price.”

5. Websites and apps

Many websites and apps offer tutor matching and searchable tutor databases (both local and online), including:

• Wyzant
• HeyTutor
• Preply
• Outschool
• Care.com
• Thumbtack

Some sites offer guarantees. For example, Wyzant promises you’ll find the right fit or your first hour is free. Still, you need to exercise due diligence before you hire a tutor on these websites.

“Tutoring is an unregulated industry, so it really is ‘caveat emptor,’ a.k.a. ‘buyer beware,’” says Heather Krey. “You can easily find a tutor by going to services such as Care.com, Thumbtack, Outschool and others, but it is difficult to judge who you will be hiring based on their Internet profile. However you find a potential tutor, it is very important that you ask a ton of questions before you decide to hire.”

35+ tutoring services

Ready to hire a tutor? Here are more than 35 options.

Online tutors

These companies offer ongoing virtual tutoring.

• Impulse Learning
• Mind The Test
• Ivy Scholars
• Lesley Martin
• Tutor Doctor
• Test Prep for Success
• JEM Achievement
• Scholar Ready
• Varsity Tutors
• Wyzant

Local tutors

These individuals and companies offer in-person tutoring. Some also offer virtual tutoring services.

• Apex Tutors (Los Angeles & Colorado)
• Tutors Who Care (Florida)
• Themba Tutors (New York City & Online)
• Tri-Ed Tutoring (Washington, D.C., Virginia & Online)
• Cardinal Education (San Francisco)
• UpNext Learning (New York & Online)
• WorldWise Tutoring (Texas & Chicago)
• LA Tutors 123 (Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York & Online)

You can also search for local tutors on:

• Wyzant
• HeyTutor
• Preply
• Outschool
• Care.com
• Thumbtack
• University Tutor
• Tutors.com

Or see if there’s a learning center franchise in your area (some offer virtual tutoring as well):

• Sylvan Learning
• Kumon
• Mathnasium
• Huntington

On demand tutors

If you’re looking for one-time or on demand tutoring rather than a long-term tutoring relationships, you can get instant homework help and other assistance on these sites.

• Chegg Study
• Study.com
• Smarthinking by Pearson
• Skooli
• The Princeton Review
• TutorMe
• Course Hero

10 tips for tutoring success

Follow these tips to find the right tutor and get the most out of your tutoring sessions.

1. Get a free trial

“The best way to find a tutor is to take advantage of free trials,” says Manison. “Most reputable tutors or tutoring companies should allow you to try out their tutoring services. Sometimes, a company can have a really good tutor who is not a good fit for you. By utilizing a free trial session, you can see if a particular tutor is a good match for you. If they don’t offer a free trial on their website, don’t be afraid to ask. If they say no, move on.”

2. Give your child a say

If you’re seeking a tutor for your child, grant them ownership in the selection process. One way to do that is to ask for a 15-minute complimentary call between your child and the tutor. Then, ask your child how they feel about the tutor.

“From my experience, students are much more receptive to meeting with their tutor if they have a say in who’s tutoring them,” says Yekell.

Lesley Martin recommends children meet potential tutors face-to-face before parents make a decision.

“If you are a parent looking for a student, make sure your child meets the tutor and feels comfortable with that person,” she says. “Once a student is in ninth grade or above, it’s important that the student be a part of the process.”

3. Be specific and define expectations

Tell tutors exactly what you need help with and your expected outcomes. For example, your goal might be to increase your GPA by .5 points, earn an A in organic chemistry or achieve a 1400 the SAT.

“Be specific with your needs and concerns throughout the tutoring relationship,” says Anna Moss. “It is so helpful when a parent tells me, ‘My child needs to work on writing essays and research papers for school,’ rather than the broader, ‘My child has trouble with language arts.’”

4. Update your tutor regularly

Keep your tutor updated about your academic struggles and achievements, which helps them tailor your sessions based on your progress.

This goes for parents as well, especially since children don’t always share issues and successes.

“I have had students get to the top of their class and even get awards, but they were too humble to brag about it, so I had no idea until the parents mentioned it.” says Moss.

 5. Be prepared

Prepare for tutoring sessions so you can spend more time learning, not trying to remember what you covered last time. Have troublesome problems and questions ready for your tutor.

“Bring materials from class to sessions so you can show the tutor what you are working on and how the material was presented in your class,” says Paldao. “If you don’t understand a concept, ask for clarification. Don’t be embarrassed; the tutoring time is your 1:1 time to get all of your questions answered.”

6. Measure results

Ultimately, you need to see results, so make sure you’re on track to meet your goals. If not, ask your tutor why it’s not working: are you failing to follow their advice? Is the tutor not the right fit?

“It can take time for results to show, especially depending on the student and where they are in their studies, but a positive trend should start to emerge within a month,” says Cruz.

Koh says parents should look for consistent improvement and greater independence as their children progress.

“The success of the tutor is hinged on the ability of the student to work more independently as their session progresses,” he says. “This is the yardstick by which you should measure and evaluate the effectiveness of your child’s academic coach.”

7. Don’t be afraid to switch

Don’t be afraid to make a switch if you’re not getting results, you don’t get along with your tutor or it’s otherwise not working out.

“Larger companies often have multiple tutors to choose from, and you can look at their bios or even ask for a free introduction session to get a feel for the style and personality match,” says Ahern-Seronde. “If you have a few sessions and it doesn’t seem to be clicking, don’t be afraid to ask for a new match. If you’re going with an individual tutor, it’s not as straightforward to switch, but if it’s not a good match, they probably feel it, too, and it’s best to communicate honestly to figure out a solution.”

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8. Choose a coach, not a crutch

Wander says you should avoid tutors who only discuss grades and scores because they’re apt to simply do the work for you (or your child). While that might seem like a great deal, especially for busy college students, the long-term consequences are detrimental.

“Consider tutors who talk about passion for a subject, joy in learning, the value of underlying soft skills and how they will be more of a ‘coach’ than a ‘crutch,’” she says. “Your goal should be to get to a point at which a tutor is no longer needed.”

9. View it as a partnership

Keep in mind your tutor has the same goals as you, even when (or especially when) they’re pushing you to improve. Work together to get the most out of your tutoring sessions.

“The best way to have success in any tutoring relationship is to find and maintain a partnership with the tutor,” Manison says. “They need to be more than just knowledgeable about the subject material. Work on opening up to them and allow them to open up to you. Also, allowing them into your life via teachers at your school and your parents allows them to get much-needed information to help you in a more complete way.”

10. Ask (lots of) questions

Spend time evaluating potential tutors to increase your chances of finding a great match.

“Look beyond a tutor’s degree to his or her actual teaching experience,” says Wander. “Just because someone is proficient in a subject does not mean they are good at teaching the subject.”

Personality also factors in.

“When it comes to tutoring, having the right fit personality-wise can really determine the effectiveness,” says Paldao. “You want someone that is the right combination of knowledgeable about the material they are teaching as well as personable enough to relay that information to the student.”

20 questions to ask before you hire a tutor

Not sure what to ask potential tutors? Start with this list. Each question was contributed by one of the experts we interviewed for this article.

1. What are your qualifications and experience?
2. Do you have references?
3. Do you have reviews on third-party sites?
4. Have you had a recent background check?
5. Do you have a satisfaction guarantee?
6. Do you offer a free initial session, or can I meet you before I commit?
7. What is the tutoring process? How are sessions structured?
8. Where will the tutoring take place? What is the environment like?
9. How will you foster independence, autonomy and confidence?
10. Will I see just one tutor or multiple tutors? Do you rotate tutors?
11. Does the tutoring focus on my real-world schoolwork?
12. How are goals and expectations outlined?
13. Do you measure and track student progress? How?
14. How much time is needed per session, and at what frequency, to achieve my goals?
15. Do you provide assignments between sessions?
16. How and when will you communicate (especially for parents)?
17. Can I switch tutors?
18. Do you offer flexible scheduling?
19. What is your cancellation policy?
20. How much does it cost? Do you offer payment plans?