These 4 Online Tutoring Services Get an A+ from Us

Sometimes a subject just doesn’t click with your brain, but that’s where a good tutor comes in. We found the best online tutoring services that cover all kinds of subjects, from Spanish to Statistics, and that work with students in elementary school all the way up to those pursuing their graduate degree.

Update, 9/24/21: Checked content for accuracy. Updated app links for Tutor.com, and updated pricing and name for Chegg, which is now Chegg Study.

What to Look for in an Online Tutoring Service

Although each of these services has a singular goal—to help make sense of the concepts you or your child are struggling with in school—they each cover a different combination of subjects and approach lessons in their own ways. While you’re shopping for a tutoring service, keep these features in mind:

• Grade Compatibility: Some online tutoring services offer help for every level of student, from Kindergarten to college, as well as adults getting back into education. Others are more tailored, with options for high school and college students only. This is pretty straightforward, just be sure to double-check what a service offers before signing up.
• Course Selection: All of these services cover general subjects (like math, languages, science, and business), but not all offer help for more specific subjects (think British Literature, Trigonometry, or Macroeconomics, in comparison). This isn’t a big deal for grade school, but subjects tend to taper and become more specific in high school and university. This is why some services only offer tutoring for those students specifically as it requires more teachers in order to have this niche coverage.
• Fair Pricing: On these sites, pricing comes in one of three flavors: Flat cost, where you’ll pay X amount each month for X hours or lessons per month; Per-minute cost, where you agree to pay X amount per minute and only pay for the time you use, with minimums baked in; or Varied cost, where you have to shop for a tutor, and pricing varies with each based on their subject matter, lesson length, and how much they feel their expertise is worth. Keep in mind that, for Varied cost tutoring, the longer a session is or the more specialized the subject you need tutoring in is, the more it’ll probably cost. Some sites also limit lesson quantity and length per month.

On-Demand Lesson Tutoring and Test Prep: Tutor.com

Tutor.com (starts at $39.99 per month) was recently acquired by The Princeton Review, a prestigious test prep tutoring site, so it has credibility for days. The site has tutoring resources for students in elementary school up through college, and it offers free services for U.S. military members and their families. Tutor.com also has on-demand tutors available 24/7 and is accessible online or via iOS and Android mobile devices.

The site’s tutoring capabilities span over 40 subjects across categories like math, science, technology, nursing and allied health, English, writing, world languages, business, social sciences,, AP classes, and more. It offers coverage of specific classes, like organic chemistry, precalculus, french grammar, geography, and tax accounting, which is ideal. It also has dedicated tutoring options for SAT, ACT, PSAT, NMSQT, and other test types.

The service employs an impressive staff of vetted tutors with excellent credentials, including some with PhDs and Ivy League degrees, and others who are professionals in their respective fields. As you’re browsing tutors on the site, clicking on one takes you to their page where you can see all the subjects they teach, as well as their degrees, certifications, experience, and student reviews. It’s a handy way to get a first impression of a tutor without having to jump and waste a session finding out the hard way. You can also request to work with the same tutor again in the future, though it’s not guaranteed.

Tutoring can be paid for upfront, or you can enroll in a monthly subscription to space out payments. There are three upfront payment options: 10 hours over 6 months for $349.99, 30 hours over 6 months for $949.99, and 50 hours over 6 months for $1,449.99. Or you can opt for one of the five subscription plans: 1 hour a month for $39.99 monthly, 2 hours a month for $79.99 monthly, 3 hours a month for $114.99 monthly, 5 hours a month for $179.99 monthly, and 10 hours a month for $339.99 monthly.

Instant Pay-Per-Minute Help: Skooli

With Skooli ($0.82 per minute), you can get help from a tutor instantly, which is perfect if it’s crunch time right before a big test. You can search for a tutor either by subject or by typing in the specific question you need help with so the site’s algorithm can find someone that’s a good match for you.

Skooli’s tutors are experts in their fields with certified master’s or doctoral degrees, ready to help you or your child learn. You can look through all the available tutors, or click on one to visit their page and read more about what they specialize in tutoring, as well as their experience and qualifications. Some tutors even have an introduction video you can watch to get a better feel for their personality before signing up.

The tutoring service covers students from Kindergarten up through university level and spans common subjects like math, English, science, business, humanities, and language. Skooli lacks more specific topic coverage like Tutor.com offers, but likely figures you can find a tutor from its list who can handle a more specific focus. Once you find a tutor you like, you’ll need to sign up for an account and enter your credit card info. Skooli charges $0.82 per minute, with a 15-minute minimum, and you’ll only be charged for the time you spend with a tutor beyond that.

Tutoring, Homework Help, and Test Prep: Wyzant

Wyzant (Pricing varies) is a tutoring service for all ages covering an impressively wide variety of subjects, even ones you’re less likely to see elsewhere, like guitar. The site makes it easy to talk with a tutor before signing up with them to make sure there’s a good fit, but it also has an Instant Book feature if you’re in a last-minute pinch.

The site offers tutors for subjects like algebra, calculus, geometry, statistics, chemistry, physics, biology, psychology, anatomy, reading and writing, ESL, Spanish, French, Japanese, German, and Latin. It offers more niche coverage, too, for things like sports, music, accounting, computers, and finance. Of course, Wyzant also has your back if you’re looking for help with SAT, ACT, GRE, GED, or ASVAB tests.

To get started, there are four steps to complete. You’ll answer a few questions regarding what you want to learn and when you’re available, then look through the available tutors and choose yours. From there, you’ll be able to chat with the instructor to get a feel for their personality so you can be sure they’re a good match, then you’ll go ahead and book them. Clicking on a tutor from the browsing page takes you to their profile, where you can confirm their education and work experience, and get a better feel for their personality and availability.

Pricing depends on the tutor and subject, but you can filter tutor options by price. The site offers one-on-one tutors via video chat and, depending on what subject you’re studying, you’ll use collaborative tools with your tutor for optimal learning.

Affordable Chat and Video Tutoring: Chegg Study

Many people know Chegg Study (starts at $14.95 per month) as a good place to rent textbooks, but it also provides stellar homework help for students in both high school and college. It takes a unique approach to tutoring, skipping weekly lessons with on-demand expert help that’s available 24/7. Chegg Study spans a variety of subjects spanning STEM courses, business, computer science, and the humanities.

Where many services let their tutors set prices, or charge steep subscription pricing, Chegg is a stellar option for students (and parents) who need tutoring but also need to stick to a budget. The site offers on-demand expert help, step-by-step textbook solutions, and a 24/7 online study help calculator for just $14.95 per month.

If you need help beyond your everyday homework, consider signing up for Chegg Study Pack for just five bucks more a month. This tier gives you quiz and exam help, as well as dedicated math help (great for those extra-tough problems) and dedicated writing help (checks for typos and plagiarism, and helps you with citations).