How UK tutoring platforms charge
Setting aside branding, UK tutoring platforms charge through one of four broadly distinct pricing structures. Each suits a different kind of student.
Per-lesson commission (most common)
The dominant model. The platform sits between tutor and student for every lesson. Students pay the platform per lesson, and the platform pays the tutor minus a commission deduction. The platform's involvement continues for as long as the tutoring relationship does.
- MyTutor describes a maximum platform fee of 49% in clause 8.10 of its published terms. Hourly rates published on its pricing page vary by tutor band. Full MyTutor vs Tutorperch comparison.
- Spires publishes a sliding fee structure on its help centre: a 35% standard platform fee that drops by 1% every 5 hours of tuition completed on a given job, down to a 20% minimum.
- Tutorful describes its model as a "service fee on top of the tutor's rate" paid by the student, with tutors receiving their full advertised rate (not as a deduction from earnings). The exact percentage isn't publicly disclosed on its primary pages; see Tutorful's how it works page for its own description. Full Tutorful vs Tutorperch comparison.
- Tutor Hunt states on its about page that "displayed rates include our fees and there are no other charges". The platform's cut is not publicly broken out as a percentage. Full Tutor Hunt vs Tutorperch comparison.
Monthly subscription unlock
A subset of platforms charge a recurring subscription that unlocks the ability to message tutors. Tutors are typically free; the subscription is paid by students.
- Superprof charges a recurring "Student Pass" that auto-renews monthly and unlocks tutor messaging. The Pass is separate from lesson fees, which are paid directly to the tutor. Pricing and cancellation conditions are described on superprof.co.uk's help pages. Full Superprof vs Tutorperch comparison.
The defining feature: students pay every 30 days for as long as they continue the subscription, regardless of whether they're actively talking to new tutors.
One-off finder's fee
The original UK directory model: students pay a single fee to unlock a tutor's contact details, then deal with the tutor directly for everything that follows.
- First Tutors operated a sliding finder's fee for years, with the fee varying by tutor and level. First Tutors closed permanently on 8th May 2026; their historical model is included here for context.
- TutorDex charges the tutee a one-off introduction fee that scales with the tutor's hourly rate, from £9.99 to £39.99 per tutor, with no per-lesson commission. Tutors can also buy optional Premium subscriptions, one tier of which the platform lists as including enhanced search ranking. Full TutorDex vs Tutorperch comparison.
- Tutorperch charges a flat £9.99 for any tutor on the directory, paid once. After unlock, students get the tutor's contact details and arrange everything off-platform.
Premium agency hybrid
A separate category, distinct from marketplace platforms: agency-style services that combine concierge tutor matching with hourly rates already including the agency margin.
- The Profs publishes a £70 registration fee plus tiered hourly rates ranging from £60/hr (school) to £150/hr (admissions support) on its pricing page. Tutor compensation is described as a revenue-share with percentages not publicly disclosed.
- Tutor House describes itself in its site metadata as an "agency-style" platform where tutors are personally interviewed and DBS-checked, with in-platform booking and packages. Specific commission terms are not published on its public-facing pages.
This category isn't directly comparable to a generalist directory. Agencies actively match tutors to students and stay involved through the engagement. That work justifies the higher hourly cost, and the segment they serve tends to be the premium-tutor end of the market.
Where Tutorperch fits
Tutorperch sits in the finder's-fee category. Pricing is the simplest of any platform in the UK market: a flat £9.99 per unlock, for any tutor on the directory. The rationale comes down to a few things.
Tutorperch doesn't host lessons. There's no video classroom and no platform-managed scheduler. Tuition fees aren't processed by the platform either. After the introduction is made, the tutoring relationship is between student and tutor.
Because the platform doesn't take commission and doesn't process lesson payments, every penny a student pays the tutor goes to the tutor. The £9.99 unlock covers the platform's operating costs and the manual safeguarding review by our team. Once the introduction is made there's no ongoing involvement justifying a recurring or per-lesson cost.
A separate one-off £3.00 tutor verification fee covers an identity check and a manual safeguarding review on a 3-year cycle. Enhanced DBS covers tutors in England and Wales, with PVG and AccessNI as the Scotland and Northern Ireland equivalents.
Trade-offs to be honest about
Different platform models suit different students. Some honest trade-offs from Tutorperch's side.
- No video classroom. If you specifically want lessons inside a platform with shared whiteboards and integrated payments, platforms like MyTutor and Spires offer those.
- Scheduling is yours to arrange. There's no platform-managed booking calendar; the tutor and student set lesson times between them.
- No concierge matching. Agencies like The Profs and Tutor House actively match tutors to students; Tutorperch provides a searchable directory rather than a matching service.
- No intermediation on lesson-quality disputes. Once the introduction is made, the tutor-student relationship is theirs. We do step in if a safeguarding concern arises, and we operate a refund clause for unresponsive tutors (see terms).
How to use this page
Treat this page as orientation rather than a buying guide. Pricing models change over time, as do fee structures, so any specific number quoted on a competitor's page may be out of date by the time you read this. We last reviewed the cited public pages on the date stamped at the footer; before making a decision, click through to each platform's own pricing page for the current figures.
If Tutorperch's flat-£9.99 model fits, browse tutors or read why we structured it this way.