Tutor Hunt vs Tutorperch

Tutor Hunt and Tutorperch are both UK tutor platforms, and both sit closer to directory services than to fully managed platforms. Neither hosts an exclusive in-classroom lesson environment as the only way to teach. Where they differ is on the fee model, the DBS requirements and how those are verified, subject scope, and the detail of what each platform's public documentation actually says about how it works.

We operate Tutorperch, so this page is written from one side of the comparison. It's written to be useful to a tutor or parent deciding between the two, not to argue Tutorperch is better at every dimension, it isn't. Last reviewed 27 May 2026. All figures are verified against the primary sources listed at the end of this page.

How much does Tutor Hunt cost?

Tutor Hunt charges no upfront or introduction fee to either party. Tutors list for free and set their own rates. The platform earns by taking a fee embedded in each lesson payment: the student pays the displayed rate, which already includes Tutor Hunt's cut, and payment is collected 24 hours after each lesson. The percentage taken from each lesson is not publicly stated on any page we reviewed.

Tutorperch charges the student £9.99 once per tutor unlocked, then nothing. The tutor receives 100% of whatever rate they agree directly with the student, and Tutorperch is not involved in those transactions.

The comparison follows the same pattern as with other commission-model platforms. Tutorperch's £9.99 is a fixed cost per relationship; Tutor Hunt's embedded fee recurs on every lesson for as long as the relationship lasts. For a student taking regular weekly lessons over a school term, the accumulated platform fee on Tutor Hunt is a real ongoing cost, even if its exact size isn't publicly disclosed.

Platform scope and lesson format

Tutor Hunt supports both online and face-to-face lessons. Online lessons take place via Tutor Hunt's built-in interactive whiteboard, which includes video, audio, chat, and screen sharing, and lessons are recorded for safeguarding purposes.

Tutorperch is a directory for online and in-person tutors. Tutors and students message for free before unlocking, then decide on the teaching tools that suit them. After the £9.99 unlock, tutor and student arrange every aspect of the lesson relationship directly.

Search ranking

Tutor Hunt's ranking method for search results is not publicly documented.

Tutorperch's ranking formula is published in full at /how-we-rank. Tutors are sorted by their review score, smoothed against a platform-wide baseline so a single 5-star review can't leapfrog a tutor with fifty 4.6-star ones. Older reviews count for less than recent ones, so a score reflects recent performance rather than all-time history. Safeguarding Verified tutors (Enhanced DBS, PVG, or AccessNI) get a small lift on their score. Scores are rounded to one decimal place to match the star rating shown on tutor cards.

When two or more tutors finish on the same final score, their order rotates each day, so every tutor in that tied group takes a turn near the top. Three page-1 slots are held open for tutors who joined in the last 30 days and who wouldn't otherwise have reached page 1, each clearly labelled as new. A recently joined tutor who has already earned a ranked spot keeps it with no label and no special treatment, and if no newcomer needs the lift, those slots fill from the ranked order like every other position. You can watch the rotation demonstrated live on our ranking page.

Tutor verification and safeguarding

Tutor Hunt requires all tutors to hold an Enhanced DBS with Children's Barred List. Its FAQ states this is reviewed by staff "periodically," with no specific interval published, and that it only accepts English and Scottish Enhanced DBS certificates. A tutor based in Northern Ireland would not hold a valid certificate (AccessNI) under that policy as stated. The verification process beyond "reviewed by our staff" is not further described publicly.

Tutorperch does not require a DBS as a condition of listing; the only mandatory check is identity verification. The Safeguarding Verified badge is opt-in. When displayed, it means a team member has hand-reviewed the certificate against the identity-verified name and date of birth. Tutorperch covers England and Wales (Enhanced DBS), Scotland (PVG), and Northern Ireland (AccessNI Enhanced Disclosure). Badges run for three years and use the online DBS Update Service.

What Tutor Hunt offers that Tutorperch doesn't

Tutor Hunt has operated since 2005 and carries 20-plus years of accumulated tutor profiles and student reviews. The depth of its directory for niche or regional subjects is likely to reflect that history.

What Tutorperch offers that Tutor Hunt doesn't

A platform cost you can calculate in advance. Tutorperch's total cost is fixed at £9.99 per tutor introduction. Tutor Hunt's embedded fee recurs on every lesson, and its percentage isn't publicly stated, so neither student nor tutor can work out their total platform cost ahead of time.

A published ranking formula. Tutorperch's is public in full; Tutor Hunt's is not.

All three UK jurisdictions. Tutorperch accepts DBS equivalents from England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland (AccessNI). Tutor Hunt states it only accepts English and Scottish Enhanced DBS certificates.

A fixed tutor cost. Tutorperch charges tutors £3.00 once. Tutor Hunt charges no listing fee but takes an undisclosed commission from every lesson.

First Tutors review recovery. Tutorperch has helped tutors who were established on First Tutors bring their history across. Where a tutor's old profile sits in our public-web archive, they can claim it and their original reviews appear on their Tutorperch profile; for anything the archive didn't capture, we've published a step-by-step walkthrough and email template so tutors can file their own Data Subject Access Request with First Tutors. Imported reviews show on the profile and as a count on search cards, and parents can read them in full, but they don't feed search ranking. See what happened to First Tutors.