Website tips

Teacher website vs marketplace profile (Preply, italki): do you need both?

By Online Teachers Club · November 1, 2026

Many online teachers start on a tutoring marketplace and later add their own website. They do different jobs, so it is worth knowing what each one is good at.

What marketplaces do well

Marketplaces bring students to you: people search the platform, find your profile and book. In return the platform takes a commission. From their own pages (checked 1 November 2026):

• Preply: "The commission for every trial lesson with a new student is 100%. For all subsequent lessons, the commission starts at 33% and decreases to 18% based on how many hours you've taught on the platform." (preply.com/en/teach)
• italki: commission varies by lesson type, for example 21% on a single lesson and 0% on a trial, per italki Help and Support.

Fees change, so check the platform's own page before you decide.

What your own website does well

• You control it: your page, your wording, your link. It stays yours if a platform changes its rules.
• One link for everything: social media, referrals and job applications all point to one place.
• No per-lesson platform commission on students who book you directly (you still pay for the website itself and any payment fees).

The trade-off: a website doesn't bring you students by itself. You need to share the link (see how to get more students from your teacher profile link).

So, do you need both?

For many teachers, yes: a marketplace for a steady flow of new students, and your own site for direct students, referrals and a professional link on applications. If you are new and need students quickly, a marketplace is usually the faster start. If you already have students and referrals, your own site matters more.

Compare companies and platforms on the free OTC Company List, which has reviews and pay details for hundreds of online teaching companies, plus guides on its blog.