The Superprof platform operates on a clear, straightforward fee structure that supports platform maintenance, ensures visibility for tutors, and provides students with access to a wide range of qualified instructors. We offer a secure and flexible payment system for both students and tutors.
Students can choose between a credit card and PayPal for subscription payments, while tutors have options for off-platform and online payments for their lessons. Understanding the associated fees, such as the Student Pass subscription for students and commission rates for tutors, is essential for a smooth experience on the platform. Here, we will describe how the dynamics of fees and subscriptions work if you are a tutor or a student.
| Feature | Student Pass (for students) | Premium Pass (for tutors) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Allows students to contact and message tutors on Superprof | Provides tutors with increased visibility and additional profile benefits |
| Who it's for | Students/ learners seeking tutors | Tutors/ teachers offering lessons |
| Cost | Monthly subscription fee (S$33) | Annual subscription fee (S$195) |
| Activation | Activated when a student subscribes to contact tutors | Activated when a tutor purchases the premium plan |
| Primary Benefit | Unlimited messaging/ contact with tutors during subscription period | Boosted profile visibility and priority placement in search results |
| Contact/ Messaging Tutors | Required to message tutors | Does not affect student messaging capability; students send lesson requests to tutors |
| Lesson Payments | Lesson fees paid separately to tutor | Does not change lesson pricing set by tutor |
| Commission Benefits | No commission impact | 10% processing fee is waived with Premium |
| Support & Tools | Access to platform support while subscribed | Include priority customer support and ad analytics |
| Free Trial/ Demo Lessons | Over 95% of tutors offer first lesson free (subscription still required to contact tutors) | Optional if subscribed to Premium |
| Cancellation/ Renewal | Monthly auto-renewal until cancelled | Annual auto-renewal until cancelled |
Superprof's Business Model
Having a strong business model is extremely important, considering the ultra-competitive online tutoring landscape of today. At the same time, every business must offer something unique to its customers. At Superprof, we believe our business model provides benefits to both tutors and students. So, we don't depend on any unethical policy of selling user data.
Superprof is built on the idea that tutoring is about dreaming, caring, and being involved in learning. We want to be altruistic, but at the end of the day, we have to generate income to keep providing a safe and functioning platform for students and tutors.1
In the beginning, we needed a way to achieve our goals while also generating revenue, and we considered a few different ways to sustain our services:
- partnering with outside firms that would pay us to post ads on our sites
- collecting a commission from tutors' per-lesson fees
- charging students a percentage of their per-lesson fee
- setting up a subscription service to allow students the maximum availability and access to tutors
The first idea was a non-starter. We're about students getting the help they need and the tutors exercising their passion for teaching, not about promoting other companies' products.
Collecting a commission from tutors' fees was likewise unfeasible. To give our tutors maximum flexibility, we insist on their right to set their own rates. It would be very difficult for them, and for us, to have a successful platform and a good tutoring experience without knowing what income to expect.
Besides that, why should we take anything away from tutors who sign up to our platform to exercise their passion for teaching?
The same logic applies to fees from students except that for them, it's a need to learn, not to teach.
The fourth option became our solution, and this is how Superprof decided to become a bridge for online education. Superprof decided that offering subscriptions yielded the best possible value for the student's money and learning experience.
So, where other tutoring platforms may require their tutors and students to pay fees, Superprof makes things simple.
We think that Superprof for tutors is an efficient way for passionate mentors to launch themselves into a tutoring business, all while protecting students' interests and parents' pocketbooks.
To put it simply, there are 3 relationships and possible exchanges that take place on the Superprof platform: Superprof and the student, Superprof and the tutors and the students with the tutors through the Superprof payment platform.
| Superprof & Students | Superprof & Tutors | Students & Tutors (On/Off-Platform) |
|---|---|---|
| Students pay S$33/month for a Student Pass. | Tutors are not charged to set up their profile. | Subscription fee is separate from the tutor’s hourly rate. |
| The Student Pass gives full access to the platform and tutors. | Tutors do not pay to maintain their profile page, and the Premium Pass is optional. | If students and tutors move their partnership off the platform, students can choose to end the subscription. |
| A secure payment method is guaranteed between student and tutor. | Tutors set their own hourly rates and get paid directly via the platform. A 10% processing fee is charged if the tutor does not have Premium. | Students can still pay the tutor their agreed hourly fee off-platform; the tutor and student can decide a preferred payment method. |
| The Student Pass subscription renews monthly until cancelled by student. | The Premium Pass subscription (optional) renews yearly until cancelled by tutor. | Tutors and students with accepted lesson requests can still message each other via the platform, even after the subscription period has ended. |
| Students can cancel anytime via their dashboard → Student Pass → Suspend. | Tutors can cancel anytime via their dashboard → Premium → Suspend. |
How Superprof Payments Work
Payment Options for Students
On Superprof, students can browse freely through the tutor list and check their rates and qualifications. However, in order to have full access to the Superprof platform learning experience, students have to subscribe to our platform. Once subscribed, they have access to over 36 million tutors around the world, and whatever hourly rate the tutor lists on their profile page is the per-lesson amount that they will collect.
Superprof students pay a S$33/month fee, which gives them a Student Pass. This subscription enables the student to have full access to the platform and tutors, and guarantees a safe payment method between the parties.
The Student Pass is renewed monthly. Students can cancel their subscriptions at any time on their profile via the "Student Pass" tab by clicking "Suspend".
After subscribing and taking the first free lesson, students can continue committing to lessons with their tutors of choice. They then have the option to pay their tutor for lessons via the Superprof platform, or take their partnership off the platform and arrange payments privately.
Choose payment method
Offline payment or online payment
Offline payment
Arrange lessons with your tutor via phone or email, and pay your tutor by your desired payment method (cash, transfer, PayNow, etc.)
Online payment
Book and pay for lessons securely through the Superprof messaging system, and receive a 100% refund if cancelled 24 hours before the lesson
Payment is triggered
You are charged only after the tutor accepts your lesson proposal via the platform
Money is held securely
Once charged, the money is secured by Superprof, ensuring you only pay your tutor after a lesson has been provided
After the lesson
The tutor receives the payment 24 hours after the lesson has taken place
Refund
If you cancel at least 24 hours before the lesson, you are eligible for a full refund
Overall I recommend giving Superprof a try. I appreciate the Superprof model - I pay a fee to find the teacher, instead of charging the teachers to be on the site. The tutors I've found have been great so far, and I've used a few.
Eva-Marie Winter, a student review on TrustPilot
Payment Options for Tutors
Our business model is designed to give tutors maximum flexibility. They set their own rates and keep 100% of what they earn (before taxes), determine how many hours they are comfortable working, and also select the students they want to work with.2
Superprof does not interfere in any manner in how Superprof tutors conduct their business. It only charges tutors when they choose to process payments directly through the platform. For lessons paid through the platform, tutors are charged a 10% processing fee if they do not have Premium.
However, using our platform comes with several benefits:
🔴 Secure video chat for both students and tutors
🔴 Safe and reliable payment processing
🔴 Direct support from the Superprof team if any issues arise
Tutors can choose to receive payment through 2 options, depending on what suits them.
Receiving Payments
Superprof tutors can get paid in two ways:
🚩 Off-platform / Private Payment
- Here, students and tutors agree to make and receive payments privately outside the Superprof payment system.
- The tutor and the student decide on the mode of payment
- Superprof does not charge any commission
🚩 Via Superprof Platform
- Superprof provides a perfectly secure platform through which students make payments to teachers
- The payment is visible in the tutor's account 24 hours after the lesson is taken
- The balance is transferred to the tutor's PayPal account within 3 working days if the amount is at least S$30
Off-Platform Payment
- You deal directly with the student and agree on how to get paid
- You get to choose any method that you both agree on (cash, bank transfer, PayNow, etc.).
- Superprof does not handle the transaction, so you are responsible for the payment process.
- Superprof is not involved in the payment process
- Disputes or cancellations must be managed personally with the student.
Online Payment (via Superprof)
- Payment is processed through Superprof's messaging platform
- Superprof holds the payment and transfers it to you after the lesson.
- A commission of 10 % applies unless you have a Premium Pass (then it is 0).
- Funds appear in your Superprof balance 24 hours after the lesson
- Once eligible, the balance is transferred to your bank account or PayPal in ~3 working days
If you want to receive your balance, you can link your PayPal account.
- Go to the “Payment preference” page (My dashboard> My account> My payments> Payment preference)
- Click on "Add a payment method"
- Log in with your PayPal account, and you are all set.
Do note that:
✅Tutors with the Premium Pass (S$195/year) subscription can use the Superprof payment system without any commission. This means tutors get to keep 100% of their earnings.
✅Whereas tutors without the Premium advantage have to hand over 10% of their earnings to Superprof
Setting Up Payment Preferences
Tutors also have the option to change their payout preference at any time. To change:
☑️Go to the “Payment preference” tab (My account> My payments>…)
☑️Click on “Replace this payment method”
☑️Add the desired payment method!
Accessing Payment History
Tutors can also access their payment history whenever they want to. To access your account:
Superprof Fees and Charges
Student Pass Subscription
Once you have selected a tutor and sent them a request, you need to subscribe to the Student Pass. The Student Pass is a subscription that lets you contact tutors on Superprof for 30 days. It is a recurring subscription that allows students to send messages to an unlimited number of tutors.
The Pass is activated only when a tutor accepts a request, and the best part is that it can be cancelled anytime via the dashboard.
per month for unlimited access to all tutors
Benefits of The Student Pass
The Student Pass has several advantages. With it, you can:
☑️Get access to all the tutors on the platform
☑️Choose from a wide range of subjects
☑️Securely book lessons
☑️A dedicated support team to help you in case you need assistance
☑️First class offered free by the majority of our tutors
The Student Pass does not cover individual lesson costs.
The amount of the Student Pass is only debited if a tutor accepts your lesson request.
How to Manage your Student Pass
You can manage your Student Pass subscription in your account.
Dashboard Access: You can check your pass details anytime on your dashboard, including the expiry date and the number of remaining days.
Suspending/Reactivating: You have the option to pause your subscription. If your subscription expires and you would like to re-subscribe, simply contact a new tutor to get started again.
Refund Policy: You are eligible for a full refund if you cancel a lesson more than 24 hours before the scheduled time.
Tutor Commission and Premium Subscription
There are two types of plans on Superprof for tutors: the free plan and the Premium plan.
Free Plan
Superprof does not take any commissions from tutors (Instead, it charges a subscription fee from students to contact tutors.) However, should a tutor decide to filter their lesson payments through the Superprof platform, they will be charged a 10% processing fee—but there is no mandate for any tutor to do so.
They may set up their fee collections in any way they see fit. It is very important to have a clear understanding of the services that the platform provides and how you want to get involved with it as a student or as a tutor.
This fee is waived if the tutor subscribes to the Premium Pass.
Premium Pass
A Premium subscription is an optional subscription that tutors on Superprof can opt for and get added benefits like:
- There is more visibility on tutor ads, leading to greater inquiries
- Increased revenue as they don't have to apy teh 10% commision fees on lessons booked through Superprof
- The subscription also includes access to detailed analytics to improve one's tutor profile
A premium subscription gives tutors many advantages:
💥More visibility for your ads
🚀Statistics to help you improve your ad
🔥No commission! Earn all the funds from your lessons or packs
❄️A dedicated team to support you!
How to Manage a Subscription
Managing your subscription is very easy on the Superprof platform. A dedicated “Premium” tab is available on your profile for easy access to your subscription details. You can find all your subscription details, like remaining days, expiry date, etc., here.
👉You can suspend it at any time on this page by clicking the “Suspend” button
👉and reactivate it on this same page by clicking “Reactivate.”
💠No commission is charged if you arrange payment off-platform directly with your student.
💠Also, if you sign up for the Premium subscription, the 10% commission on online payments is waived, allowing you to keep 100 % of your lesson fees.
Payment Security and Policies
Secure Payment Platform
To ensure user safety, Superprof implements strict privacy and encryption policies. These measures are designed to protect both tutors and students on Superprof.
- A tutor's contact information is only shared with students when they accept a lesson request. By accepting the request, tutors indicate they wish to send their contact information to the student to organise the first class.
- All pages on our website are encrypted. Similarly, member information such as your email address, selected payment method, and subscription details is also encrypted.
- Superprof does not sell or rent member data to third parties.
Refund and Cancellation Policies
Sometimes you may have to cancel a lesson due to unavoidable circumstances.
👉In such situations, if the student has cancelled 24 hours before class, they will be fully refunded.
👉The amount will be visible in your bank account within 3 to 5 working days.
👉If cancellation occurs less than 24 hours before the class, the tutor's cancellation policy kicks in, and the lesson fee has to be refunded as per the level of compensation (at 0, 50, or 100%).
Please contact your tutor if you wish to cancel a class.
Tutors who wish to add their cancellation policy should:
Best Practices to Manage Cancellations
In case there are unexpected changes, it is important to manage your cancellations effectively. Instead of cancelling the class completely, try rescheduling it to another date. To do so:
- 👉Visit your Messages tab
- 👉Click on the scheduled lesson (3 small dots will appear in the computer version)
- 👉Click on modify the lesson or cancel the lesson
- 👉If you are modifying, choose the new date when you would like the lesson to take place
Conclusion
With access to tutors worldwide teaching more than 2,000 subjects, students can find the perfect match for their learning needs on Superprof. With access to tutors worldwide teaching more than 2,000 subjects, students can find the perfect match for their learning needs on Superprof. We act as a bridge between students and tutors and offer a fuss-free and transparent payment structure.
To contact tutors, students subscribe to a Student Pass, which allows unlimited messaging. The best part? Once a student has found the right tutor, they simply need to cancel their subscription. Basically, there are no ongoing charges that can drain your money.
Payments can be made either offline or securely online through Superprof’s platform. When booking through Superprof, students receive 100% refund if a lesson is cancelled with at least 24 hours’ notice.
Tutors also have full control over their terms and conditions—they set their own hourly rates, choose whom to teach, and also have a say in how they wish to receive payments. If they opt for the Premium subscription, the fee is completely waived for online payments.
With so many benefits, what more could a tutor or student ask for?
References
- Yu, L., Chen, Z., Yao, P., & Liu, H. (2021). A study on the factors Influencing Users’ Online Knowledge Paying-Behavior based on the UTAUT model. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 16(5), 1768–1790. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer16050099
- Bold Moves Consultings. (2026c, February 3). Online Tuition Payment Software Market Research Report: Structural Trends and Growth Factors. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/online-tuition-payment-software-market-research-9my4f/.
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