The Superprof tutoring platform started as a way to connect academic tutors with students in need of a mentor. Since then, the range of subjects offered on Superprof has expanded to include any discipline. Today, Superprof offers not only structured academic support but also a wide range of hobbies and leisure activities like yoga, personal fitness, sewing, gardening, cooking, or learning how to play a musical instrument.
For tutors, Superprof allows teachers to fully embrace their passion for providing high-quality education and connect with students, one-on-one. Superprof offers a vast choice of tutors and subjects, backed by a decade of growth, vetted tutor profiles, and high-quality tutoring services. Its strengths are the sheer variety (over 2000 subjects), a user-friendly tutoring platform for students, and the freedom for tutors (no commission, free first lessons).
Key Takeaways
- Superprof is an online tutoring platform that provides quality tutoring services and lets high-quality tutors advertise their teaching services and connect with students worldwide
- A wide range of skills can be taught on Superprof, ranging from academic subjects like science and maths to practical skills like gardening, music, yoga, and sewing
- You don’t need formal teaching certification or expertise to become a high-quality tutor on Superprof
- Creating an engaging and detailed profile is crucial with a good photo, subjects taught, and rates to attract students
- Tutors can be paid directly by students or use Superprof’s built‑in payment system
- Student feedback is vital as positive reviews and testimonials build credibility and attract more students
Understanding Superprof's Platform
How Does Superprof Work for Tutors?
Whether you're a traditional teacher teaching core academic subjects who, over time, discovered the joys of distance teaching or someone with a non-academic skill who has never before taught anything online, you can become a high-quality Superprof tutor after just a few formalities.
and counting
Wondering what we mean by someone with a non-academic skill?
Virtually any skill that can be taught is taught at Superprof. What that means is even if traditional subjects like Maths, English or Science aren't your forte, maybe Pilates, Zumba, or weightlifting is. Or you could be an exceptionally talented baker or chef, tailor or dressmaker with years of teaching experience. Whatever the skill, Superprof welcomes you.
The only condition is that you need to have the necessary expertise and the skills to teach the subject. Check out all the subjects available on Superprof!
Once you have identified the skills you want to teach, the next step is to match with students. Students and tutors on Superprof get matched through a search-based system where students filter teachers based on subject, rates, qualification and availability.
Tip to tutors: Create a professional tutor profile that showcases your qualifications, teaching experience, hourly rates, and availability. Take time to craft it carefully, as students will form their first impression based on this profile.
Here is how it works:
Search
Students search for tutors based on specific criteria
Browse tutor profiles
Superprof displays a list of tutors along with their hourly rates, qualifications, experience, and ratings
Connect
Student clicks on a tutor's profile, reviews, and sends a lesson request to discuss their requirements
Tutor Responds
Tutor receives notifications and replies with a confirmation.
First lesson takes place
The first lesson takes place. It could be conducted online or in person. Most often, this is a free lesson.
Ongoing lessons
If the student likes the tutor's teaching, they can continue with the same tutor. The student is also free to contact other tutors.
And now, here is an overview of lesson scheduling:
- Once a tutor accepts a student's lesson request on Superprof, their direct contact information is shared with the student so they can get in touch with each other.
- From there, tutors can communicate their preferred dates and times for lessons, along with whether they would take online or offline lessons.
- Most tutors offer a free upfront session. After the free session, students will pay tutors for each lesson they take, based on their rates.
- Students can choose to pay tutors directly for lessons on the platform or off-platform. Either way, the tutor and the student must agree on a preferred method of payment.
Superprof Tutor Requirements
If you are planning to convert your teaching skills into income, Superprof Singapore could be the best starting point.
Superprof also does not impose requirements that tutors be certified or obtain a tutoring certification. The Superprof profile includes those with years of experience in their field, as well as students still enrolled at university who want to earn a bit of cash to see them through their last years of formal education.
Obviously, the more experience you have and the higher your credentials, the more sought-after you will be. That said, you don't need to have a PhD in art history to teach art or history. Once word gets out about the calibre of your lessons via your students' testimonials, other learners will naturally be drawn to your profile.
At present, there are no legalities in Singapore stating that you need to have specific education or certification in order to become a tutor. But be mindful that Superprof only provides the platform for you to advertise your tutoring business; it's your responsibility to pay any taxes owed on the money you earn as a tutor.
Therefore, it is wise to consult a lawyer to better understand the financial or legal aspects of working as a freelance tutor on Superprof, especially as the competition among private tutoring businesses continues to expand across Asia.1
Setting Up Your Tutor Profile
Since matching relies on your profile, crafting a compelling one is critical. Think carefully about your service, the skills and benefits potential students would be interested in, and the best way to present your tutoring via your profile.
Many great tutors already offer their services on the Superprof website, so make sure your profile stands out. Include key information about the service you offer, and be sure to include a good profile picture that captures your professionalism and personality. It helps to choose a photo showcasing the skills you'll be tutoring.
To begin getting connected to students, you need to create a tutor profile. Here is how you do it.
Visit Superprof
Visit superprof.sg and click on "Become a Tutor"
Choose your subject
Decide which subjects you would like to teach
Create your tutor ad
Create your tutoring advertisement describing your teaching approach
Describe yourself
Add your tutor description and a nice photo of yourself
Set your rates
Add your location and your lesson fees
Get started
Post your ad and begin your tutoring journey!
Creating an Engaging Profile
As mentioned above, the more detailed and informative your Superprof profile is, the more likely prospective students are to select you for their supplemental learning needs.
Uploading a picture is a great place to start. Did you know that profile pages are over 20 times more likely to be viewed if they feature a photo?
Ideally, your profile photo would clearly show your smiling face, possibly with something related to the subject(s) you teach in the background. For instance, if you teach art history, having the Met, the Tate, or the Louvre in the background is a good idea.
From there, you should:
Highlighting Your Expertise
Superprof lists optional interview questions that you may answer to further enhance your profile and help prospective students know more about you. Don’t shy away from highlighting your passion for teaching, your subject expertise, and what makes you stand out.
Additionally, showcase your certifications and mention student testimonials and reviews to highlight your subject matter expertise.
Joining the Premium Club
The Premium Pass is an optional subscription (S$195 per year) for educators who want to make their profiles stand out. Tutors who subscribe get to benefit from:
✅ More visibility – Your tutor listing is highlighted and more likely to be viewed in search results.
✅ Insurance for your listings – Extra protection and credibility for your tutor profile.
✅ Enhanced statistics – Access the analytics of how often your profile is viewed and clicked, to help you understand your ad's performance and where to improve.
✅ Dedicated support team – Priority help from our customer care team to assist you with your needs.
The Premium Pass subscription allows tutors to increase their reach and refine their advertising on the website, but it remains completely optional. Many start with a profile at no cost and upgrade to Premium later if they want extra exposure or insights. Whichever option you choose, you have full control to teach, connect with learners, and grow your business on your own terms.
Managing Your Tutoring Business
Superprof is a platform that connects tutors and students. While you have the option to pay for the Premium Pass to gain higher visibility, this is optional. Beyond that choice, Superprof is free for your use; you keep 100% of your earnings and need not pay us any commission.
This means that as you set your rates for each hour of instruction, you only need to consider what you need to earn to make your tutoring business viable.
Setting Your Rates
Here are a few points for you to consider as you determine the right per-hour fees.
Your Location
Your location matters if you plan on delivering in-person lessons. If the cost of living is high, as it is in Singapore, you may get away with charging a bit more compared to, say, if you live in another country where the cost of living is less. Still, it's a good idea to check out your competition to find out how much they charge and set your rates accordingly.
What You Teach
What you tutor also matters. For example, if you tutor in core academic subjects that everyone seems to need help with, you can justify charging high rates. However, if you teach a subject that is more of a leisure pursuit, you may not find many takers for your premium rates. Again, it all depends on the competition. If the market is saturated, setting your price a bit lower than everyone else might be a better strategy to attract students and build a solid base.
Your Availability
Your availability can also influence your rate. If you're only available for lessons on weekends or just a couple of evenings per week, lowering your rate might compensate for not being as available. On the other hand, if you're available at the drop of a hat, you might charge a bit more because you'll be around when other tutors are busy.
Finally, although you'll not be charged any fees for advertising your tutoring business on Superprof (unless you choose the Premium Pass for your advert), you should still know how Superprof's payments and charges work so that you can set up how you'll collect payments from your students - and help them save money along the way.
Payment Processes and Fees
Once your profile is ready, you need to understand how payment systems work at Superprof. When tutors get paid on the platform, Superprof charges a small fee, but there are no ongoing commissions that tutors have to pay the platform.
Tutor gets paid via two options:
Online payment
Off-platform payment
✅ For off-platform payment, tutors receive payment directly from students by any method they both agree upon. It could be through cash, PayPal or a bank transfer.
✅ For online payment through the Superprof payment system, Superprof will hold the lesson fee and then credit it into the tutor’s balance after the lesson is completed.
Payment Methods
- PayPal
- Direct student payments (bank transfer, cash)
Payment Frequency
- Balance appears ~24 hrs after the lesson
- PayPal transfer ~3 working days after minimum balance (~S$30)
Commission
- Direct/off-platform payments avoid commission
- Premium subscription may waive 10% fee
Ensuring Safety and Security
Is Superprof Safe for Tutors?
Yes, Superprof offers a secure and trusted space for tutors to connect with students. Still, it's wise to adopt certain safety measures on your end.
- If teaching at a student’s home, ensure a guardian is present.
- Always maintain professional boundaries and avoid private communication outside agreed channels.
- Inform a trusted person about your location and schedule.
- Use secure platforms like Zoom or Google Meet and protect your privacy by using neutral backgrounds.
- Finally, trust your instincts—if something feels unsafe, stop the session immediately and leave the place.
If there is a problem with the lesson, you can report it to the support team by:
☑️ Clicking on the tutoring session in question
☑️ On the 3 small dots that appear “…”
☑️ Click "Report a problem"
☑️ Indicate the reason for the report
Handling Cancellations and No-Shows
There are times when you have scheduled a lesson, but due to some reasons, you are unable to proceed with the class.
👉 In such situations, if the student has cancelled 24 hours before class, they will be fully refunded.
👉 However, beyond this time, the tutor's cancellation policy kicks in and the course fee has to be refunded as per the level of compensation (at 0, 50, or 100% - the choice is up to you).
To add your cancellation policy
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)
- Click to modify or cancel the lesson
- If you are modifying, choose the new date when you would like the lesson to take place
Maximising Your Earnings
Superprof Tutor Salary Insights
| Subject / Level | Typical Hourly Rate Range (SGD) | Average Earnings (SGD) |
|---|---|---|
| General Academic Homework Help | S$15 - S$30 | S$20/hr |
| ICT / Computing | S$20 - S$50 | S$20/hr |
| Primary School (Math English Science) | S$25 - S$60 | S$40/hr |
| Secondary School (Math Sciences) | S$35 - S$100 | S$60/hr |
| Junior College (JC) / IB / A-Levels | S$50 - S$130 | S$85/hr |
| Economics / General Paper (JC Level) | S$25 - S$130 | S$90/hr |
| Music (Piano Guitar Violin etc.) | S$40 - S$100 | S$65/hr |
| Programming / Coding | S$35 - S$90 | S$60/hr |
It is always exciting to receive your first message from a new student! However, Superprof encourages tutors to offer their first lesson at no cost. It seems counterintuitive - you didn't go into business for yourself to give the goods away, after all. However, studies have shown that students tend to prefer tutors who offer their first hour free of charge.
Strategies to increase your income on the platform
To be an effective tutor, you have to spend some time discovering what your students need from you - hence, that first hour at no charge. That's the time when you get to ask each other questions about what you need and hope to achieve through these lessons.
But for that, you should have a plan for how you'll conduct tutoring sessions.
- How much lesson time will you spend on reviewing study materials, and how much will you dedicate to new concepts?
- Does this student need academic coaching as well as tutoring in their subject?
- And do you have it in you to deliver lessons as a tutor while taking on the role of a mentor?
Ultimately, how well you work with your students is your formula for success. They will leave a rating and, hopefully, a testimonial of your teaching style and knowledge level. In turn, their positive review will bring you more students who need your particular brand of teaching.
Leveraging Superprof's Features
To improve clicks on their ads, tutors can also leverage promotional tools to attract more students. Follow these steps to improve your ad's visibility.
Conclusion
At Superprof, we believe that a student is anyone, regardless of age, who is actively engaged in the lifelong pursuit of knowledge. After all, knowledge cannot be pigeonholed into a single age group, a single classroom, or a single career path. It flourishes in studios and workshops, in cutting-edge laboratories and lecture halls, in home kitchens and corporate offices, as well as on rehearsal floors.2
Thus, we welcome masters of any and all disciplines to our platform, not just those who specialise in academic subjects. Whether you are a coding expert, a skilled potter, a retired professor, or a language enthusiast, your knowledge has value. So come forth, create your tutor profile and pass on your wisdom and knowledge to legions of learners.
References
- Bank, A. D. (2018, February 6). ADB study highlights dark side of “Shadow education.” Asian Development Bank. https://www.adb.org/news/adb-study-highlights-dark-side-shadow-education
- Hardt, D., Nagler, M., & Rincke, J. (2022). Tutoring in (online) higher education: Experimental evidence. Economics of Education Review, 92, 102350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2022.102350
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