No teaching degree required. No set hours. No one telling you what to cover. Outschool is an online marketplace where over a million kids ages 3 to 18 take live small-group classes on anything imaginable. Coding, creative writing, chess, Minecraft, art history, test prep. You set the topic, price, schedule, and class size. Outschool takes a 30% commission and handles the platform, payments, and Zoom. Experienced teachers who fill their classes consistently report earnings of $50 to $117 per hour. Getting there takes time and patience to build an audience. But the ceiling is real and the work is genuinely rewarding.
Quick Facts
| Platform Name | Outschool (founded 2015, San Francisco) |
| Earning Potential | $50 to $117+/hr when classes fill; set your own per-student price |
| Typical Duration | 30% to Outschool; you keep 70% of all enrollment revenue |
| Payment Frequency | Weekly via PayPal every Sunday; classes paid 7 to 10 days after start |
| Required Equipment | Computer with webcam; Zoom; no degree required |
What’s Inside
- Is Outschool real and safe?
- How hard is it to sign up?
- Can I do this whenever I want?
- How much money can you really make?
- When and how do you get paid?
- What stuff do you need to start?
- Is the work easy or hard?
- The Pros and Cons of Outschool
- Final Verdict: Is Outschool worth your time?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Is Outschool real and safe?
Yes. Outschool has been operating since 2015, serves over a million learners, and has a 4.5-star rating on Trustpilot from thousands of parent reviews. Teachers are vetted before being approved to list classes, and all sessions run through Zoom which is recorded for safety and quality review. Outschool is not a scam. It is a real marketplace with real paying parents. One important note: Outschool does not post job listings on outside job boards. Any listing you see there claiming to hire Outschool teachers is a scam. Teachers apply directly at outschool.com/teach and go through Outschool’s own approval process from there.
How hard is it to sign up?
The application process takes a few steps. You submit basic information, agree to a background check, complete Outschool’s teacher certification course (a free online training), and submit your first class listing for review. Classes must be approved before going live. The whole process takes one to two weeks. No teaching credentials or formal education background is required. The platform’s philosophy is teach what you know.
💡 Insider Tip:
Your class title and listing photo do more work than anything else to drive enrollments on Outschool. Parents scroll a busy marketplace and make snap decisions based on thumbnails. Invest time in a clean, professional photo and a specific, searchable title. ‘Learn Watercolor Painting for Beginners’ beats ‘Art Class’ every time. Check what similar teachers charge and what their listings look like before writing yours. And post classes in the Tuesday to Thursday 4 to 8 PM Pacific window, where booking rates run highest according to Outschool’s own data.
Can I do this whenever I want?
Yes, with one caveat. You set your own schedule completely. No one assigns you hours. You list classes at times that work for you and students book in. But if nobody books, you do not teach and you do not earn. The flexibility is real. The income consistency is not guaranteed until you have built a following. Enrollment ebbs and flows with the school calendar. Summer is slow for most teachers while school holidays and after-school slots in fall and winter tend to fill fastest. One teacher who earns $109/hr now describes the first few months as slow and unpredictable before classes started filling regularly.
How much money can you really make?
The honest range is wide. New teachers often earn little for the first month or two while they figure out what classes fill, at what price, and when. Outschool’s own data says the average teacher earns $50 per hour once classes fill, factoring in multiple students per session. Experienced teachers who have optimized their listings and built a repeat-student base report $50 to $117 per hour consistently. The pay-per-student model means group classes scale your earnings. A 30-minute class at $16 per student with four students enrolled pays you $44.80 after Outschool’s cut. That is $89.60 per hour. A class with one student at the same price pays $11.20 for 30 minutes. Filling classes matters more than setting high prices.
When and how do you get paid?
Weekly via PayPal every Sunday. For fixed-duration courses, Outschool pays the full amount 7 to 10 days after the class start date. For ongoing subscription-style classes, payment posts the Sunday two weeks after the class runs. You link your PayPal email in your teacher profile and payments arrive automatically.
What stuff do you need to start?
A computer with a working webcam and microphone, a stable internet connection, and a Zoom account. No specialized teaching materials are required unless your subject needs them. Classes run entirely through Outschool’s Zoom integration. A tidy, well-lit background for your video adds professionalism and builds parent confidence in your listing.
Is the work easy or hard?
Teaching itself depends entirely on your subject and how well you prepare. Running the class is the easy part for most people who know their topic. Building a sustainable student base is the hard part. It requires consistent listing management, responding to parent messages, adjusting class times and topics based on what enrolls, and staying patient through slow periods. Parent communication is a meaningful part of the job. Parents message with questions before, during, and after classes. Most are lovely. Some require patience. You are running your own small teaching business, not clocking in and out.
The Pros and Cons of Outschool
| The Pros | The Cons |
|---|---|
| Teach anything: No degree needed; teach what you know. | 30% cut: Higher commission than most freelance platforms. |
| Set your own price: Full control over rates and class size. | Slow start: Months of low income before classes fill reliably. |
| Weekly PayPal pay: Reliable, automatic payments every Sunday. | Enrollment fluctuates: School calendar and competition affect bookings. |
Final Verdict: Is Outschool worth your time?
Worth it for the right person. If you have genuine knowledge to share, enjoy working with kids, and can handle the uncertainty of the first few months, Outschool is one of the few online side hustles where the hourly rate at maturity is legitimately strong. The 30% cut stings but it covers payments, platform, student acquisition, and Zoom. Three stars for real income potential with an honest slow-burn qualifier. The Bottom Line: Find a niche topic that is not already overrun on the platform. Write specific, searchable listings. Post in the peak booking window. Stay patient through month one. Build repeat students with great classes. The income compounds as your student base grows.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Outschool’s core philosophy is teach what you know. You do need to complete their free teacher certification training and pass a background check. For classes involving academic subjects like math or reading for young children, having some relevant background helps your listing stand out to parents. But there is no formal credential requirement for any subject on the platform.
Your listing quality is the biggest variable. A clear photo, specific title, detailed class description, and competitive price all help. Many new teachers also offer a lower introductory price for their first few sessions to build reviews. Positive parent reviews on your profile are the single biggest driver of future bookings. One or two solid reviews makes a real difference.
Interest-based and niche topics tend to outperform broad academic subjects because competition is lower and parents are looking specifically for them. Things like Minecraft, specific coding languages, anime art, specific genres of creative writing, and niche history topics book well. Generic English or math classes face heavy competition from many teachers.
Yes. Outschool supports 1:1 tutoring sessions in addition to group classes. The same 30% commission applies. Tutoring sessions are scheduled directly with parents and can be more consistent income than group classes since you are not waiting for multiple students to enroll before a session runs.
You are an independent contractor and Outschool pays you the full 70% of enrollment revenue with nothing withheld. You receive a 1099-K if your earnings meet the IRS reporting threshold. Self-employment tax applies on net earnings above $400 per year from all self-employment sources combined. Keep records of any teaching-related expenses as potential deductions.
