You might have seen VIPKid splashed all over the internet as a viable way to make money teaching English online.
As someone who has personally worked for the company for 2 years, I’m here to show you the real side of working with VIPkid, including how much you can really earn, its pros, benefits and cons to be aware of too.
What is VIPKid? Where Did They Come From?
VIPKid was founded in 2013 and quickly grew to become the number one platform for teaching English as a second language (ESL) online.
It has around 800,000 students and 100,000 teachers, so roughly 8 students to every teacher.
What is the VIPKid Pay Like?
The first thing to know is that working full time means you earn a much higher base rate pay than teachers using this platform purely as a side hustle.
Teachers working full time (without incentives – I’ll get to this later) can expect around the $18 an hour mark, with incentives, you can expect to reach $21-$24/hour.
The more you teach, the more bonuses you earn too.
If you’re doing a few hours here and there and only want it as a side hustle, you can expect a pretty decent $16-$18/hour – and this is without incentives!
So if you’re just looking for a side gig that’s easy and you can do from home, it’s still absolutely worth it.
How Much I Made With VIPKid Per Month
After 5 months of working for them, 50 hours a week, I was on $22/hour so made $1100 a week or $4400 a month. This was including my incentives.
I only worked the extra 10 hours because this would have normally been my commute time, seeing as I had no commute I figured I’d use them to earn more money and hit those higher incentive perks.
Related: The 11 Best Companies to Make Money Teaching English as a Second Language Online! ($2,000+ a Month)
What is VIPKid’s ‘Base Pay’?
Now this pay might sound quite high in comparison to what you read online.
I thought this was actually really decent given I had heard such terrible things about teaching English online!
When you see stats such as you’ll only make $7-$9/hour, what they’re referring to is your base rate pay BUT this is per class and NOT per hour.
Each class lasts around 25-30 minutes, hence the confusion!
This makes your base hourly rate with absolutely no incentives around $14-$18/hour.
The difference in the starting pay range depends on these two factors which the company weighs up based on your qualifications;
You’ll start on a higher base rate if you can meet any of these:
1) Prior experience “working with children.”
The exact definition of “working with children” is flexible and luckily isn’t limited to teaching in the conventional sense.
Prior experience even includes activities as ambiguous as Sunday school teaching and babysitting – so don’t sell yourself short in the application!
2) Certification
Having an accredited TEFL certification also counts towards “prior experience” in the VIPKid context.
3) Your Performance
Your performance in the demonstration lesson (demo) required of all applicants.
To help your application, I highly recommend getting an affordable 120 Hour online TEFL certification, this is the company I used with VIPKid, and had zero problems with them verifying the credentials.
If you do well on the demo too, you’ll likely start on the $18/hour mark.
What are VIPKid’s Incentives?
If the base rate of $14-$18 sounds enticing to you, you’ll be glad to know VIPKid has incentive pay that rewards timeliness, reliability, and the number of classes you have successfully completed. This is how I was able to earn $21/hour.
The pay schedules are broken up into “tiers.”
Based on the criteria I mentioned in the previous section, new teachers will start on either “Tier 1” or “Tier 2” status depending on qualifications.
Tier 1 is no experience, tier 2 is for those with prior experience.
As you complete more classes, you’ll go up the tier ranks, and earn more money per class.
Tier 10 is the absolute maximum tier you can achieve; here you’ll earn an extra $3.20 per class, hitting the maximum hourly rate of $24.40.
So, as a new teacher, you’ll earn;
- an extra $0.80 per class completed (for your first 1-20 classes)
- an extra $1.20 per class (for your 21st-40th classes)
- $1.60 per class (for your 41st-60th class)
Note though, these are the number of classes you teach per month.
You can quickly see how this adds up each month, especially if you’re full time like I was!
So to work out what you will earn, it’s simply this:
Base pay + Incentive pay = your VIPKid ‘salary’ or monthly take home.
Earn More with Short Notice Bookings!
If you’re smart about how you work, you can easily snag an additional $4 per hour by taking on short notice classes.
These are classes that another teacher has cancelled last minute or a parent has booked last minute.
You’ll have less than 24 hours notice to accept them, hence why they’re called last minute, but many teachers don’t know about this!
Here’s the link to VIPKid’s instruction page on how to book these slots in your VIPKid dashboard if you choose to join.
I took quite a few of these classes and most of the time I had at least 18 hours before I needed to hop on a lesson – lots of bosses in shift work jobs give you less notice than that!
Are There Ways to Earn a Higher VIPKid Salary?
Yes, absolutely! I experimented with this quite a bit.
Here are the ways to increase your salary with VIPKid each month:
1) Gaining more experience with children before applying to get a higher initial base pay rate.
2) Acing your demo class for a higher initial base pay rate.
3) Showing up to all assigned classes and accumulating more completed classes to move into a higher incentive pay tier.
4) Booking more short-notice classes.
Pros of Teaching with VIPKid
I actually found teaching with VIPKid rewarding, fun and easy. It’s not that demanding and it’s pretty routine once you get going.
You don’t need to think about a lot, just turn up, teach the pre-made materials (always a bonus!), and then provide some short feedback on a form for the student afterwards. That’s pretty much it!
Here’s What I Particularly Loved About the Platform:
1) Flexible Scheduling
VIPKid offers unparalleled flexibility in scheduling, which is ideal for those balancing multiple commitments.
You can choose your own hours, and work as much or as little as you want (there’s actually no maximum or minimum limits to how many hours you can do).
2) Works Great with Other Commitments
This flexibility is particularly great for those with other jobs, family responsibilities, or personal pursuits.
The ability to set your own schedule makes VIPKid an attractive option for anyone seeking work-life balance.
3) Comprehensive Curriculum
One of the standout features of VIPKid is its well-developed curriculum.
The platform provides all the teaching materials, including lesson plans, slides, and activities (yes, really!).
This means you don’t have to spend time creating content or developing lesson plans, all you have to do is focus solely on delivering engaging lessons (I did this by using cute props!).
The curriculum is designed by experts and regularly updated to ensure it meets the highest educational standards.
4) Professional Development
In case you’re interested in this side of things, the platform also offers many workshops, webinars, and training sessions.
These are designed to help you enhance your teaching skills and stay updated with the latest teaching methodologies.
5) Supportive & Social Community
This one I was really surprised at!
As there are 100,000+ VIPKid teachers worldwide (many of who are digital nomads), they tend to organize get-togethers all around the world!
When I was in Portugal, there were at least 5 outings for VIPKid teachers across 3 months, so you’re absolutely not isolated by working online.
You also have access to various social media groups where teachers can share experiences, seek advice, and collaborate on best practices.
This sense of community can be incredibly motivating and help teachers feel connected, even while working remotely.
Downsides of Teaching with VIPKid
The only real downsides to this role are deductions you might face.
These are typically because of a lack of attention to detail on your side though, so it’s quite hard to have a deduction.
You’ll only receive a pay deduction if you;
1) Provide late student feedback:
If you provide feedback later than 12 hours after the class has completed, you will receive a deduction in pay.
Super easy to solve, just fill in the small feedback form straight after class. Takes 5 minutes max.
You can even create a template to just edit slightly and then copy/paste into the boxes.
2) Cancel a Class within 24 hours of it Due to Take Place:
Basically, if you need to cancel a class, make sure you do it 24 hours or more before the class is scheduled to begin.
If you notify VIPKid of your inability to attend outside of the 24-hour timeframe, you will not be financially penalized in any way.
Is working for VIPKid worth it?
I personally think so yes!
$4000+ a month is not to be sniffed at, and it’s a relatively easy role! Even as a side hustler, you could make around $1500-$2000 a month.
You don’t even need to prepare any of the class materials yourself, just show up, teach and provide some minor feedback.
Plus, compared to other online ESL platforms, VIPKid is relatively well-reviewed by current and former teachers.
As of June 2024, the company has a 4/5-star rating at Glassdoor and a 3.8/5-star review at Indeed based on the feedback from teachers who have worked there. That’s a better rating than most physical companies with an office in the US and Canada.
How Does VIPKid Pay?
You have two options to collect your earnings from VIPKid. Direct deposit into your bank or PayPal.
You can track all of your income from VIPKid through the VIPKid Teach App.
How Often Does VIPKid Pay?
Conveniently, VIPKid allows you to choose your own pay schedule from a list of options: weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.
Once a class is completed (and you fill out the student feedback on time), you will be credited for the money you are owed and it will be automatically included in the next payment.
Super simple, and I never found getting my money a hassle. It was always on time too.
Getting Started with VIPKid
Application Process
The application process for VIPKid is very straightforward. Here’s a breakdown of the steps involved:
1) Initial Application:
Fill out a basic application form detailing your educational background and teaching experience.
2) Interview:
Participate in a 3 minute mock class demo, which can be live or recorded, to demonstrate your teaching skills.
3) Background Check:
Undergo a background check to ensure the safety and security of students.
Tips for Success on VIPKid
To maximize your success on VIPKid, consider the following tips:
1) Build a Strong Profile:
Ensure your profile is detailed and highlights your qualifications, experience, and teaching style.
A strong profile can attract more students and lead to higher booking rates.
2) Engage with Students:
Use props, visual aids, and interactive activities to make your lessons engaging and fun.
Building a rapport with your students can lead to positive reviews and repeat bookings.
3) Be Consistent:
Consistency in your schedule and teaching quality can help you build a strong reputation on the platform.
Regularly updating your availability and being punctual for classes can enhance your credibility.
4) Stay Updated:
Participate in VIPKid’s training sessions and workshops to stay updated with the latest teaching techniques and platform features.
Sign Up Now and Start Teaching with VIPKid!
Want to get started today?
Here’s the link that will take you through the process step-by-step.
Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to teach and make good money online!
