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At a glance: money to start · hours · how fast it pays · how much you keep · how much it can earn. Taller bars are better; the dashed line is halfway.

Online tutoring: what it really costs to start

Starting an online tutoring business in Europe costs €100–€700 in 2026, with first income after about 2 weeks and earnings of up to €2,200 a month working full time.

Last updated: September 2026 · sources at the bottom of the page

One-to-one remote lessons.

Online tutoring in numbers
Money to start €100–€700 What you spend before the first customer pays: kit, stock, licences, launch.
Hours a week 6–30 What it takes to run it properly, from part time to full time.
Weeks to first income about 2 How long you pay in before any money comes back. You still need to live in those weeks.
Kept of every €100 €88 What stays with you after running costs, before you pay yourself for your hours.
Most it earns a month €400 part time · €2,200 full time A realistic ceiling for one person running it. Your own hours are the limit.
Competition high Easy to enter, so plenty of people already do it.
Licence or qualification not usually Beyond registering the business and insurance, nothing specific in our research.

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What nobody usually tells you

You earn from week two and capital is near zero. But it's hours for euros until you move to groups, and it's seasonal: it collapses from June to September.

The route, in five steps

  1. Pick one subject and one exam level
  2. Start on marketplaces for the first ten students
  3. Record recurring lessons as reusable material
  4. Move to small groups: same hours, triple the revenue
  5. Take students off-platform where it's allowed

What you'll need to buy

These are the categories this business pays for in the first month. We go through the software side on the tools page.

video platformteaching materialsmarketplace profile

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Common questions

How much does it cost to start an online tutoring business?

Between €100 and €700 to begin. That covers video platform, teaching materials, marketplace profile and the rest of the setup. It does not cover your own living costs during the 2 weeks before the first income arrives, which is the cost most people forget.

How long after starting an online tutoring business does the first income arrive?

Around 2 weeks to the first euro. Reaching the realistic maximum of €2,200 a month takes considerably longer, and assumes 30 hours a week.

How much can you earn a month if you start an online tutoring business?

Up to about €2,200 a month working full time, or €400 part time. Of every €100 it takes, about €88 stays with you after running costs.

Can you start an online tutoring business alongside a job?

Yes, at a cost. Part time it realistically tops out around €400 a month, against €2,200 working full time, and it needs 6–30 hours a week.

Is there a lot of competition?

Competition is high. Crowded markets are crowded because anyone can enter tomorrow, which is also why they tend to keep more of each euro but earn less in total.

Similar businesses to compare

Sources

Where these numbers come from. Figures are rounded ranges for European markets; check the ones you are about to spend money on. Last checked September 2026.

  1. UK Tax Calculators — Online tutoring: startup costs, rates and monthly earnings money to start · what it earns
  2. Save My Exams — How much does a tutor cost (UK hourly rates by level) what it earns

Does it fit you?

These numbers are the average case. Whether this business clears your target depends on your money, your hours and how long you can wait. Put them in and see.

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