In today's fast-paced world, achieving a work-life balance has become the ultimate goal across all sectors - the Holy Grail of modern living. Perhaps, to gain more flexibility and independence, an increasing number of professionals teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) are leaving the classroom to become their own bosses by working online.

If you, too, are looking to get into online teaching, let’s talk business and set yourself up for success with this guide to teaching English online.

Teaching online as a freelance

While creating your own teaching business is extremely rewarding, it involves a substantial amount of work. You'll be responsible for all aspects, from designing lessons and finding students to managing the business's legal and financial sides. Although this requires significant dedication, digital solutions can simplify many tasks. This path might be suitable for you if you have prior business experience or plenty of time to commit to building your own business.

When you're looking for the right online platform, your focus should be finding the right platform and creating a smooth learning experience.

Let’s start with user-friendliness. You and your students need an intuitive interface that doesn't add to the learning curve. Beyond that, technical reliability is non-negotiable. You want a stable connection, minimal downtime, and responsive support when needed. Look for platforms with customization options that let you integrate your own teaching materials and resources without wasting time and energy. And of course, integrated tools like whiteboards, breakout rooms, screen sharing, and recording are very helpful when creating engaging lessons.

Finally, a robust payment and scheduling system will save you a ton of administrative headaches. Built-in payment processing, calendar sync, and automated reminders are game-changers. You don’t need a fancy and expensive platform–usually, the simpler, the better. You've probably heard of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet, all great for general communication.

Once you've chosen your platform, create a professional and engaging virtual classroom. Clear communication and first impressions matter, so a well-lit, quiet space and a tidy background go a long way. Provide onboarding guides that walk students through the platform and your expectations. And be prepared for tech troubleshooting. Things happen! Be patient and proactive. Most importantly, use student feedback to refine your teaching and improve the learning experience. Ask for their thoughts and make adjustments accordingly.

Teaching with TEFL-specific platforms

Teaming up with an established online school It's a popular route, and honestly, it can take a lot of the weight off your shoulders. But, like anything, there are compromises to be made.

The advantage of partnering with a school is that you can skip a lot of the legwork. They handle the student acquisition, booking, scheduling, and even the pesky paperwork like contracts and policies. Plus, many provide ready-made lesson plans and materials, which can be a huge time-saver. All you have to do is look through your lessons and turn up for your classes. It's definitely a more relaxed way to jump into online teaching.

The downside is that your flexibility becomes somewhat limited. You might need to commit to a certain number of teaching hours each week, and you'll likely have less control over your hourly rate. The school sets the price, or if they let you set it, they'll usually take a commission. It's the cost of having them handle the business side of things.

In other words, by giving up a slice of your freedom, you will get to focus on what you actually want to do: teaching.

Choosing the best online school for you

So, after weighing your pros and cons, you have decided that joining an online school is your best option. Where do you go from here? Research! Let’s have an overview of the most popular online schools:

• Cambly focuses on conversational fluency, allowing teachers to log in anytime. Native English speakers are required; degrees and TEFL are beneficial but not mandatory, and no experience is necessary.
• iTalki offers a wide range of language courses, with teachers setting their own rates. You can apply to work as either a professional teacher or community tutor. In the first instance, you will offer structured lessons to practise grammar, vocabulary and language skills (i.e. reading, listening, speaking, and writing). For this role, you need to have a degree or a TEFL qualification. On the other hand, tutors lead conversational classes focusing on spoken fluency. In this case, no formal qualification is needed. Teachers will receive higher pay than community tutors, which reflects the amount of work involved in their lessons.
• Lingoda is a European ed-tech firm providing small group language classes with 24/7 scheduling. Lingoda hires native and non-native teachers as long as their language proficiency and fluency are near-native (CEFR C2). Lingoda’s teachers already have three years of teaching experience and a TEFL qualification, but a degree isn't required. You will have to commit to a minimum of 5 teaching hours per week.

Here are some other popular language schools you might not have heard of:

• English Hunt, founded in 2000, is a major Korean online ESL company. Teachers need a bachelor's degree or experience, TEFL, and US citizenship. They use Windows, require fast internet, and offer flexible hours, but peak times are often late or early. Pay starts at $16/hour.
• Learnlight, founded in 2007, is an EdTech company that provides online and on-site language and soft skills training to corporate clients globally. They require teachers to have a degree or relevant experience, TEFL certification, and advanced language proficiency. Teachers deliver structured lessons to adults and earn €6-€12/hour. Learnlight offers curriculum, support, and flexible scheduling with a 10-hour weekly commitment.
• Open English, founded in 2007, targets the Latin American and U.S. Hispanic markets with online language courses. Teachers need a bachelor's degree or equivalent, TEFL certification, and must pass a grammar/voice assessment. They conduct live classes, provide feedback, and follow the provided curriculum. Pay ranges from $8-$13/hour with bonuses, requiring a 25-hour weekly minimum.

Final thoughts

The widespread popularity of e-learning and a desire for a work-life balance is the push many teachers need to spread their wings beyond the traditional classroom. Becoming an online English teacher gives you financial independence and the freedom to choose when, where, and how much you want to work. Do thorough research on the platforms you want to use for your new professional adventure!