Tutorful and Superprof are two major tutoring platforms operating in the UK.¹ Whether you're a student or a tutor, you'll be faced with the choice of picking one platform over the other. In the interest of fairness, here's our platform compared with Tutorful and what each offers.
Key Takeaways
- Tutorful suits students and parents looking for structured GCSE and A-Level tutoring with an integrated online classroom.
- Superprof offers a broader subject choice, flexible lesson formats, and greater control over pricing for tutors.
- Tutorful includes platform service fees within lesson pricing, while Superprof separates access costs from tutor fees.
- Tutors on Superprof keep complete control of their earnings, while Tutorful operates a managed pricing and fee model.
Superprof vs Tutorful: Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | Tutorful | Superprof |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | GCSE and A-Level academic tutoring | Academic subjects, languages, hobbies, skills |
| Lesson format | Online only | Online and in-person |
| Student pricing model | Lesson price includes service fees | Student Pass plus tutor-set lesson fees |
| Tutor commission or fees | Platform service fee applied | No commission on lessons |
| Subject range | Primarily academic | Very wide subject range |
| Tutor vetting | Screened before joining | Open marketplace with profiles and reviews |
| Best for students | Exam-focused learners and parents | Flexible learners of all ages |
| Best for tutors | Tutors wanting structure and demand | Tutors wanting pricing freedom |
How Tutorful Works vs How Superprof Works
Tutorful and Superprof both connect students with tutors, but they do so in different ways. Tutorful is more platform-led, focusing solely on online academic tutoring.¹ Superprof is a more open marketplace where students and tutors have much more freedom to choose how to arrange, deliver, and price lessons.
How Tutorful Works for Students and Tutors
Tutorful is primarily focused on online academic support. Students book their lessons directly through the platform. Scheduling, payments, and lesson delivery are all handled on an interface² similar to the FindTutors platform. Tutors set their hourly rates, but the lesson flow, classroom tools, and service fees are managed by the platform, meaning tutoring is more consistent.
How Superprof Works for Students and Tutors
Superprof is an entirely open tutoring marketplace.³ Students can browse tutors' profiles, compare prices, and contact them directly once they have their Student Pass. Tutors are free to choose how they deliver their lessons, whether they offer them online or in-person, and manage pricing, availability, and teaching style.
Pricing, Commissions and Earnings
The main difference, at least for your wallet, is how Tutorful and Superprof arrange their pricing. On both platforms, tutors can set their prices. However, the fees charged to tutors differ significantly depending on whether they're on Superprof or Tutorful.
Tutorful applies a service fee to lessons, which varies depending on the lesson type, duration, and booking method. This fee supports the platform's classroom tools, student support, and payment handling. While tutors can set their hourly rates, the final amount students pay reflects both the tutor's rate and Tutorful's platform costs.
What Students Pay
On Tutorful, the lesson prices include the platform service fees in the listed cost.⁴ Like the language-focused Preply platform, students see a single price covering tutoring, platform tools, and payment handling. On Superprof, students pay their tutors directly, whereas they need an active Student Pass subscription to contact tutors.
What Tutors Keep
Tutorful tutors won't keep the full lesson fee, as the service charges are deducted from it. The take-home pay is reduced, but they do enjoy the managed booking and classroom system. Superprof tutors keep all of their lesson fees, though they still obviously have to declare their earnings to HMRC.³
Fees, Service Charges, and Real Lesson Cost
The key pricing difference is that Tutorful charges tutors' fees and Superprof doesn't. Students prefer to have all costs bundled into a single payment, as with Tutorful, but with Superprof, they pay the platform to contact tutors. At the same time, every penny for lessons goes to the tutor.
Lesson Delivery Tools and Features
How you get lessons is central to the experience of working with a private tutor. Tutorful and Superprof take very different approaches. One platform emphasises structure and consistency, while the other emphasises flexibility and autonomy.
Tutorful
- Built-in online classroom
- Integrated scheduling and payments
- Lesson tracking and messaging
- Platform-managed booking flow
Superprof
- Flexible online or in-person lessons
- Tutor-selected tools and platforms
- Direct communication with students
- No enforced classroom system
Tutorful’s On-Platform Classroom and Booking Flow
Tutorful delivers lessons through its built-in online classroom. This includes integrated scheduling, messaging, and payment handling. For students, the experience is pretty consistent, regardless of the tutor they're working with. Everything on Tutorful happens in the same place, which parents often like.
Superprof Flexibility and Lesson Setup
Unlike platform-driven platforms like MyTutor, Superprof leaves the tutors to do what they do best: teach. They can choose how to deliver lessons, offering online or in-person tutoring. Tutors can also choose their own tools to suit the subject and teaching style. For tutors on Superprof, it's all about flexibility for tutors and students.
Tutor and Student Experience
You can really see the differences between Tutorful and Superprof here. Do you prefer predictability or flexibility? Ultimately, that's the difference between the two platforms.
Tutorful
Superprof
Getting Discovered and Booking Speed
Tutorful uses a platform to help students find tutors. Search times are quicker for core academic tutors, but there's less visibility. Superprof helps students discover the right tutor by focusing on quality tutor profiles, responsiveness, and reviews. Tutors have greater control over how they advertise their tutoring to students, and students receive greater transparency from tutors.
Reviews, Trust Signals, and Profile Credibility
Tutorful's focus on academic suitability is suitable for parents looking for school-level tuition. Reviews on Tutorful emphasise consistency and reliability.⁵ Superprof uses detailed profiles, student feedback, and direct communication to build trust.⁶ Students can assess tutors according to experience, teaching style, and personality.
Support, Cancellations, and Problem Resolution
On Tutorful, there's a structured support process with policies around cancellations and lesson issues. On Superprof, support is offered, but tutors and students are given much more freedom to manage changes and resolve issues directly with one another. Again, it's a matter of control over freedom.
Pros and Cons
So what are the pros and cons of each platform? It depends on what you prefer since Tutorful and Superprof are quite different tutoring platforms. Would you rather have structure and simplicity or flexibility and control over your tutoring?
The consistency offered by Tutorful is undoubtedly a plus. Both parents and students can enjoy a tightly-controlled tutoring experience with integrated tools and a strong academic focus. It's certainly a plus for GCSE and A-Level tutoring. However, the downside is that students don't get to enjoy the flexibility Superprof offers, and service fees affect tutors' earnings.
Superprof's biggest strength is the freedom offered. Tutors control every aspect of their tutoring business. As a result, students have a much wider range of learning options. While there isn't a built-in classroom like Tutorful, good tutors can choose the tools that work best for them and their students.
Which Platform Is Better for You?
Since you're on the Superprof website, you know which platform we'd choose. At the end of the day, however, the right choice always depends on what students want from their tutoring, which is why the Superprof platform prioritises choice and allows tutors to offer different options to different students. Tutorful is undoubtedly a good platform for GCSE and A-Level tutoring, but they just don't do things the way we would.
GCSE and A-Level Focused Learners
Both platforms are great for GCSE and A-Level. Tutorful certainly has a strong focus on the UK curriculum. Still, every tutoring platform, from First Tutors to Superprof, has plenty of GCSE and A-Level tutors. The important thing is that the tutor you pick has the appropriate expertise.
Learners Seeking Flexible Subjects and Formats
If you're looking for more choice, this is where Superprof really shines. Tutors can offer any subject, skill, or hobby they like. Beyond school subjects, if you want to learn how to do something, search for it and you'll find tutors.
Tutors Balancing Earnings and Convenience
For tutors, it depends on how much independence you want. Tutorful will give you much more structure through the platform's workflow and tools. However, you will have to pay service fees. Being a tutor on Superprof is free, and the students pay to access and contact tutors.
Final Verdict
We're happy to hold our hands up and say that Tutorful is undoubtedly a good tutoring platform, but our approach to tutoring is the better choice, which is why we do things the way we do. For students and tutors, the choice is between more structure and more flexibility, with Superprof offering the latter. That said, you're already here, so if you're looking for a tutor, just search for what you want to learn. If you're a tutor, why not create your profile today?
References
- Tutorful – About Tutorful
https://tutorful.co.uk/about - Tutorful Support – What is the service fee and what do you use it for?https://support.tutorful.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/10287751640978-What-is-the-service-fee-and-what-do-you-use-it-for
- Superprof UK Blog – How Superprof Works for Students and Tutors
https://www.superprof.co.uk/blog/how-superprof-works/ - Tutorful Support – For Students and Parents: How much does tuition cost?
https://support.tutorful.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/213956825-For-Students-Parents-How-much-does-tuition-cost - Trustpilot – Tutorful Reviews
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/tutorful.co.uk - Trustpilot – Superprof Reviews (UK)
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/superprof.co.uk
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