How to Start a Tutoring Business in 7 Steps

Starting a tutoring business is a significant step in your career, but it can feel overwhelming. You’re not just offering a service; you’re also building a company with all the administrative tasks that come alongside it.

Before we dive into the specifics of how to start a tutoring business, it helps to consider a few things, like what subjects you're best at and whether you'll work with elementary students or high schoolers. You should also consider the administrative element of organizing tutoring sessions, keeping in contact with parents, and managing payments.

But luckily, with the right tools, tackling that admin doesn’t have to be a headache. They can give you the freedom to spend less time on admin and more time on teaching.

Tutoring business types

Starting your own tutoring business means you have full flexibility. You’re not limited to the traditional one-on-one session. Let us share first a few different ways you could set up your tutoring business to fit your unique skills and passions:

• Group Tutoring: If financial accessibility is really important to you, group tutoring is a great option. If your target hourly rate was $40, for example, you could offer a $5 rate if you tutored a group of 8 keen students.
• Test Prep Specialist: This model is perfect if your passion is helping students reach specific goals. You could offer a variety of services, including SAT, ACT, or GMAT prep.
• Hybrid Model: Some students learn amazingly online, and others shine when tutored in person. Offering a hybrid tutoring model is perfect for tutors who are focused on optimizing the teaching experience to get the bestout of their students.
• After-School Workshops: Do you want to help as many students as possible?. Then, after-school workshops could be the best model for you. Instead of working with students 1:1, you could partner with a local school or community center and share your knowledge with hundreds of students.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to tutoring. No model is better than the other. It all depends on what you truly want to achieve and take away from this rewarding profession.

7 steps to launch a tutoring business

We've broken the process down into a simple, step-by-step guide to help you start a tutoring business that works.

1. Research your target audience

You already have a tough idea of your audience, but it’s time to get specific. When you know exactly who you want to help, it is much easier to tailor your sessions and stand out from others when starting your tutoring business. Are you helping busy parents of middle schoolers who need help with homework? Are you working with high school seniors on their college application process? 

The answers to these questions will inform your marketing, the types of tools you need, and your pricing structure.

There are so many great ways to find these answers, but you could start with researching your top 5 competitors' reviews to understand precisely what didn’t quite work for the students and what helped them to excel.

• What problem are you solving? Are you helping a student to pass a required class, or are you exploring topics that aren’t on the syllabus with a student who loves the topic?
• Where do they hang out? Do you want to target parents or the students? Should you use social media, email, or local boards? Some good places to start could be school Facebook pages, local community pages (if you prefer tutoring in person), or parent groups on Facebook.
• What are their biggest concerns? Are they more concerned with affordability, flexibility, or ease of communication?

When you understand your target audience, you can optimize your marketing and tools to work best for them.

2. Research local tutoring services

As with any new business, it’s always helpful to understand what is already out there and how it functions. You can start with a quick Google search for "[Your City] tutoring services."

As you research, look for answers to these three questions:

• How do they manage their business? What tools do they use, and how do they manage bookings?
• What subjects do they offer? Are they generalists, or do they specialize in one area?
• What are their rates? This will help you set a fair price for your services.
• What makes them unique? Do they offer a free consultation? Do they have a blog with helpful articles?

The goal of this step is to ensure that you are meeting parents and students where they are. You can offer affordable services on platforms that they are comfortable using and familiar with.

3. Create a tutoring business plan

A business plan can sound intimidating, but it’s great for clarifying your ideas and setting clear goals alongside a strategy for reaching them.

Start with a simple outline that covers the following:

• Summary: A brief overview of your business, your mission, and your goals.
• Services: Outline exactly what you are offering (subjects) and how (group, 1:1, online).
• Marketing Strategy: This covers how you will reach your target audience.
• Pricing: You can always change this number later, but setting an initial number will allow you to make financial projections.
• Financial Projections: Your estimated income and expenses.

Let’s take a look at a quick example together to help clarify this further.Imagine tutor A wants to earn $2,200/month after expenses. At $30/hour, that’s about 74 teaching hours/month. That could look like:

• 6 clients × 3h/week = ~72h/month.
• 10 clients × 2h/week = ~80h/month.

But here’s where your model makes a big difference:

• Specializing (e.g., test prep) at $40/hour drops the load to 55 hours/month.
• Running a small group (4 students × $15 each = $60/hour) means only 37 hours/month to reach the same goal.

The takeaway? A business plan isn’t just about spreadsheets; it helps you see your options and choose a model that fits your lifestyle.

Pro tip: A 2024 report in The Guardian revealed that teachers are being “crushed under the weight of bureaucracy,” with excessive administrative tasks driving stress, exhaustion, and unhappiness. By creating a solid business plan, you can cut through the red tape, streamline the admin, and refocus your energy on what you love most: teaching.

4. Create a website and social media pages

Now you’re ready to bring your brand to life. Depending on your business plan, you may want to create a website, set up social media pages, both, or neither. You are the best judge of what you need to start booking your lessons.

If you decide you need a website, you should include:

• A clear homepage: Your homepage is your welcome mat and the first time a student or parent is introduced to it. A friendly, inviting introduction can make a world of difference. Try using a bright and unique color palette, one that represents you and can be replicated across all your online platforms. Focus on specific problem-solving rather than direct selling. For example, instead of saying “the best tutoring services in [town],” you could say "committed to helping middle-school students reach their full potential in maths.”
• Services page: Being open and transparent with your services and pricing can help to build productive, friendly relationships from the get-go, ensuring nobody is disappointed.
• About page: This page is optional, but it can be a great way to share your story and explain why you are an exceptional teacher. You know you will be great tutor, so bold about your achievements and experience.
• Testimonials page: Testimonials build trust. Let your happy customers by your cheerleaders.

And if you decide you need social media accounts, think carefully about which ones to set up. Just remember, you don't have to be everywhere at once. It's far better to focus your energy on building one fantastic, active account that truly shines than to spread yourself thinly across four accounts.

5. Invest in a tutor scheduling software

This step is the key to a successful business. The right software will save you hours every week that would usually be spent on back-and-forth emails, accidental double-bookings, miscommunications, and no-shows.

A great scheduling tool takes care of the small details, allowing you to focus on teaching.

Look for a solution that offers:

• Free services: Running a tutoring business shouldn’t mean extra costs before you’ve even started. Choose a scheduling tool that gives you the essentials for free so you can grow without stress.
• Automated back-and-forth scheduling: Set your availability once, and your clients can then book a time slot that aligns with your calendar. Quick and easy scheduling is a game-changer for a busy tutor.
• Automated reminders to avoid no shows: We know how frustrating it can be for tutor and student alike when there is a date or time mix-up. Automated reminders can remind you and your students of the sessions so no one forgets.
• Easy Integrations: Pick software that works with the tools you already know, like Zoom and Google Calendar. That way, every session—from booking to video call—runs smoothly in one place.

Koalendar’s free forever plan is designed to give educators and small businesses the flexibility and ease they need to succeed by streamlining scheduling.

6. Book your first lessons

You’ve done all the prep work, and now you’re ready to get started.

With Koalendar, the scheduling software for schools by your side, you’ll feel confident knowing that your calendar is already organized and you won’t have to worry about managing it. All you have to focus on is teaching.

Here are a few tips to get the most out of your first sessions:

Be prepared

Once your lesson is booked, focus on tailoring it to each student. A simple intake form sent through a booking tool like Koalendar helps you understand their level, goals, and challenges before you even meet. This means you can plan smarter and avoid wasting session time on basics. You can also upload or share study materials in advance, so students arrive ready to dive in.

Understand the student's goal

Every student is different: some need to pass a test next month, others want long-term support. Clarify goals and timelines at the start. This lets you book the right number of sessions up front, manage expectations, and avoid last-minute scheduling stress.

Keep parents in the loop

For younger students, parents want regular updates. Instead of long emails, send quick session summaries or progress notes right after lessons. Automated reminders and follow-ups from your scheduling tool make it easy to keep everyone informed and engaged without adding hours to your workload.

7. Grow your tutoring business

Once you have happy students, growth often happens naturally through word of mouth and referrals. Parents talk to other parents, and a great learning experience is your best marketing tool.

To support this growth, think about how you’ll manage more students without doubling your admin. That’s where the right systems make a difference:

• Automated scheduling ensures parents can book at their convenience.
• Custom booking pages let you separate 1:1 sessions, group classes, or test-prep packages.
• Video conferencing links and reminders reduce no-shows and confusion.
• Automated payments before class protect your time by ensuring every lesson is paid for in advance.

Example: the high school math tutor who automates his business

A high school math tutor started with 5 students and grew to 40+ students within a year by offering small group SAT prep sessions. By setting up custom booking pages in Koalendar, she let parents choose class times directly, added automated reminders, and required upfront payments. The result? No more chasing invoices, fewer no-shows, and more time focused on teaching.

With scheduling software like Koalendar, you can start small and scale smoothly, whether that means doubling your 1:1 students or opening group classes without adding more admin to your plate.

Takeaways

Starting a tutoring business is exciting, and yes, it can feel overwhelming at first. But with the right approach, you’ll find your rhythm quickly. Here are a few final tips to keep in mind as you get started:

• Offer taster sessions: This can be a great option when you are just starting your tutoring business and need testimonials.
• Start small: You don’t need to have everything figured out from day one. You can always improve and change as you go.
• Keep learning: The best educators never stop learning. Stay updated on the latest teaching methods and tools.
• Get feedback: Feedback is the best way to improve and show you care.
• Stay organized: A good system is everything. Keep track of your sessions, payments, and student progress from the start.
• Embrace technology: The right tool can save you time every day that you can spend tutoring rather than on admin.

At the end of the day, the most successful tutoring businesses are built on clarity, consistency, and connection. By starting small, staying organized, and using smart tools, you’ll create a business that supports both your students and your lifestyle.

And remember: scheduling doesn’t need to be the hard part. With Koalendar’s free forever plan, you can simplify bookings, automate reminders, and focus on what you do best—helping students succeed.