Can You Really Make Money Tutoring Student With Studypool?
Check out everything you need to know about how Studypool works, how much you can make, and how you can sign up as a tutor.
Studypool is an online platform connecting students with tutors for homework help.
Tutors bid on questions, provide answers, and earn money through the platform.
Studypool charges a commission on earnings, with rates varying based on tutor activity.
Mixed reviews highlight issues with account cancellations and payment delays.
When students have trouble understanding their homework, where do they turn?
They can search the web for answers, talk to their teacher after class for clarification, or find an in-person tutor.
But there’s one more way students can find answers to their homework questions. It’s called Studypool. Not only does Studypool help students, but it also provides tutors with a flexible side job.
In this article, we’ll review how Studypool works, how much you can make, and how you can sign up as a tutor.
Studypool is an online tutoring platform that connects students with tutors and educational content that can help them with questions on their homework.
With Studypool, students have access to multiple tools to assist them with homework including a note bank, study guides, and a homework Q&A section.
The note bank is a place where students can buy study materials like sample quizzes, homework notes, and additional documents. Once a student finds a document they like, they can purchase the document for around $5-$10.
This is similar to StudySoup, a platform that allows students to turn their class notes into cash. However, this platform has a lot more features that StudySoup doesn’t.
The study guide section contains in-depth guides on certain subjects such as book reviews or subject deep dives. These guides can also be purchased by students for a small fee. An example of a study guide a student might find would be a compendium on Lord of the Flies.
The last tool that Studypool provides is the homework Q&A section. This is where students can post their questions for tutors to answer. That’s where you come into play.
When students have a question about their homework, they can post a question on Studypool’s site. If tutors think they’re able to answer the question, they can bid on the job.
To better explain how the Studypool platform works, we’ll break it down into three sections — bidding on questions, introducing yourself to the student, and answering their questions.
Bidding on Questions
As a tutor, you can browse questions on the site to find ones you think you can answer. If you think you have what it takes, you can set your price and bid on a job.
The easiest way for new tutors to land their first job is by bidding on questions with smaller budgets. This will help you get your feet wet and develop a track record for students to see.
Students will set a time limit and budget for you to see when placing your bid. You will have the greatest chance of successfully winning a bid if your bid is within these parameters.
If a student likes your bid and thinks you’re the right fit for the job, fantastic — you have the job. If not, you can place another bid on different jobs. You can place as many bids as you want.
When a student accepts your bid, payment will be sent to Studypool and held until the question is answered. When the student is satisfied with the answer, payment will be sent to you.
Introducing Yourself
After you’ve been selected and it’s time to start your tutoring session, you’ll need to give the student a thorough introduction. Tell them about yourself and explain why you’re suited to give them adequate help.
If you have questions for the student, make sure you ask before getting started. It’s important to understand how knowledgeable they are on the subject if you want to provide the best help possible.
Remember, if the student likes you they’ll come back to you for more help.
Answering the Student’s Question
When answering the question through the online platform, you should make sure to be as detailed as possible. You should provide the student with a thorough answer and explanation before the time limit expires.
When you submit your answer, make sure there aren’t any typos or misspellings. You can use the messaging feature if the student needs clarification or would like to collaborate. You should also remember to always provide citations when applicable, and never plagiarize.
Once the student is happy with your answer, your job is done. You will then be added to each other’s friend list for questions in the future. After that, it’s time to get paid.
Benefits of Being a Studypool Tutor
Studypool tutors have the freedom to choose how much they work, when they work, and the rates they charge. Tutoring is a flexible job and an excellent way to make money on the side or even full time.
Once you begin answering questions and building a reputation, you’ll receive repeat clients. With a developed network of students, you can build a steady stream of income over time.
Studypool also says that it’s a trusted service that will protect you from scammers. While this is great to hear, there are tutors and students who have voiced displeasure with the service, which we’ll cover in further detail below.
Is Studypool a Scam?
Studypool has an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, however, there have been quite a few complaints online regarding account cancellations and tutors not getting paid.
A common problem is that students are able to review your performance and decide whether or not you gave them an adequate answer. This can be frustrating if a student simply doesn’t want to pay and then takes your answer anyway. Studypool has a performance review process in place to look at these complaints, but we can’t promise that you’ll come out on top.
If your account gets canceled, there have been multiple reports where tutors were unable to receive the money they already made. It has also been reported in Studypool reviews that customer service is lacking and it’s difficult to get your problems resolved and receive your rightfully earned money.
Obviously, not getting paid is a big concern, so make sure you carefully consider if you want to take the risk. There have been plenty of positive reviews, so tread softly when first trying out the platform.
How Much Does Studypool Pay?
How much you make tutoring with Studypool will be directly correlated with how much you bid on jobs. The pricier the job, the higher you can bid, and the more money you can make.
The default commission rate that Studypool charges is 32.5% for every tutoring session. New tutors have the luxury of only having a 15% commission rate. The 15% commission rate will last until the tutor withdraws money from their account for the first time. Then the 32.5% commission rate will go into effect.
Also, you can get lower commission charges if you’re tutoring a new student or one that you invited to help. Additionally, tutors who are avid users and answer more than 100 questions will be charged smaller commission rates.
All commission rates can be found in the chart below.
Once you’re ready to cash out, you can process your payment through PayPal or Transferwise. It will take about one to three business days for Studypool to process your payment.
It will then take five to seven business days for the payment to be processed through PayPal or Transferwise. Both of these payment services will charge a 3.5% transaction fee.
How to Become a Studypool Tutor
All Studypool tutors must have a college degree or be a college student. Besides that, there are no additional requirements to become a tutor.
The first step to becoming a tutor is to go to the Studypool tutor sign-up page. Tap the pink “Apply Now” button to get started.
You can then type in your email, username, and password or opt to sign up using Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
After that, you’re ready to tutor. If you want to receive job notifications, you can select certain subjects that you specialize in. If not, you can start browsing questions and begin placing bids.
Before you sign up, you should consider if Studypool is right for you. As we mentioned earlier, there have been mixed reviews surrounding Studypool that you’ll want to know about.
Brett Helling
Founder, Gigworker.com
Brett Helling is the founder and owner of Gigworker.com. Having worked in the gig economy for nearly a decade, he has mastered freelance, remote, and app-based work. You can learn more about his journey in his book, "Gigworker: Independent Work and the State of the Gig Economy", now available on Amazon.