Teaching English online to international learners
Conversational English lessons on platforms such as Cambly and Preply, paid in dollars.
Strong evidenceLast checked 24 Oct 2026
- Startup costR0 to R800
- First incomeabout 21 days
- Price evidenceR170 to R190 / hour
- Commercial viability55 / 100
Who it suits
Native-level English speakers with a laptop, webcam and stable connection; no degree needed on some platforms.
The customer and the problem
Typical customer: Adult learners in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
Speaking practice with a fluent speaker.
Is there demand?
Cambly publishes a rate of US$0.17 per active minute (≈US$10.20/hour) and lists South Africa among eligible native-English countries. Pnet lists remote ESL roles at US$6–18/hour.
- Cambly
- Preply
- E-native (SA)
Getting customers
The platform brings learners; your profile, ratings and availability decide volume.
Relies on: Work handed out by an app or platform, Applying for jobs or platform roles.
Money
- Revenue model: Per minute or per lesson.
- Price evidence: Cambly US$10.20/hour converted at roughly R17–R18.5/USD (exchange rate varies).
- Gross margin: Your time; platform sets or takes a share of price.
- Payment costs: Paid in USD via PayPal/Payoneer; PayPal→FNB route costs several percent.
- Operating costs: Data (video is heavy), headset, backup power.
- Recurring costs: Data and airtime.
Time to first income
Application review then building ratings.
Competition, risks and scale
High; Cambly pays per chat minute, so quiet spells between calls lower your real rate.
- Unpaid waiting time lowers effective hourly rate
- Outages during lessons hurt ratings
Room to grow: Time-bound.
Legal and tax in South Africa
Register for income tax with SARS once you earn; keep records of every payment received.
How it fits South Africa: Good for people with fibre and backup power.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start teaching English online to international learners in South Africa?
Our research puts start-up costs at about R0 to R800. Recurring costs: Data and airtime.
How long until the first income?
Typically about 21 days, and between 7 and 45 days. Application review then building ratings.
Can I do it with only a phone?
Not really. You will need a laptop or computer for most of the work.
What about tax and legal rules?
Register for income tax with SARS once you earn; keep records of every payment received.
Free tools for this
Read next
- How to make money online in South Africa
- How much to charge as a freelancer in South Africa
- Provisional tax for freelancers in South Africa, simply explained
- Getting paid from overseas in South Africa
- Ideas by situation
Researched by the Earn Path team · editorial policy