An updated list of popular App's students are using to find online English teachers.

📈 What Apps students use to find online English teachers: country-by-country, Breakdown, pricing (cost of living has a huge impact on pricing) and insights

If you want to grow your online English teaching business, it’s vital to understand where students from different countries go to find tutors — and how much they’re willing to pay. In this guide, we’ll break it down by country, covering the most popular platforms and apps students use, plus pricing expectations.

🇨🇳 China

Popular Apps:

WeChat: For community groups and private teacher-student interaction.
Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book): Students search for lifestyle-focused teachers.
Douyin (TikTok China): Younger students love short, punchy learning videos.
Bilibili: For more serious learners who watch long-form educational content.

How students find teachers:

Word-of-mouth in WeChat groups
Xiaohongshu search + influencer-style posts
TikTok-style videos with mini-lessons

Pricing (per 60-minute class):

Chinese tutors: ¥50–120 (approx. $7–17 USD)
Foreign tutors: ¥150–300 (approx. $20–40 USD), higher for test prep or business English

🇰🇷 South Korea

Popular Apps:

Cafetalk: A well-known tutoring platform
HelloTalk and Tandem: Used for language exchange, can lead to paid lessons
Instagram & YouTube: Popular among younger learners for discovering native speakers

How students find teachers:

Search Cafetalk for rated tutors
Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts with Korean-English subtitles

Pricing (per 60-minute class):

Local tutors: ₩15,000–25,000 (approx. $11–19 USD)
Native speakers: ₩25,000–45,000 (approx. $19–34 USD)

🇯🇵 Japan

Popular Apps:

Italki and Cafetalk: Very well-established in Japan
LINE: Used for private communication and group learning
YouTube: Students follow and message teachers they admire

How students find teachers:

Through Italki and Cafetalk teacher rankings
LINE groups for study and exam prep
YouTube comment sections

Pricing (per 60-minute class):

Local tutors: ¥1,500–2,500 (approx. $10–17 USD)
Native tutors: ¥3,000–5,000 (approx. $20–34 USD)

🇹🇭 Thailand

Popular Apps:

Facebook: Huge for group classes and live sessions
YouTube: For both free learning and discovering teachers
LINE: Local messaging app used to set up classes
TikTok: Growing rapidly for casual learners

How students find teachers:

Through Facebook groups like "English Learning Thailand"
YouTube channel recommendations
Short TikTok videos with Thai/English subtitles

Pricing (per 60-minute class):

Local tutors: ฿200–300 (approx. $6–9 USD)
Foreign teachers: ฿400–800 (approx. $11–22 USD)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

Popular Apps:

Facebook: Dominates the learning space with large active groups
Zalo: Messaging app used to organise classes
YouTube: For test prep and younger learners
TikTok: Exploding with mini-lesson content

How students find teachers:

Through Facebook groups like "Luyen thi IELTS" or "Speak English with Native Teachers"
Friends’ referrals in Zalo
TikTok For You pages

Pricing (per 60-minute class):

Local tutors: ₫100,000–180,000 (approx. $4–7 USD)
Native tutors: ₫250,000–450,000 (approx. $10–19 USD)

🇰🆭 Cambodia

Popular Apps:

Facebook: Still the #1 platform
Telegram: More popular in rural or youth communities
YouTube and TikTok: Both growing for free English resources

How students find teachers:

Facebook group posts or paid live classes
Referrals from local schools
Commenting on video content to request private help

Pricing (per 60-minute class):

Local tutors: $2–4 USD
Foreign teachers: $6–12 USD

Final Takeaway 🚀

Different countries = different platforms, price expectations, and student behaviors. But there are clear patterns:

Facebook dominates Southeast Asia
Cafetalk & Italki lead in Korea and Japan
WeChat, Douyin & Xiaohongshu rule in China
YouTube & TikTok are universally rising for visibility

If you're trying to grow your student base, start by targeting the apps students already trust in your desired region. Then post consistently, respond to DMs, and offer free value upfront — that’s the path to filling your calendar with eager learners. For those already teaching, what Apps or methods do you use?

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