SayABC was once an excellent alternative to VIPKID. Where VIPKID was only open to US and Canadian nationals, any native speaker from a native speaking English country could apply to VIPKID.
But SayABC seems to be having numerous issues which we want to update you on to help you make the decision if you should apply or not.
First, both SayABC and VIPKID are owned and operated by the same parent company. That means you can expect on time payments and a well developed culture around their teachers.
SayABC also previously paid a better rate than VIPKID due to their classroom environment being multi-student instead of simply 1 on 1. But like a lot of companies they are looking at ways to reduce their hourly pay rate and bonuses.
SayABC had a pay rate of up to $28 per 40 minute class. With $15 being the base pay plus various bonuses for attendance, number of students taught and amount of classes finished.
Your class with SayABC will be with 4 students who you will teach regularly over the course of a 3 month period of time. You must have a bachelors degree (or about to graduate) and be a native English speaker.
SayABC Merging with VIPKID?
SayABC in addition to reducing their pay rate has cut back on their “Our World” courses. “Our World” was a program where parents could purchase packages of classes around specific subjects.
This was a popular program for current SayABC teachers, and a reliable source of classes that is now being phased out. Will it be replaced with something new? Unlikely as they are currently offering deals for students to switch to VIPKID.
This is a worrying issue for teachers as children finish their packages and then drop out of SayABC or move over to another teaching company. That means less students and less class. Also, North Americans are being offered a “fast track” to get on board with VIPKID.
What do we think is going on? VIPKID has a proven business model and market domination in the online teaching space. SayABC perhaps will be merged with VIPKID.
Apply to VIPKID
As aspects of SayABC are being phased out and the pay is being reduced, we will leave up our guide on how to apply and get hired with SayABC. Teach and GO strongly recommends you apply to VIPKID instead if you’re an American or a Canadian (your application will be rejected if you’re not from North America).
VIPKID
Teach English online with the industry leader!

Getting Hired with SayABC
Getting hired with SayABC is a straightforward process. You need to have a bachelors degree in anything (a TEFL certificate is a plus too). The first step to the process is to sign up and create an account:

Once you create an account you’ll need to create a teacher profile. Here you will be able to submit your resume and credentials. Again, they are looking for native English speakers with a bachelors degree (experience with children a plus – if you work with kids in any capacity let them know). If you meet these basic requirements you’ll be invited to book an interview.
For the interview you have two options. A live interview or a self recorded interview. Which one is better? While they say that they evaluate both equally we suggest you choose the more difficult option and do a live interview. The self recorded option is only in place for busy teachers who can not schedule a live interview.
Show Up For Your Live Interview
One of the biggest issues SayABC have with their on boarding process for new teachers is that teachers book an interview then they don’t show up.
There are many reasons for this of course. Maybe you selected the wrong time zone, something last minute happened or you just plain forgot.
Regardless, it’s a bad first impression. If you do miss your interview they do allow you to reschedule. But if you do it again and miss your interview, then you’re application is terminated.
Also, if you need to change the time of your interview it’s NO problem. Simply choose “change time” and NOT “cancel interview” as doing so will result in the termination of your application
How To Book an Interview For SayABC
To book an interview simply log into your account and click on “let’s get started.” It will be a big orange button that will become available after your initial application is reviewed and accepted. After than select your time zone.

Select your time zone as appropriate (if you want to double check use timeanddate.com). Also note that the portal uses a 24 hour time system (military time for Americans). As such 13:00 is 1 pm. Please pay careful attention to this so you don’t book a time like 1:00 and think it’s 1 in the afternoon (it’s actually 1 in the morning).
How to Attend Your Interview
Log into your account and download the “SayABC teacher client.” Do this before you interview. Do not wait till the last minute. Do it a week or so before your live interview. Once you’ve got the client downloaded, open it up and familiarize yourself with the teaching portal.

To become familiar with SayABC’s expectations simply click on the “Academy” option in the navigation bar. This is your self study area. Grab a cup of coffee and dedicate an hour and go through this self study section.
Attend the interview
The last step is to simply prepare for the interview and attend it. Get the client set up properly, go through the self study and prepare appropriately. For the live interview this is what you can expect:
- Interview with question and answer
- An internet connection test
- Demo and feedback (usually around 10 minutes)
Submit a Self Recorded Interview as an Alternative
So you logged into your account and notice that none of the available time slots work for you. No worries, as an alternative to the live interview you can submit a self recorded interview.
To submit a self recorded interview you simply need to record yourself using the teacher portal when logged into SayABC. Please note, you get 3 attempts. If you make a mistake you can start over, but again you only get three attempts and the last attempt will be submitted regardless. Please go through the “Academy” and double check specific requirements for the self submitted interview.
What happens after the interview?
The interview is actually the easy part as the team at SayABC just want to get to know you based on your experience. A quick IT test to see if you’re internet connection is suitable for online teaching and a quick demo of your teaching style.
Most teachers pass the interview process. The few that don’t simply fail out of the pipeline by being a no-show for their live interview one too many times.
But once you pass the interview process here is what happens next with the on-boarding process:
Self Study (2 Hours)
As with all online teaching companies, SayABC has their own internal training where you’ll learn more about the company, the classroom environment and how to be a successful teacher with SayABC.
Mentor Session (1 Hour)
Mentors are current teachers with SayABC who have been selected to be mentors due to their quality performance. You’ll meet with a mentor for an hour to learn how to teaching using the SayABC platform.
Evaluation Class (40 Minutes)
The most stressful part of the hiring process. This is where you teach an actual class of students which will then be evaluated. Take it seriously and prepare. This is what will make or break your application. Remember, you’re going to be paid a good hourly rate where you can easily make $1,000 USD a month part time from the comfort of your home. Do the work and be responsible.
You’re Hired!
Once you pass you’re officially an online teacher for SayABC. You’ll be given a contract and will be able to make a schedule.
Let’s cover what you can expect when working with SayABC:
- Your pay will be in the rage of $15 up to $28 per 40 minute class you teach.
- You can teach up to 24 classes a week with no minimum availability.
- You will teach a class with four students at a time.
- Contracts are for 3 months at a time.
- If you want to teach and travel, SayABC is not ideal. They require you be based in select countries due to the need for quality and reliable internet speeds.
- You must be a native English speaker. Any accent is fine so long as your a native speaker of English.
- You must have a bachelors degree or be close to graduating.
- Do you need a TEFL? No but of course it’s preferred.
- You must enter the classroom 5 minutes before the class starts.
Do you teach the same students?
Yes actually. SayABC does the placement of students and teachers. As such you can expect to teach the same students week to week.
What if I need to take time off?
Simply inform SayABC two weeks in advance of any time off requirements. Because you teach the same students and SayABC books you (instead of the parents booking you), you must inform them before hand or it will be considered a now show.
What is the pay like?
You can be paid up to $28 per 40 minute class or as low as $15 per 40 minute class. It depends on you meeting the bonus requirements and your seniority. On average, your standard SayABC teacher can expect to be paid $25 per 40 minute class.
I can live in only select countries?
Yes. Because you’re teaching four students at a time it’s essential you have a quality, reliable internet connection. SayABC is not ideal if you’re looking to teach and travel.
The list of acceptable countries that you can live in are:
- China
- Singapore
- South Korea
- North America
- Europe
- Australia
- The middle east
We personally feel they should add Vietnam to this list as Vietnam has excellent internet, but it’s understandable why Thailand (for example) is not included on this list.
How Do Get Booked?
With SayABC you will be assigned a class that meets twice a week. You can be assigned multiple classes (up to 24 class a week depending on your availability). What classes you get will be based on your availability and how far in advanced you submit your availability as well as your overall performance.
Are you a reliable teacher? Do you have issues with being a no-show or leaving class early? All these various performance aspects are taken into consideration regarding what classes you get and how many.
SayABC Teacher Requirements
The requirement to teach English online with SayABC are as follows:
- You must be a native English speaker with a bachelors degree (or on your way to graduating soon).
- It is preferred you have some sort of teaching experience, a TEFL certificate or some background working with kids.
- You must have a modern desktop or laptop with 8 GB or ram. Go here to view the best laptops for online teachers.
- You must use headphones (with microphone) when teaching class.
- You must be based in one of the approved countries due to the internet speed requirements.
SayABC Teacher Compensation
The compensation is broken down into successfully teaching 9 classes in a row. Again, you’re assigned a “homeroom” that meets twice a week for 9 classes for a given subject. Simply teach each and every class and receive good feedback and you’ll qualify for a bonus.
- Your base pay will be $15 per class with a $6 bonus per class ( you get after completing 9 classes).
- For trial class the pay is $15 + $8 bonus per student who signs up.
- You can expect raises upon a solid performance contract to contract.
- Payments are paid out monthly on the 15th of every month.
SayABC Hiring Process
The hiring process has a few steps in the pipeline. If first begins with visiting SayABC and creating a teacher profile. If you meet the basic requirements to be a teacher, you’ll be given an invitation to interview.
If you pass the interview which includes your standard question and answer as well as a short demo using the platform you’ll progress to the self study section of SayABC where you will be require to attend a mentoring session and then a mock class.
What to Expect For The Mock Class
The mock class is a 40 minute demo class you will do with actual students. Before the class you will be given access to the self study area of SayABC where you can learn more about the company and prepare for your mock class. You will also have a mentoring session to with a current SayABC teacher to help you be successful.
If you complete all this you’re then given a contract and then you’re able to start teaching.
Teach English with SayABC
SayABC in the past was our top alternative to VIPKID for non North American native speakers. This company is going through internal changes and could even merge at some point with VIPKID.
If you’re looking for part time work then go through the application process. But if you are a native speaker, take a look at VIPKID first before SayABC.
Apply to VIPKID
25 minute lessons, $25 an hour earning potential. Apply today..
