VIPKID Review – Is This Teaching Platform Still Worth it in 2026?

VIPKID is the industry leader in online teaching. They were founded in 2015 and have rapidly grown from a small company of a few hundred teachers to more than a network of 80,000+ teachers located around the world.

Hi, my name is David. I’m the founder of Teach and GO. I currently head the editorial staff and was one of the first few thousand teachers back when I started with VIPKID in 2016.

It was amazing to watch VIPKID go from some unknown platform to the industry leader for online teaching.

While things in the online teaching space have changed due to China’s online teaching ban, VIPKID has positioned themselves to be a global platform for online learning and will now focus on countries outside of China as well as different product verticals.

Is it still worth applying?

Yes, you can apply and get hired with VIPKID. But they do have a process of onboarding teacher. Most fail because they’re just too lazy to complete the application process.

But if you’re not lazy, are qualified and you’re looking for a way to make a few hundred dollars on the side then apply for VIPKID below as it is still the easiest way to get started teaching online:

VIPKID

Teach English online from the comfort of your home. Americans and Canadians only.

Apply Today

VIPKID Job Description

Let’s cover what VIPKID online teaching job is like currently:

• Be eligible to work in the United States (except CA, CT, NY and Washington DC) or Canada.
• Native English speaker.
• Bachelors degree or higher.
• TEFL certificate required if your bachelors is non-education.
• $7 per class base pay.
• Flexibility with no minimum hour requirements.
• Curriculum is provided for you.
• You’re welcome to use your own teaching props but it’s not required.
• VIPKID classes are 1 to 1.
• Class time is for 25 minutes.
• After class your expected to leave student feedback.
• You have 12 hours to submit feedback before you’re penalized for being late.
• No quizzes, test or homework to grade. You just teach and go.

VIPKID teaching hours

With VIPKID they now offer a wide range of teaching verticals (reading classes, the standard global program, Tiger English and so forth).

It takes a bit longer to get a full schedule, so don’t expect full bookings like before, but it’s still possible to get few hours each day and a lot of hours on the weekend.

Once you’re opening hours regularly, it does become much easier to get fully booked week after week.

How much does VIPKID pay?

VIPKID now pays all teachers (including veterans) $7per 25 minute class regardless of qualifications or performance in the interview.

With the performance bonus, you can expect to make about $7.80 a class or $15.60 an hour. This is a change from the old variable rate of $7 to $8 which was based on your interview.

Pay Structure Explained

As a VIPKID teacher you can expect to get a base rate of $14 an hour + an incentive bonus where your hourly rate comes out to about $15.60.

The current incentive pay for VIPKID is found here:

The way the new pay structure at VIPKID works is that it’s first based of how many classes you have taught. The more classes, the higher your tier. Then it’s based on how many classes you teach each month. The more classes, the more per class you earn.

Please note that the pay per class is not cumulative. That is, if you were teach more than 181 classes, only classes past 181 would be paid at the 181 class rate. The rest of those classes would be paid at their respective rates.

For most veteran teachers this is functionally pay decrease of about $1.50 per class. But again, it depends on how many classes you teach.

They are one of the best online teaching company to work with, but if we had to point out a big drawback, it would be the strictness with which raises are issued.

The current pay structure for VIPKID has been updated as of 2020 and all new teachers can expect a base rate of $7.50 per class (or $15 per hour) with a variable $1-2 bonus per hour added.

VIPKID pay incentives

How much can you make with VIPKID realistically?

I’m going to assume you’ve been teaching for a few months, you have gone through all the certifications for all the different types of class and you’ve been opening hours during the week and on the weekend.

With VIPKID it’s possible to make $500 to $1500 a month now. It’s sill a great side income, but it’s not as lucrative as it used to be.

The hourly rate you’ll get is roughly $15.60.

It’s possible to do 5 classes a night, Monday to Thursday (5am to 8am NYC time)

On the weekend you can do classes all day as kids are not in school, but the catch is that in America that means in the middle of the night. If you’re an ESL teacher in Asia then you can do weekends.

So if you’re aggressive and do 5am to 8am Monday to Friday that equals $390 a week or $1560 a month.

VIPKID Teacher Requirements

The requirements for teaching English online with VIPKID were as follows:

Be a US or Canadian citizen. This was VIPKID’s main selling point and was non-negotiable as Chinese want a North American accent.

Have a bachelors degree at a minimum. This is in place because Chinese law states that teachers must have a degree from an accredited university. This is normal in the teaching world of ESL and not unique to VIPKID.

Have experience working with kids for at least 1 year. You can be a coach or you could volunteer or be a teacher. You just need some experience working with kids.

VIPKID as with any online teaching company also has technical requirements for teaching English online. They are:

How Do You Get Hired With VIPKID

VIPKID takes a bit of work to get hired. They don’t want lazy people. It’s worth going through the process because once you’re setup as a teacher, you’re basically good to go and you only need to open hours and teach classes.

Step 1 – Apply to VIPKID

Do you meet the basic requirements to be a VIPKID teacher? Great! Go ahead and apply. It’s essential you have some sort of experience with kids so even if it’s something like coaching children after school, volunteering or whatever – indicate it in your application.

Step 2 – Short Interview

If you pass the requirements to be an online teacher, VIPKID will conduct a short interview with you. This interview will be with a Chinese staff member at VIPKID. It’s just a short 10 minute “get to know you” interview to see what you’re like.

You’ll have to answer questions related to VIPKID and your background and the goal of the interview is to simply see what you’re like as a person. For the interview make sure to wear a nice shirt, style your hair and conduct the interview in a quite place with a nice background.

You may be expected to teach a handful of slides. Again, pay attention to what they say in the emails you get. I personally had a 10 minute interview followed by a 5 minute demo.

Overall, it’s not too formal, but make the effort. You have a few different options for the interview:

• Recorded demo class
• Interview express
• Coaching day meetup
• Simple interview

Recorded Demo Class

This is the new normal for VIPKID. The demo class is a bit nerve racking but just DO IT. You will have to record yourself giving a demo lesson. Yes it’s silly, but they need a way to see if you’re able to follow instructions and meet the lesson objectives.

It’s a one time thing. You do this once, you get hired and you’re good to go so just set aside time on the weekend and get it done.

Interview Express

This is for invite only and is typically reserved for highly qualified teachers who already have a few years experience teaching English online with other companies.

Coaching day meetup

VIPKID now hosts meetups all across America and Canada. You can attend one of these meetups and go through the hiring process in person.

Simple Interview

The simple interview is 6 slides long and is designed to expedite the hiring process for select candidates.

Interview Tips

Please have good lightning, a nice place to teach that has an appropriate background and a good internet connection. Also review the VIPKID applicant performance indicator.

For good lighting you need light on your face. You can use the light on your phone or better yet, buy a small lamp that can give you a nice looking glow. If it’s in the morning, consider using teaching near a window for natural lighting.

Your background is also important. At a minimum have a plain background with no distractions like laundry, animals or posters. At best, create a background appropriate for a classroom. Something like a map, large white board, stickers and your name are all fine. The background if your chance to show some of your personality.

Step 3 – Demo Class and Certification Center

Once you pass the interview you’ll have access to the self study section of VIPKID where you go through a self study process to learn about VIPKID and the various policies at work with the company. The self study part is your orientation to VIPKID so you can start learning about this organization.

You’ll be required to start completing certifications for different levels. VIPKID has levels 1 to 6. Most students are at the lower levels but there are some students at level 6. Depending on what level you choose to get certified for will dictate what lesson you teach.

For each level you can be asked to teach two different lessons. Prepare for both. The lesson is 10 minutes long and is with a mock class instructor.

Once you get certified for at least one level you’ll be given your contract. Make sure to certify for all levels as most students are at level 2, 3 and 4.

Step 4 – Sign Your Contract

The process from start to finish takes a few weeks. But once you’ve taught numerous classes with them, the lessons become easy and second nature. Allowing you to do minimum prep for each class.

When first starting, you need to review and prepare but after you’ve taught the same lesson over and over you’ll start to have mastery over the VIPKID curriculum. After your first month or two, you’ll be able to quickly and easily teach with VIPKID.

Step 5 – Open hours!

The last step is to open slots. Once you’re booked, check the lesson and review in great detail and prepare as best you can for your online class.

Frequently asked Questions

Do you teach the same students?

In general you will see the same students week to week. Again, it is up to the parent to book you, as such if a parent likes your teaching style you can expect to see the same kids every week.

As a VIPKID teacher, you will have “followers” and students who have list you as their regular teacher.

Is there any interaction with the parents?

No, the parents book you but the only thing you’re required to do is teach the lesson.

In order to maximize the number of classes you could get scheduled, we recommend you to be available for at least 8-12 hours a week (20 time slots per week roughly at 30 minutes per time slot) during Beijing peak times.

Peak Times For Online Teaching With VIPKID

Peak times really depend on where in the world you are. For a complete list of peak hours based on time zones, view VIPKID’s teaching hours page here.

November to March:

Daylight savings time hours:

Can you take time off with VIPKID?

Yes you can. There are no minimum required hours to teach, if you want to take a week or even a month off to go on vacation, simply don’t open hours.

Yes, you may lose some of your regular students but strictly speaking, you can take time off whenever you want.

Taxes for VIPKID

You’re not an employee of VIPKID. Instead you are classified as an independent contractor. As such you’ll receive a 1099 from VIPKID and will have to report your income yourself for tax purposes. No withholding are taken out so you do need to file taxes. However, as a 1099 independent contractor you can write expenses off.

Teaching for VIPKID – Conclusion

VIPKID is still one of the largest, most established online teaching companies today. While the golden era of online teaching is over, you can still teach classes each week with VIPKID, earning a great side income from the comfort of your home in your spare time.

VIPKID

Teach English online. Americans and Canadians only.

Apply Today

David Unwin

I've taught as an ESL teacher in Thailand for 5+ years at all levels of education, from elementary to University. I was also one of the first 1000 VIPKID teachers. Here I create content on teaching abroad, online and helpful tips for the classroom. Learn more.