Choosing between Teachworks vs TutorBird for your tutoring business often comes down to answering these fundamental questions:
- Do you need a platform that scales with complex multi-location operations, or would a simpler solution for solo tutoring work better?
- Is your priority advanced automation and customization, or ease of use with minimal setup time?
- Are you looking for the most affordable option, or willing to pay more for a comprehensive feature set?
- Do you need robust payroll and employee management, or primarily scheduling and billing?
- How important is an intuitive, modern interface versus powerful features with a learning curve?
In short, here's what we recommend:
👉 Teachworks is the feature-rich choice for growing tutoring businesses that need comprehensive administrative tools. With more than 60 add-ons covering everything from invoice automation to custom forms, it offers significant customization options for businesses with complex workflows. The platform provides strong payroll management and multi-tutor scheduling capabilities, making it well-suited for tutoring centers scaling beyond a handful of instructors. However, the sheer number of options can overwhelm smaller operations, some users find the interface dated, and the usage-based pricing model means monthly costs can be unpredictable as your lesson volume fluctuates.
👉 TutorBird serves as an affordable, straightforward option for individual tutors and one-person operations just getting started. Its simple pricing structure (a base fee plus a per-tutor charge for additional staff), clean interface, and included website builder make getting started quick and accessible. The platform handles the essentials well: scheduling, invoicing, and a parent portal. While TutorBird works well for solo practitioners and beginners, established education businesses with hundreds of students may find its feature set limiting compared to more robust alternatives.
Both platforms have their merits, but they share a common challenge: balancing feature depth with usability. Teachworks can feel overwhelming for smaller operations with an interface some users describe as dated, while TutorBird may prove limiting as you grow beyond a solo practice. What if there was a platform that combined comprehensive features with genuine ease of use and a modern interface?
👉 Teach 'n Go bridges this gap with an all-in-one school management platform built for established education businesses, learning centers, and tutoring academies. Unlike Teachworks' modular approach, every feature is included in every plan, with pricing based simply on your number of active students, so you always know exactly what you'll pay each month. The platform has earned positive user feedback for its intuitive, modern interface while still offering robust scheduling, billing, attendance tracking, a built-in booking system, and a dedicated student/parent portal. With support for 20+ languages and education businesses in 55+ countries using the platform, Teach 'n Go delivers the best of both worlds for tutoring academies, language schools, and learning centers that want power without complexity.
If a platform designed for established education businesses, one that grows with you while staying simple, sounds appealing, try Teach ’n Go and see how it can streamline your operations with a 14-day free trial.
Helpful internal read: how you can improve your school management system.
Table of contents
- Teachworks vs TutorBird vs Teach 'n Go at a glance
- The pricing models reveal different business philosophies
- Feature depth vs usability: Finding the right balance
- Scheduling and calendar capabilities compared
- Billing and invoicing approaches differ significantly
- Student and parent engagement tools matter more than you think
- Multi-tutor management capabilities vary widely
- Customer support experiences reflect company priorities
- Teachworks vs TutorBird vs Teach 'n Go: Which should you choose?
Teachworks vs TutorBird vs Teach 'n Go at a glance
| Teachworks | TutorBird | Teach 'n Go | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Customizable admin platform with extensive add-ons | Simple, affordable management for solo tutors | User-friendly all-in-one management for established education businesses |
| Ease of use | ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate learning curve, dated interface |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Simple and straightforward |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Modern, intuitive, minimal training needed |
| Pricing model | Base fee + per-lesson charge (variable monthly costs) | Base fee + per-tutor fee | Per-student tiers, all features included (predictable) |
| Starting price | $16.49/month + $0.32/lesson | $14.95/month | $79/month (up to 100 students) |
| Free trial | 21 days | 30 days | 14 days |
| Mobile app | No dedicated app | No dedicated app | iOS and Android apps |
| Parent/Student portal | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Comprehensive |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good self-service options |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Real-time access, multi-child support |
| Multi-location support | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Master accounts for branches |
⭐⭐⭐ Basic location management |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Multi-branch management |
| Language support | English only | English only | 20+ languages |
| Customer support | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Email and chat, highly rated |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Phone and email, responsive |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ In-app chat, responsive, nimble team |
| Best for | Growing tutoring centers needing customization | Individual tutors and beginners on a budget | Established education businesses wanting simplicity with power |
The pricing models reveal different business philosophies
The way each platform charges tells you everything about who they're built for and what they prioritize.
Teachworks uses a tiered model combining a base monthly fee with a per-lesson charge.
- Starter Plan: $16.49/month + $0.32 per student lesson
- Growth Plan: $47.99/month + $0.189 per student lesson
- Premium Plan: $187.99/month + $0.065 per student lesson
This structure rewards businesses that can predict their volume and commit to higher tiers. However, this pricing model creates uncertainty because seasonal fluctuations, student cancellations, or rapid growth can make monthly costs unpredictable, leaving education businesses unsure of what they'll actually pay until the bill arrives.
Tutorbird keeps things straightforward with its pricing: $14.95/month for the base account, plus $4.95/month for each additional tutor or staff member. All features are included at every level, with no hidden fees for SMS reminders, website hosting, or student limits. This predictability is appealing for budget-conscious individual tutors, though the per-tutor fee can add up for larger teams.
Teach 'n Go takes a different approach entirely, basing pricing on active student count rather than lessons or tutors. Starting at $79/month for up to 100 students, the price scales as your student base grows. Critically, every feature is included in every plan: unlimited teachers, unlimited classes, unlimited emails, and full access to all integrations and add-ons. There are no per-lesson fees or per-tutor surcharges. This transparent pricing means education businesses always know exactly what they'll pay each month, with no surprises, no variability.
For a tutoring academy with 80 students, 5 tutors, and approximately 400 lessons per month, the cost comparison is revealing:
- Teachworks Starter: $16.49 + (400 × $0.32) = $144.49/month
- TutorBird: $14.95 + (4 × $4.95) = $34.75/month
- Teach 'n Go: $79/month
Tutorbird wins on pure cost for small operations, but as lesson volume increases, Teachworks' per-lesson model becomes increasingly expensive and unpredictable. Teach 'n Go's student-based pricing provides predictable costs that scale linearly with business growth, not exponentially with activity, making budgeting straightforward for established education businesses.
Feature depth vs usability: Finding the right balance
This is where the philosophical differences between these platforms become most apparent.
Teachworks has built its reputation on customization. With over 60 add-ons, from Invoice Autopilot to Custom Forms to Results Tracking, businesses can construct exactly the system they need. Want two-factor authentication? Enable that add-on. Need teacher invoicing for contractors? There's an add-on for that. This modular approach lets you enable only what you need, though some advanced "Pro" add-ons carry additional monthly fees.
Users praise the platform's power once mastered, but acknowledge a learning curve that can take several weeks to navigate fully. Some users have also noted the interface feels dated and less visually appealing compared to more modern alternatives.
Source: Capterra reviews
TutorBird prioritizes simplicity. Everything needed to run a small tutoring operation is included out of the box: calendar scheduling, invoicing, a student portal, and even a basic website builder. The interface is clean and uncluttered, allowing new users to become productive quickly. The trade-off is that education businesses with complex needs may bump into limitations. Users report wanting more advanced customization options, particularly in reporting and invoice layouts, making it better suited for individual tutors than established academies with hundreds of students.
Source: Capterra user feedback
Teach 'n Go delivers both depth and simplicity, and user feedback suggests they've largely succeeded. The platform includes comprehensive features without requiring add-on management. Scheduling, attendance, payments, communication, leads management, a built-in booking system, and a student/parent portal are all present from day one.
What sets Teach ’n Go apart is that the platform is designed for ease of use with a modern, intuitive interface, and users frequently praise how quickly they can get started. The platform supports 20+ languages, making it accessible for international education businesses. With schools in 55+ countries using the platform, the flexible configuration options accommodate different types of academies and varying operational workflows.
Source: Capterra reviews
Scheduling and calendar capabilities compared
For tutoring businesses, the calendar is the operational heart of the software. Each platform approaches this differently.
Teachworks offers a robust calendar with multiple views, including day, week, month, and agenda formats. The system excels at recurring lesson setup with flexible frequency options and end-date controls. Conflict detection checks for teacher and location overlaps, with optional add-ons extending this to student schedule conflicts. The drag-and-drop interface allows quick rescheduling. For multi-tutor operations, individual teacher calendars provide focused views of each instructor's schedule.
Source: Teachworks
Tutorbird provides solid scheduling fundamentals. The calendar supports private and group lessons, recurring appointments, and drag-and-drop rescheduling. A standout feature is the open slot registration, which allows students to self-book available times through the parent portal. The make-up lesson management system is particularly well-designed, automatically tracking credits and allowing students to redeem them for available slots. Calendar synchronization works with Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple Calendar.
Source: TutorBird
Teach 'n Go delivers what it calls "Powerful Scheduling" with automatic conflict detection, multiple calendar views, and real-time updates across all connected devices. The system provides dedicated calendars for teachers, students, and classrooms, making resource management straightforward. Color-coding by teacher, location, or class type offers visual clarity. One notable advantage is the dedicated mobile app for iOS and Android, which provides full scheduling functionality on the go which is something neither Teachworks nor TutorBird offers natively.
Source: Teach 'n Go
Where Teach 'n Go particularly shines is in handling schedule changes and student enrollment. The built-in class booking system allows new and existing students to browse and self-enroll in classes directly, reducing administrative work. When a lesson is modified, the system can instantly notify all relevant parties through email, SMS, or push notifications. The "lesson card" concept centralizes everything about a specific session: attendance, notes, materials, and communication, all in one place. This integrated approach helps streamline daily operations for busy education businesses.
Source: Teach 'n Go
Billing and invoicing approaches differ significantly
Getting paid efficiently is critical for any education business. The three platforms handle this core function quite differently.
Teachworks provides extensive billing flexibility. Invoices can be generated based on per-hour, per-lesson, or flat-fee structures, with package billing available for prepaid arrangements. The Invoice Autopilot add-on automates recurring invoice generation at customizable intervals. Integration with Stripe enables online payment processing, and the system can automatically send overdue reminders. For multi-tutor businesses, the platform calculates teacher wages automatically based on completed lessons. The billing system's flexibility does require careful initial configuration.
Source: Teachworks
Tutorbird implements calendar-based billing, automatically calculating charges from scheduled lessons and attendance records. The system supports per-lesson, monthly flat-rate, and hourly billing structures. Auto-invoicing can be enabled for individual families with customizable frequencies. Integration with Stripe and PayPal handles online payments. The automatic late fee application helps with collections. For a simpler tutoring operation, this approach works well, though users have requested more flexible invoicing options for complex billing scenarios.
Source: TutorBird
Teach 'n Go offers automatic billing that generates charges based on scheduled lessons and attendance. The system supports various pricing models, including hourly, monthly, and custom arrangements. Combined payments allow families with multiple students to receive a single consolidated invoice, reducing administrative overhead. Integration with Stripe and PayPal enables online payments, and the platform includes SEPA payments for European clients. Automated reminders handle overdue accounts.
A key differentiator for Teach 'n Go is how the payment system integrates with the broader platform. Parents and students can view their complete payment history, upcoming fees, and outstanding balances directly in their portal. They can make payments at any time without waiting for an invoice. This self-service approach significantly reduces the administrative burden of payment collection while improving cash flow which is essential for established education businesses managing hundreds of students.
Source: Teach 'n Go
Student and parent engagement tools matter more than you think
A parent portal isn't just a nice-to-have; it's become essential for modern education businesses. How well each platform handles this varies considerably.
Teachworks provides a solid parent and student portal through its user account system. Parents can view schedules, billing history, and make online payments. With the appropriate settings, lesson notes from teachers are visible to families. The Website Booking Plugin allows families to book lessons directly. While functional, the portal covers the essential needs for parent engagement.
Source: Teachworks
Tutorbird has invested significantly in its Student Portal. Parents get 24/7 access to schedules, lesson notes, invoices, and payment history. The self-service scheduling feature allows families to book from available slots, cancel lessons according to the tutor's policies, and automatically receive make-up credits when appropriate. The homework submission capability lets students upload completed work directly through the portal. A study log with a built-in timer encourages practice tracking.
Source: TutorBird
Teach 'n Go delivers what may be the most comprehensive portal experience among the three. Students and parents receive dedicated accounts with real-time access to schedules, grades, attendance records, and teacher notes. The platform's behavior tracking system, using "gold stars" for positive actions and "red flags" for areas needing improvement, provides ongoing feedback visible to both students and parents. Homework submission is built in, and students can upload completed work for teacher review. For international education businesses, the portal displays in the user's preferred language from 20+ supported options.
What distinguishes Teach 'n Go's portal is the depth of information available. Parents can see not just upcoming lessons but complete academic progress, including grades from the integrated gradebook. The mobile app extends this access to smartphones and tablets, meaning parents can check their child's status from anywhere.
The communication tools also differ. Teach 'n Go includes bulk emailing and SMS messaging directly within the platform, with message history tracked for each student. Automated reminders for lessons and overdue payments can be configured to send via email, SMS, or push notification. This multi-channel approach ensures important information reaches families through their preferred method.
Source: Teach 'n Go
Multi-tutor management capabilities vary widely
For tutoring academies with multiple instructors, employee management features become critical.
Teachworks excels in this area. Each tutor receives their own login with customizable permissions controlling what they can see and do. The payroll system automatically calculates wages based on completed lessons, with flexible hourly rate options. Wage tiers allow different rates for different services or experience levels. Non-teaching hours can be tracked separately. The Teacher Invoices add-on supports contractors who submit their own invoices. Bulk actions simplify updates across multiple employees.
Source: Teachworks
Tutorbird handles multi-tutor scenarios competently. Each instructor gets individual login access to their schedule, attendance marking, and relevant student information. Administrators can set granular permissions determining what each tutor can view and modify. Payroll calculation supports both hourly rates and percentage-of-revenue models. Bulk tutor actions help manage larger teams efficiently. For individual tutors outgrowing a solo operation, TutorBird provides the basics.
Source: TutorBird
Teach 'n Go provides comprehensive permission management with multiple user roles. Administrators have full control, while teachers and staff receive customizable access levels. Permissions can be set globally for user types or adjusted individually to override defaults. For example, a head teacher might receive broader access than a new instructor. The teacher payroll feature tracks hours and calculates earnings automatically.
Where Teach 'n Go stands out is in the integration between teacher management and other platform functions. Teacher availability automatically factors into scheduling, and the system detects conflicts for teachers and classrooms. For international education businesses, teachers can use the platform in their preferred language. This unified approach helps reduce manual coordination and potential scheduling errors which is essential when managing larger teams across established academies.
Source: Teach 'n Go
Customer support experiences reflect company priorities
When something goes wrong or you need help understanding a feature, support quality matters immensely.
Teachworks receives consistently positive feedback for its customer support. Users describe the team as "responsive, helpful, friendly, and prompt." Support is available via email and live chat during business hours. The company maintains an extensive knowledge base with detailed articles, a Getting Started Guide, and video tutorials. Users have noted that the support team is receptive to feature requests and often implements suggested improvements. Some have mentioned wanting live phone support, though the email and chat response times generally satisfy most users.
Source: Capterra
Tutorbird is frequently praised for exceptional support. The team offers both phone and email assistance, a notable distinction from competitors offering email only. Users describe support staff as knowledgeable and quick to resolve issues. The in-app help system provides persistent access to documentation without navigating away from work. The overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive. The 90-day money-back guarantee also demonstrates confidence in user satisfaction.
Source: Software Advice
Teach 'n Go emphasizes support accessibility through multiple channels. The platform includes in-app chat available 24/7, allowing users to get help without leaving their workflow. Email support and a contact form provide additional options. The Help Center is continuously updated with articles covering features and setup processes. User reviews consistently highlight the support team as responsive, helpful, and open to feedback. Optional onboarding services are available for education businesses wanting hands-on assistance with setup and training.
Source: Capterra
What distinguishes Teach 'n Go's support approach is the combination of immediate accessibility through in-app chat and a nimble, responsive team. As a smaller company, Teach 'n Go can move fast by making custom tweaks, adjusting features, and even creating custom reports for customers who need them. The team maintains a public roadmap and ideas board where customers can submit feature requests and vote on others' ideas, with many features built directly from customer feedback. Users don't just get quick answers; they get helpful guidance from a team that genuinely listens and adapts.
Source: Teach 'n Go
Teachworks vs TutorBird vs Teach 'n Go: Which should you choose?
The choice ultimately depends on your specific situation, priorities, and growth trajectory.
Choose Teachworks if:
- You need highly customizable workflows and don't mind a steeper learning curve
- Your tutoring center has complex billing arrangements or multiple service types
- You're operating across multiple locations and need branch management
- Detailed reporting and analytics drive your business decisions
- You can predict lesson volumes and accept variable monthly costs
- Advanced payroll features for contractors and employees are essential
Explore Teachworks with their 21-day free trial.
Choose TutorBird if:
- You're an individual tutor or solo practitioner prioritizing affordability above all else
- You want to be up and running quickly with minimal configuration
- A simple, clean interface matters more than extensive features
- You need a basic website builder included with your management software
- A straightforward pricing structure with a low base fee helps you budget
- The essentials of scheduling, billing, and a parent portal cover your needs as a beginner
Start with TutorBird's 30-day free trial.
Choose Teach 'n Go if:
- You're an established education business with hundreds of students, not a solo practitioner
- You want comprehensive features without the complexity of add-on management
- A modern, intuitive interface that minimizes training time is important to your team
- You prefer transparent, predictable pricing with all features included—no surprises
- Mobile app access for administrators, teachers, students, and parents matters
- You're running a tutoring academy, language school, music school, or learning center
- You operate internationally and need multilingual support (20+ languages)
- Responsive customer support with a team that listens to feedback is a priority
- You want a platform designed for established education businesses that won't limit your growth
See how Teach 'n Go can simplify your operations with a 14-day free trial.
The tutoring management software landscape offers genuine choices, each with distinct strengths. Teachworks provides maximum flexibility for those willing to invest time in configuration and accept variable monthly costs. TutorBird delivers accessibility and affordability for individual tutors and beginners. Teach 'n Go finds a compelling middle ground: the features of a comprehensive platform with the usability of a simple one, purpose-built for established education businesses with larger student bases.
For tutoring academies and learning centers tired of choosing between power and simplicity, or between feature depth and predictable costs, Teach ’n Go shows that you don’t have to compromise. When your software gets out of the way and lets you focus on teaching, everyone wins.
Related internal guide: school scheduling options for learning centers.
Want a deeper look at tutoring operations? tutoring management software for growing academies.
