TutorBird vs TutorCruncher (vs Teach 'n Go): Which Tutoring Software Actually Fits Your Business in 2026?

Table of contents

• TutorBird vs TutorCruncher vs Teach 'n Go at a glance
• The fundamental divide: Simplicity vs power vs balance
• Scheduling capabilities reveal different priorities
• Billing and payments: From basic to enterprise-grade
• Student and parent portals shape the client experience
• The hidden costs of tutoring software
• Support quality can make or break your experience
• TutorBird vs TutorCruncher vs Teach 'n Go: Which should you choose?

TutorBird vs TutorCruncher vs Teach 'n Go at a glance

The fundamental divide: Simplicity vs power vs balance

The tutoring software market presents a classic trade-off: do you want something simple that works right away, or something powerful that requires investment to master?

TutorBird embraces simplicity as its core philosophy. The platform was designed to help tutors escape the chaos of spreadsheets and disconnected tools without overwhelming them with features they'll never use. Everything from the straightforward pricing structure to the streamlined interface reflects this ethos. For solo tutors managing smaller client bases, TutorBird provides exactly what's needed without the cognitive overhead of a complex system.

The platform shines in its calendar-based billing system, where scheduling a lesson automatically triggers the invoicing process. This "set it and forget it" approach means tutors spend less time on administration and more time teaching. The included website builder is another practical touch, giving tutors without technical skills a way to establish an online presence.

TutorCruncher takes the opposite approach, building a platform that can handle the complexity of large tutoring agencies. The system is built around "Jobs" (relationships between tutors and students), which allows for sophisticated management of ongoing tutoring engagements. Features like split payments, detailed analytics, and a powerful API reflect their focus on scaling operations.

However, this power comes at a cost because it adds both complexity and uncertainty around pricing predictability. TutorCruncher's transaction fees layer on top of the monthly subscription: up to 3.85% for card payments, up to 1% for offline payments, plus additional fees for international cards, premium cards, and split payments. For businesses processing significant volume, these variable fees can make it difficult to forecast monthly software costs. And while the feature set is impressive, smaller operations may find themselves paying for capabilities they don't need while struggling to navigate a more complex interface.

Teach 'n Go occupies the middle ground that many education businesses actually need. The platform delivers comprehensive functionality (scheduling, billing, student management, communication, leads tracking, and reporting) without sacrificing usability. User reviews consistently highlight that educators can start using the system without formal training, a claim that can't be made about more complex platforms.

What sets Teach 'n Go apart is its focus on the complete student lifecycle combined with a nimble, responsive approach to customer needs. From the moment a prospect fills out a registration form through years of ongoing lessons, the platform provides tools that grow with the relationship.

The leads management system captures and nurtures potential students, the scheduling system handles complex recurring lessons, and the student/parent portal keeps everyone informed and engaged. The platform also supports multiple languages, making it accessible for education businesses operating internationally where English may not be the primary language.

As a smaller, focused team, Teach 'n Go is able to move quickly by making custom tweaks, adjusting features, and creating custom reports for customers in ways that larger platforms simply can't match.

Scheduling capabilities reveal different priorities

Scheduling is the heartbeat of any tutoring operation, and each platform approaches it differently.

TutorBird's scheduling system is designed for clarity and speed. The drag-and-drop calendar supports daily, weekly, and monthly views, with color-coding for different lesson categories. Tutors can quickly schedule one-off or recurring lessons, and the two-way calendar sync with Google Calendar and Outlook ensures personal and professional schedules stay aligned.

The platform also offers online booking capabilities, allowing new students to book lessons based on tutor availability directly from sign-up forms. The make-up lesson management deserves special mention because when a student is marked absent, the system can automatically issue a make-up credit, which students can then use to book replacement lessons through the student portal.

For multi-tutor businesses, TutorBird allows each instructor to have their own login and schedule. Administrators can set availability in bulk and manage permissions to control what each tutor can see and modify.

TutorCruncher's scheduling operates on a more sophisticated "Job" system. Each Job represents an ongoing tutoring relationship, containing all the lessons, billing arrangements, and communication for that specific engagement. This structure is powerful for agencies managing many tutor-student pairings, as it keeps related information organized and allows for job-specific permissions and billing rates.

The platform's tutor-student filtering capabilities help larger agencies find appropriate tutors based on skills, availability, and location. Administrators can filter tutor profiles to identify the best match for each student. The conflict-aware location management prevents double-booking of physical spaces, which is essential for tutoring centers.

TutorCruncher also excels in handling online tutoring with its integrated TutorCruncher Video platform and marketplace of whiteboard integrations. Tutors and students can join virtual lessons directly from their dashboards without needing separate video conferencing accounts.

Teach 'n Go's scheduling strikes a balance between flexibility and ease of use. The calendar supports daily, weekly, and monthly views, with the ability to filter by teacher, student, class, or classroom. The system handles both individual and group lessons with equal ease.

One standout feature is the lesson card concept. Each lesson has a dedicated workspace where teachers can take attendance, add notes (public for the class, individual for specific students, or private for their own reference), share course materials, and track student behavior. This consolidation of lesson-related activities into a single interface reduces the friction of managing multiple aspects of each session.

Teach 'n Go also provides automated lesson reminders via email, SMS, and push notifications, helping to reduce no-shows. The system supports time zones for tutors and students in different locations, which is increasingly important as online tutoring grows.

Billing and payments: From basic to enterprise-grade

Financial management can make or break a tutoring business, and each platform offers distinctly different approaches.

TutorBird keeps billing straightforward with its calendar-based system. When you schedule a lesson and mark attendance, the corresponding charge is automatically added to the family's account. Invoices can be generated manually or through the auto-invoicing feature, which creates and sends invoices on a schedule you define.

The platform integrates with Stripe and PayPal for online payments, allowing families to pay invoices with a single click. Automated overdue reminders and late fee application help with collections without requiring awkward conversations. TutorBird also supports grouping charges by student for families with multiple learners.

The pricing model is refreshingly simple: $14.95/month base, plus $4.95/month for each additional tutor. SMS reminders are included at no extra charge, and there are no hidden fees based on student count. This predictability is valuable for budget-conscious tutoring businesses.

TutorCruncher offers the most sophisticated financial tools of the three platforms. The headline feature for many agencies is split payments, which automatically divides a client's payment between the company and the tutor at the point of transaction. This eliminates the need for separate payroll processing and ensures tutors receive their share immediately.

The platform supports diverse billing models including per-lesson, package deals, subscriptions, and upfront billing. The integration with accounting software like Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage ensures financial data flows seamlessly into your broader accounting workflow.

However, TutorCruncher's pricing structure creates uncertainty about actual monthly costs. Beyond the monthly subscription (starting at $30/month for "Pay as you go"), there are multiple transaction fees: 3.5-3.85% for card payments depending on plan, an offline payment fee of up to 1%, an additional 0.15% for split payments, plus surcharges for international cards (1.5%) and premium cards like American Express (2%). For education businesses that value knowing exactly what their software will cost each month, this layered fee structure can be frustrating.

Teach 'n Go provides automated billing that rivals more expensive platforms while maintaining simplicity and predictability. Course prices can be set on hourly, monthly, or custom bases, and the system automatically calculates fees based on student enrollments. Professional invoices can be generated individually or in bulk, with options to add extra fees or discounts.

The platform integrates with Stripe, PayPal, and SEPA Payments for online processing. A standout feature is combined payments for families with multiple students, which creates a single, consolidated invoice. Payment reminders can be automated, and the system tracks payment status for quick identification of overdue accounts.

Teach 'n Go's pricing is student-based, starting at $79/month for up to 100 students, with all features included at every tier. Critically, the platform does not add transaction fees on top of what payment processors charge, so you know exactly what your software costs each month, regardless of payment volume. SMS credits are purchased separately, which is standard practice in the industry.

Student and parent portals shape the client experience

The portal experience often determines how professional your education business appears to families.

TutorBird's student portal provides essential self-service functionality. Parents and students can view their schedules, access lesson notes and resources, make payments, and submit homework. The self-scheduling feature allows students to book lessons from available time slots, reducing administrative back-and-forth.

A practical feature is the study log with built-in timer, which encourages students to track their practice time between sessions. Tutors can see this data, gaining insight into student effort outside of lessons. The lending library feature tracks physical materials loaned to students, a nice touch for tutors who share books or equipment.

For tutors without existing websites, TutorBird's portal login can be embedded on a TutorBird-built website or integrated into platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress.

TutorCruncher provides separate portals for clients and students, each with tailored functionality. Clients (typically parents) can view and pay invoices, manage payment methods, see their students' schedules, and access lesson reports. They can also be invited to review tutors, providing valuable feedback for quality control.

The tutor portal in TutorCruncher is particularly comprehensive, offering an at-a-glance dashboard with upcoming lessons, hours worked versus payment received, and a record of past sessions. Tutors can apply for available jobs, manage their profiles and qualifications, and access online teaching tools.

One limitation is that TutorCruncher doesn't offer a general public native mobile app, though the web-based portals are accessible on mobile devices.

Teach 'n Go's student/parent portal is designed with transparency and engagement in mind. Students and parents can view schedules, attendance records, grades, behavior notes (the "gold star" and "red flag" system), and payment information. The homework submission capability allows students to upload completed assignments directly through the portal.

For parents with multiple children, a single login provides access to all their students' profiles with easy switching between them. The portal displays lesson notes shared by teachers, course materials, and any announcements from the school. The portal supports multiple languages, which is valuable for education businesses serving international or multilingual communities.

Teach 'n Go offers native mobile apps for both iOS and Android, giving students and parents true on-the-go access. Push notifications keep everyone informed of schedule changes, new assignments, or important announcements. The mobile experience extends to teachers as well, who can manage their schedules and take attendance from anywhere.

The hidden costs of tutoring software

When evaluating tutoring software, the sticker price rarely tells the whole story.

TutorBird has the most transparent pricing of the three. The base cost is $14.95/month, additional tutors are $4.95/month each, and that's essentially it. SMS reminders, website hosting (for TutorBird-built sites), and unlimited students are all included. There are no per-student fees, and the platform does not publish additional transaction charges beyond what Stripe or PayPal collect.

The 90-day money-back guarantee is notable, giving new users significant time to evaluate whether the platform fits their needs.

TutorCruncher's pricing requires more careful calculation, and even then, your monthly bill may vary significantly based on payment volume. The monthly subscription ranges from $30 to $240+, but the transaction fees are where costs can accumulate:

• Card processing fees: 3.5-3.85% depending on plan
• Offline payment fees: up to 1% depending on plan
• Split payment fee: additional 0.15%
• International card surcharge: 1.5%
• Premium card surcharge: 2%

For an education business processing $10,000/month in payments on the Startup plan (3.5% card fees + 0.65% offline fees), transaction fees alone could add $415/month on top of the $80 subscription. This variability means you may not know what you'll actually pay until the invoice arrives which is a significant consideration for businesses that need predictable operating costs.

Additional costs include SMS messaging (charged per message), extra branches (charged monthly), and custom domains ($100/month). Priority chat support adds $10/month, while video and chat priority support is $120/month.

Teach 'n Go uses student-based pricing with all features included at every tier. The base price of $79/month covers up to 100 students, scaling up from there. Unlike TutorCruncher, the platform itself does not add transaction fees; you pay exactly what your payment processor charges, nothing more. This means your monthly software cost is entirely predictable: if you have 100 students, you pay $79/month, regardless of how many payments you process.

Optional one-time setup services are available for those who want assistance: a full onboarding pack (€500), training sessions (€150), data migration (€150), and various customization options. These are genuinely optional, with most education businesses self-configuring based on the intuitive interface. SMS credits are purchased separately, similar to other platforms.

Support quality can make or break your experience

Customer support quality varies dramatically across software platforms, and education business owners often don't discover this until they're in the middle of a crisis.

TutorBird consistently earns praise for its customer support. Users describe the team as responsive, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful. With a focused team dedicated to a single product, support interactions feel personal rather than transactional.

The platform provides a comprehensive Help Center with articles and FAQs, plus an in-app help system that stays open as users navigate different features. Support is available via email and phone, with the 30-day free trial and 90-day money-back guarantee reducing the risk for new users.

TutorCruncher's support is also highly rated, with users frequently mentioning the responsiveness and technical expertise of the team. According to user reviews, the founding team has been known to get involved in support issues, which creates accountability and institutional knowledge.

Support channels include live chat, email, and phone (for applicable plans). The platform provides a comprehensive Help Centre with categorized articles and video tutorials. TutorCruncher releases new features weekly, demonstrating active development and responsiveness to user feedback.

The tiered support model means some support options require additional payment. Priority chat support is $10/month extra, while video and chat priority support is $120/month. This tiered approach may feel restrictive for users accustomed to all-inclusive support.

Teach 'n Go stands out for consistently excellent support across all pricing tiers. The platform offers 24/7 online chat support through Intercom, accessible from within the app. Users describe the support team as quick, efficient, and genuinely open to feedback.

What truly differentiates Teach 'n Go's support is their responsiveness to feature requests. The platform maintains public roadmaps and ideas boards where customers can submit feature requests and vote on others' ideas. Many features have been built based on direct customer feedback, providing a level of customer input that is rare in enterprise software. As a nimble team, they're able to make custom tweaks, adjust features, and even create custom reports for customers when needed.

Beyond reactive support, Teach 'n Go offers proactive assistance through onboarding support for new education businesses and optional training sessions. The Help Center is continuously updated with articles and guides covering every feature. An AI support assistant is also available for common questions.

What's notable is that Teach 'n Go doesn't tier its support based on subscription level. All users, regardless of student count, have access to the same support team and channels. This egalitarian approach reflects a customer-centric philosophy that many users appreciate.

TutorBird vs TutorCruncher vs Teach 'n Go: Which should you choose?

The best tutoring software depends on your specific situation, priorities, and growth trajectory.

Choose TutorBird if:

• You're a solo tutor or very small tutoring business prioritizing simplicity
• Budget predictability matters more than advanced features
• You want to get started quickly without a steep learning curve
• Your needs are focused on core scheduling, billing, and student management
• You appreciate having a website builder included
• You're comfortable with web-based access on mobile devices

Get started with TutorBird's 30-day free trial and see if the simplicity fits your workflow.

Choose TutorCruncher if:

• You're running a tutoring agency with multiple tutors and complex operations
• You need advanced features like split payments and comprehensive API access
• Security certifications (ISO 27001) are important for your clients
• You want sophisticated tutor-student filtering and job management
• Your volume is high enough to justify the transaction fees
• You have the time and resources to learn a more complex platform

Start your TutorCruncher 14-day trial to explore its enterprise capabilities.

Choose Teach 'n Go if:

• You're an established education business, learning center, or academy wanting comprehensive features without complexity
• Predictable, transparent pricing without platform transaction fees matters to you
• Intuitive design that requires no training is important
• A dedicated mobile app for teachers, students, and parents matters
• You need robust leads management alongside student management
• You value a nimble, responsive team that listens to customer feedback
• You serve an international or multilingual student community

Experience Teach 'n Go with a free 14-day trial and discover why education businesses in over 55 countries trust it for their operations.

The tutoring software market offers genuine choice, and the right platform depends on where your business is today and where you want it to go. TutorBird excels at serving solo tutors who need to professionalize their operations quickly. TutorCruncher provides the enterprise-grade tools that large agencies require, if you can accept the pricing unpredictability. Teach 'n Go occupies the sweet spot for many established education businesses and learning centers, delivering the features of an enterprise platform with the usability of a consumer application and pricing you can actually predict.

Whatever you choose, the key is finding software that removes administrative friction rather than adding it. The best tutoring software is the one that fades into the background, letting you focus on what matters most: helping students learn.