Can You Make Money With Vipkid

Making Money With VIPKID

It's probably what I get asked about the most when I tell people I make money by teaching English online with VIPKID…

"How much money do VIPKID Teachers actually make?"

"What's your salary, and what about taxes?"

"Did you actually get paid?"

You've heard about VIPKID too, and it's caught your attention. But teaching English.. online.. in my pajamas? I can actually get paid for that?! Yes. Yes you can. I'm breaking down the truth about making money with VIPKID and will show you how much you could be earning as an online ESL teacher with one of the leading companies in its field.

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VIPKID Payment breakdown

VIPKID "BASE-PAY RATE"

This is how much you will get paid per 25 minute class you teach. It can be anywhere from $7 - $8 per class (though we are seeing $7.50 as the new norm), or $14-$16 per hour. But the reason it is called the "base" pay is that VIPKid has so many awesome incentives to encourage their teachers to excel. More details below.

VIPKID Incentive Pay

VIPKid teachers don't just earn their base pay rate per class. They are actually paid their base pay rate plus an additional finished class incentive per class they teach. More details below.

Base Pay Rate + Finished Class Incentive = Pay per 25 minute class

WHAT DETERMINES MY VIPKID Base-PAY RATE?

Your very first VIPKid interview and demo class determines your base pay rate at VIPKid. Your pay is essentially based on two things: your prior experience (which you provided in your online application) and how well you perform the demo lesson during your interview. What counts as prior experience? Anything that involves working with young children (including camp counselor, babysitter, teacher, coach), plus any teaching certifications you have (Teacher's License, TESOL Certification, etc.). If you do the live interview, your interviewer will ask you similar questions to the ones that you answered in your VIPKid application (application tips) to determine more about your experience. At the end of your interview, they will typically tell you what your base pay will be.

Please be aware that VIPKid has been going through a lot of changes in 2020, and the recent pandemic has affected some operations as well. Because of this, we have been seeing $7.50 as the base pay norm. If an applicant has a lot of prior experience and performs well during their initial demo lesson, we have seen new-hires start in Tier 2 for incentive pay bonuses instead of Tier 1.

VIPKid (bonus) Incentive Pay Structure

VIPKid's incentive structure rewards teachers corresponding to their number of classes taught, both cumulative and monthly. The more classes you teach, the more you can earn! The number of qualifying classes taught overall will determine your pay tier. You will then receive an extra incentive bonus for each class you taught that month based on your pay tier.

What Counts As a Qualifying Class?

Classes with the following finish types: As Scheduled, Student No Show, Student IT Problem, System Problem. Basically, if you have a serious tech issue, if you miss a class, or if you cancel a class, it won't count towards your cumulative lifetime number of classes taught OR your monthly number of classes taught.

Let's see an example!

Please refer to the chart displayed. As an example, a new teacher with a $7.50 base pay would make $8.30 for the first 20 classes, $8.70 for the next 20 classes, $9.10 for the next 20 classes, and so on. This means that a teacher with a $7.50 base pay who teaches 45 classes a month, or 22.5 hours, would average out to make $8.57 per class or $17.13 per hour!

Checkout our VIPKid Incentive Pay Calculator if you are interested in seeing your earning potential.

When are finished class tiers calculated?

Finished Class Tiers are calculated on the 4th day of each month based on the total number of classes finished by the end of the last day of the previous month (Beijing Time). If you finish enough classes to move into a new Finished Class Tier, your payment will be calculated according to the higher Tier the next month.

HOW DO I RECEIVE a solid base pay?

Consider Applying With a VIPKid Mentor

Make sure you are putting your best foot forward during your initial Demo Lesson/interview. Some applicants benefit from having a hiring-help mentor to help them prepare for this. Personally, I offer individualized VIPKid coaching to those who apply with me as their referring teacher. My referrals gain password protected access to my "Roadmap to VIPKID" Hiring Guide & eCourse in addition to individualized guidance. In the course we discuss in detail how to implement all of the practices and strategies expected from VIPKid Teachers, and how to crush it during your interview and beyond.

Increase Your Training

Your base-pay is determined using a culmination of how well you perform your initial Demo Lesson and your past experience & education. As discussed on our VIPKid Teacher Requirements page, you must have at least a 4-year bachelor's degree to qualify, however, having a teaching license and/or TESOL certificate can really boost your base-pay rate offered. Many teachers choose to complete a TESOL certification course before applying to VIPKid to increase their base-pay. Here is an online 120 hour TESOL certificate course for only $19. That's 84% off the normal price! And if you apply with a TESOL certificate already in-hand, you don't have to take the VIPKid-TESOL course/quiz that's built into the hiring-process. Win-win!

Online 120 Hour TESOL Certification CourseThis is an affiliate link, meaning that if you click through and purchase something, we may earn a commission. This is at no extra cost to you and helps keep this site running and free for you to enjoy. We o…

Crush Your VIPKid Interviews

Check out our VIPKid Essentials and Required Tech & Equipment pages to get an idea of what sort of materials and props you could be using to enhance the learning experience for your students and really shine during your interview! You'll also want to ensure that you don't get points docked for sound/internet quality, tech issues, and really WOW your interviewer with your fun background and props! Teach well and be prepared! We go over specifically what you'll need to pass your interview and Mock classes during the hiring process inside my "Roadmap to VIPKID" Hiring Guide & eCourse.

More Bonus Opportunities

+ Trial Classes

VIPKID gives new students a few "trial classes" to see if they want to sign up for VIPKID. These classes are usually scheduled with VIPKID teachers by the sales team, not booked by parents, and they are free for the student. But yes, you still get paid to teach them. You get paid the same rate for trial classes as you do for teaching regular major courses.

AND if the trial student signs up after taking your class, you get a bonus of $5!

+ SHORT NOTICE BOOKINGS

You can choose the button that says "Short Notice" when you open up your booking time slots. This means the class can be booked up to 1 hour before the start time. This is optional, and if you do not choose that option than none of your open slots will be able to be booked less than 24 hours before the start time.

If you teach a short-notice class that was booked within 24 hours, you receive a $2 bonus for teaching that class.

+ DOES VIPKID HAVE A REFERRAL PROGRAM?

Yes! If you end up loving VIPKID as much as we do, you will undoubtedly want to share it with everyone you know! VIPKID will give you a unique referral link that you can give to other people to apply. If they successfully become a VIPKID teacher and teach their first class, you will get paid a bonus incentive. The amount of this incentive changes from month to month depending on what kind of referral incentive VIPKID currently has going on.

Possible Pay Deductions

Unfortunately, certain types of class cancelations or having a bad IT issue on your end could affect your pay for that specific class.

+ CANCELLING CLASS

If you must cancel a class between 24 - 2 hours before the class, $2 per class will be deducted. If you just don't show up for the class or you cancel a class last minute, within 2 hours of the class time, $10 per class will be deducted. If you cancel 24+ hours in advance, you will not be monetarily penalized. However, it will count towards your cancellation number allowance for that contract period.

If you are able to provide official documentation of a hospital emergency, natural disaster, or some other valid issue out of your hands, you can apply a soft/medium cancelation if you have to cancel or miss a class. Your pay will not be duducted in these cases if your request is approved.

+ Late Student Feedback

Another reason pay may be docked is if you do not provide your student feedback for each lesson within 12 hours of teaching the course, 50% of that class with be deducted. If you submit student feedback after 24 hours or do not submit it at all, you will not be paid for that class.

+ Pay and Finish Types

Here are some class finish types and how they could affect the percentage you will be paid.

100% payment:

As Scheduled (Everything's normal!)
System Problem (VIPKid's system has an issue.)
Student No Show (NORMAL/MAJOR COURSE CLASS - Student doesn't show up.)
Student IT Problem (NORMAL/MAJOR COURSE CLASS - Student has a significant IT issue that results in being forced to end the class or have the student repeat the lesson.)

50% payment:

Student No Show (TRIAL CLASS - Student doesn't show up.)
Student IT Problem (TRIAL CLASS - Student has a significant IT issue that results in being forced to end the class or have the student repeat the lesson.)

No payment:

Teacher No Show (Teacher doesn't show up for class.)
Teacher No Show 2H (Teacher cancels the class within 2 hours of the class's start time.)
Teacher Cancellation 24H (Teacher cancels the class within 24 hours of the class's start time.)
Teacher Cancellation (Teacher cancels the class before 24 hours of the class's start time.)
Teacher IT Problem (Teacher has a significant IT issue that results in being forced to end the class or have the student repeat the lesson.)

VIPKID Payment Logistics & Details

+ DO I STILL GET PAID if the student doesn't show?

Yes! If it is a normal major course, you receive your full pay even if a student does not show up. For trial student no shows, you get paid half of your base pay. However if the student cancels the class before 24 hours, that time slot just becomes available again for other students to book.

+ CAN I GET A RAISE w/ VIPKID?

After August 1, 2020, VIPKid will no longer be offering base pay adjustments or raises.

+ DO I HAVE TO PAY TAXES AS A VIPKID TEACHER?

Yes. As a VIPKID teacher, you are an independent contractor, not an employee. This means that you are responsible for your own taxes. The amount you will need to set aside will vary based on your state, local, and federal laws.

+ HOW AND WHEN WILL I GET PAID WITH VIPKID?

VIPKid encourages their teachers to use an American bank account to minimize transfer fees. However, you may choose to use an ACH bank, non-ACH bank or PayPal.

You can now choose how often you'd like to be paid. This can also be changed later. The exact payment date will typically vary depending on your bank.

If you choose the weekly payment cycle: For classes taught from Sunday through Saturday. Your weekly payment details will be finalized the following Wednesday and payment will be issued the following Friday.

If you chose the bi-weekly payment cycle: For classes taught for two weeks, from Sunday through Saturday two weeks later (14 days total). Your bi-weekly payment details will be finalized the following Wednesday, and payment will be issued the following Friday.

If you chose the monthly payment cycle: For classes taught from the beginning until the last day of the month, your monthly payment details will be finalized on the 4th day of the following month and payment will be issued no later than the 10th day of the following month.

+ DOES VIPKID Keep TRACK OF MY EARNINGS?

Your VIPKID earnings will be displayed of in your VIPKID Teacher's Portal. There is a payment tab where you can look at your earnings, deductions, and incentive bonuses. This updates at midnight Beijing Time every day with any new money you've earned from classes taught. It will show all of your course earnings, deductions, new VIPKID signup incentives, finished courses incentives, trial course earnings, participation incentives, and referral incentives.

It also provides you with a complete list of your completed booked classes. It tells you the lesson name, finish type, whether it was short notice or not, and the amount you were be paid for the lesson, not including any incentive bonuses.

+ WILL I ACTUALLY GET PAID?

YES! This is a common question and if I am being honest, I was a little skeptical my first month too. But this gig is for real and I have been paid in a timely manner every month!

Questions?!

feel free to reach out in one of our Facebook groups "VIPKid Hiring Q & A" (for applicants) or "VIPKid Teacher Q & A "(for hired teachers).
If you have questions and are a referral of mine (Teacher Erin), please use the contact page.
If you would like info on how to use me as your referring teacher for 1-on-1 assistance and access to my private resources please refer to my Coaching Info page.