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If you’ve been looking for a flexible way to teach English online, you’ve probably come across Cambly.
Cambly is a little different from many traditional online ESL companies. You don’t need a teaching degree, TEFL certificate, or years of classroom experience to apply. Instead, Cambly connects English learners around the world with native English speakers for one-on-one conversation practice.
That makes Cambly one of the more accessible options for people who want to start teaching or tutoring English online without jumping through a long list of qualification requirements.
But how much does Cambly actually pay? What do you need to apply? And is it a realistic work-from-home option?
Here’s what you need to know about becoming a Cambly tutor in 2026.
What Is Cambly?
Cambly is an online English-learning platform that connects students with English-speaking tutors through video chat.
Instead of running a traditional classroom-style lesson every time, many Cambly sessions focus heavily on conversation practice.
Students may want help with things like:
- Speaking more naturally in English
- Pronunciation
- Vocabulary
- Job interview preparation
- Business English
- Travel English
- Grammar
- Reading
- General conversation practice
Students come from countries all over the world, so one of the interesting parts of working for Cambly is the variety of people you may meet.
Cambly describes its lessons as one-on-one conversations designed to help students improve their English-language skills. Learn more about tutoring on Cambly.
What Are the Requirements to Work for Cambly?
One of Cambly’s biggest selling points is that the barrier to entry is relatively low compared with many online teaching companies.
According to Cambly, applicants must:
- Be a native English speaker
- Be at least 18 years old
- Apply using a desktop or laptop computer
- Use Google Chrome during the application process
You cannot complete the tutor application from a smartphone or tablet. See Cambly’s tutor application requirements.
Do You Need a College Degree to Work for Cambly?
No.
Cambly states that a bachelor’s degree is not required to tutor on the platform.
That makes Cambly worth considering for people who want to get into online ESL tutoring but do not have a four-year degree.
Do You Need a TEFL or TESOL Certificate?
No.
You do not need a TEFL, TESOL, CELTA, teaching license, or another teaching certification to apply to Cambly.
Having one certainly doesn’t hurt, particularly if you already have teaching experience, but Cambly says a teaching certificate is not required. If you’re deciding whether certification is worth it, read Do I Need a TESOL to Teach ESL Online?
Do You Need Teaching Experience?
No previous teaching experience is required either.
Cambly says experience can be helpful, but it is not required to submit an application.
This is one reason Cambly is often attractive to people who are trying to get their first online teaching experience.
That said, being able to carry a conversation, explain ideas clearly, listen patiently, and make students feel comfortable will obviously make the job much easier.
How Much Does Cambly Pay?
Cambly currently pays tutors by the minute.
Regular Cambly
Tutors earn:
$0.17 per minute
That equals:
$10.20 per hour of paid conversation time.
Cambly Kids
Cambly lists the Cambly Kids rate as:
$0.20 per minute
or:
$12 per hour of paid teaching time.
| Paid Lesson Time | Regular Cambly | Cambly Kids |
|---|---|---|
| 5 hours | $51 | $60 |
| 10 hours | $102 | $120 |
| 20 hours | $204 | $240 |
| 30 hours | $306 | $360 |
There is an important distinction here, though.
Cambly says tutors are paid for every minute they spend chatting with students. That means $10.20 is the equivalent hourly rate if you spend the entire hour in paid conversations. It should not automatically be interpreted as a guaranteed $10.20 for every hour you are logged into the platform.
That is an important consideration when deciding whether Cambly makes sense financially for you.
How Often Does Cambly Pay?
Cambly offers weekly payments.
Its tutor agreement says payments are generally issued weekly when a tutor has accumulated at least $20, unless the tutor chooses a different payment schedule.
Cambly uses third-party payment processors, with its agreement giving services such as Stripe and PayPal as examples. Read Cambly’s tutor agreement.
Are Cambly Tutors Employees?
No.
Cambly tutors operate as independent contractors, not Cambly employees.
That means Cambly does not provide the types of employee benefits you might receive from a traditional employer, and Cambly’s tutor agreement states that the company does not withhold employment taxes from tutor payments.
If you’re in the United States, you’ll want to keep records of your earnings and expenses and understand your own tax obligations as a self-employed worker.
Do You Have to Work a Minimum Number of Hours?
No.
Cambly currently says there are no minimum-hour requirements.
You can tutor as little or as much as you want, and because Cambly has students around the world, tutoring opportunities may exist at many different times of day.
That flexibility is probably one of Cambly’s biggest advantages.
It could work particularly well if you’re looking for something you can fit around:
- Homeschooling
- Another teaching job
- Freelance work
- College
- Parenting
- Travel
- Another online business
Rather than building your life around a fixed teaching schedule, you can potentially fit Cambly around the rest of your schedule.
What Is Teaching on Cambly Actually Like?
I’ve worked for Cambly myself, and I shared my experience in this video:
Traditional online ESL companies may expect teachers to work through structured slides, teach specific vocabulary, complete lesson objectives, and follow a fairly strict lesson format.
Cambly tends to be much more conversational.
You may meet a student who simply wants to spend 30 minutes practicing casual English conversation.
Another student might want to practice for an upcoming job interview.
Someone else may want you to correct their pronunciation or help them sound more natural when speaking English at work.
That means successful Cambly tutors need to be comfortable talking to people.
You do not necessarily need to be an expert grammar teacher, but you should be able to keep conversations moving and help students feel comfortable speaking.
What About Cambly Kids?
If you’re especially interested in teaching children, I also have a video specifically about the Cambly Kids side of the platform:
Cambly also operates Cambly Kids, which provides one-on-one English lessons for children.
Cambly says its Kids tutors use the company’s curriculum and are trained in its teaching methodology. Cambly Kids lessons are designed to give children significant opportunities to speak during class. Learn more about Cambly Kids.
The current advertised tutor rate for Cambly Kids is $0.20 per minute, or $12 per paid teaching hour.
If you enjoy teaching children, Cambly Kids may be more appealing than conversation tutoring with adults. If you’re comparing kid-focused online teaching platforms, you may also want to read Should You Apply for VIPKid / VIPTeacher in 2026?
How Do You Apply to Cambly?
Cambly has an online tutor application.
At minimum, you should plan to apply from a:
Laptop or desktop computer + Google Chrome.
Cambly specifically says the application cannot be completed using a smartphone or tablet.
Before applying, I would also make sure you have:
- A quiet teaching space
- Reliable internet
- A good webcam
- Clear audio
- Decent lighting
- A clean, professional-looking background
You don’t necessarily need an elaborate online classroom. You do, however, want students to be able to see and hear you clearly.
Is Cambly Hiring Right Now?
Technically, Cambly is still accepting applications, but there is a major caveat as of September 2026.
Cambly currently says it is temporarily limiting the number of new tutors it welcomes onto the platform in order to protect the schedules of existing tutors.
The company warns that profile-processing times may therefore take longer than normal.
Cambly’s application FAQ also says that its team reviews candidates individually. If you don’t hear back, Cambly says applicants can consider applying again after a few months.
So don’t panic if you apply and aren’t approved immediately.
Pros of Working for Cambly
Cambly has several things going for it, particularly for someone entering the online ESL world.
No degree required. You don’t need a bachelor’s degree to apply.
No TEFL required. A teaching certificate isn’t mandatory.
No experience required. Brand-new tutors can apply.
No minimum hours. You can fit tutoring around another job or business.
Students around the world. You aren’t restricted to students in one time zone.
Weekly payments. You don’t have to wait an entire month for a paycheck.
Conversation-focused classes. If you’re naturally good at talking to people, Cambly may feel less intimidating than highly structured teaching platforms.
Potential Downsides of Cambly
Cambly isn’t going to be the perfect online teaching job for everyone.
The biggest drawback is the pay.
At $10.20 per paid hour for regular Cambly, you’re not going to make the same hourly rate that an experienced independent ESL teacher can potentially charge private students.
And because compensation is calculated by paid conversation minutes, your effective earnings can depend on how much of your available time actually turns into student conversations.
There is also currently increased competition for tutor spots because Cambly is limiting new tutor onboarding.
So I wouldn’t look at Cambly as a guaranteed full-time income.
Who Is Cambly Best For?
I think Cambly makes the most sense for someone who wants:
- Their first online ESL experience
- A flexible side income
- Something that doesn’t require a college degree
- Something that doesn’t require a TEFL certificate
- A low-pressure introduction to teaching English online
- Experience talking with international ESL students
- Work that can fit around another business or job
It could also be a useful stepping stone.
You can gain experience working with ESL students, learn what students commonly struggle with, build confidence teaching online, and eventually decide whether you want to continue working through platforms or branch out into finding your own private students.
Related: How to Start Teaching Online and Make Money from Home
Related: How Online Teachers Actually Make Money
Related: 10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Teaching ESL Online
Is Cambly Worth It?
Whether Cambly is worth it depends heavily on what you expect from it.
If your goal is to replace a full-time professional salary immediately, the current pay rate will probably make Cambly less attractive.
But if you’re looking for flexible online ESL work with very few formal entry requirements, Cambly is unusual.
You don’t need a bachelor’s degree.
You don’t need a teaching license.
You don’t need a TEFL certificate.
And you don’t have to commit to a minimum weekly schedule.
For someone trying to get their foot in the door with online ESL teaching, that makes Cambly worth knowing about.
Ready to Apply?
If Cambly sounds like something you’d like to try, you can apply below.
→ Apply to Become a Cambly Tutor
Affiliate disclosure: The link above is an affiliate/referral link. I may receive compensation if you sign up through my link, at no additional cost to you.
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