Which is cheaper, MyTutor or TutorDex?

It depends on lesson volume. MyTutor has no upfront fee but charges a Platform Fee on each lesson, capped at up to 49% of the amount paid and with a per-transaction fee of £0.50–£2.50. TutorDex charges a one-off finder's fee of £9.99–£39.99 and no commission. For one lesson they can be close; for an ongoing arrangement TutorDex's cost is fixed while MyTutor's recurs.

What is MyTutor's commission?

MyTutor's Terms and Conditions state that the Platform Fee is a maximum of 49% of the total amount paid per lesson. The per-transaction UK Platform Fee is a minimum of £0.50 or 1.75% of the transaction value, capped at £2.50 including VAT.

Can I speak to a MyTutor tutor before paying?

Yes. MyTutor offers a free 15-minute meeting with a tutor before you book. TutorDex releases contact details after the one-off finder's fee, after which you speak to the tutor directly.

Can I import my First Tutors reviews to MyTutor?

MyTutor does not import a former tutor's First Tutors history. TutorDex does: it accepts a full import of a First Tutors account, and verifiable imported reviews feed its search ranking.

Are MyTutor tutors DBS checked?

MyTutor's safeguarding policy states that tutors must hold an enhanced DBS check including Children's Barred List information, renewed every three years, and must pass an interview with two types of ID checked in person.

Do TutorDex tutors have DBS checks?

Not necessarily. Private tuition is not generally a regulated activity, so a DBS check is not a legal requirement for a self-employed private tutor. TutorDex collects identity, address and two references, and families should verify the specific tutor's credentials and any check directly.

Which is better for ongoing weekly lessons?

If you want a managed, recorded classroom and on-platform communication, MyTutor fits that model. If you want a fixed one-off cost and a direct relationship with the tutor, TutorDex fits better. Compare the total expected spend and the level of platform involvement you want.

MyTutor vs TutorDex

MyTutor is a managed, commission-based online marketplace. TutorDex is a directory-style platform built around a one-off finder's fee and importing a tutor's First Tutors history. This page compares the two on price, tutor choice, lesson format and safeguarding.

By Henry Lin, Founder of TutorDex · Published 14 September 2026 · Updated 14 September 2026 · Last reviewed 14 September 2026

MyTutor vs TutorDex at a glance

MyTutor is a fully managed platform: lessons run in its own online classroom, are recorded, and tutor–student contact details are never shared. It charges a per-lesson Platform Fee (its terms cap this at up to 49% of the amount paid) on top of tutor-set rates that start from £26/hour.

TutorDex is a directory-style platform: a one-off finder's fee of £9.99–£39.99 releases a chosen tutor's contact details, there is no hourly commission, and lessons and payment are arranged directly with the tutor. It is also the only platform built to import a full First Tutors account history.

The practical choice is managed-and-recurring versus directory-and-one-off. Neither is cheaper in every case.

At a glance: parents and tutors

If you're a parent

MyTutor: managed online classroom, recorded lessons, contact details never shared, and a per-lesson Platform Fee on top of tutor-set rates from £26/hour.

TutorDex: one-off £9.99–£39.99 finder's fee, direct contact with the tutor, no commission, and you arrange lessons and payment yourself.

If you're a tutor

MyTutor: free to list, Platform Fee deducted per lesson, and a tutor pool restricted to students or recent graduates from partner universities.

TutorDex: free to list, the student pays the finder's fee, an open pool of experienced tutors, teachers and specialists, and you can import your First Tutors history.

How booking works on each platform

Booking with MyTutor

Search or filter for a tutor by subject, level, price, availability or gender.
Arrange a free 15-minute video meeting to check the fit before paying.
Book lessons through the platform and pay as you go.
Attend lessons in MyTutor's online lesson space; recordings can be rewatched.

Booking with TutorDex

Search for a tutor by subject, level and location.
Message the tutor to discuss your requirements; browsing and messaging are free.
Pay the one-off finder's fee of £9.99–£39.99 to release the tutor's contact details.
Arrange the lesson format, schedule and payment directly with the tutor.

Side-by-side

Dimension	MyTutor	TutorDex
Business model	Fully managed online marketplace; all lessons run in MyTutor's own classroom.	Directory-style platform; a finder's fee releases contact details and lessons are arranged directly.
Pricing model	Tutor-set rates from £26/hour plus a per-lesson Platform Fee (terms cap it at up to 49% of the amount paid).	One-off finder's fee of £9.99–£39.99; no hourly commission.
Listing cost (tutor)	Free to list; a Platform Fee is taken from each lesson instead.	Free to list; the student pays the one-off finder's fee.
Tutor pool	Tutors interviewed, with an academic requirement tied to partner universities; about 1 in 8 applicants accepted.	Open pool of experienced tutors, qualified teachers and specialists.
Lesson format	In-platform live video, interactive whiteboard and recordings students can rewatch.	No platform classroom; tutor and family agree the format, schedule and tools.
Contact sharing	Contact details are never shared; all communication stays on-platform.	Finder's fee releases contact details; communication then happens directly.
Safeguarding	Interview, two IDs checked in person, enhanced DBS with Children's Barred List renewed every three years, recorded lessons, named DSL.	Identity, address and two references collected and reviewed; DBS not mandatory for self-employed private tutors; families verify the specific tutor.
Search ranking	No published ranking formula.	Imported First Tutors reviews feed search ranking, alongside native reviews.
First Tutors history	No First Tutors import.	Full First Tutors account import, including reviews that feed search ranking.
Schools service	A schools programme used by more than 1,500 schools.	No schools service.
Ownership	Part of the IXL Learning group.	Independent platform operated by TutorDex.

Fees and pricing compared

MyTutor lists tuition from £26 per hour and says tutors set their own prices once onboarded, with budget bands shown on its pricing page. It presents a pay-as-you-go model with no sign-up fees and no subscriptions. The platform earns through a per-transaction Platform Fee. MyTutor's own Terms and Conditions state that the Platform Fee is a maximum of 49% of the total amount paid, and that the per-transaction UK Platform Fee is a minimum of £0.50 or 1.75% of the transaction value (whichever is higher), capped at £2.50 per transaction including VAT. Tutors are settled every two weeks by BACS.

TutorDex charges the student or parent a one-off finder's fee of £9.99–£39.99 to release a chosen tutor's contact details. There is no commission on lessons: the tutor keeps the hourly rate agreed directly with the family, and further payments and arrangements are handled privately.

What the fee models mean over time

The two models behave differently as lesson volume increases. MyTutor has no upfront charge, but its Platform Fee is taken per transaction on top of the tutor's rate, so the platform cost scales with every lesson booked. TutorDex charges once per tutor unlocked, so its platform cost is fixed no matter how many lessons follow.

That means the cheaper option depends on how many lessons you expect. For a single lesson, the two can land close together. For a term of weekly lessons, a fixed one-off fee is usually cheaper than a per-lesson platform fee, because the recurring cost compounds while the fixed cost does not.

When comparing, work out the expected total, not the headline hourly rate: lesson length, number of lessons, any subscription or platform fee, cancellation rules, and whether unused lessons or credits expire.

Lesson format and classroom

MyTutor runs lessons inside its own online lesson space, with live video, a shared interactive whiteboard, and document upload. MyTutor states that all tuition on its platform is recorded, and that students can rewatch lessons. All communication is handled through the site and contact details are never shared with tutors.

TutorDex is a directory, not a classroom. The finder's fee enables contact-detail sharing, and from that point the tutor and family agree the lesson format, platform (for example video call or in person), schedule and payment method themselves.

If you want a platform-hosted, recorded classroom with messaging kept on-platform, MyTutor provides it. If you want to arrange lessons directly and choose your own tools, TutorDex leaves that to you and the tutor.

Tutor choice, matching and vetting

MyTutor lets parents search tutors, and also offers a free 15-minute meeting before booking. Its how-it-works page states that it personally interviews every tutor and accepts only about 1 in 8 applicants. Its safeguarding policy sets academic requirements: tutors must be studying at, or have recently graduated from, one of the universities MyTutor recruits from, verified through a university email address and grade declaration.

TutorDex lets families search by subject, level and location, then contact tutors directly. The tutor pool is open rather than restricted to university students, so it can include experienced working tutors, qualified teachers and specialists. TutorDex collects identity, address and two references for registered tutors, and tutors set their own rates.

Safeguarding and tutor checks

MyTutor publishes a detailed safeguarding policy. It states that all tutors must pass an interview with two types of identification checked in person, hold an enhanced DBS check that includes Children's Barred List information (renewed every three years), and provide references. Safeguarding training is refreshed annually, a named Designated Safeguarding Lead is in post, and lessons are recorded as part of its safeguarding controls.

TutorDex collects proof of identity, proof of address and two references for registered tutors, which are reviewed by its compliance team. Private tuition is not generally a regulated activity, so a DBS check is not a legal requirement for a self-employed private tutor; TutorDex does not claim that every tutor holds one. Families should verify identity, qualifications and any check for the specific tutor.

In short: MyTutor operates a managed, recorded environment with mandatory enhanced DBS checks for its tutors. TutorDex is a directory where the family carries more of the due-diligence responsibility and arranges lessons directly.

Vetting and safeguarding compared

A check on a platform is not a guarantee of teaching quality or personal fit. This table records what each platform says it does.

Check	MyTutor	TutorDex
Interview	Required; every tutor must pass an interview.	No platform interview; families assess fit directly.
Identity	Two types of ID checked in person at interview.	Proof of identity collected and reviewed for registered tutors.
Criminal-record check	Enhanced DBS with Children's Barred List required, renewed every three years.	Not mandatory; private tuition is generally not a regulated activity.
References	References obtained as a secondary control.	Two references collected for registered tutors.
Training	Annual safeguarding training including Prevent.	No platform training requirement.
Lesson recording	All tuition recorded as part of safeguarding controls.	Not recorded by the platform; tutor and family decide.
Safeguarding lead	Named Designated Safeguarding Lead and deputy.	No named DSL; support team is available.
Contact sharing	Contact details never shared; communication stays on-platform.	Contact details released after the finder's fee.

First Tutors history and review imports

MyTutor is an established tutoring marketplace and does not import a former tutor's First Tutors history.

TutorDex was built to accept a full import of a First Tutors account. After the First Tutors closure, tutors can download their data from the First Tutors Privacy Center and import it into TutorDex: published and unpublished reviews, former students, references, old tuition requests and response times. Verifiable imported reviews feed the TutorDex search algorithm, so a tutor who built years of feedback does not restart from zero.

If you were a First Tutors tutor carrying a review history, that migration path is the clearest practical difference between the two platforms. Read the import walkthrough.

What MyTutor offers that TutorDex doesn't

A managed online classroom
Lessons run in MyTutor's own space with live video, a shared whiteboard and recordings that students can rewatch.
On-platform communication
All messaging stays on the platform and contact details are never shared, which some families prefer.
A mandatory DBS framework
MyTutor's safeguarding policy requires an enhanced DBS check with Children's Barred List information, renewed every three years, with a named Designated Safeguarding Lead.
A screened, near-peer tutor pool
Tutors must be studying at, or recently graduated from, partner universities, verified by university email and grade declaration.
A schools programme
MyTutor says its schools service is used by more than 1,500 schools, with dashboards and attendance monitoring.

What TutorDex offers that MyTutor doesn't

A fixed one-off cost
A single finder's fee releases contact details, with no per-lesson commission, so the platform cost does not grow with every lesson.
Direct contact and control
You deal with the tutor directly and agree the lesson format, schedule and payment method yourselves.
An open tutor pool
TutorDex is open to experienced working tutors, qualified teachers and specialists, not only university students.
First Tutors history import
TutorDex imports a full First Tutors account — reviews, students, references and old requests — and imported reviews feed search ranking.
Free to list for tutors
It is free for tutors to advertise their services; the student pays the finder's fee when they choose to unlock contact details.

Key terms in this comparison

Finder's fee

A one-off payment to unlock a tutor's contact details, rather than a fee charged per lesson.

Platform Fee

A fee taken on the lesson payment in addition to the tutor's rate. MyTutor's terms cap it at up to 49% of the amount paid.

Per-lesson commission

A charge linked to each lesson, so the platform cost recurs as lessons continue.

Managed marketplace

A platform that hosts the lesson, communication and payment infrastructure, rather than only introducing tutor and family.

Tutor directory

A listing platform that helps families find and contact tutors, then leaves lessons and payment to be arranged directly.

Enhanced DBS with Barred List

A higher-level criminal-record check that includes a check against the relevant barred list. GOV.UK says the role determines the check level required.

Contact sharing

Whether the platform releases a tutor's contact details to the family or keeps all communication on-platform.

Review import

Bringing previously published reviews from another platform (here, First Tutors) into a new profile, with the source checked.

Questions to ask before you book

A few questions reveal more than a headline price or star rating.

What is the total cost?
Ask for the exact hourly rate plus any platform fee, and work out the expected term or monthly total rather than the headline rate.
Can my child meet the tutor first?
On MyTutor you can book a free 15-minute meeting. On TutorDex, contact happens after the finder's fee, so use that conversation to test fit.
What has actually been checked?
Ask which checks apply to the specific tutor — identity, references and any DBS level — and when they were last renewed.
How are lessons run?
Confirm the platform or tool used, whether lessons are recorded, and how homework and progress are handled.
What happens if a lesson is missed?
Check cancellation windows, rescheduling rules, and whether unused lessons or credits expire.
How do we switch tutors if it is not a fit?
Ask how to change tutor, whether there is a cost, and what guarantee or replacement process applies.

Which is the better fit?

MyTutor may suit you if

You want a managed online classroom with recorded lessons
You want all messaging and contact kept on-platform
You prefer near-peer tutors from the universities MyTutor recruits from
You are comfortable with a Platform Fee charged on each lesson
You value a formal safeguarding framework with named oversight

TutorDex may suit you if

You want a fixed one-off cost rather than a per-lesson fee
You want to deal directly with the tutor and choose your own lesson setup
You were a First Tutors tutor and want to import your history and reviews
You want access to experienced tutors, teachers and specialists
You are comfortable carrying out your own tutor due diligence

Sources and checked dates

Prices and terms change, so each claim is tied to a primary source and a checked date.

MyTutor — Pricing
From-£26/hour, pay-as-you-go, no sign-up fees or subscriptions, tutor-set budget bands, free 15-minute meeting. Checked 14 September 2026.
MyTutor — How it works
Online lesson space, recordings, on-platform communication, tutor interview and 1-in-8 selection claim, IXL group. Checked 14 September 2026.
MyTutor — Terms and Conditions
Platform Fee capped at 49%; UK per-transaction fee £0.50 or 1.75% up to £2.50; two-weekly BACS settlement. Checked 14 September 2026.
MyTutor — Online Safety / Safeguarding policy
Interview and in-person ID checks, enhanced DBS with Children's Barred List renewed every three years, references, annual training, named DSL, recorded lessons, university requirement. Checked 14 September 2026.
TutorDex — Importing reviews
TutorDex import process and how imported reviews are treated. Checked 14 September 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, MyTutor or TutorDex?: It depends on lesson volume. MyTutor has no upfront fee but charges a Platform Fee on each lesson, capped at up to 49% of the amount paid and with a per-transaction fee of £0.50–£2.50. TutorDex charges a one-off finder's fee of £9.99–£39.99 and no commission. For one lesson they can be close; for an ongoing arrangement TutorDex's cost is fixed while MyTutor's recurs.
What is MyTutor's commission?: MyTutor's Terms and Conditions state that the Platform Fee is a maximum of 49% of the total amount paid per lesson. The per-transaction UK Platform Fee is a minimum of £0.50 or 1.75% of the transaction value, capped at £2.50 including VAT.
Can I speak to a MyTutor tutor before paying?: Yes. MyTutor offers a free 15-minute meeting with a tutor before you book. TutorDex releases contact details after the one-off finder's fee, after which you speak to the tutor directly.
Can I import my First Tutors reviews to MyTutor?: MyTutor does not import a former tutor's First Tutors history. TutorDex does: it accepts a full import of a First Tutors account, and verifiable imported reviews feed its search ranking.
Are MyTutor tutors DBS checked?: MyTutor's safeguarding policy states that tutors must hold an enhanced DBS check including Children's Barred List information, renewed every three years, and must pass an interview with two types of ID checked in person.
Do TutorDex tutors have DBS checks?: Not necessarily. Private tuition is not generally a regulated activity, so a DBS check is not a legal requirement for a self-employed private tutor. TutorDex collects identity, address and two references, and families should verify the specific tutor's credentials and any check directly.
Which is better for ongoing weekly lessons?: If you want a managed, recorded classroom and on-platform communication, MyTutor fits that model. If you want a fixed one-off cost and a direct relationship with the tutor, TutorDex fits better. Compare the total expected spend and the level of platform involvement you want.