Yes, Cambly is a legit English tutoring app run by Cambly Inc., a San Francisco company that went through Y Combinator. Learners pay for monthly plans, and tutors chat one-to-one with them and get paid by the minute, weekly. The catch for tutors is a fixed, modest rate you can't set yourself, and Cambly says it's temporarily limiting new tutor sign-ups.
Cambly appeals to a very particular kind of side-hustler: someone who speaks good English, wants to help people around the world and likes the idea of logging on whenever they've got a spare half hour. I've gone through Cambly's own tutor and learner pages, its help centre and its Y Combinator listing, so you can judge it on what the company says in writing. It's a real app that pays, but the pay model is very different from other tutoring sites.
The company behind Cambly
The app is run by Cambly Inc. Y Combinator, the well-known startup accelerator, lists Cambly in its Winter 2014 batch, names Sameer Shariff as founder, puts the company in San Francisco and shows a team size of 200. Its one-line description is simple: on-demand access to English tutors over video chat.
Going through Y Combinator doesn't make a company perfect, but it does mean it's been vetted by serious investors and has a public track record going back more than a decade. That's a long way from the anonymous 'teach English from home' adverts that crop up on social media.
How Cambly works for English learners
For learners, Cambly sells plans by the month. Its homepage lists Small Groups, Private+ and Pro plans, and lets you explore the app before choosing a subscription. Lessons happen over video chat, and you can talk to a tutor for practice conversation rather than a formal class, which is what a lot of adult learners want.
- Look at what's included in each plan before you pay, especially how many minutes or lessons you get.
- Check how to cancel in your account settings before you sign up, so you're never caught by a renewal.
- Try a few different tutors. On a conversation app, finding someone you click with makes all the difference.
Who Cambly accepts as a tutor
Cambly's entry bar is low, and it says so plainly. Its tutor page states that you don't need a teaching certificate, a bachelor's degree or prior teaching experience. Tutors run 1-on-1 English lessons with students around the world, and there are no minimum hours, ever.
There's a big caveat, though. Cambly's tutor page also says it's temporarily limiting the number of new tutors it welcomes, to protect current tutors' schedules, and that profile reviews may take longer than usual. So you can apply, but there's no promise of a quick start, or of getting through at all while the limit is in place.
Cambly's per-minute tutor pay
This is where Cambly differs from sites like Preply or Wyzant. You don't set your own rate. Cambly's tutor page states the pay plainly: 17 cents a minute on Cambly, which it works out as 10.2 US dollars an hour, and 20 cents a minute on Cambly Kids, or 12 US dollars an hour.
Per-minute pay has an obvious downside. You're paid for time spent chatting with students, so quiet stretches waiting for someone to call aren't the same as paid time. Busy periods and regular students make a big difference to what you take home. I'd see it as flexible pocket money that fits around other work, not a reliable wage. If you'd like steadier work alongside it, my guide to finding freelance jobs covers other options.
How Cambly pays out
Cambly's tutor page says it offers weekly pay by direct deposit and other methods. Its help centre FAQ for prospective tutors goes further: earnings are processed on Tuesdays through PayPal or Stripe, the payment methods available depend on where you live, and you can choose to be paid every 1 week, every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks.
Because you're paid through a platform rather than a payroll, you'll usually be treating this as self-employed income. Keep a note of what you're paid each week and check with an accountant or your local tax office about your own situation.
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The trade-offs of teaching on Cambly
It can suit you well, or frustrate you, depending on what you want from it. Here's how I'd weigh it up:
- Good if you want very low barriers to entry, no lesson planning and the freedom to log on when you like.
- Good if you enjoy conversation and meeting people from different countries.
- Less good if you want to set your own rates, build a premium tutoring business or earn from specialist subjects.
- Less good if you need predictable income, because pay depends on minutes spent with students.
If the flexibility appeals but you'd like to charge more for what you know, it may be worth looking at platforms where tutors set their own prices, or reading where I'd begin with a side hustle before you pick one.
Cambly facts in one table
| Question | Answer from Cambly's pages and YC |
|---|---|
| Who runs it | Cambly Inc., San Francisco |
| Accelerator | Y Combinator, Winter 2014 batch |
| Tutor qualifications | No certificate, degree or experience needed |
| Tutor pay | 17 cents a minute, or 20 cents on Cambly Kids |
| Who sets the rate | Cambly, not the tutor |
| Minimum hours | None |
| Payout choices | Every 1, 2 or 4 weeks |
| New tutors | Temporarily limited |
Watch out for fake Cambly recruiters
Because Cambly's entry rules are so open, its name is a handy hook for scammers. Be wary of anyone who messages you promising a certain tutor spot in exchange for a fee, or who asks you to pay for 'training' or a certificate before you can start. Cambly says no certificate is needed. Apply only through Cambly's own site or app, and don't share your payment login or a verification code with anyone who contacts you.
So, is Cambly worth your time?
Cambly is legit. It's an established company with Y Combinator roots, it publishes its tutor pay rate in black and white, and it pays out weekly through mainstream methods. For learners, it's a straightforward way to get regular English conversation practice. For tutors, it's easy to start and easy to fit around life, but the rate is fixed and modest, and new sign-ups are being limited. Go in for the flexibility, not the money, and you'll find it does what it says.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cambly legit or a scam?
Cambly is legit. It's run by Cambly Inc., a San Francisco company that Y Combinator lists in its Winter 2014 batch.
How much does Cambly pay tutors?
Cambly's tutor page says 17 cents a minute on Cambly and 20 cents a minute on Cambly Kids. Tutors can't set their own rate.
Do you need a degree to teach on Cambly?
No. Cambly says you don't need a teaching certificate, a bachelor's degree or prior teaching experience.
How does Cambly pay its tutors?
Cambly offers weekly pay by direct deposit and other methods. Its help centre says earnings are processed on Tuesdays through PayPal or Stripe, and you can choose to be paid every 1, 2 or 4 weeks.
Is Cambly accepting new tutors?
Cambly's tutor page says it's temporarily limiting new tutors to protect current tutors' schedules, and reviews may take longer than usual.
