Online vs In-Person Tutoring: Which is Better?

The debate between online and in-person tutoring has intensified since 2020. Having run both models, here's an honest assessment of where each genuinely wins.

Where online tutoring wins

Access to the best tutors regardless of geography is the single biggest advantage of online. A student in a rural area can access a top Oxford-educated Chemistry tutor just as easily as a student in central London. The tutor pool is simply larger, and the best tutors are no longer limited to those who live nearby.

Where in-person tutoring wins

Younger students, especially primary age children, often benefit from the physical presence of a tutor. The relational dynamic is easier to build. Writing together on the same page, using physical manipulatives, and the simple focus that comes from being in the same room can be harder to replicate online for some learners.

What the research says

Studies from the Education Endowment Foundation and others suggest that outcomes between well-delivered online and in-person tutoring are broadly similar for secondary students when the tutor is skilled. The quality of the tutor matters more than the medium. Choose the best tutor you can access — the format is secondary.