The 6 Best Online Algebra Tutoring Services of 2023

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Online algebra tutoring services are aimed at students or independent learners who need extra help understanding various math topics, from factoring to the quadratic formula. These websites connect students to real tutors who have the expertise needed to answer questions and explain concepts in a one-on-one virtual setting. Some sites also offer free supplementary resources, such as practice tests and flashcards.

You may find online algebra tutoring especially helpful if you’re someone who learns best by working through examples with someone else rather than reading a textbook. There are many tutoring services to choose from, offering a range of specialties, pricing plans, supplementary resources, and levels of customization. Once you know your own preferences, you should be able to find an algebra tutoring option that works well for you.

The 6 Best Online Algebra Tutoring Services of 2023

Best Overall: Wyzant
Best Value: Skooli
Best for on-the-Go: Varsity Tutors
Best for Quick Homework Help: Chegg
Best for Students With Special Needs: SpecialEdTutoring.com
Best for Younger Students: ClubZ!

Best Overall : Wyzant

Wyzant boasts more than 80,000 tutors on its platform. To connect with an online tutor, simply in65t your subject of interest, and you’ll be provided with a filterable list of vetted tutors who can provide instruction in that area, along with ratings and reviews for each.

Pricing is hourly and varies by tutor, with certified algebra tutors starting as low as around $10 per hour and going all the way up to about $500 per hour. Algebra tutors on the lower end of the price range tend to include university students studying science and engineering at accredited institutions, whereas more expensive tutors often hold advanced degrees or are professional educators.

Lessons take place in a virtual classroom with a video chat and interactive whiteboard, which you can download to view after the session. Unlike some other sites, Wyzant does not provide 24/7 instant access to tutors. However, its Instant Book tool can match you with an instructor as soon as one hour from the time you create the reservation.

Along with its large pool of tutors and varied pricing, another feature that makes Wyzant stand out is its wealth of free, supplemental resources. The site’s tutors showcase their expertise by writing comprehensive lessons and answering specific questions on a wide range of basic and advanced topics.

Best Value : Skooli

While some other platforms might have lower absolute prices, Skooli is the best-guaranteed value because of its emphasis on high-quality tutors with straightforward, reasonable pricing.

Many of Skooli’s tutors are licensed K–12 teachers, while others are certified tutors with advanced degrees in their subjects, including beginning algebra, high school algebra, linear algebra, and many other specialized topics.

Skooli charges a flat, pay-as-you-go rate of roughly $0.82 per minute, with a minimum lesson time of 15 minutes. The platform allows students to browse online tutors within a given subject and read reviews before starting a lesson. Learners can also input a specific question and be matched with a tutor instantly.

All tutoring sessions take place in an interactive virtual classroom with video, text chat, and a shared whiteboard. The virtual classroom is also supported on smartphones, which can be useful for students who have limited computer access or are on-the-go. The platform also allows students to record and re-watch their tutoring sessions at any time.

Best for on-the-Go : Varsity Tutors

As the company name subtly suggests, Varsity Tutors aims to help busy student—many of whom may be juggling varsity sports, classes, and part-time jobs—get the academic help they need in the brief windows of time available to them. The Varsity Tutors platform is fully integrated with its mobile app, allowing students complete access to all of its resources even while riding the bus to practice.

The service matches students with qualified tutors and creates tailored learning plans that include live, one-on-one sessions in a virtual classroom, with lesson recordings available. Due to the opaque pricing and emphasis on customization, the paid features on this site are a better fit for students looking for longer-term instruction rather than one-time homework help.

However, the Varsity Tutors mobile app and website also offer a wealth of free resources such as practice problems, flashcards, and hundreds of complete practice tests. There are even separate level and subject-specific apps, including those covering high school math, college algebra, linear algebra, and standardized tests like the SAT.

Pricing varies based on subject, time, and type of tutoring desired. Students or parents must input significant personal information (full name, zip code, and email address) in order to receive information about rates.

Best for Quick Homework Help : Chegg

Chegg requires all tutors to pass a subject proficiency test to ensure knowledgeability. Most tutors on the platform are college or graduate students studying at accredited universities.

Chegg offers multiple options for connecting with a tutor. Chegg Study for $14.95 per month allows you to ask a live tutor or search their library of over 21 million homework solutions. You can also opt for their full Chegg Study Pack for $19.95 per month which includes Chegg Study, Chegg Math Solver, and Chegg Writing. If you need help on citations for a paper, using a graphing calculator, or inputting custom equations, then the latter option might be for you.

With both Chegg Study and Chegg Study Pack, you can ask an expert by taking a photo of your question and you should receive an answer within 30 minutes or so.

Best for Students With Special Needs : SpecialEdTutoring.com

SpecialEdTutoring.com provides individualized, one-on-one tutoring for learners of all ages, from elementary and high school to adults who are taking classes or trying to understand tough subjects. All tutors on this site have degrees in Special Education, which can be difficult to find on other tutoring platforms.

Families who are interested in connecting with a tutor sign up for a free, initial consultation to determine the student’s needs, level, and best tutoring fit. Pricing is determined on an individual basis and is therefore not advertised on the site, but rather is discussed during the consultation. Since this site puts such an emphasis on catering to individual students, it is a good fit for people looking to form longer-term tutoring relationships rather than someone to answer a one-time question.

If you’re a parent who is homeschooling a child with special needs, SpecialEdTutoring.com also provides resources tailored specifically to your situation. They’ll even help you design a curriculum.

Best for Younger Students : ClubZ!

All ClubZ! tutors hold an educational degree and have relevant tutoring experience. Some instructors on the site are equipped to work with students who have special needs. Tutors are prepared to help them meet specific benchmarks such as Common Core standards and standardized test readiness. The site places an emphasis on holistic tutoring, with tutors aiming to help students improve not just subject-specific abilities, but also study skills and classroom confidence.

ClubZ! asks you to complete a small questionnaire beforehand that includes questions about the specific subject you're wanting help with, availability, etc. that then allows the company to match you with the best tutor to meet your needs. Lessons take place via audio or video in a virtual classroom equipped with a digital whiteboard, and students can review past lesson recordings on their own.

Pricing for ClubZ! tutoring is by the hour. The site offers various packages in increments of four ($231), eight ($415.80), or 12 ($554.40) hours per week with the option to create a custom package if necessary.

In addition to live tutoring, ClubZ! has a free Quick Math section with short articles on specific math topics, many of which are relevant to students studying algebra. However, the range of articles is fairly limited.

FAQs

How Is Online Tutoring Different From In-Person Tutoring?

Many people find that online tutoring has all the benefits of in-person tutoring, plus some extra benefits. You can still meet in real-time with a qualified tutor in your subject, but you can do it from the comfort of wherever you choose to plug in your device. Since online tutors can be anywhere in the world, help is available 24/7, so you can work around your other commitments or get last-minute assistance as needed.

Some students may find virtual lesson spaces difficult to navigate. Many websites offer a demo lesson space with tutorials, so if you’re feeling unsure about using the technology, it might be a good idea to practice in the demo space before logging into a lesson. That way, you won’t waste valuable tutoring time learning the ins and outs of the platform.

Online tutoring is often less expensive than in-person tutoring, with prices starting as low as roughly $7 per session. One-on-one tutoring sessions in-person can often cost hundreds of dollars.

Some students struggle with distractions during online tutoring lessons, but students and parents can work together to eliminate these distractions by closing other tabs or apps on the device in use, finding a quiet place for the tutoring session, and putting cell phones in another room.

Who Can Access Online Algebra Tutoring Services?

Anyone with access to Wi-Fi and a device with an internet browser can access online tutoring services. For most of them, it is ideal to use a desktop or laptop computer, since those devices are best suited to host the virtual classroom environment. However, some sites like Skooli and Varsity Tutors enable access on smartphones or tablets.

You’ll also need to be prepared to pay for live online algebra tutoring with some form of electronic payment—most take credit and debit cards, and some also allow other payment methods such as PayPal. However, even if your budget doesn’t allow for live tutoring sessions, some websites like Wyzant and Varsity Tutors offer free, high-quality resources for everyone. Those resources might save the day and help you understand difficult algebra questions.

How Do I Know Which Algebra Tutoring Website Is Best for My Needs?

Think about what factors matter most to you. Are you shy about video meetings, preferring text chat? Or, are you a visual learner who would like to watch someone explain concepts on a whiteboard? Is it important that your tutor has the training to explain concepts in memorable ways, or do you want someone who is more of a peer to work through homework problems with you?

Consider how frequently you think you’ll want to meet with a tutor. If you’re stuck on a specific test subject or homework problem but aren’t sure if you’ll need tutoring again in the future, you’ll probably want to stick with a website that lets you pay by the lesson or by the minute rather than signing up for a monthly plan.

Websites that offer on-demand, one-time help include Skooli and Wyzant. However, if you’d like to develop a relationship with a tutor who can commit to helping you learn over a longer period of time, you may want to use a platform that offers individualized tutor matching, such as Varsity Tutors, ClubZ!, or SpecialEdTutoring.com. Alternatively, you can browse tutor profiles on multiple sites until you find one that seems like a good fit.

Some tutoring sites offer more affordable options than others. Create a plan that lays out your ideal budget and how much tutoring time you think you’ll need, and then compare pricing options between websites to find the best fit. You can also mix and match—you might be able to answer some of your questions using the free resources on one site, but then turn to another for an affordable lesson with an educator who can walk you through a problem that’s still giving you trouble.

How We Chose the Best Online Algebra Tutoring Services

We assessed some of the most popular online tutoring services, looking specifically at their algebra tutors and resources. We looked for sites that ensure its instructors are knowledgeable in algebra and are qualified for the grade levels at which they are teaching. Sites like Skooli and SpecialEdTutoring.com received extra-high ratings because of their emphasis on connecting students with tutors who are not only subject experts but also certified educators.

Some sites were ruled out because they specialized in topics unrelated to algebra. We also looked at the variety of resources offered, affordability, and flexibility. Finally, we evaluated the websites themselves based on transparency, ease of use, satisfaction guarantee (if applicable), and customer support.

In light of these factors, we chose Wyzant as our best overall pick because it offered the widest range of tutoring options—in terms of pricing, lesson times, and tutor choice—while still maintaining high standards and offering extensive free resources.