Cambly Review: Is Cambly Legit? Or Is There a Better Alternative?

So is Cambly legit? If you're looking for an unbiased Cambly review, this post is for you. In this review, I'll share everything you need to know about Cambly, as well as some alternatives. 

What is Cambly? 

Cambly is an English learning 1-on-1 online video chatting platform. There are four sides to the Cambly platform; Tutors, Normal, and Cambly Kids. The platform also offers some of their own English speaking courses for beginners. 

Cambly Tutors: 

Anyone can apply to be a Cambly Tutor, but they prefer English native speakers. Cambly also doesn't require tutors to have advanced education, a teaching certification (TESL), or previous experience. 

The application process requires some basic information and a 2 minute introductory video. Once approved, you can start accepting calls and earning money. 

Another notable tutoring platform is Skooli. 

Cambly (General): 

Most of the tutors and clients work in the general section of Cambly it's neither for Kids or for organizations. The focus of normal Cambly is for people to practice conversational English with a native English speaker.

It's the most popular category and every new tutor will start at this level. In some cases, you do get kids here, it's a mix-bag of many different types of people. 

Cambly Kids

Cambly for Kids is an English tutoring service designed for kids between the ages of 4 - 15.

Tutors for Cambly Kids are paid a little extra but you have to come up with your own material. Cambly Kids is currently an invite or request-only service. The average hourly rate at Cambly Kids is $12/hr. 

There's also a Cambly app that students can use, but tutors need to use a computer to teach. 

Note: Another teaching platform for that age group is Whales English. 

Is Cambly Legit? 

Cambly is a legit online English teaching platform that pays their tutors on time every week. Cambly is not a scam, but they're rated are very low, much lower the minimum wage in first-world countries.

It's acceptable for complete beginners with no qualifications or experience, but you will probably want to move to other higher-paying teaching platforms. 

How do I Become a Cambly Tutor?

The requirements foor joining Cambly are quite low. To become a Cambly tutor you must fill out a form and create a 1-2 minute introductory video. 

In some cases, applications are never reviewed. There are a lot of complaints regarding Cambly's application review process. The approval rate seems to depend on the demand for tutors. 

Hardware Requirements: 

1. Reliable internet connection (2 mb/s minimum)
2.  Laptop, computer, or MAC
3. A webcam
4. Headset or microphone

Focus on Your Introductory Video:

The introduction video is the most important aspect of your application. Most applications are denied because of the video, so make sure it's a good one. 

The introduction video can be between 1 and 2 minutes in total length. You don't need to share your entire life's story because Cambly's focus is on your conversational skills. They want English tutors who can speak clearly with easy to understand accents. 

Working as a Cambly Tutor:

Working as a Cambly Tutor is very straightforward. In the dashboard, you can toggle your profile to "Visible" which means you're available to take calls.

When you connect to a call, you'll earn $0.17 per minute. If the call is under 1 minute, you won't earn anything. While waiting for calls, you can book priority hours. 

Cambly Priority Hours: 

Priority hours are when the demand for tutors on Cambly is the highest. It's a way to make sure there's always a tutor available. If you book a priority hour, your profile will be more visible to students, and there's a better chance you'll receive a call.

Most of the calls during priority hours will be from members testing the free trial. The downside is you have to commit to the full hour, even if there are no calls. If no calls come in, Cambly will guarantee to pay 15 minutes for the full hour. You can also take a 5 minute break every hour. 

The higher your profile rating, the more priority hours you can book. 

Reservations

If it goes well with a student, they can schedule some hours with you. The best way to make money with Cambly is with reservations because that guarantees you money. 

Other tips to keep in mind:

• Most of Cambly's clients are in Saudi Arabia
• You will likely be hung up on often
• Some people think it's a dating website
• Connection issues are common

When Do You Get Paid? 

Cambly pays their tutors via PayPal every Monday as long as you have $20 or more in your balance. It's nice that Cambly pays every week, it beats waiting a full month or more for a paycheck. You're paid for every minute of call time. Cambly is legit because it does pay tutors on time every week. 

Problems with Cambly: 

Cambly is legit but it has a few issues. The main issue for me are the low payments. If you are guaranteed calls, $10 an hour is not too bad. However you could be online for 8 hrs. and only have 1 hour or less of actual talk time.

1 - You Can't Set Your Own Rates

For starters, Cambly tutors don't set their own rates. It's not like other platforms where you can charge a specific amount. Every tutor, regardless of experience or expertise, is paid the same rates.

Cambly pays $0.17 per minute of talk-time, which usually averages out to around $10 USD an hour. It's a good entry-level platform for new tutors, but experienced tutors won't benefit much from Cambly. 

2 - You're Only Paid for Talk-Time

While that sounds reasonable, it's not that convenient, and I'll explain why in a second. The way Cambly works is tutors basically wait on standby for someone to call them.

When a call begins, the talk-time counter starts. However, you're not paid for the time spent waiting for the call. At the moment it seems like there are more tutors than students.

One company that pays you for every active minute is Zebra English. 

3 - Cambly Students Record Classes and Upload them Online

You might think your class is private, but the class could be uploaded online somewhere else without your permission. It's pretty common and many examples can be found on YouTube. So that's one thing to think about. 

An Alternative? 

If you don't want to teach online, a great alternative is to build your own online business. If you want to teach online, Palfish is tutoring app that lets you set your own rates. 

But what if you could have a website that brings in money every day? Take a look at my recommended training center (free trial) or read my in-depth review. Have you tried Cambly or teaching English online? Drop a comment below!