How Much Does Online Tutoring Cost in Australia?
Published 13 April 2026 · Merit Tutoring
Tutoring prices in Australia range from $29/week all the way past $100 per session — and that spread makes it genuinely hard to know what you're comparing. This guide breaks down what's actually available, what each option costs, and what you get for that money.
We're writing this from Merit Tutoring, so we have skin in the game. We'll tell you where we're the better deal, and we'll also tell you where we're not. Parents deserve a straight answer, not a sales funnel.
What Does Online Tutoring Actually Cost?
There's no single answer, because "online tutoring" covers a huge range of formats — pre-recorded lessons, automated platforms, 1-on-1 live sessions, small-group live classes, and everything in between. The price difference often reflects that distinction more than quality alone.
As a rough guide for the Australian market in 2026:
- Private in-person or online tutors: typically $40–$100+ per hour, depending on their experience, subject, and whether they're a uni student or a qualified teacher
- Online specialist tutoring services (like Cluey or Merit): roughly $29–$90 per session, depending on format
- Franchise and centre-based programmes (like Kumon): $140–$200+ per month per subject, plus enrolment fees
Cluey Learning — What Does It Cost?
Cluey Learning is the largest online tutoring platform in Australia. They cover Years 2–12, including HSC and VCE preparation, across maths, English, science, and more. All sessions are one-on-one.
Cluey doesn't publicly list its prices — you need to speak with a "Learning Advisor" to get a quote. Based on 2026 review summaries and parent reports, 1-on-1 sessions typically cost in the range of $70–$90 per session depending on the plan selected (sources include third-party review summaries and Cluey's own pricing page). Group sessions run at approximately $60 per session. Cluey commonly offers 50% off the first session.
If your child is in Years 11 or 12, or needs science subjects, Cluey is one of the better-known options and the price reflects their specialist tutor network.
Kumon — What Does It Cost?
Kumon is worksheet-based, in-person (at local centres), and structured around daily home practice. It's a very different model to online live tutoring.
In 2026, Kumon charges a one-time enrolment fee of $100 and ongoing monthly tuition of $160 per month per subject (GST inclusive). If your child enrols in both Maths and Reading, that's $320/month plus the initial $100 to start. Fees are confirmed on Kumon's Australian pricing page.
That works out to roughly $40/week for one subject at Kumon — cheaper per week than most 1-on-1 live tutoring, but not including daily home worksheets or travel to the centre twice a week.
Private Tutors — What Do They Charge?
Private tutors set their own rates. A uni student tutoring in primary school maths might charge $40–$50 per hour. An experienced classroom teacher with years of tutoring behind them might charge $80–$100+. The quality also varies enormously — there's no standardised training or curriculum alignment requirement for someone calling themselves a private tutor.
The advantage of a private tutor is flexibility: you can find someone who knows your child's exact school syllabus, their year level, their specific gaps. The disadvantage is exactly that — finding a good one takes effort, there's no oversight or accountability structure, and if they cancel, you're stuck.
How Merit Compares
We're a live-session, small-group online tutoring service for Years 1–10, covering maths and English. Here's our pricing:
| Format | Years 1–6 | Years 7–10 |
|---|---|---|
| Group (max 5 students) | $29/week | $35/week |
| 1-on-1 | $59/week | $69/week |
No enrolment fee. No lock-in contracts. Billed fortnightly. The first session is a full free 60-minute trial — not a demo, not a 15-minute intro. Sessions run on Merit's own platform (not Zoom) with a real live tutor every time.
That covers both maths and English — Merit teaches them together, not as separate subjects. So $29/week covers both in a group class.
What You Actually Get for the Money
Price alone doesn't tell you much. Here's what actually matters.
Live tutor vs automated content. Some cheaper platforms are mostly pre-recorded video with automated quizzes. That's a very different thing from a live person who can see when your child is confused and explain it a different way. At Merit, every session is live.
Group size matters. A group of 3 is a different experience from a group of 15. Merit caps group sessions at 5 students — small enough that the tutor can actually track every child in the room.
Curriculum alignment. Kumon follows its own sequence, which doesn't map to what your child is being taught at school right now. Both Cluey and Merit align to the Australian Curriculum, which means sessions connect directly to school content.
Hidden costs. Kumon's enrolment fee ($100) and travel to centres twice a week are real costs that don't show up in the per-session comparison. Cluey's cancellation policies have frustrated some parents — worth reading before signing up.
Is Cheapest Always Best?
No. But expensive doesn't mean better either.
The most important variable is engagement. A child who won't sit still for a 1-on-1 Zoom call gets nothing from it, regardless of what you paid. A child who loses interest in Kumon worksheets after three weeks has also spent money on nothing.
The format has to fit the child. That's why a free trial — a real one, not a 10-minute consultation — is so valuable. You can't know how your child responds to a tutoring format until they've actually tried it.
If you're trying to figure out what fits your child before spending money, Merit's free 60-minute trial is a low-pressure way to compare — we assess where they are, run a real session, and you decide from there. No obligation.
A Quick Side-by-Side
| Service | Format | Approx. Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private tutor | 1-on-1 (online or in-person) | $40–$100+/hour | Quality varies; no oversight |
| Cluey Learning | 1-on-1 online | ~$70–$90/session | Years 2–12; wider subjects |
| Kumon | Centre + daily home worksheets | $160/month per subject + $100 enrolment | Own curriculum, not Australian Curriculum |
| Merit Tutoring | Live group (max 5) or 1-on-1 online | From $29/week | Years 1–10; Maths & English only |
One thing worth noting: none of these services is right for every family. If your child is in Year 12 preparing for the HSC, Cluey or a specialist private tutor is the call — Merit doesn't go that far. If your child thrives on daily structure and repetitive practice, Kumon might be exactly what they need. It really does depend on the child.
What Should I Look For in a Tutoring Service?
Whatever you choose, here's what actually predicts whether it'll work:
- Live sessions with a real person, not just pre-recorded content
- Alignment to the Australian Curriculum (so it supports school, not just works in parallel)
- A tutor who's been matched to the right year level — not a generalist handling everything from Year 1 to Year 12
- Visibility for you as a parent — some form of progress tracking so you're not just paying and hoping
- A free or low-cost trial so you can see how your child responds before committing
Check the Merit pricing page if you want a more detailed breakdown of what's included at each plan level.