Best Tutoring Software

What is Tutoring Software?

Why Use Tutoring Software?

Who Uses Tutoring Software?

Tutoring Software Features

Tutoring software products are typically multipurpose solutions that include a range of features.

Student information management — Tutoring software houses important data about each student, including contact information, academic needs, and preferred tutoring times.

Lesson scheduling — Most tutoring software products provide a scheduling system so clients can see what days and times tutors are available. Some products even sync personal calendar platforms with a software’s tutoring schedule, allowing all parties to seamlessly gauge a tutor’s availability.

Attendance tracking — This feature allows tutors to track when students attend or miss sessions. Sometimes, this feature includes an option for more detailed information, such as if a student should get credit on their account because they gave advanced notice of their absence.

Lesson notes — With a notes function, tutors can record when a student makes progress or indicate areas for improvement, then send that information to students or parents. Tracking student progress from one lesson to the next is a crucial part of keeping students motivated.

Automatic invoicing — Most tutoring software allows invoices to be automatically sent out to multiple clients at once. This saves time for users of this software, as generating invoices manually takes a large amount of time. Some software allow invoices to be customized with a company logo or other details.

Online payments — To streamline payment, some products have online payment portals where clients can view their invoices and pay their balance.

Accounting — Business owners can track income and expenses using accounting tools available in some tutoring software. This helps users see where money goes and keeps key financial information in one place.

Online portals — The online user accounts provided by some tutoring software give students personalized access to information such as upcoming appointment dates and notes from tutors. Parents can view invoices or feedback about their child’s progress as well.

Reporting tools — Many tutoring software tools can generate reports on key data, such as overall revenue, student numbers, lessons taught, and other metrics. Some tools have dozens of different reporting options.

Text messaging and email notifications — Some tools include automatic reminders that can be sent to clients via SMS or email. These reminders can be set to arrive hours or days in advance of an appointment. Users can send out mass emails with important information or announcements utilizing this feature as well.

Trends Related to Tutoring Software

Adoption of cloud computing — Just as other industries have migrated to the cloud, tutoring software is increasingly sold in a subscription format, with monthly fees replacing a larger one-time fee. Some cloud-based software vendors charge fees based on the number of staff members at a company while allowing an unlimited number of students to use the platform. Other tutoring software charge a base fee plus an extra charge for each lesson, while others have fees that take a percentage of the payments processed through the software. Most companies offer inexpensive monthly fees, allowing sole proprietorship tutoring businesses to glean the benefits of automating many of their processes with this software. However, depending on the pricing structure of the product, cloud-based tutoring software can get expensive quickly.

Analytics — Many businesses are turning to tools that generate actionable data, and tutoring services are no exception. As tutoring businesses consider growing their business, they might turn to tutoring software. This software can compile datasets into important insights that reveal opportunities for growth. Many tools allow users to run customizable reports on metrics including revenue, tutoring hours, number of clients, and account balances. Advanced analytics make it possible to granularly break down data. For example, a business owner could identify which tutoring subjects (algebra, biology, ACT practice) are generating the most revenue and dedicate extra tutors to those services. In addition to helping users make strategic decisions, these reporting functions can help make a company’s financial information easily accessible for tax or accounting purposes.

Potential Issues with Tutoring Software

Pricing — Some tutoring software companies price their products based on how many tutors or students the company serves. As a result, the amount that larger tutoring companies spend on software could quickly add up.

Data security — Since many tutoring software products manage online payments, they also handle sensitive customer data, including bank card numbers. Buyers should inquire about a company’s data security practices before using the particular company’s online payment portal.

Software and Services Related to Tutoring Software

Many tutoring products integrate and complement various software to make the end users experience more efficient.

Payment processing platforms — Many leading tutoring software products integrate with payment processing platforms. This gives clients another option for paying bills. It also helps the tutoring company streamline their accounting processes.

Accounting software — Some tutoring platforms also integrate with accounting software to keep updated financial records. This helps tutoring companies when tax season comes around as well.

Email marketing platforms — Email marketing platforms enable tutoring companies to run targeted email campaigns to both current and former clients. This is also important if there are significant changes to the company that all clients and tutors need to know about.