Preply Review: Earn Money Teaching English from Bangladesh (2026)

By Rahim Ahmed · Updated March 19, 2026 · 13 min read

4.2/5

Legitimate way to earn $5-25/hr teaching from Bangladesh

Teaching English online is one of the few freelancing paths that does not require you to learn coding, design, or any technical skill. If you speak English well and can explain things clearly, you can start earning this week. Preply is the platform that makes this possible for Bangladeshi tutors.

I have been teaching on Preply part-time for 14 months alongside my development work. I started at $6/hr, currently charge $14/hr, and have completed over 800 lessons with students from 23 countries. This review is based on that experience. No sponsored content, no sugar-coating. Just what actually works and what does not.

What Is Preply?
How to Sign Up as a Tutor from Bangladesh
Setting Your Rates: The Bangladesh Strategy
What to Expect: Your First Month
Preply Commission Structure
Realistic Earnings from Bangladesh
How You Get Paid
Best Subjects to Teach
Tips to Succeed as a Bangladeshi Tutor
Pros and Cons
Alternatives to Consider
FAQ

What Is Preply?

Preply is a global online tutoring marketplace connecting tutors with students in 50+ subjects and 50+ languages. Founded in 2012, it now has over 50,000 active tutors and millions of students worldwide. The platform handles everything: student matching, scheduling, video lessons, payments, and messaging.

As a tutor, you create a profile, set your rate, and wait for students to find you. When a student books a lesson, you teach them via Preply's built-in video call tool (Preply Space). After the lesson, the student rates you, and you get paid weekly.

For Bangladeshi freelancers, Preply is attractive for three reasons:

Low barrier to entry: No degree or teaching certificate required
Flexible schedule: Teach as many or as few hours as you want
Dollar-denominated income: Earn in USD, which is valuable given BDT exchange rates

Step 1: Create Your Account

Go to preply.com and click "Become a tutor" (not "Find a tutor"). Sign up with your email or Google account. Select your country as Bangladesh.

Step 2: Choose Your Subjects

Select what you want to teach. You can choose multiple subjects. The most in-demand subjects for Bangladeshi tutors are:

English: By far the highest demand. You do not need to be a native speaker. Non-native tutors who speak English fluently are in high demand because they understand the challenges of learning English.
Bengali/Bangla: Smaller market but minimal competition. Good for teaching diaspora children or cultural learners.
Mathematics: Always in demand. Good for SAT, GRE, and academic math tutoring.
Science: Physics, chemistry, biology for secondary and university-level students.
Programming: Python, JavaScript, web development. Higher rates than language tutoring.

Step 3: Write Your Profile Description

This is where most Bangladeshi tutors fail. They write generic, boring descriptions. Here is how to stand out:

Bad example: "I am a teacher from Bangladesh. I have 5 years of experience. I can teach English and mathematics. Contact me for lessons."

Good example: "Hi, I am Rahim from Dhaka, Bangladesh. I have been teaching English to non-native speakers for 5 years, and I understand the exact challenges you face because I learned English as a second language too. My students have improved their IELTS scores by an average of 1.5 bands in 3 months. I focus on conversational English, business English, and exam preparation. My teaching style is patient, structured, and fun. I use real-world examples, news articles, and interactive exercises instead of boring textbook drills. Book a trial lesson and let me show you how much progress you can make in just one hour."

The second example is specific, personal, shows results, and gives the student a reason to choose you.

Step 4: Record Your Introduction Video

This is the single most important element of your profile. Students watch your video before deciding to book. Here is how to make a great one:

Length: 1.5 to 3 minutes. Do not exceed 3 minutes.
Lighting: Face a window for natural light, or use a desk lamp pointed at your face. No dark rooms.
Background: Clean, uncluttered. A bookshelf or plain wall works. Avoid your bedroom or a messy room.
Audio: Use a headset with a microphone. Background noise (traffic, fans, family) kills your chances.
Content: Introduce yourself (name, where you are from), explain what you teach, describe your teaching style, mention your experience or qualifications, and invite them to book a trial.
Energy: Smile. Speak clearly. Show enthusiasm. Students want a teacher who is warm and approachable.

Bangladesh-specific tip: Internet quality matters for the video recording and for actual lessons. Use a broadband connection (at least 10 Mbps). If your home internet is unreliable, consider going to a co-working space or a friend's house with better internet for recording the video and teaching lessons.

Step 5: Set Your Availability

Choose the hours when you are available to teach. Key considerations for Bangladesh (BST, UTC+6):

For Asian students (China, Japan, Korea): Available 4 PM - 10 PM BST (which is 6 PM - midnight CST/JST)
For European students: Available 12 PM - 6 PM BST (which is 8 AM - 12 PM CET)
For American students: Available 8 PM - 2 AM BST (which is 10 AM - 4 PM EST) — this requires late nights
For Middle Eastern students: Available 2 PM - 8 PM BST (which is 10 AM - 4 PM Gulf time)

The more hours you make available, the more bookings you will get. But be realistic. Do not mark yourself available at 3 AM if you cannot actually teach at 3 AM.

Step 6: Submit for Review

Preply reviews new tutor applications within 1-5 business days. They check your video quality, profile completeness, and verify your identity. Once approved, your profile goes live and students can find you.

Setting Your Rates: The Bangladesh Strategy

Pricing is strategic, not arbitrary. As a Bangladeshi tutor, you have a natural pricing advantage: your cost of living is lower, so you can offer competitive rates that are still very profitable for you.

Subject	Starting Rate	After 3 Months	After 6 Months	After 1 Year
English (General)	$5-6/hr	$7-9/hr	$10-12/hr	$12-18/hr
English (Business/IELTS)	$7-8/hr	$9-12/hr	$12-15/hr	$15-25/hr
Bengali/Bangla	$6-8/hr	$8-10/hr	$10-14/hr	$14-20/hr
Mathematics	$6-8/hr	$8-12/hr	$12-18/hr	$18-25/hr
Programming	$8-12/hr	$12-18/hr	$18-25/hr	$25-35/hr

Why Start Low?

I know $5/hr sounds painfully low. But here is the math that makes it work:

$5/hr in Bangladesh is BDT 607/hr. A typical private English tutor in Dhaka charges BDT 300-500/hr for in-person lessons. So $5/hr on Preply is already competitive with or above local rates. And you are working from home in your pajamas with no commute.

More importantly, starting low helps you build reviews. On Preply, reviews are everything. A tutor with 50 five-star reviews at $12/hr gets more bookings than a new tutor with zero reviews at $12/hr. The strategy is:

Start at $5-6/hr to attract your first students
Deliver excellent lessons to earn 5-star reviews
After 20-30 reviews, raise your rate to $8-10/hr
After 50+ reviews, raise to $12-15/hr
After 100+ reviews with a strong rating, charge $15-25/hr

What to Expect: Your First Month on Preply

Week 1: Waiting

After your profile is approved, you wait for students to find you. This is the hardest part. You may get 0-2 trial lesson requests in your first week. Do not panic. Use this time to prepare lesson materials and practice your teaching approach.

Week 2: First Trial Lessons

You will likely get your first trial lesson booking. The trial is typically 1 hour (or 30 minutes, depending on your setting). This is your audition. Be prepared, be enthusiastic, and focus on understanding the student's goals. If the trial goes well, the student subscribes for regular lessons.

Week 3-4: Building Momentum

If your first trials went well and you received 5-star reviews, Preply's algorithm starts showing your profile to more students. You should have 3-5 regular students by the end of month 1, teaching 5-10 hours per week.

Month 2-3: Growth Phase

With consistent 5-star reviews, you should have 8-15 regular students and be teaching 10-20 hours per week. This is when you start raising your rate by $1-2/hr.

Month 4-6: Stability

Most successful Bangladeshi tutors reach a stable income of 15-20 hours/week at $10-15/hr by month 6. Some students leave, but new ones come in. Your review count and rating make it easier to attract new students.

Preply Commission Structure (The Honest Truth)

This is where Preply gets controversial. Their commission structure is aggressive, especially for new tutors.

How It Works

Lesson Type	Commission	You Keep	Notes
First lesson with new student (trial)	100%	$0	You earn nothing on trials booked through Preply search
Subsequent lessons (0-20 hours taught)	33%	67%	Highest commission tier
Subsequent lessons (20-200 hours)	25%	75%	Mid-tier
Subsequent lessons (200-400 hours)	22%	78%	Getting better
Subsequent lessons (400+ hours)	15%	85%	Best tier, earned through commitment

The 100% trial commission is painful. Yes, you teach a full trial lesson and earn $0. Preply justifies this by saying they invest in marketing to bring you students. It is the most common complaint about the platform. However, if the trial leads to a recurring student who books 50+ lessons, the math works out in your favor over time.

What This Means in Real Numbers

If you charge $10/hr and teach 15 hours/week (60 hours/month):

At 33% commission (new tutor): You earn $10 x 0.67 x 60 = $402/month = BDT 48,843
At 25% commission (after 20 hours): $10 x 0.75 x 60 = $450/month = BDT 54,675
At 15% commission (after 400 hours): $10 x 0.85 x 60 = $510/month = BDT 61,965

The commission decrease is gradual. It takes approximately 6-8 months of consistent teaching to reach the 15% tier (400+ hours). But even at the 33% tier, $402/month (BDT 48,843) for 15 hours/week of work from home is competitive with many full-time jobs in Bangladesh.

Realistic Earnings from Bangladesh

Monthly Earnings Calculator

Hours/Week	Rate	Commission	Weekly Net	Monthly Net (BDT)
10	$6	33%	$40.20	BDT 19,537
10	$10	25%	$75	BDT 36,450
15	$10	25%	$112.50	BDT 54,675
15	$15	15%	$191.25	BDT 92,916
20	$12	15%	$204	BDT 99,108
20	$15	15%	$255	BDT 123,885
25	$15	15%	$318.75	BDT 154,856

Based on mid-market rate of 121.5 BDT/USD. Actual BDT depends on payment method and conversion rate.

For context, the average monthly salary in Bangladesh is approximately BDT 15,000-25,000 for entry-level positions and BDT 40,000-80,000 for mid-career professionals. A Preply tutor teaching 15-20 hours/week at $10-15/hr earns well above the national average, working from home with flexible hours.

How You Get Paid in Bangladesh

Preply pays tutors weekly, every Tuesday, for lessons completed the previous week. Here are your payment options as a Bangladeshi tutor:

Option 1: Payoneer (Most Common)

Create a Payoneer account and link it to Preply
Preply deposits USD into your Payoneer balance weekly
Withdraw from Payoneer to your Bangladeshi bank (DBBL, BRAC Bank, etc.)
Payoneer charges up to 2% withdrawal fee + exchange rate markup
Delivery: 2-5 business days

Option 2: Direct Bank Transfer

Preply can send to your Bangladeshi bank via international transfer
Less common, may have higher minimum payout
Exchange rate varies

Option 3: Skrill

Another e-wallet option
Less popular in Bangladesh compared to Payoneer

My recommendation: Use Payoneer and withdraw to a DBBL or BRAC Bank account. Then transfer from your bank to bKash for daily spending. This gives you the most control over your money. The Payoneer withdrawal fee (up to 2%) is an unavoidable cost of using Preply from Bangladesh.

Best Subjects to Teach from Bangladesh

1. English (Highest Demand)

English is by far the largest market on Preply. Types of English tutoring in demand:

Conversational English: Helping students practice speaking. Easiest to teach, high demand.
Business English: Teaching professionals workplace English. Higher rates ($10-20/hr).
IELTS Preparation: Huge demand from students in Bangladesh, India, and the Middle East. If you have taken IELTS yourself (Band 7+), you can specialize in this and charge premium rates.
TOEFL Preparation: Similar to IELTS but more common for US-bound students.
English for Kids: Teaching English to children (ages 6-14). Requires patience and creativity but has strong demand from parents in Asia.

2. Programming (Highest Rates)

If you can code, teaching programming pays significantly more than language tutoring. In-demand programming subjects:

Python: The most requested programming language for tutoring. Beginners pay $10-20/hr for lessons.
JavaScript/Web Development: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React. High demand from career changers.
Data Science: Python + SQL + Machine Learning. Premium rates ($15-30/hr).

3. Mathematics (Consistent Demand)

Math tutoring is evergreen. Types:

School math: Algebra, geometry, calculus for secondary school students
Test prep: SAT, GRE, GMAT quantitative sections
University math: Statistics, linear algebra, differential equations

4. Bengali/Bangla (Low Competition)

A niche market, but one where Bangladeshi tutors have zero competition from other countries. Students include Bangladeshi diaspora children learning their heritage language, linguists and researchers studying Bengali, and people moving to Bangladesh for work.

Start Teaching on Preply Today

No teaching certificate required. Set your own schedule. Earn $5-25/hr teaching from home in Bangladesh. Free to join.

Become a Preply Tutor

10 Tips to Succeed as a Bangladeshi Tutor on Preply

1. Invest in Your Setup

Spend BDT 3,000-5,000 on a decent headset with microphone (not earbuds). Make sure your webcam works properly (most laptops have built-in ones). Good audio quality matters more than video quality.

2. Fix Your Internet

Get a broadband connection of at least 10 Mbps. If your connection drops during lessons, students will not rebook. Consider having a 4G mobile hotspot as backup.

3. Respond to Messages Immediately

When a student messages you, respond within 5 minutes if you are online. Fast response times improve your profile ranking and booking rate. Turn on push notifications on your phone.

4. Prepare for Each Lesson

Spend 5-10 minutes before each lesson reviewing what you covered last time. Have materials ready. Students notice when a tutor is winging it vs. when they are prepared.

5. Ask for Reviews

After a good lesson, politely ask your student to leave a review. Something like: "If you enjoyed today's lesson, I would really appreciate a quick review on my profile. It helps me reach more students like you."

6. Specialize Over Time

General English tutoring pays $5-10/hr. IELTS preparation pays $10-20/hr. Business English for executives pays $15-25/hr. Specialization allows you to charge more. After your first 50 lessons, start focusing on a niche.

7. Create Lesson Materials

Preply has a built-in classroom tool where you can share PDFs, images, and documents. Create your own worksheets, vocabulary lists, and exercises. This differentiates you from tutors who just chat for an hour.

8. Be Patient with the First Month

The first 2-4 weeks are the slowest. You may teach only 2-5 hours. Do not give up. Every successful Preply tutor went through this. The platform's algorithm starts favoring you after you accumulate reviews and maintain high response rates.

9. Do Not Cancel Lessons

Cancellations hurt your profile ranking. If you must cancel, do it at least 4 hours before the scheduled time. Frequent cancellations will push your profile down in search results.

10. Track Your Finances

Keep a spreadsheet of lessons taught, hours, earnings, and commission. This helps you see your growth and plan rate increases. It also helps for tax purposes if your earnings become significant.

Honest Pros and Cons

Pros

Work from home, flexible hours
No teaching certificate required
USD income (valuable in BDT)
Steady income once established
Meaningful work (helping people learn)
Global student base
Rates increase with experience
No commute or office politics
Free to join

Cons

100% commission on trial lessons
High commission for new tutors (33%)
Slow start (2-4 weeks to first booking)
Requires stable internet
Competition from native English speakers
No guaranteed minimum income
Payoneer withdrawal fees eat into earnings
Late-night sessions for US/EU students
Student no-shows happen

Alternatives to Preply for Bangladeshi Tutors

Preply is not the only option. Here are alternatives to consider:

Platform	Commission	Best For	Bangladeshi Tutors?
italki	15% flat	Language tutoring	Yes, accepted
Cambly	Set rate ($0.17/min)	Casual English conversation	Requires native speakers only
Wyzant	25% flat	US-focused, all subjects	Limited availability
Tutor.com	Hourly employee	US students, set hours	Requires US residency
Private students (own marketing)	0%	Max earnings	Yes, but requires self-promotion

italki is the strongest alternative. Their flat 15% commission is much better than Preply's tiered structure, especially for new tutors. However, italki is focused exclusively on language tutoring, while Preply covers all subjects.

Ready to Start Earning as a Tutor?

Teaching on Preply from Bangladesh is a legitimate, flexible way to earn dollar income from home. Start at $5-6/hr, build your reviews, and grow to $15-25/hr. No certificate needed.

Join Preply as a Tutor

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Bangladeshi tutors join Preply?

Yes. Preply accepts tutors from Bangladesh. You need a stable internet connection (at least 10 Mbps), a computer or laptop with a webcam and microphone, a quiet teaching space, and fluency in at least one language. No formal teaching certificate is required, though having one (TEFL, TESOL, or CELTA) helps your profile rank higher.

How much can Bangladeshi tutors earn on Preply?

Bangladeshi tutors typically earn $5-8/hr when starting (BDT 607-972/hr), rising to $10-15/hr after 3-6 months with good reviews (BDT 1,215-1,822/hr). Top-rated tutors with specializations can earn $15-25/hr. At 15 hours/week at $10/hr, that is approximately BDT 73,000/month (before commission), which is well above the average Bangladeshi salary.

How does Preply pay Bangladeshi tutors?

Preply pays tutors via Payoneer, direct bank transfer, or Skrill. For Bangladeshi tutors, Payoneer is the most commonly used option. You can withdraw from Payoneer to a Bangladeshi bank account (DBBL, BRAC Bank, etc.) in BDT. Payments are processed weekly for lessons completed the previous week.

What commission does Preply charge tutors?

Preply charges a commission on each lesson. For new tutors, the commission on the first lesson with a new student is 100% (you earn $0 on trial lessons booked through Preply's platform). For subsequent lessons, the commission ranges from 15% to 33%, decreasing as you complete more hours. After 400+ hours, the commission drops to 15%.

Do I need a TEFL or TESOL certificate to teach on Preply?

No formal teaching certificate is required to join Preply. However, having a TEFL, TESOL, or CELTA certificate significantly improves your profile visibility and allows you to charge higher rates. You can get an affordable online TEFL certificate for $30-$100 from accredited providers, which is a worthwhile investment if you plan to teach long-term.

What subjects can I teach on Preply from Bangladesh?

You can teach any subject you are qualified in. The most popular subjects for Bangladeshi tutors include: English (highest demand), Bengali/Bangla (for diaspora and learners), Mathematics, Science (physics, chemistry, biology), Programming (Python, JavaScript, etc.), and test preparation (IELTS, TOEFL, SAT, GRE).

How do I get my first students on Preply?

Set a competitive starting rate ($5-7/hr for English), record a professional introduction video, write a detailed and personal profile description, be available during peak hours (evenings in Asia/Europe, mornings in Americas), and respond to student messages within minutes. Most new tutors get their first booking within 1-3 weeks if their profile is well-optimized.