Eigox Review Summary

Eigox accepts both Native and Non-Native Speakers and requires no formal qualifications, making them a reasonable option for new teachers. However, their low and slow booking rates restrict them to being a part-time option for many, while pay rates are relatively low, and teachers complain about cancelation penalties.

Eigox Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Both Native and Non-Native Speakers can apply
• Low barrier to entry – no formal qualifications required
• They have both adult and child students
• Relatively simple application and interview process
• Use of Skype should be easy and familiar for many

Cons:

• Pay for most teachers is quite low
• The pay is capped at 50% during the probation period (of 10 lessons)
• Slow and low booking rates (especially during August holidays) – difficult to acquire full-time hours
• Cancelation penalties

Is Eigox Legit?

While there are posts on the internet that claim Eigox is a scam, this opinion is primarily based upon teacher resentment at the company’s cancelation policy (which is not that unusual for the industry). It is, however, a legitimate online English/ESL school that caters for the Japanese student market and hires teachers from all over the world. Their name comes from the Japanese word for the English language, which is ‘Eigo‘.

Eigox Online Teaching

Eigox online teaching is conducted by 25-minute lessons on Skype.

Eigox teachers are expected to deliver their lessons through one of the following methods, according to their students’ preferred way of learning:

1. Free talk – for students wishing to practice their English through a conversational class. Topics may include self-introduction, hobbies, cultures, travel, life, sports, work, school, science, etc.
2. Textbook-based – for students wishing to learn English formally and systematically with textbooks.
3. Online materials – for students who prefer using interactive online resources.

A lesson review must be written up and submitted within 24 hours of the lesson finishing.

An Eigox tutor manual can be found here, which provides technical information about how to schedule and conduct a lesson, and the company’s policies.

Eigox Salary / Pay

The Eigox pay rate varies depending upon your nationality and the type of payment plan the student has signed up for.

Filipino and other Non-Native Speakers are paid ￥160 (approximately US$1.50) for any 25-minute lesson, while Native English Speakers and bilingual Japanese tutors are paid between ￥300-1200 ($2.75-$11) per standard plan lesson, ￥600 ($5.50) for a trial or budget plan lesson or ￥160 ($1.50) for a replacement lesson (covering a teacher cancelation). Double these amounts for the proportional hourly rate.

Payments are made on the 15th of every month via PayPal.

It is important to note that new Eigox recruits will have their first 10 lessons (probation period) capped at 50% of their regular pay rate.

Eigox suggests that ‘pay rates could be increased gradually based on each tutor’s work performance’, though deductions are made for any cancelations, upon the following basis:

Standard/Trial/Replacement Lesson cancelations

Budget Lesson cancelations

Eigox Requirements

Eigox teacher requirements include the following:

• Teachers must be excellent speakers of the English language, with clear accents and pronunciation, and good communication skills.
• They should be friendly, encouraging and patient.
• Must value punctuality and possess a strong sense of responsibility.
• Have access to a reliable computer with a wired (not wi-fi), high-speed internet connection, webcam, headset and Skype software installed.
• Be available to teach at least 10 hours per week (e.g. 2 hours x 5 days, or 5 hours x 2 days).
• Have a PayPal account (to receive salary).

How Do I Apply for Eigox?

To start the Eigox hiring process, fill out a tutor application form on the Eigox website. You will be asked to submit the following information:

• Tutor type: 1) Native English Speaker of USA, UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, 2) Filipino/Other Non-Native Speaker, or 3) Japanese.
• First and last name
• Skype ID
• Password (6-32 digits, no marks)
• Email address (they recommend not using an Apple email address such as @icloud.com, @me.com or @mac.com, as you may have problems receiving the company’s automatic emails).
• Telephone number
• Residing country
• Nationality

Once your Eigox tutor application has been reviewed, you will be invited to record a video greeting. This should usually be checked within 3 business days of being received, though due to an increased number of applicants following the COVID-19 pandemic, Eigox warns it might take several days. If your video meets their criteria, you will then be invited to an online interview.

If you’re unsure what to include in your video greeting, there are many examples you can watch on the Eigox Youtube page, such as the following:

Eigox Interview

The Eigox interview lasts around 10 minutes and is conducted on Skype. Previous candidates have been asked the following questions:

• How old are you?
• What is your location?
• What is your teaching area?
• Do you have any certificates?
• What is your work experience and what experience do you have in teaching?
• Can you speak Japanese? (this is not an essential requirement)
• How much Japanese can you understand? (not an essential requirement)
• Why do you want to teach English to Japanese students?

Your interviewer will be checking your work environment, so make sure you have a well-lit, professional background clear of any visual or aural distractions.

You will also be expected to conduct a short conversational lesson, with your interviewer pretending to be a shy student from whom you must elicit responses.

Eigox Reviews – What Is It Like Working for Eigox?

Eigox receives an average rating of 4 out of 5 on Glassdoor, with 82% of reviewers willing to recommend them to a friend. Those are impressive scores in this industry, though they’re calculated from just 19 reviews (at the time of writing).

The biggest complaints against Eigox are about their booking rates, which are low and slow to come by.

Here is a balanced selection of recent Egiox reviews:

Conclusion – Is Eigox Worth It?

Eigox is not a good option for those looking for full-time hours, due to their low booking rates. If you’re just wanting to pick up a few part-time hours to supplement another job, are interested in teaching Japanese students, and you lack the qualifications and experience to apply to better-paying companies, then they may be worth considering. However, for those with a TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certificate and/or degree, you’ll find a better return on that investment elsewhere.

You can apply on the Eigox website.

A full list of other online teaching companies can be found here.