Flalingo Review Summary

Flalingo is an online ESL company that hires Native and Near-Native English Speakers to teach adults and children 1v1. Pay is $3.50-$5 per 25min class (double for 50mins), and you must have a degree, TEFL/TESOL, and English teaching experience. Bookings are not guaranteed, however, and there are few tutor reports yet.

Flalingo Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Simple application process
• Flexible schedule
• Full pay for student no shows/cancellations within 12 hours of lesson
• Library of teaching materials available, with flexibility to use your own
• Tutors talk positively about the support and care shown by the company

Cons:

• Pay is relatively low, especially for the qualifications required
• Lesser-known company with fewer tutor reviews
• Competition, with an algorithm giving students a choice of 24-30 tutors to choose from
• It can take some weeks to get bookings
• Only 2 missed lessons permitted (officially)

Is Flalingo Legit?

Flalingo is a fairly young but legitimate online ESL company that has been operating since 2021. While its headquarters is in Palo Alto, California, it operates globally with over 1,800 tutors worldwide, and thousands of students mostly from Turkey and the Middle East. The company’s legitimacy is underlined by its Trustpilot score of 4.4 out of 5, and many corporate clients from international organizations such as Kraft Technologie, Nordex, and the Association for Aid and Relief Japan.

An algorithm is used to provide students with a selection of between 24-30 tutors who match their interests and needs. Flalingo ESL classes then follow either a free talk or lesson-based format, with tutors encouraged to use both Flalingo’s library and their own materials.

Below are recorded samples of Flalingo lessons, aimed at adults and children:

Flalingo Salary Information

The Flalingo pay rate is up to US$5 per 25-minute class or $10 per 50-minute class. However, some Near-Native Speakers have reported being offered a lower rate of $3.50 for 25-minute classes ($7 for 50 minutes).

Tutors are still paid the full amount in the case of any student no-shows or cancellations within 12 hours of a lesson’s start time.

So long as you have earned at least $20, payment is made monthly via Wise. If you are below this earnings threshold, your pay is carried over to the next pay cycle.

Flalingo Hours and Schedule

Flalingo classes are 1v1 and last either 25 or 50 minutes, allowing for at least a 5-minute break in between. Shorter slots are primarily for trials and speaking practice, with students booking a longer lesson if they wish to take a beginner’s English course.

Being online, Flalingo tutors may work from any location and according to their own schedule, selecting their preferred hours either part-time, full-time, or just occasionally. However, it can take some weeks to get bookings, and your chances increase the more hours you have open, particularly if these are aligned with the Turkish time zone (where the majority of Flalingo students are located).

Be aware that the company only permits tutors to miss two lessons, though they reserve the right to evaluate cases individually.

Flalingo Requirements

The Flalingo tutor requirements are:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Proficient in English = Native or Near-Native Speaker
• Bachelor’s degree or higher (preferably in Education or a related field)
• TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certification (or equivalent)
• At least one year of English teaching experience, online or in-person
• Familiarity with digital teaching tools and platforms
• Enthusiasm, creativity, and a commitment to student success
• Skilled at social interactions and communication with diverse learners
• Have access to a laptop or desktop with a webcam and headset
• Latest version of Google Chrome installed (for video conferencing software)
• High-speed internet connection

Flalingo Application Process

To apply to become a Flalingo English tutor, first register with your name, email address and password. Once you have verified your email address, you can start to ‘Build You Profile’ by submitting the following details (you may explore existing tutor profiles for comparison):

1. General Information:
   • First name
   • Last name
   • Gender
   • Upload profile photo (600×600 pixels, smiling clearly in good light)
2. Language Level and English for Kids Experience
   • Languages you speak and level
   • Do you have any English for kids experience?
3. About Me
   • Say hello and introduce yourself to students – this will be the first thing students read about you when looking at their teacher matches.
   • Include your qualifications, educational background and experiences, as well as your teaching style and approach to language learning.
   • This section and your video should discuss your qualifications for teaching English. Although, you are highly encouraged to discuss your fluency/proficiency in other languages to help students from a wide variety of language backgrounds; the main focus is English at present.
4. Video Recording
   • Greet students with a video introduction. Try to answer the question “Why should the students choose you as a Tutor?”
   • Let students know what they can expect from a lesson with you by highlighting your teaching style, expertise and personality. Students can be nervous to speak with a foreigner, so it really helps to have a friendly video that introduces yourself and invites students to call you.
   • Click to ‘Record Video’ or ‘Upload Video’ (Maximum 50MB)
5. Teaching Motivation
   • Write a cover letter of no more than 500 words where you discuss how you manage to keep students engaged/involved in online sessions. Give examples of your strategies or principles to increase student involvement, interaction, achievement and intake.
   • Explain “What is the reason behind your wish to be a tutor on Flalingo?”
6. Resume
   • Send more about your education, certifications, and relevant work experience. Upload an updated resume that lists your qualifications and shows how well you fit into the position.
   • “Upload certification” if you have a certification/reference letter/or screenshot of another teaching profile.
7. Internet Connection
   • Complete a speed test from the computer/internet connection that you will use for teaching.
   • Click the “Go” button and wait for the test to complete. Then, fill in the “Ping”, “Download” and “Upload” fields with the results.
8. Where did you hear about Flalingo?
9. Citizenship and Residency
10.  Read and accept the Flalingo Consulting Agreement.

You will see this confirmation screen once you have submitted your Flalingo tutor application:

Flalingo Interview Process

I was invited to schedule an interview a month after applying, though some candidates are contacted within 2 weeks. The Flalingo interview is fairly straightforward, with standard questions about you, your language background and tutoring experience. There is then an onboarding meeting to show you how their platform works. There is no demo lesson to teach.

Flalingo Tutor Reviews

There are very few Flalingo ESL reviews to be found online. While there is no presence yet on Glassdoor or Indeed, some tutors have shared their experiences through a Flalingo Reddit thread, and though the pay is described as ‘miserable’, there is praise for the respect and understanding shown by the company, particularly around mental health issues:

Such supportive sentiments are shared by this commenter too:

Full-time Flalingo teacher Nancy also talks effusively about the support and community she finds there, alongside the resources and platform she is ‘so in love with’. Though as her video is branded and published by the company on its website, and is clearly recorded with promotional intent, it is unquestioningly biased:

Conclusion – Is Flalingo Worth Considering by Tutors?

While there is not a huge amount of information available yet regarding Flalingo, the few comments from existing tutors about the company’s support and attitude towards mental health are encouraging. However, the relatively low pay will be insufficient for some, especially considering the qualifications required, and bookings aren’t guaranteed.

You can apply to Flalingo online. Also consider our list of other online teaching companies.