Whether you are a parent or a student in Canada, the idea of private tutoring is not unfamiliar. In recent years, the demand for private tutoring has grown significantly, spanning both academic subjects and skill-based interests. Many learners are now turning to online tutoring platforms such as Superprof and Varsity Tutors for greater accessibility and flexibility. 1
If you are unsure which tutoring platform to choose when looking for a private tutor to learn something new, this article is for you. As you read on, you’ll find an in-depth comparison of Superprof and Varsity Tutors to help you make an informed decision
🧠 Overview of Superprof and Varsity Tutors
First, let's look at some key insights of both these tutoring platforms to understand how they can help you to find the best tutor to reach your learning goals.
✨ What is Superprof?
📝 How to Get Started on Superprof?
Finding the perfect tutor on Superprof only requires three simple steps:
Choose
- Filter by level
- Lesson format
- Specialization
- Hourly rate in your current city
Connect
- Share your learning goals/needs
- Message your tutor directly
- Finalize payment details and methods securely
Progress
- Connect with more tutors with the Student Pass
- Begin your first one-to-one lesson (physical or online) with your tutor
Meanwhile, explore the key differences between Superprof and Mathnasium.
✨ What is Varsity Tutors?
📝 How to Get Started on Varsity Tutors?
Students are connected with a suitable tutor after completing a questionnaire to streamline the selection process. Here's an overview of the questionnaire to request a tutor:
Question 1
Who needs tutoring?
You, your child, or someone else
Question 2
What grade level are you in?
From elementary to college level
Question 3
How soon would you like to start?
Right away, in a few weeks, not sure)
Question 4
Your current zip code
Might need to choose the type of school you're enrolled in, public or private school, for example
Question 5
Your email address
To complete your student profile on the platform
Gain some insights into Superprof and Preply, especially their different features as tutoring platforms.
🆚 Key Differences Between Superprof and Varsity Tutors
Next, let's dive deeper into the differences between these two tutoring platforms.
📌 Subject offerings
Superprof
- Provides a broad spectrum of subjects for professional learning and recreational purposes
Varsity Tutors
- Focuses primarily on academic subjects and test preparation
Overview: If you want to explore tutoring beyond academics, Superprof is a better choice.
The categories of subjects include Arts and hobbies, Academic tutoring, Computer Sciences, Languages, Music, Health & well-being, Professional Development, and Sports.
📌 Tutor selection
Superprof
- Students have full autonomy to choose their desired tutors, based on a review of profiles
Varsity Tutors
- Students will get paired by the platform according to their learning needs (questionnaire above)
Tutor selection tip: Read through the tutors' reviews and recommendations on their respective profiles to determine their overall credibility and the effectiveness of their teaching methodology.
📌 Pricing and Fees
Superprof
- Tutors set their own rates (hourly or package); the rates are generally lower and vary according to subjects and cities
- Students pay a monthly subscription fee (Student Pass at $49) to access tutor contacts
Varsity Tutors
- Offers package-based pricing with rates that may be higher for 12 hours to 24 hours
- The price range is around $70 to $95 USD per hour, according to your package
Pricing tip: For Superprof, you can choose a tutor based on your maximum budget by reviewing the average hourly rate of the subject and city you're taking. For example, math tutors in Toronto typically charge $25/h for their lessons.
On Superprof, many tutors also offer a free trial lesson (first lesson), so you can have some time before committing completely.
Interested to learn more about other tutoring platforms? Discover the differences between Superprof and TutorOcean.
💡 User Experiences and Reviews
Now, let's explore the actual user experiences and reviews while they're navigating the tutoring journey with these two platforms.
✅ Superprof User Feedback
Overall Trust Score
Source: TrustPilot
👍Here's what they love:
Users appreciate the wide range of available tutors and subjects (physical and online lessons), alongside the clear navigation process to find a tutor.
👎Here are some drawbacks:
Some users report issues with hidden subscription fees (Student Pass activation) and unresponsive tutors.
Here's an example of a review on TrustPilot for Superprof Canada 2:
I found a very good teacher with Superprof. The operation is simple and everything was great.
Tanja Romanazzi, January 13, 2026
✅ Varsity Tutors User Feedback
Overall Trust Score
Source: TrustPilot
👍Here's what they love:
Users commend the structured approach and the quality of tutors provided.
👎Here are some drawbacks:
Some users find the pricing to be on the higher side and desire more transparency in tutor selection.
Here's an example of a review on TrustPilot for Varsity Tutors 3:
Varsity Tutors has been extremely efficient and provided a wonderful tutor and system for revision of basic sciences and medicine.
Chrissy, January 22, 2026
🎯 Making the Right Choice for Your Learning Needs
At the end of the day, the right tutoring choice varies according to each student's learning needs and preferences.
❗ Considerations for Choosing Between Superprof and Varsity Tutors
Here are some key elements that you can consider before finalizing your decision.
👉 Budget
For both tutoring platforms, students are charged per hour or by package.
Superprof: More budget-friendly options due to tutor set rates. Additionally, students can filter through their tutor selection process by indicating their maximum budget from the very start (for example, $32 per hour).
From there, the system will direct you to the tutors' profiles who offer their lessons within this price range. This will help you to save lots of time.
✅Student's current level (Absolute beginner to advanced/fluent earner)
✅Your tutor's experience and expertise (certifications, degrees, years teaching)
✅Lesson length and frequency (30-minute sessions vs. 90-minute sessions)
✅How lessons are delivered (online via video call, in-person at home)
Varsity Tutors: The pricing model of Varsity Tutors provides a more comprehensive service at a higher cost.
That's because the platform not only matches students with tutors under fixed learning hours, but also offers video chat, collaborative workspaces, and session recording through their tutoring desktop and mobile app, and AI-enhanced studying tools.
👉 Subject Requirements
Superprof: You get the best of both worlds, where you can learn a wide range of academic and non-academic related subjects.
For instance, if you want to learn a new sport like badminton or a musical instrument like the violin, you should definitely find a tutor here on Superprof.
Additionally, you get to choose whether it's physical or online tutoring.
Varsity Tutors: Subjects offered are more catered to test preparation and improving academic results for the elementary level through the graduate level.
👉 Learning Preferences
Finally, it boils down to your own learning preferences.
Superprof: Suited for students who prefer a more flexible learning approach, where the tutors can decide the teaching methodology and materials beyond the platform's learning tools.
Varsity Tutors: More suited for students who prefer a structured learning path with curated tutor matching, alongside an online live learning platform.
Check out the differences between Superprof and Tutorax.
🔒 Conclusion
Essentially, both Superprof and Varsity Tutors have their pros and cons, as well as key characteristics.
| Aspect | Superprof | Varsity Tutors |
|---|---|---|
| Subject Offerings | 1,000+ subjects including academics, languages, music, arts, sports, hobbies (e.g., UX design, fitness). Broad marketplace focus. | Primarily academics, test prep (SAT, ACT, GRE), K-12/university subjects. Structured for core education and exams. |
| Pricing Model/Budget | Monthly Student Pass (~CAD 29-39) for unlimited tutor contacts; lessons CAD 10-60/hr set by tutors. | Memberships CAD 299+/month (4+ hrs tutoring + unlimited classes); ~CAD 70-100/hr. |
| User Experience | Easy matching, first lesson often free, direct tutor payments. Mixed reviews: flexible but variable quality/scams noted. | Algorithmic matching, progress tracking. Positive for structure (4.9/5 Trustpilot), complaints on tutor choice, pay, commitments. |
It's important to review this information and see if they align with your current learning goals and interests. Let's picture the following scenario:
For example, a high school student in Toronto may learn the piano for a few years to attain the best results for their Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) exams, whereas a working adult may learn the piano for a few months to play their favourite pop songs.
As with the case of music learning, there would be students who prefer hands-on demonstration, while some are okay with online tutorials.
And of course, working adults may have a bigger budget allocation as compared to a high school student when it comes to long-term tutoring.
All these factors can be summarized with these three questions:
➡️ What subject/field do you want to learn, and for what purpose?
➡️ What lessons do you prefer, in-person or online?
➡️ How much is your maximum budget for private tutoring?
Once you have the answers to these three questions, you should have an answer to which tutoring platform to pick.
Tell us, which tutoring platform will you choose?
References
- Technavio. (2025, January 27). Private Tutoring Market in Canada to grow by USD 5.36 Billion (2025-2029), driven by emphasis on STEM education, AI impact on market trends - Technavio. Prnewswire.com; Cision PR Newswire. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/private-tutoring-market-in-canada-to-grow-by-usd-5-36-billion-2025-2029-driven-by-emphasis-on-stem-education-ai-impact-on-market-trends---technavio-302360400.html
- Superprof Canada is rated “Great” with 4 / 5 on Trustpilot. (2026, January 22). Trustpilot. https://www.trustpilot.com/review/superprof.ca
- Varsity Tutors is rated “Great” with 4.2 / 5 on Trustpilot. (2025, December 14). Trustpilot. https://www.trustpilot.com/review/varsitytutors.com
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