Most parents don’t set out to choose a “model” — they just want a tutor. But the route you take to find one shapes almost everything else: who’s actually checked the tutor’s background, how much comparison work lands on you, and what your options are if the first match isn’t right. There are three broad ways this works in the UK, and each genuinely suits a different family.
Marketplace: you browse, you choose
A marketplace is an open directory of individual tutors — profiles, self-reported experience, reviews, and a search or filter tool to narrow the list. You do the comparing yourself: reading profiles, messaging a few tutors, and deciding who to try. Pricing is usually set by the tutor, with the platform taking a commission or charging a membership fee on top.
This model suits parents who want maximum choice and don’t mind doing the legwork — comparing several profiles, checking credentials themselves, and making the final call. It works less well for parents who are short on time, unsure what to look for, or would simply rather have someone else narrow the field first.
Vetting on a marketplace is inconsistent by design. Some platforms verify every tutor’s DBS certificate before listing them; others rely on the tutor to self-declare, with no independent check at all. This is the single most important thing to establish before you commit — don’t assume a listing means a check has happened.
Agency or introduction service: someone matches for you
An agency (or introduction service) holds a roster of tutors and does the matching on your behalf: you describe what your child needs, and the agency puts forward one or a small number of tutors it considers a good fit. This removes the comparison work from your side, at the cost of some choice — you’re seeing who the agency selects, not the whole market.
This suits parents who’d rather describe the problem and let someone else do the searching, particularly if they’re not confident judging tutor profiles themselves, or simply don’t have the time.
Vetting varies here too, and it’s worth checking rather than assuming. “Agency” isn’t a regulated or protected term in UK tutoring — it can mean a well-run operation with a genuine vetting process, or very little more than a marketplace with a different name. Ask specifically: what checks are done on every tutor before they’re offered to a family, and can you see evidence of the most recent one.
Independent tutors: direct, and often cheapest
An independent tutor works entirely on their own — found through personal recommendation, a school noticeboard, or your own search — with no agency or platform in between. There’s no commission or membership fee built into the price, which often makes this the cheapest route for the same tutor and the same lesson.
This suits parents who already have a strong recommendation, know what to look for, and are comfortable handling vetting, scheduling and any problems themselves without an intermediary.
Vetting is entirely down to you. There’s no platform or agency standing behind the check. Ask to see the tutor’s DBS certificate directly, and note the date it was issued — a certificate has no official expiry, but a check from several years ago doesn’t reflect anything since. GOV.UK’s guidance on requesting DBS checks explains what a genuine certificate should show.
Comparing the three models
| Marketplace | Agency / introduction service | Independent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who does the choosing work | You — browsing and comparing profiles yourself | The provider matches you with a tutor from its roster | You — usually via recommendation or your own search |
| Who checks DBS/references | Varies by platform — check, don’t assume | Varies by provider — ask what’s actually verified | Entirely you |
| Typical pricing structure | Tutor sets rate; platform commission or membership fee added | Often a set or centrally-managed rate | Tutor sets rate directly; no intermediary fee |
| If it goes wrong | Depends on the platform’s own policy — some offer a rematch, some don’t | Varies by provider — ask what happens if the match doesn’t work before you commit | Down to you to resolve directly with the tutor |
For what these pricing structures mean in pounds, see our guide to tutoring costs — the figures live there so this page doesn’t repeat them.
Where an introduction service like ours fits
To be straightforward about where we sit in this: TutorNetwork is an introduction service. You make one enquiry, and we match you with one tutor from our vetted network — rather than handing you a list of profiles to work through yourself, or leaving the vetting to you. That’s a genuine trade-off, not a universal answer: it suits parents who want the comparison work taken off their hands, and it doesn’t suit everyone. A parent with a strong personal recommendation for an independent tutor, or one who enjoys comparing options on a marketplace, may reasonably prefer either of the other two routes — both are legitimate ways to find good tutoring, not a lesser choice.
What genuinely suits who
None of these three models is objectively “best” — each is a reasonable choice for a different parent:
- Choose a marketplace if you want to see the full range of tutors available, enjoy comparing profiles, and have time to do your own vetting and shortlisting.
- Choose an agency or introduction service if you’d rather describe what your child needs once and have someone else narrow the field — and you’ve checked what vetting they actually do.
- Choose independent if you already have a trusted recommendation, or are confident vetting and managing the arrangement yourself, and want to avoid any commission or fee on top of the tutor’s own rate.
Whichever route you take, the same two questions are worth asking before you commit: can you see evidence of a current Enhanced DBS check, and what happens — plainly, not vaguely — if the first lesson doesn’t go well.