A 2025 study of early-literacy tutoring offers one of the best direct comparisons yet of online vs. in-person English tutoring.
Online vs. In-Person English Tutoring: The Question
Online tutoring for kids is increasing in popularity because of its flexibility and convenience. Instead of getting into a car, driving to a tutoring center, and driving back, parents can arrange to have tutoring from the convenience of their home. By saving on the commute, they give their kids more time to study, relax, or spend time with family.
But the online option raises a natural question: Is online tutoring as effective as in-person tutoring? That question matters for families choosing between online and in-person English tutoring.
In the past, this question has been hard to answer. Previous studies considered the effectiveness of online tutoring compared to no tutoring. Other studies lacked consistency in the curricula used or the tutors delivering the teaching.
Because previous studies lacked direct comparison of the same tutors teaching with the same curriculum both in person and online, their results couldn’t offer data on the value of in-person compared to online tutoring.
New Research on Online vs. In-Person English Tutoring
Fortunately, a recent (2025) study has explicitly compared in-person and online tutoring in its exploration of tutoring for struggling readers in grades K-2.
This study reached a valuable preliminary conclusion: It found no statistically significant difference in literacy outcomes between in-person and online tutoring.
Let’s dig into the details.
The study measured the effectiveness of English tutoring for students in grades K-2. Researchers randomly assigned some students to in-person reading tutoring and some to online reading tutoring, using the same literacy program. Tutors were also randomly assigned to both formats when possible.
This second condition enabled researchers to directly compare the impact of different tutors. In other words, the researchers could compare the effects of Tutors A and B when they taught in person, and the effects of the same tutors when they taught online.
(Important detail: Not all tutors taught both in person and online; about a third taught online only.)
As a group, the students achieved similar literacy results, with no significant difference between in-person and online tutoring. Importantly, when the researchers studied differences in literacy improvement among children, they found significant differences among tutors; some were simply more effective than others. And the tutors who were more effective at teaching English in person were also more effective online.
The study did find some advantages to in-person tutoring. In-person students attended more sessions, and tutors also reported a greater feeling of closeness to their students. But those extra sessions and good feelings did not, in fact, translate into meaningful differences in results. The tutors themselves made a far greater difference.
The Real Difference for English Tutoring is the Tutor
Let’s return to the original question: Is online tutoring as effective as in-person tutoring? This study suggests yes—and that what really matters is the quality of the tutor.
This is only one study, of course, and it has limitations. It focused on struggling readers, so its results do not necessarily generalize to all ages and all subjects. But it does suggest that English tutoring in particular can be just as effective online as in-person.
Based on this study, given the choice between a tutor working online and a tutor working in person, a family should make its decision primarily based not on mode of teaching but on tutor quality.
There are exceptions, of course. Some students may really need in-person tutoring, particularly if they are easily distractible or lack access to a peaceful room for online instruction.
But for many students, an online lesson with an experienced tutor is an excellent way to take full advantage of the benefits of serious English tutoring.