How we picked these
These are communities where online and ESL teachers ask questions, share resources, and talk about jobs. Every fact below comes from the community's own public page, linked as the source, and was checked on 1 November 2026. We don't quote member counts we can't verify. Disclosure: this list is published by Online Teachers Club (OTC), which is one of the communities compared. We have tried to describe each one fairly, including what the others do better.
Quick comparison
| Community | Best for | Cost to join | Job posts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Teachers Club | Online teachers who want a job board, chat groups, resources and training in one place | Free (optional paid tools and courses) | Yes, free job board |
| r/OnlineESLTeaching | Open Q&A about online ESL companies | Free (Reddit account to post) | Discussion of companies |
| r/TEFL | Teaching English abroad (in-country jobs, visas, contracts) | Free (Reddit account to post) | Discussion; recruiting by PM is not allowed |
| r/ESL_Teachers | Teaching practice for teachers in English-speaking countries or teaching remotely | Free (Reddit account to post) | No, job-seeking posts are not allowed |
| Dave's ESL Cafe | Long-running ESL/EFL site with job listings around the world | Free to browse | Yes, job listings |
1. Online Teachers Club (OTC)
OTC is a community built specifically for online teachers. Its join page says access to the community, the job board and applying for jobs is free, with optional paid tools and courses. It lists a global community, courses and AI teaching tools, job opportunities, a 2 TB+ library of teaching materials, and badges and leaderboards. The same page states "7208+ satisfied members"; that is OTC's own figure.
Good for: online teachers who want jobs, peer chat and resources in one place. Keep in mind: it is a newer and smaller community than the big Reddit groups, and some tools are part of the paid Member and Pro plans (see OTC pricing).
2. r/OnlineESLTeaching (Reddit)
r/OnlineESLTeaching was created on 3 July 2018 and is public: anyone can view, post and comment. Its sidebar links to company lists and advises getting several opinions, because companies change often.
Good for: candid questions about specific online companies. Keep in mind: answers come from anonymous users, so check them against other sources, such as each company's page on this list.
3. r/TEFL (Reddit)
r/TEFL focuses on teaching English as a foreign language, mostly abroad. It runs a weekly Quick Questions thread. Its rules ask for discussion in public: requests for private messages are removed, and members are asked to report unsolicited recruiting messages.
Good for: moving abroad to teach, contracts and visas. Keep in mind: online teaching is only a small part of the discussion.
4. r/ESL_Teachers (Reddit)
r/ESL_Teachers was created on 19 July 2013. Its rules say it is for teachers surrounded by English or teaching remotely, and they send questions about teaching abroad to r/TEFL. Posts seeking or offering jobs, students or teachers are not allowed. Sharing resources is welcome within limits.
Good for: classroom practice, materials and teaching methods. Keep in mind: it isn't a place to find work.
5. Dave's ESL Cafe
Dave's ESL Cafe was created by Dave Sperling after he completed his MA in Linguistics in 1995, as a meeting place for ESL and EFL teachers and students. Today the home page is built around ESL and EFL teaching opportunities around the world.
Good for: browsing international teaching job listings. Keep in mind: it is focused on in-country jobs rather than online teaching.
Which one should you join?
Many teachers use more than one. Reddit groups are good for open, anonymous questions. Dave's ESL Cafe is useful for jobs abroad. If you teach online and want a job board, chat groups and teaching resources in one place, join Online Teachers Club for free. Before applying to any company, check its page on this list for pay, requirements and teacher votes.
Tools for online teachers
Once you have shortlisted a few companies, it helps to have one page that shows who you are as a teacher. You can create a free online teacher profile page on Teacher4.me and share it with students, parents, and schools alongside your company applications.
