Guide
Equipment and internet speed you need to teach English online
Short answer: To teach English online you need a laptop or desktop computer, a webcam, a headset with a microphone and a stable internet connection. In the Online Teachers Company List, the companies that state a number ask for anything from 2 Mbps on a wired connection (Hong Kong Xiaoci) to 30 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload (HelloKid), so check each company's own requirement before you apply.
Requirements below are quoted word for word from company listings in the Online Teachers Company List (checked 7 Nov 2026). Companies change their rules, so confirm on the company's own page before you apply. This page gives no pay figures.
How to check your teaching setup before you apply
Run through these checks before an interview or demo lesson. Some companies check your setup early: International Language Coaching, for example, runs an internet speed test during the interview.
- Run a speed test on the computer you will teach from. Note both download and upload, at the time of day you plan to teach. Compare them with the company's own minimum (see the table below).
- Use a wired connection if you can. An Ethernet cable to the router is usually steadier than Wi-Fi; Hong Kong Xiaoci's listing asks for a wired DSL or cable connection.
- Teach from a laptop or desktop, not a phone or tablet. International Language Coaching says phones and tablets are not acceptable, and Preply asks tutors for a laptop or desktop.
- Use a headset with a microphone. A wired headset cuts echo and background noise; several listings ask for one, and International Language Coaching asks for a noise-cancelling headset.
- Set up your webcam and light. Put the camera at eye level with light in front of you, and do a test call with a friend to check sound and picture.
- Plan for power or internet cuts. If your area has scheduled power cuts or brownouts (for example load-shedding in South Africa), keep a charged laptop, a mobile-data hotspot and, if possible, a small UPS or power bank for the router. Follow your company's own rules for missed classes.
- Practise screen sharing. Share one browser tab in Zoom or Google Meet, or the company's classroom, before your first lesson. Our ESL games for Zoom and free ESL lesson plans guides show how.
What online teaching companies say they require
Nine companies in the Online Teachers Company List spell out their internet or equipment rules. Upload speed matters as much as download speed, because your video is sent to the student the whole lesson.
| Company | Internet (quoted) | Computer and equipment (quoted) | Note |
|---|
| Jade Class English | “Fast & stable internet connection (≥20 Mbps upload and download)” | “RAM: ≥ 4 GB”
“Headset with microphone” | — |
| HelloKid | “Internet Speed at least 10Mbps upload and 30Mbps download” | “Intel Core i5 above” | — |
| IQBar | “internet download speed of 20 mbps or more” | No equipment detail in the listing | — |
| ABC360 | “a stable internet connection with a minimum download speed of 5MBPS and upload speed of 1MBPS is required” | No equipment detail in the listing | — |
| Hong Kong Xiaoci Technology | “Wired DSL or cable internet connection (2 Mbps or higher)” | “PC or Mac (purchased within the last 4 years), with a minimum of 8GB RAM”
“High-quality headset with microphone and webcam (720p or better)” | The same listing also asks for Adobe Flash, which browsers no longer run, so this text may be old. |
| International Language Coaching Inc. | “an internet speed test will be conducted” | “Equipment required: computer & noise-cancelling headset. Phones & tablets are not acceptable” | — |
| Global VCC | “High speed internet access” | “a webcam with a microphone. (earphone or headset)”
“Our online system works on PC/laptop” | — |
| Preply | “a stable internet connection” | “Tutors need a laptop or desktop”
“a webcam, and a microphone” | — |
| Cambly | “Strong internet connection and webcam (required)” | No equipment detail in the listing | — |
Quotes are copied from each company's saved listing; open the company page for the full listing and its official link.
