Blog
Free Online Tutoring and Free Trials: What's Available for Students
For parents of middle and high school students
Students can get free online tutoring from volunteer programs like UPchieve and Schoolhouse.world, and many paid services offer a free trial or free plan. Aristotle's Intro plan is free with 3 sessions, and the Infinite plan includes a 1-week free trial.
Where can students get free online tutoring?
UPchieve matches eligible students with live volunteer coaches, 24/7. The site says it is free with no credit card and no trial that ends. Eligibility is by school or zip code. Sessions are text-based with optional voice.
Schoolhouse.world is a free peer-tutoring nonprofit. Programs run on Zoom and include homework help, SAT bootcamps, and college-admissions workshops. The site lists homework help as available 24/7 for questions, with live sessions daily.
Learn To Be offers free 1-on-1 online tutoring in math, reading, and other school subjects. Families sign up, and the site says students are matched with a dedicated tutor within 3 days. Sessions are scheduled. The same tutor stays with the student.
Khan Academy is free self-paced practice, not a live tutor. Khanmigo's public pages state that the Khan Academy library stays free. It is the option to use when the student needs a lesson, not a person on the other end.
Which tutoring services offer a free trial?
Paid services describe trials on their own sites, and the terms change. Brighterly says the first lesson is always free, after a short placement test and a tutor match. It is 1-on-1 online tutoring with a person, not an AI session.
Aristotle has two free paths. Intro is a free plan with 3 one-hour sessions. Infinite includes a one-week free trial, and you can cancel from the dashboard at any time. Current plans are on /pricing.
What should you check before starting a free trial?
- Does it need a card? A free plan often does not. A trial of a paid plan often does.
- Does it auto-renew? If a card is on file, assume the paid plan starts when the trial ends unless you cancel. Read the vendor's own checkout page.
- How do you cancel? Find the cancel path before the first session. If you cannot find it without calling sales, write down the date you need to cancel.
- Who is on the other end? Volunteer, paid human, or AI. A trial of a marketplace tutor is not the same as a free nonprofit session.
For a longer look at what families actually pay for tutoring over a year, see What tutoring really costs.
How do free options compare?
| Service | Free program or trial | Who it's for | Live person or AI | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPchieve | Free program or trialFree and unlimited. No card. Eligibility by school or zip | Who it's forEligible middle and high school students in the U.S. | Live person or AILive volunteer | Sourceupchieve.org |
| Schoolhouse.world | Free program or trialFree programs, including homework help and SAT bootcamps | Who it's forStudents who join a Zoom session | Live person or AILive peer volunteer | Sourceschoolhouse.world |
| Learn To Be | Free program or trialFree 1-on-1 tutoring after signup and a match (about 3 days) | Who it's forStudents the program accepts after the signup form | Live person or AILive person, same tutor over time | Sourcelearntobe.org |
| Khan Academy | Free program or trialFree library of lessons and exercises | Who it's forAnyone | Live person or AISelf-paced (not live). Khanmigo is a separate paid AI add-on | Sourcekhanacademy.org |
| Brighterly | Free program or trialFirst lesson free, per the site FAQ | Who it's forFamilies who book a demo lesson | Live person or AI1-on-1 online tutor | Sourcebrighterly.com |
| Aristotle | Free program or trialIntro is free with 3 one-hour sessions. Infinite has a one-week free trial | Who it's forMiddle and high school students, and anyone who wants to learn | Live person or AIAI tutor | Sourceheyaristotle.com/pricing |
How does Aristotle's free plan work?
Intro is a free plan, not a countdown trial. It includes 3 one-hour voice sessions across subjects. After that, Scholar and Infinite are the paid plans. Infinite comes with a one-week free trial, and you can cancel from the dashboard at any time. See how Aristotle teaches.
Get started today — we’d love for you to meet Aristotle yourself.
Questions parents ask
Is there completely free tutoring online?
Yes. Volunteer nonprofits offer free sessions. Eligibility rules vary.
Does Aristotle have a free trial?
Intro is a free plan with 3 one-hour sessions. Infinite has a one-week free trial that you can cancel from the dashboard at any time.
Do free trials need a credit card?
It varies by service. UPchieve says it never asks for one. Check the vendor's checkout page before you start.