Does OBRI find students like italki?

No. italki is a marketplace; OBRI is operations software. Use italki for discovery, OBRI for running your practice.

Yes — free forever for up to 3 students, no credit card required.

Is OBRI good for language tutors specifically?

Yes. The homework portal suits vocabulary and grammar tasks, lesson notes track speaking progress, and there is no commission on what your students pay.

Does OBRI replace italki?

Only for managing students you already have. italki is for discovery; OBRI is for running the ongoing relationship commission-free.

Head-to-head comparison

OBRI vs italki (2026) — Own Your Language Students

italki takes ~15% commission. OBRI is the tutor CRM for language teachers with their own book — homework, scheduling, flat fee.

Best for: Language tutors who already have students and want a CRM, not another marketplace.

In short

OBRI is the best italki alternative for managing your own students: homework portal, scheduling, payment tracking, and no commission on direct payments.

OBRI

Free up to 3 students. Paid from $6.99/mo. No commissions.

italki

Free to teach. italki takes ~15% commission on completed lessons.

FeatureOBRIitalki

No commission on direct payments

Global student marketplace

Homework assignment portal

Recurring lesson schedule

Lesson notes per studentPartial

Parent portal

Free CRM planMarketplace only

Ukrainian + English UI

Works for any language taught

Export student data anytimeLimited

Why tutors switch from italki to OBRI

You pay italki commission on students you could manage directly.
You need structured homework, not only conversation sessions.
You want CEFR-level progress notes in one place.
You teach bilingual UA/EN students needing Ukrainian UI.

The bottom line

italki is built for language tutors and is great for finding learners worldwide, but it is a marketplace: it takes a cut and owns the booking flow. For language tutors with a steady roster, that commission adds up fast.

OBRI gives language tutors a private home for recurring students — vocabulary homework, lesson notes, progress tracking, and payments with no commission. It does not replace italki for discovery, but it is where your committed students should live so you keep your full rate.

How to switch from italki in 4 steps

1Choose the italki students you can continue with directly.
2Create a free OBRI account and add them, grouping by language or level.
3Set up recurring lessons and assign vocabulary or grammar homework in the portal.
4Collect payments your own way and track them in OBRI, leaving italki for new learners.

Who should choose what

Choose OBRI if

Language tutors with recurring students who want commission-free payments and a homework workflow.

Stick with italki if

Language tutors who depend on italki's global marketplace to find new learners regularly.

Quick answers

What is the best italki alternative for language tutors?: OBRI is the best italki alternative for managing your own students: homework portal, scheduling, payment tracking, and no commission on direct payments.
Does OBRI find students like italki?: No. italki is a marketplace; OBRI is operations software. Use italki for discovery, OBRI for running your practice.
Is OBRI free?: Yes — free forever for up to 3 students, no credit card required.
Is OBRI good for language tutors specifically?: Yes. The homework portal suits vocabulary and grammar tasks, lesson notes track speaking progress, and there is no commission on what your students pay.
Does OBRI replace italki?: Only for managing students you already have. italki is for discovery; OBRI is for running the ongoing relationship commission-free.

Helpful resources for tutors

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