Head-to-head comparison
OBRI vs Teachworks — CRM for Independent Tutors vs Agency Software
Teachworks is built for tutoring agencies managing multiple employed tutors. This page explains when OBRI is a better fit for independent teachers.
Best for: Independent tutors and solo practices who do not need multi-tutor agency management.
In short
Often yes. Teachworks is designed for tutoring companies with multiple employees. If you are solo or have one assistant, most of Teachworks features go unused.
OBRI
Free up to 3 students. Paid from $9/mo.
Teachworks
Starts at $39/mo for the first tutor, increasing per tutor.
Why tutors switch from Teachworks to OBRI
- Teachworks pricing scales per tutor — OBRI has one flat price.
- You are a solo tutor and do not need payroll or multi-staff features.
- You need homework assignment tracking, which Teachworks does not offer.
- You are price-sensitive at early stage and need a free starting point.
The bottom line
Teachworks is genuinely powerful, but it is built for tutoring businesses that employ multiple tutors — payroll, staff permissions, and per-tutor billing are core to it. If you are a solo tutor, you are paying for an org structure you do not have, and the setup overhead is real.
OBRI strips this back to what an independent tutor actually needs: your students, recurring lessons, homework, payment tracking, and a parent portal — at a flat price that does not scale per tutor. The honest rule of thumb: if you manage staff, Teachworks earns its price; if it is just you, OBRI is faster to set up and far cheaper.
How to switch from Teachworks in 4 steps
- 1Export student and lesson data from Teachworks (Reports → Export to CSV).
- 2Open a free OBRI account and import students via Settings → Import.
- 3Rebuild your recurring schedule and enable payment tracking per student.
- 4Move active students over, keep Teachworks for one cycle, then downgrade or cancel.
Who should choose what
Choose OBRI if
Independent and solo tutors who do not employ other teachers and want flat pricing instead of per-tutor fees.
Stick with Teachworks if
Tutoring agencies or businesses with employed tutors who need payroll, staff roles, and multi-tutor scheduling.
Quick answers
- Is Teachworks overkill for a solo tutor?
- Often yes. Teachworks is designed for tutoring companies with multiple employees. If you are solo or have one assistant, most of Teachworks features go unused.
- Can OBRI handle agencies?
- OBRI is optimized for solo tutors and small practices (1–3 teachers). For large agencies with 10+ staff, Teachworks is the stronger fit.
- How does pricing compare over a year?
- A solo tutor pays $0–$9/mo on OBRI. On Teachworks the base plan starts at $39/mo. That is a significant difference for an early-stage practice.
- Is OBRI cheaper than Teachworks for a solo tutor?
- Almost always. Teachworks pricing starts per tutor and adds modules; OBRI is free for up to 3 students and a flat monthly fee beyond that, with no per-tutor scaling.
- Can OBRI handle a second tutor if I grow?
- OBRI focuses on solo and very small practices. If you scale into an agency with employed staff and payroll, a tool like Teachworks is the better long-term home.
Other comparisons
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