51Talk vs Cafetalk
Singapore-based platform offering 1-on-1 English lessons to global K-12 learners, mostly via Filipino teachers. Japan-based online marketplace for live one-on-one lessons in languages and many non-language skills. Below we put 51Talk and Cafetalk side by side — model, fees, subjects, pricing, founding year and the countries they serve — to help you choose the right online tutoring platform.
| Attribute | 51Talk 51talk.com | Cafetalk cafetalk.com |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Language Tutoring & Conversation | Language Tutoring & Conversation |
| Model | On-demand | Marketplace |
| Founded | 2011 | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Singapore | Tokyo, Japan |
| Regions served | International (Middle East, SE Asia, Turkey, Hong Kong) | Global, Japan-centric (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China) |
| Subjects | English for children and teens ages 3-18 | 30+ languages plus music, art, fitness, business, IT, counseling, kids |
| Pricing | ~US$12 per 25-min lesson; sold in packages | Prepaid points (1pt = 1 JPY); lessons ~$12-$36/hr; tutor keeps 60-85% |
| Scale | NYSE American: COE; large Filipino teacher base; ~112,600 active students (Q3 2025) | 150,000+ students; tutors from 90+ countries |
| Status | Pivoted | Active |