Cambly

Cambly is an on-demand English-language tutoring platform founded in 2012 and headquartered in San Francisco. It came out of Y Combinator and operates as a two-sided marketplace connecting English learners with native-English-speaking tutors over live video. Unlike open marketplaces, Cambly sets the lesson price itself and pays tutors a fixed per-minute rate.

Lessons run over Cambly’s own video chat 24/7, with available tutors shown so learners can start a conversation on demand or schedule in advance. Subscriptions let learners pick a session length (15, 30, or 60 minutes per day) and frequency (1-7 days per week). Tutor vetting is light — applicants must be 18+ with a short application and intro video — and the platform focuses on English conversation, including Cambly Kids and IELTS/business prep, rather than other languages or subjects.

Learners pay a set subscription with no per-minute surcharges; entry plans start around $10.99/month and scale up by minutes and frequency. Tutors are paid about $0.17 per minute (~$10.20/hour), paid weekly via PayPal. Cambly has raised roughly $60M from investors including Benchmark. It suits learners who want flexible, low-commitment spoken-English practice with native speakers.