FAQ
Answers to the questions we hear most.
How finding and booking a tutor works, what it costs, and how tutors get paid -- this is the same information our live chat draws on, laid out here so you can read it directly.
How Skillio works
What is Skillio?
Skillio is a Melbourne-based tutoring marketplace, expanding across Australia, connecting families with tutors in four categories: Music, Education, Sports, and Language coaching. Families browse and book tutors; tutors manage their profile, leads, and messages through their own dashboard.
Do I need an account to browse tutors?
No. Browsing the full tutor directory is public and free, no account required. You'll need to sign in (or create a free account) for anything tied to you personally -- sending a booking request, messaging a tutor, saving favourites, or checking your booking status.
How do I sign up?
Sign-up and login share a single page -- there's no separate tutor and customer portal. You choose your account type (tutor or customer) as part of signing up.
For families
How do I find a tutor?
Filter by tutor type (Music, Education, Sports, or Language), then narrow by Melbourne region and suburb to see who's genuinely available nearby or online. Tutor cards show focus areas, lesson format, and whether the tutor is WWCC verified, so you can compare at a glance.
How does booking a tutor work?
Browsing tutors doesn't require an account, but sending a booking request does -- you'll need to sign in or create a free customer account first. Once signed in, pick one tutor to book, then fill in the learner's details, subject, lesson format, and preferred schedule on that tutor's dedicated booking page and send the request. Nothing is confirmed automatically -- the tutor reviews it and approves or declines before a lesson is locked in. Your contact details stay private inside Skillio until then, and you can keep talking through the platform's messaging.
What does it cost for families?
Your first lesson with any new tutor is a free 30-minute trial -- no charge, no risk, no commitment. After that, a 4% booking fee applies per lesson, capped at $10 no matter how much the lesson costs. There's no mandatory subscription. Families who book often can add the optional $8 Family Pass for extra value.
What areas does Skillio cover?
Skillio started in Melbourne -- Inner Melbourne, Northern, Western, Eastern, South Eastern, and Outer suburbs, plus Bayside -- and is expanding across Australia. Online-only tutors stay visible everywhere, so there are always flexible options even outside your local area.
How do I know a tutor is trustworthy?
Look for the WWCC (Working with Children Check) verification badge on their profile, plus other trust badges like years of experience, lessons completed, and top-rated status (4.8+ rating with 10+ reviews). Only the highest badge per category is shown, capped at 3 per profile, so it stays easy to read.
How do I check the status of a booking request I've sent?
You'll need to be signed in -- your bookings live in your account dashboard's Bookings tab, showing whether each request is still pending, approved by the tutor, or declined. This is tied to your account, so it isn't visible without signing in.
How do I save or view tutors I'm interested in?
Sign in and use Favourites to shortlist tutors you're considering, so you can come back to them later without searching again. Like bookings, this is personal to your account and requires being signed in.
How do I message a tutor?
Messaging also requires signing in first. Once you've sent a booking request (or a tutor has messaged you), you can keep the conversation going through Skillio's internal messaging rather than sharing personal contact details directly.
For tutors
Is it free to list as a tutor?
Yes. The Starter tier is free to join, with a 10% platform fee that only applies when a lesson is actually completed and paid.
What does Pro give tutors?
Pro is $24/month and gives better visibility (featured placement), profile analytics, and drops the platform fee to 0% on completed lessons.
Is there a way to get a lower fee without paying for Pro?
Yes -- merit pricing. Once you complete more than 10 lessons with the same customer, your fee for that customer automatically drops to 6%, and their booking fee is waived too. It's a free path to a lower rate as a relationship builds.
How do tutors get leads and get discovered?
Families search by category, region/suburb, and availability, so a complete profile -- clear subjects, teaching area, and weekly availability -- is what actually surfaces in relevant searches. Pro tutors get better visibility and featured placement, and trust badges (WWCC verified, experience tier, lessons-completed tier, top-rated) help a profile stand out when families are comparing options. See /tutors/profile-tips for a full walkthrough of what to add and why.
How and when do tutors get paid?
Tutors set their own rates. Payment for a lesson flows through Skillio's booking/payment platform, with the applicable platform fee (10%, 6% merit, or 0% on Pro) deducted from completed, paid lessons.
Are tutors employees of Skillio?
No. Tutors work as independent contractors, not employees -- they set their own rates and hours, choose which booking requests to accept or decline, and are responsible for their own tax registration, income reporting, and any GST/ABN obligations. Skillio provides the booking, messaging, and payment platform and charges the platform fee for that service.
What subjects/categories can tutors teach?
Music (voice, piano, guitar, violin, theory, songwriting, exam prep, performance support), Education (maths, English, science, essay writing, study skills, homework help), Sports (swimming, tennis, basketball, football/soccer, athletics, personal training), and Language coaching (conversation practice, exam prep, and fluency coaching across 20+ languages).
How do tutors check their leads and messages?
Sign in to your tutor dashboard to see incoming booking requests and respond to messages from families -- like the family-side dashboard, this is tied to your account and isn't visible without signing in.
Trust & safety
What is WWCC?
WWCC stands for Working with Children Check. It's shown as a verification badge on a tutor's public profile once they've completed it, so families can see it at a glance while comparing tutors.
How do I get a WWCC as a tutor?
Each state and territory runs its own working-with-children screening scheme under its own name and authority, so where you apply depends on where you're tutoring. See the step-by-step guide at /tutors/wwcc-guide for the official application link for every state and territory, then add your check details from the WWCC tab in your Tutor Dashboard.
What are the badges shown on tutor profiles?
Badges fall into five categories: trust (e.g. WWCC verified), membership (Pro), recognition (top-rated: 4.8+ rating with 10+ reviews), track record (lessons completed: 50+/100+/250+ tiers), and experience (5+/10+ years tiers). Only the highest tier per category is shown, and a profile never shows more than 3 badges at once.