Online classes for kids: live or self-paced?
Facts and prices checked on 26 September 2026.
Search for online classes for kids and most results are live lessons with a teacher on a video call. Others, including WonderPath, are self-paced online lessons that a child works through when it suits the family. They solve different problems, cost very different amounts and suit different children. This page helps you tell them apart.
The two things people mean by online classes
Live classes and tutoring. A teacher and a child, or a small group, meet at a set time. Marketplaces such as Outschool list live classes for ages 3 to 18, tuition companies such as Explore Learning offer online one-to-one tuition, and tutor platforms match you with an individual tutor.
Self-paced lessons. Your child works through short lessons and practice on their own schedule, and gets feedback from the software and from you. Apps such as Doodle, IXL, Reading Eggs, Khan Academy Kids and WonderPath work this way.
How they compare
| Live class or tutor | Self-paced lessons | |
|---|---|---|
| A set time each week | Yes | No |
| Feedback from a person | Yes | No: from the software and from you |
| Typical cost | Roughly £20 to £40 an hour for a private tutor; group and centre options from about £124 a month | Free to about £40 a month |
| Fits around family life | Less easily | More easily |
| Works well for | A specific gap, exam preparation, a child who needs a person to keep them going | Daily practice, filling small gaps, children who like working independently, families with several children |
Prices are from the providers' own pages and the sources listed below, checked in September 2026. They change, so check the current figures.
What WonderPath is, and is not
WonderPath is self-paced. There is no live teacher and no timetable. Your child does a short lesson and some practice, an AI helper answers questions about the lesson, and you see progress in a dashboard written in plain words. It is for children aged 4 to 11, Reception to Year 6, and lessons are mapped to the National Curriculum for England.
It is not a replacement for a tutor and it is not school. It is in public beta: lessons are written by AI and teacher review is still being set up, so please treat them as drafts to use alongside your child's school work. The Beta page says exactly what is unfinished.
How to decide in three questions
- Is there a specific gap, or an exam, that needs targeted help from a person? If so, a tutor is likely to be worth the money.
- Does your child do better with a person and a fixed time, or with short bursts whenever it suits? Some children need the appointment to get started.
- What can you spend each month? Self-paced apps cost a fraction of tutoring, and many families use both: an app for daily practice and a tutor for a particular gap.
Common questions
Is WonderPath a live class?
No. WonderPath is self-paced lessons with an AI helper. There is no live teacher, no video call and no timetable.
Are online classes better than learning apps?
Neither is better in general. Live classes and tutors suit specific gaps and exam preparation. Apps suit daily practice at low cost. Many families combine them.
How much do online classes for kids cost?
Private online tutoring in the UK averages roughly £20 to £40 an hour depending on level and provider. Self-paced learning apps range from free to about £40 a month. See our cost guide for sourced figures.
Try WonderPath free
One child, daily lessons and an AI helper you can read and switch off. No card needed.
Start freeKeep reading
Sources
How this page was made: written by the WonderPath team with AI assistance and checked against the sources named above on 26 September 2026. Prices and features change; if anything is out of date, tell us at info@wonderpath.co.uk. WonderPath is a competitor of some products named here, and we have tried to describe them fairly.