In order to sustain a life of full-time travel it’s important to find ways to make money on the road. We’ve been able to find a variety of effective ways to do this that have kept us traveling longer. One of the most common ways is teaching English abroad or online, which is where PalFish comes in. Use our complete PalFish teaching guide to discover how teaching English online has never been easier, and can be a great source of income.
It allows you to pick your own teaching schedule, pays well, and you can do it from anywhere! Native English speakers only need a mobile device, internet connection, and a TEFL certification to get started. See our complete PalFish guide below on how you can start making money with PalFish.
What we cover:
The Basics
What is PalFish?
PalFish is an app for Apple iOS and Android phone and tablets that allow teachers to chat with students online for money. It’s easy to use and helps the students learn English online in a remote setting.
Is PalFish a scam?
No, Palfish is not a scam. It’s a great way to make money online. They have a section in the app to show how much money you’ve made and they pay out once a month. We’ve used it without having any issues getting paid.
How much does PalFish pay?
There are two parts to this answer. If you do the official kid’s course, teachers make around $15 per hour. That’s not a bad rate for getting to pick your own schedule and teach from anywhere. Plus, $15 goes a long way in places like Southeast Asia. This sort of gig will keep you traveling longer.
If you do PalFish Freetalk you will get to set your own rate. Most PalFish Freetalk teachers report making between $10-18 per hour, but some claim to be making much more. Teachers have reported making $25-$30 per hour. This path can be a good one, but it all depends on what people are willing to pay as you’ll have to build your own following.
Can I use my laptop to teach on PalFish?
No, the PalFish app only works on smartphones and tablets. Check the app listing in your device’s app store for details on what hardware and software versions they support.
What is the difference between the PalFish Official Kid’s Course and PalFish Freetalk?
The PalFish Official Kids Course is where you teach students between the ages of 3-12 years old English using lessons provided by PalFish. One of the perks is that you don’t have to spend time coming up with your own lesson plans since they have already built them. The lessons are short, interactive modules meant to teach a little at a time, while also holding the interest of the student.
PalFish Freetalk allows students of all ages to book time with teachers to talk about anything. There aren’t any prebuilt lessons as it’s mostly time to have a free flowing conversation. Many teachers spend the time asking the students about their interests and hobbies to help them learn through spontaneous conversations.
Does PalFish require a TEFL certificate?
Yes, if you want to participate in the Official Kids Course. PalFish is very accessible as it only requires a TEFL certification, not a bachelors degree. I was able to take a 120 hour TEFL program and then was immediately accepted by PalFish afterwards. I do have experience working with children and teaching them through interaction, but not in a formal classroom setting.
However, if you only do PalFish Free Talk a TEFL certificate is not required.
If you still need your TEFL certification, see the recommended courses below:
1. TEFL Pros
This is the TEFL course that I took. The 120 hour course is an accredited program through Accreditat. It isn’t the cheapest course as it costs $350 but it is very thorough.
Benefits:
- Recognized and accredited program
- Learn basics of teaching English as a second language
- Provides lesson planning examples and templates
- Includes videos of classroom environments
2. International TEFL Academy
The International TEFL Academy is one of the highest rated TEFL programs in the world. They offer a variety of courses, including in-person or online classes to match students’ learning preferences. If you’re serious about teaching English as a second language committing to a program like theirs might be for you.
The main drawback is the price tag. Their classes are generally more expensive since they are very good. You’ll probably want to make sure you’re really interested in this line of work before signing up.
3. International TEFL and TESOL Training
Another highly rated program is the International TEFL and TESOL training. They have been doing online and in-person classes for over 20 years making them one of the most experienced organizations offering TEFL certification. They offer a variety of courses that will help meet any budgetary constraints you may have.
Plus, they offer specialized courses like teaching young learners or teaching business English.
Getting Started
Follow our complete PalFish guided walkthrough below to download and start using the app.
A. Sign-up for Payoneer Before You Setup the PalFish App
Payoneer is a US-based financial company that provides online money transfers and digital payment services. This account is how PalFish will pay you every month. It’s secure and easy to use. When PalFish pays out our earnings every month into Payoneer, we transfer it to our other bank accounts for a small processing fee. PalFish made changes to now allow regular bank accounts, but I’ve found it’s still easier to just use Payoneer.
- Download Payoneer – You can download the Payoneer app in your device’s app store and then set up an account. It can take 1-4 business days to have your account confirmed on Payoneer and will need your account information when you sign up for PalFish. Once your account is confirmed it’s easy to set up and use going forward. Every month on payday I’m able to easily transfer the funds into other bank accounts.
After it has been set up you can move on to the next step.
B. Download and Setup the PalFish App
- Download the app from the Apple iOS App Store or Google Play Store, depending on the type of device you own.
- Sign up for an account on PalFish
- Enter basic information – The app will request you to upload a professional picture with a white background. However, you might want to change this after you pass the interview process. I changed it to a picture with a little more color, so it stands out.
Complete more detailed information:
- Text intro – This is where you should talk about your skills, experience, teaching style, etc. Don’t be afraid to use emoji’s! Actually use as many as you can. It is eye-catching for potential students. If you are from somewhere where emojis are regarded as childish/unprofessional, like I am, then this may take some getting used to.
- Audio intro – These should be short. Most are about 1 to 2 minutes long and include your name, age, where you’re from, hobbies, showing your classroom and props, your teaching style, etc.
- Upload official identification, like your passport, to confirm your nationality
- Upload teaching certificate photo – Type the certificate number in the text box
- Add a valid account to receive payments – PalFish recommends using a Payoneer account. PalFish will withdraw money from your ” wallet “ in the app and transfer it to your Payoneer account. You can then easily transfer it to your primary bank account for a small fee. it is a flat rate, not a percentage of the amount to be transferred.
- Submit – You should get your results within three working days. However when I went through this process it took almost a week, due to the current situation of the world with COVID-19 and the influx of people seeking online employment.
C. Complete the interview and quiz
- Interview – Once you pass the basic information section, you receive a notification in the PalFish app. PalFish does not send out emails to applicants.
- Upon opening the app, you will have the option to schedule an interview. It is a time slot in which you will record a demo class. Note that it’s not a standard interview with a real person, but just a recording that will be reviewed afterwards.
- Book your interview time. After booking a time, you can enter the virtual class anytime before your scheduled session to preview the class material, practice teaching, and look over the TG (teachers guide) which will be at the bottom left-hand side of your screen to click on. It’s also a good idea to prepare 2-3 props that are relevant to the lesson material and use the preview time to get familiar with the interface. PalFish also strongly encourages you to use augmented reality (AR) in the classroom. Practice using these to get comfortable. Your demo class should be at least 15 minutes long. During your demo class since there isn’t anyone on the other end, you will be performing the activities of the student, as well as the teacher.
When you exit the classroom it will automatically submit the recorded session. Note that when you exit, you might receive a warning that you will not get paid unless you stay for at least 25 minutes. This only applies to real classes after you are hired, not during the interview. As long as your interview session lasts at least 15 minutes, you will be ok.
Post Interview:
- You should expect to receive your results within a few days. Again, it may be longer if there are a lot of applicants. YouTube has a lot of great videos of “how to pass your PalFish interview.
- Quiz – After the interview, you will be notified through the PalFish app. You’ll be given a link to the PalFish official handbook and training materials. Read it over carefully. What I found out later is that the official handbook and training materials are basically their FAQs. I highly recommend screenshotting the information, because you won’t have access to it until you’re hired. After you pass the interview you only have 2 days to complete the quiz. It’s easy and you can try as many times as you want.
- Certificate Verification – PalFish will verify your teaching certificate and let you know if you’re hired.
- PalFish now has it’s new teachers complete PF1/PF2 preps (demo lessons, like the interview) before they are able to teach OKC (official kids course) trials.
Note: After you successfully pass the interview stage and PF1/PF2 preps, classes will automatically be available for students and parents to book.
Additional FAQs
What should my PalFish classroom background look like?
Since everything is online your students are going to see a limited amount of space through your camera. You should have it brightly decorated with colorful shapes, letters, and numbers to create a fun environment for your students. A flag from your country, the PalFish logo, and your first name (Example: Teacher Susan) is also encouraged.
You can easily put together a simple background quickly for very little money. We made ours one afternoon with construction paper. Otherwise, if you’re creative you can make something much more detailed. Your students will appreciate creative decorations.
What type of headset should I use for PalFish?
A lot of teachers use the traditional call center headsets with a speaker over one ear and a microphone that extends in front of your face. We have actually been using Apple AirPods and haven’t had any issues or complaints. Most decent headsets will work, but if you already have AirPods (or an Android equivalent) you should be fine.
Conclusion
This complete PalFish teaching guide should give you the foundation to start teaching English online. Remote work is a great way to extend your travels around the world, and give you a little extra spending money. While this guide doesn’t guarantee you’ll have the same success on PalFish that we have, we believe it will put you on the right path. Safe travels!
If you fail your demo/interview are you still able to teach freetalk on Palfish?
I am just starting on Palfish and very friendly the people and students I’ve met. I’m hearing rumours now with the new rules that Palfish won’t be hiring foreign OKC teachers in the future? Is this true do you know.
Thank you!
Thanks for the questions. It is only required to pass the demo/interview to teach on the Palfish Official Kids Course. You should be able to teach on Palfish Freetalk without passing them.
In regard to your second question there is still some uncertainty. China has passed new regulations that restrict foreign-based tutoring to students in China. As a result, many of the online teaching platforms won’t sell foreign-based tutoring packages to Chinese students going forward. Palfish does have students outside of mainland China, so they may still have need for some OKC teachers, but probably not nearly as many as they have.