Best Tutoring Billing Software (2026)
Compare the top billing and invoicing platforms for tutoring businesses — from automated invoicing to package tracking to payment collection.
Quick Answer
We ranked 5 platforms against tutoring-specific billing needs: attendance-triggered invoicing, package balance tracking, automated payment collection, and family billing consolidation. Tutorbase ranked #1 as the only software where marking attendance creates the invoice automatically. FreshBooks suits solo tutors wanting general accounting. Limitation: Tutorbase lacks built-in accounting features and a native mobile app.
5 tools compared
Disclosure: Tutorbase publishes this comparison and is included as a ranked option. We list our honest limitations alongside every competitor. All feature data is independently verified.
Top Billing Software software at a glance
Quick comparison of key details to help you narrow down your options
| Software | Best For | Price Range | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
Tutorbase #1 software | Tutoring businesses wanting billing that runs itself — attendance triggers invoicing, packages deduct, parents get notified | Free Core + 1% for billing | Get started |
Teachworks | Small tutoring businesses wanting affordable billing basics with proven reliability | $16.49–$188/month + $0.07–$0.32/lesson + $35/extra branch | Compare |
TutorCruncher | Established tutoring agencies with complex commission structures and multi-branch billing | $30–$240/month + 2.5–3.85% card fees + $50/extra branch | Compare |
FreshBooks | Solo tutors who need invoicing combined with full accounting, expense tracking, and tax preparation | $17–$55/month (Lite to Premium) | Compare |
HoneyBook | Solo tutors who also manage contracts, proposals, and project-based client work | $16–$66/month (Starter to Premium) | Compare |
Tutorbase
Teachworks
TutorCruncher
FreshBooks
HoneyBook
Pricing spans all available tiers. Check vendor websites for current rates. Updated January 2026.
Which software fits your priority?
Find the best match based on what matters most to your billing software.
| Your Priority | Best Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tutoring business wanting billing automation | Tutorbase#1 | Only software where marking attendance auto-creates invoices with correct package rates — zero manual invoice creation |
| Solo tutor wanting accounting + invoicing | FreshBooks | $17–55/month with full accounting, expense tracking, tax reports — but no tutoring-specific features |
| Creative business with client management | HoneyBook | $16–66/month with contracts, proposals, and client portal — built for creative freelancers, not tutoring workflows |
| Established center with complex billing | TutorCruncher | $30–240/month + 2.5–3.85% card fees — complex commission structures with agency billing features |
| Small center wanting proven software | Teachworks | $16.49–89/month + $0.32/lesson — 70,000+ users since 2014, but no autopay and per-lesson fees multiply |
Tutorbase
WinnerTutoring billing has a unique requirement no general invoicing tool solves: lessons happen, then invoices should exist. Tutorbase is the only software where a tutor marking attendance at 5pm means the invoice exists at 5:01pm — at the correct package rate, with the right family consolidation, with the cancellation fee already applied if applicable. FreshBooks and HoneyBook require manual invoice creation for every student. Teachworks generates invoices but can't collect payment automatically. TutorCruncher automates billing but charges up to 3.85% card fees.
Saves 3+ hours/week on invoicing and recovers $200-500/month in missed cancellation fees
- No built-in accounting features (use alongside QuickBooks or Xero for tax preparation)
- No native mobile app yet — web-only experience (mobile responsive)
- Newer software with smaller user base than established competitors
Why Billing Software Have Unique Software Needs
Understanding these differences helps you choose the right software.
Attendance-Triggered Invoicing
Your tutors finish a lesson at 5pm. By 5:01pm, should the invoice exist? Most software requires you to manually create invoices after reviewing attendance logs. That Sunday invoice marathon — 3+ hours matching lessons to rates — shouldn't exist.
Impact: Automatic invoicing from attendance eliminates the Sunday invoice marathon — 3+ hours saved weekly, zero missed charges
Package Balance Tracking
The Johnsons bought a 20-session math package and a 10-session SAT package. After each lesson, both packages should deduct automatically. Parents should see remaining balances without calling you. Manual spreadsheet tracking leads to disputes and lost revenue.
Impact: Real-time package balances visible to parents eliminate 'how many sessions left?' calls and prevent over-delivery
Family Billing Consolidation
The Chen family has three children — each taking different subjects at different rates. One invoice per family, not three separate ones. Split billing, sibling discounts, and family account management shouldn't require spreadsheet gymnastics.
Impact: Consolidated family invoices reduce billing admin by 60% for multi-child families and simplify parent payments
Cancellation Fee Enforcement
Your policy says 24-hour cancellation notice required. A parent cancels 2 hours before the lesson. Does the software automatically apply the cancellation fee, or do you manually add it and have an awkward conversation? Policy enforcement should be automatic.
Impact: Automatic cancellation fee enforcement recovers $200-500/month in revenue that most centers write off to avoid confrontation
Multi-Rate Support
Sarah teaches SAT prep at $80/hr and homework help at $45/hr. Group lessons bill differently from private sessions. Different subjects, different tutors, different rates — your billing software must handle this without workarounds.
Impact: Per-subject, per-tutor rate tracking ensures every lesson bills at the correct rate — no more manual rate lookups
All 5 Options Compared
Ranked by overall value for billing software.
Tutorbase
Top PickAI-native tutoring software where marking attendance creates invoices automatically
Teachworks
Established tutoring management software with invoice generation
TutorCruncher
Feature-rich tutoring platform with complex billing and agency features
FreshBooks
Popular general-purpose accounting and invoicing software
HoneyBook
Client management platform for creative businesses and service providers
Billing Software software feature comparison
How each tool compares across key capabilities for billing software.
| Feature | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automated invoicing | Invoice auto-creates when tutor marks attendance — zero manual steps | Invoice Autopilot generates invoices but requires manual payment collection | Automated invoicing but users report adjustment difficulties | Recurring invoices possible but no attendance linking — every invoice manually configured | Automated invoicing templates but no lesson/attendance linking |
| Package & subscription billing | Multi-package tracking per student per subject with real-time balances | Supports prepaid lesson packages with balance tracking | Comprehensive package and subscription billing | No concept of lesson packages or session balances | No lesson package concept — project-based billing only |
| Parent/student portal | Parents see balances, pay invoices, view history | Limited portal — no easy online payment from portal | Client portal with payment and billing access | Client portal for payments but no lesson or package visibility | Client portal for proposals and payments — no lesson visibility |
Comparison based on publicly available information. Last updated January 2026.
How We Evaluated
The key criteria we used to rank these options for billing software.
Attendance-linked invoicing
Does the software create invoices automatically when tutors mark attendance? This eliminates manual invoice creation and ensures every lesson is billed.
Package balance management
Can the software track prepaid lesson packages with real-time balance updates visible to both staff and parents?
Payment collection automation
Does the software collect payments automatically, or must you chase parents manually? Autopay dramatically reduces accounts receivable.
Family billing support
Can you consolidate billing for families with multiple children into a single invoice with appropriate discounts?
Cancellation fee enforcement
Does the software automatically apply cancellation fees based on your policy, or must you manually add charges and have awkward conversations?
Hands-on testing
Rankings based on actual usage, not marketing claims.
How to Choose the Right Software
Follow these steps to find the best fit for your billing software.
Calculate your true monthly invoicing time
Track how many hours you spend creating invoices, reconciling packages, and chasing payments. If it's over 2 hours/week, attendance-triggered invoicing pays for itself immediately. Most tutoring businesses spend 3-5 hours weekly on billing tasks.
Count your billing complexity
How many different rates do you charge? If tutors teach multiple subjects at different rates, if you offer packages AND hourly, if families have multiple children — count the variables. More than 3 billing variables means you need tutoring-specific software, not general invoicing.
Check autopay and payment collection
Can parents pay automatically when invoices are issued? Teachworks requires manual collection. FreshBooks requires manual invoice creation. Only Tutorbase and TutorCruncher offer automated payment flows — but TutorCruncher charges 3.85% card fees on top.
Test the parent billing experience
Send yourself a test invoice. Can you see package balances? Pay with one click? View billing history? If parents can't self-serve on billing, you'll answer 10+ billing questions per week. Tutorbase provides a parent portal with real-time balances.
Which Billing Software alternative is right for you?
Different tutoring businesses have different needs. Here's our honest assessment of which tool fits which scenario.
Solo tutors (1-10 students)
Recommended:
FreshBooks or Tutorbase
FreshBooks if you need accounting + tax features. Tutorbase if you want lesson-linked invoicing with zero manual work.
Growing centers (5-15 tutors)
Recommended:
Tutorbase
Multi-tutor billing with per-subject rates, family consolidation, and automatic package tracking — no spreadsheets needed.
Established centers (15+ tutors)
Recommended:
Tutorbase or TutorCruncher
Tutorbase for simpler setup and lower fees. TutorCruncher if you need complex commission structures and API access.
Multi-location businesses
Recommended:
TutorCruncher
Purpose-built franchise billing with per-branch reporting and multi-location Stripe accounts.
When to Choose Each Option
Different tools excel for different needs. Here's our guidance.
Choose Tutorbase if invoices should create themselves...
- Attendance-triggered invoicing — tutor marks lesson, invoice exists
- Package billing with real-time balances visible to parents
- Family billing consolidation with automatic sibling discounts
- Cancellation fee enforcement without manual intervention
- Growing business that wants billing to scale without hiring admin staff
Choose Teachworks if you want affordable basics...
- Small center (under 10 tutors) wanting lowest upfront billing cost
- Comfortable collecting payments manually (no autopay)
- Simple billing without complex package or family needs
- 70,000+ users since 2014 matters more than automation
- You can manage payment follow-ups in spreadsheets or manually
Choose TutorCruncher if you need agency-level billing...
- Complex commission structures (tiered percentages, splits)
- Multi-branch franchise billing with separate accounts
- API access for custom billing integrations
- Technical team comfortable with 3+ month billing setup
- Tolerance for 3.85% card fees and 7-day tutor payment delays
Choose FreshBooks if you need accounting first...
- Solo tutor wanting invoicing + full accounting in one tool
- Need expense tracking and tax preparation reports
- Comfortable creating every invoice manually
- Don't need tutoring-specific features like packages or attendance linking
- Want a mobile app for invoicing on the go
Choose HoneyBook if you also manage contracts and proposals...
- Solo tutor with contract-based client work (not just recurring lessons)
- Want beautiful proposals and client-facing documents
- Need CRM without tutoring-specific scheduling
- Comfortable with project-based billing (not lesson-based)
- Want a polished mobile app for client management
When to Avoid Each Option
No software is perfect. Here's when each option might NOT be right for you.
Skip Tutorbase if...
- You need full accounting features (no chart of accounts, tax filing, or expense tracking)
- You require a native mobile app today (web-only, mobile-responsive)
- You want 10+ years of track record (launched 2024)
- You need invoicing without scheduling (billing is connected to attendance)
Skip Teachworks if...
- You want autopay (manual payment collection only — no automatic card charging)
- You run 200+ lessons/month ($0.32/lesson on Starter adds $64+/month in hidden fees)
- You need family billing consolidation (limited family account features)
- Parents expect to pay online easily (payment collection is manual)
Skip TutorCruncher if...
- You want simple, predictable pricing (fees up to 3.85% + base costs)
- Your tutors expect fast payments (7-day fund release delay via Stripe Split)
- You need quick setup (3+ month learning curve reported by users)
- You want transparent billing (complex fee structure confuses parents)
Skip FreshBooks if...
- You need attendance-linked invoicing (fully manual invoice creation)
- You track lesson packages (no package balance tracking at all)
- You manage multiple tutors' pay (no payroll or tutor payout features)
- You want tutoring-specific workflows (general business accounting tool)
Skip HoneyBook if...
- You need lesson-based billing (no attendance tracking or lesson management)
- You manage recurring tutoring packages (project-based, not lesson-based)
- You have multiple tutors (designed for solo operators)
- You want scheduling integrated with billing (separate calendar, no lesson linking)
Honest recommendations
We believe transparency builds trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about choosing software for billing software.
Tutorbase ranks #1 for tutoring billing because it's the only software where marking attendance automatically creates invoices at the correct rate. No manual invoice creation, no rate lookups, no Sunday spreadsheet sessions. For solo tutors needing accounting features, FreshBooks combines invoicing with expense tracking and tax reports at $17-55/month.
Explore More Rankings
See our top picks for other business types.
Best Online Tutoring Software (2026)
Compare the top management platforms for online tutoring businesses — from virtual lesson scheduling to remote billing to online lead capture.
Best Tutoring Scheduling Software (2026)
Compare the top scheduling platforms for tutoring businesses — from drag-and-drop calendars to conflict detection to billing integration.
Best Software for Independent Tutors (2026)
Compare the top management tools for solo tutors, private tutors, and independent teaching businesses.
Best Tutoring Software for Tutoring Centers (2026)
Compare the top management platforms for tutoring centers, learning centers, and multi-tutor businesses.
Best Software for Billing Software
After evaluating 5 tools against criteria specific to billing software, here's our recommendation.
Tutorbase
#1 PickTutoring billing has a unique requirement no general invoicing tool solves: lessons happen, then invoices should exist. Tutorbase is the only software where a tutor marking attendance at 5pm means the invoice exists at 5:01pm — at the correct package rate, with the right family consolidation, with the cancellation fee already applied if applicable. FreshBooks and HoneyBook require manual invoice creation for every student. Teachworks generates invoices but can't collect payment automatically. TutorCruncher automates billing but charges up to 3.85% card fees.
Saves 3+ hours/week on invoicing and recovers $200-500/month in missed cancellation fees
No built-in accounting features (use alongside QuickBooks or Xero for tax preparation)
Based on hands-on testing of 5 tools against criteria including attendance-linked invoicing, package balance management, and more.
Set up your billing software software in 15 minutes
Free core plan—no credit card, no commitment. See why we ranked #1.
Data Sources & Verification
Transparency matters. Here's where our data comes from:
Last Updated
January 28, 2026
Migration Data
Based on actual customer migrations from Billing Software to Tutorbase
Found outdated info? We strive to keep our competitor data current. Email us at contact@tutorbase.com and we'll verify and update within 48 hours.