Gigpie vs TutorBird: Which Tutoring Software Is Right for You?

TutorBird and Gigpie both serve the tutoring business market, but they target different segments. TutorBird positions itself as an affordable, straightforward option for small tutoring businesses. Gigpie offers modern family-first design with sophisticated package management. This comparison helps you choose the right fit.

Quick Comparison

Pricing Comparison

Gigpie Pricing

Percentage-based model:

• Starter: 5% of revenue (up to 5 coaches)
• Growth: 2.5% of revenue (unlimited coaches)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

What this means:

• $5,000/month revenue = $125-250/month
• $20,000/month revenue = $500-1,000/month
• $50,000/month revenue = $1,250-2,500/month

Advantages:

• Scales with your business
• No cost until you're making money
• Unlimited students/sessions

Payment processing:

• Stripe fees apply (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)
• Gigpie doesn't take additional payment fees

TutorBird Pricing

Flat monthly plans:

• Basic: $29/month (1 tutor, 30 students)
• Professional: $59/month (3 tutors, 100 students)
• Business: $99/month (10 tutors, 300 students)

What this means:

• Fixed cost regardless of revenue
• Hard limits on tutors and students
• Upgrade when you hit limits

Advantages:

• Predictable monthly cost
• Very affordable for tiny operations
• No revenue sharing

Payment processing:

• External (use PayPal, Venmo, checks)
• TutorBird doesn't process payments

Feature Comparison

Package Management

Gigpie:

• Unlimited package types (10-hour, 20-hour, 40-hour, custom)
• Package balances tracked automatically
• Expiration dates and alerts
• Package upgrades mid-engagement
• Family packages (shared balance across siblings)
• Rollover credits
• Prorated refunds

Example workflow: Parent buys 20-hour package for $1,000. System tracks:

• Hours used: 12
• Hours remaining: 8
• Expires: March 15
• Auto-alerts at 2 hours remaining

TutorBird:

• Basic package tracking
• Manual balance updates
• No expiration enforcement
• No family-shared packages

Winner: Gigpie by far. Package management is core to modern tutoring, and TutorBird's implementation is too basic.

Family & Student Management

Gigpie:

• Family-first design: One household, multiple students
• Shared family portal login
• Combined billing across all children
• Family notes and communication
• Sibling discounts automatic
• Coordinated scheduling view

Example: Johnson family: Sarah (math) + Johnny (reading). Parents see:

• Both kids' schedules
• Combined package balances
• One monthly invoice
• Unified communication thread

TutorBird:

• Student-centric (not family-centric)
• Each student treated separately
• No family grouping
• Separate billing per student
• No sibling discount automation

Winner: Gigpie. If you serve families (most tutoring businesses do), Gigpie's design is transformative.

Scheduling

Gigpie:

• Tutor availability calendar
• Student booking (parent-initiated or admin-assigned)
• Recurring weekly schedules
• One-time special sessions
• Buffer time between sessions
• Timezone handling (for virtual)
• Automated reminders (24hr, 1hr before)
• Calendar sync (Google, iCal)

TutorBird:

• Manual calendar management
• Basic scheduling grid
• Email reminders (manual)
• No calendar sync

Winner: Gigpie. Automated scheduling saves hours weekly.

Parent Portal

Gigpie portal features:

• View all children's schedules
• Book/reschedule sessions
• Purchase packages
• See package balances
• Message tutors/admin
• Review session notes
• Download invoices
• Update payment methods
• Mobile-optimized

TutorBird portal features:

• View schedule
• Basic messaging
• Invoice downloads
• Desktop-focused design

Winner: Gigpie. Parents expect modern self-service functionality.

Payment Processing

Gigpie:

• Integrated Stripe processing
• Save payment methods on file
• Automatic package charges
• Payment plans (split large packages)
• Auto-retry failed payments
• Refund processing
• Invoice generation

Workflow: Parent buys package → Card charged automatically → Receipt emailed → Done

TutorBird:

• External payment handling
• You use PayPal, Venmo, checks, Zelle
• Manual invoice creation
• Manual payment tracking

Workflow: You create invoice → Email to parent → Wait for payment → Manually mark paid → Chase if late

Winner: Gigpie. Automated payment collection is essential for scaling.

Tutor Management

Gigpie:

• Tutor profiles with bios and specialties
• Availability management
• Student assignment
• Performance tracking (retention, satisfaction)
• Session note requirements
• Tutor-specific scheduling rules
• Pay rate tracking

TutorBird:

• Basic tutor profiles
• Manual assignment
• Limited tracking

Winner: Gigpie. Better tools for managing team tutors.

Reporting & Analytics

Gigpie:

• Revenue reports (daily, weekly, monthly)
• Student retention tracking
• Package usage reports
• Tutor utilization
• Session completion rates
• Attendance tracking
• Custom date ranges
• Export to CSV

TutorBird:

• Basic session logs
• Invoice history
• Limited analytics

Winner: Gigpie. Data-driven decisions require good reporting.

User Experience

Gigpie UX

Modern interface:

• Clean design with amber/slate color scheme
• Intuitive navigation
• Mobile-responsive
• Fast page loads (Next.js)
• Clear workflows

Learning curve:

• 15-30 minutes to fully set up
• Intuitive enough for non-technical users
• Contextual help throughout

Mobile experience:

• Native iOS and Android apps (planned/available)
• Mobile-optimized web interface
• Parent portal works great on phones

TutorBird UX

Functional interface:

• Older design patterns
• Dense information layout
• Desktop-focused
• Slower performance

Learning curve:

• Very simple (10 minutes to set up)
• Fewer features = less to learn
• Minimal documentation needed

Mobile experience:

• Web-only (no native apps)
• Responsive but not optimized
• Can be clunky on phones

Winner: Gigpie for modern users. TutorBird if you prioritize absolute simplicity over polish.

When to Choose TutorBird

TutorBird makes sense if:

1. You're Very Small

• Solo tutor with <20 students
• No plans to grow beyond yourself
• Want absolutely minimal cost
• Don't serve many families (mostly 1-on-1)

2. You're Extremely Budget-Conscious

• Revenue under $1,000/month
• Every dollar matters
• Can't afford percentage-based pricing
• Willing to sacrifice features for cost

3. You Don't Need Package Management

• Bill purely hourly (after each session)
• No package sales
• Simple pay-as-you-go model
• Okay with manual tracking

4. You Prefer External Payments

• Already have PayPal/Venmo workflow
• Don't want integrated payment processing
• Comfortable chasing payments manually
• Low payment collection issues

When to Choose Gigpie

Gigpie is the better choice if:

1. You Serve Families

• Multiple children per household
• Need combined billing
• Want sibling discounts automated
• Family portal important

2. You Sell Packages

• 10-hour, 20-hour, 40-hour packages
• Need balance tracking
• Want expiration management
• Offer payment plans

3. You're Growing

• Adding tutors to your team
• Scaling from 20 to 50+ students
• Need systemization
• Want performance analytics

4. You Want Automation

• Automated payment collection
• Auto-reminders for sessions
• Self-service parent booking
• Less manual admin work

5. You Value Modern UX

• Professional image matters
• Parents expect modern portals
• Mobile-first families
• Want intuitive software

Migration: Switching Between Platforms

From TutorBird to Gigpie

When businesses outgrow TutorBird:

• Hit student/tutor limits on plan
• Package management becomes necessary
• Need better parent portal
• Manual payment tracking too time-consuming
• Want professional image for growth

Migration process:

1. Export student/tutor data from TutorBird (CSV)
2. Import into Gigpie (or manual entry)
3. Set up packages and pricing
4. Invite parents to new portal
5. Migrate payment methods to Stripe
6. Timeline: 1-2 days

Gigpie makes migration easy.

From Gigpie to TutorBird

This rarely happens, but you might if:

• Downsizing dramatically
• Revenue drops below $500/month
• Want to minimize costs at all costs
• Willing to go back to manual processes

Real User Scenarios

Scenario 1: Solo Tutor, 15 Students

Profile:

• One tutor (you)
• 15 students
• $3,000/month revenue
• Mostly hourly billing

TutorBird: $29/month Basic plan works fine Gigpie: $150/month (5% of $3k)

Verdict: TutorBird is cheaper. But if you sell any packages or serve families, Gigpie's features justify the extra $121/month.

Scenario 2: Growing Center, 3 Tutors, 60 Students

Profile:

• 3 tutors on staff
• 60 students
• $15,000/month revenue
• Package-based pricing

TutorBird: $59/month Professional plan Gigpie: $375-750/month (2.5-5% of $15k)

Verdict: Gigpie. Package management alone saves 5+ admin hours weekly ($100+ value), and you need family management at this scale.

Scenario 3: Established Business, 10 Tutors, 200 Students

Profile:

• 10 tutors
• 200 students
• $60,000/month revenue
• Complex family relationships

TutorBird: $99/month Business plan (at capacity limit) Gigpie: $1,500-3,000/month (2.5-5% of $60k)

Verdict: Gigpie is the only real option. TutorBird would be overwhelming at this scale, and the $2k/month you pay for Gigpie replaces multiple admin hours and provides far superior parent experience.

The Bottom Line

Choose TutorBird if:

• You're a solo tutor with <20 students
• Revenue under $1,500/month
• You bill hourly (no packages)
• Budget is absolute priority
• You're okay with manual processes

Choose Gigpie if:

• You serve families (multiple kids per household)
• You sell packages (not just hourly)
• You have or want to add tutors
• You're growing or plan to grow
• You want professional, modern software
• Automation saves you time
• Parent experience matters

Most tutoring businesses outgrow TutorBird within 6-12 months as they add students, start selling packages, or hire additional tutors. Starting with Gigpie means you won't need to migrate later.

Frequently Asked Questions