What Lessonface does

Lessonface is a privately held Public Benefit Corporation founded in 2012 and headquartered in Aiken, United States, that operates an online marketplace connecting students with vetted teachers for live music, language, and arts lessons. The platform supports one-on-one private lessons, live group classes, and self-paced courses across 300+ subjects, with instruction delivered via integrated Zoom video links generated by Lessonface so that students do not need a separate Zoom account. Teachers are screened by Lessonface staff before approval, with stricter requirements for language instructors (native or advanced proficiency plus teaching credentials) than for music and arts, and teachers set their own lesson rates.

The company monetizes primarily through a 15% marketplace commission on lessons where students find teachers through Lessonface (reduced to 5% when teachers source their own students), supplemented by transaction fees on group classes priced at $89-$103, self-paced course purchases ranging from free to $75, and pre-paid monthly subscriptions for ongoing lessons. Supporting infrastructure includes automatic time-zone conversion, a 24-hour cancellation policy that guarantees teacher payment, lesson recordings and notes stored in a student-teacher dashboard, PayPal and credit-card payment processing, and COPPA-compliant features for children.

Since launch, Lessonface has connected over 45,000 students with more than 3,000 teachers and accumulated 35,000+ verified 5-star reviews. Distribution is fully online and global, relying on SEO-optimized subject pages, a content blog, community events (recitals, open mics, LessonFest, TeacherFest), social media, and earned media in outlets such as Wired and Forbes. Strategic partnerships with the MET Orchestra (flagship masterclasses), John C. Campbell Folk School (folk arts), and Loog Guitars (children's beginner guitar certification) extend the brand into premium and family segments. The leadership team is led by Founder and CEO Claire Cunningham (MBA, MIT) and includes a small, musician-heavy staff of under ten people; the company has operated without institutional funding beyond a single ~$90K raise in 2013.

Name

Lessonface

Legal name

Lessonface

Website

https://lessonface.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lessonface is a Public Benefit Corporation, operating since 2012, that runs an online marketplace connecting students with vetted teachers for live music, language, and arts lessons delivered via Zoom, serving 45,000+ students across 300+ subjects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Learning Marketplace

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Language Schools (61163), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

On-Demand 1:1 Live Tutoring Marketplaces (EDANAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live Online Language Tutoring & Small-Group Classes (EDAMAFAD), Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses (MPACALAD)

Keywords

• Online music lessons
• Language learning platform
• Live video tutoring
• Teacher marketplace
• Arts education online

Headquarters

HQ city

Aiken

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketplace Commission (Platform Fee): Lessonface charges teachers a commission on lesson fees. For students who find teachers through the platform, the fee is 15% of the lesson tuition. For teachers who recruit their own students directly, the fee is reduced to 5%. Teachers set their own rates per private lesson.
2. Lesson Booking Fees: Students pay for lessons at the rates set by teachers. Payment methods include credit card and PayPal. Subscription lessons are pre-paid three days before the end of the month for the following month's lessons.
3. Group Classes: The platform offers live online group classes in various subjects. Average group class price is approximately $89-103 depending on the subject area.
4. Self-Paced Courses: Teachers can create self-paced courses with downloadable content available for purchase through the platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lessonface operates a global online marketplace connecting students with vetted teachers for live, one-on-one and group music, language, and arts lessons delivered via Zoom. The platform also sells self-paced courses with downloadable content and operates community programs such as masterclasses, recitals, and open mics, monetizing primarily through a 15% commission on teacher-sourced lessons, a 5% commission on teacher-acquired lessons, and subscription or per-lesson payments for ongoing instruction.

Product overview

Lessonface is a Public Benefit Corporation operating since 2012 that connects students with great teachers for live online music, language, and arts lessons. The platform operates as a marketplace with three core offering tiers: Private Lessons (one-on-one instruction via Zoom), Group Classes (live collaborative sessions), and Self-Paced Courses (pre-recorded chapter-based content). Supplementary offerings include community events (Recitals, Open Mics), a free Teacher Matching Service, and downloadable materials. The platform partners with organizations including the MET Orchestra Musicians for masterclasses and the John C. Campbell Folk School for folk arts instruction. Additional services include gift cards, organizational/school partnerships, and COPPA-compliant features for children. Teachers set their own rates and students can book individually, in packages, or via subscription.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Online Private Lessons One-on-one live online instruction across 300+ music, language, and arts subjects delivered via Zoom, where students select a vetted teacher, schedule per-lesson or monthly subscription lessons, and access lesson recordings and notes from a dashboard.
• Live Group Classes Live online group instruction in music, language, and arts subjects taught by vetted instructors, bookable individually or as multi-session courses and averaging $89–$103 per class.
• Self-Paced Courses Pre-recorded, chapter-based on-demand courses with video content and downloadable materials that allow students to learn at their own pace across various subjects, priced from free to $75 per course.
• MET Orchestra Musicians Masterclasses Exclusive masterclasses led by members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, offered as a premium program on Lessonface with annual application cycles for aspiring and advanced students.
• John C. Campbell Folk School Classes Online folk arts and crafts classes offered in partnership with the John C. Campbell Folk School, expanding access to traditional crafts through the Lessonface platform.
• Loog Certified Guitar Program Instruction in playing the Loog Guitar, a three-string beginner guitar designed for children, delivered by certified educators on the Lessonface platform.
• Lessonface Gift Cards Digital gift cards that can be purchased on the platform and redeemed for lessons, enabling students to give Lessonface lessons as gifts.
• For Organizations B2B service through which schools, festivals, and brands run their own online music, language, or arts classes on the Lessonface platform, leveraging its vetted teachers, scheduling, payment processing, and Zoom-based live video infrastructure.
• Downloadable Materials On-demand downloadable packs, guides, and exercises available for purchase on the platform to supplement learning across subjects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% money-back guarantee if not satisfied with first lesson
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• ZoomcoreTechnology or IntegrationVideo conferencing platform used for all live lessons. Lessonface integrates with Zoom to provide secure meeting links without requiring users to have separate Zoom accounts.
• MET Orchestra MusiciansflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMET Orchestra musicians conduct masterclasses on Lessonface. Applications open for annual MET Orchestra Musicians Masterclasses program.
• John C. Campbell Folk SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the historic folk school to offer classes through the Lessonface platform, expanding access to traditional crafts and folk arts.
• Loog GuitarsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLoog Certified Educator Program - teachers can become certified to teach Loog guitar, a three-string beginner guitar designed for children.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wyzant: Large US-focused online tutoring marketplace covering academic subjects, music, languages, and test prep. Competes head-to-head with Lessonface on tutor discovery, scheduling, and per-session pricing.
• italki: Global online marketplace for 1:1 language lessons with professional teachers and community tutors. Highly comparable marketplace model, particularly overlapping with Lessonface's language tutoring segment.
• Superprof: International marketplace for private tutors across academic, music, sports, and arts subjects. Comparable two-sided marketplace connecting students with vetted tutors for live lessons.
• ArtistWorks: Online music lesson platform offering video exchange lessons and pre-recorded courses with professional musicians. Comparable in music education focus and live-plus-self-paced delivery model.
• Preply: Global online language tutoring marketplace with vetted tutors across 50+ languages. Direct overlap with Lessonface's language lesson offering and similar marketplace commission model.
• TakeLessons: Online and in-person marketplace connecting students with music, language, and academic tutors. Direct competitor to Lessonface in music lesson booking, with similar commission-based marketplace economics and a comparable teacher vetting model.

Broad incumbents

• Varsity Tutors: Large-scale live tutoring and test-prep platform with institutional backing. Overlaps with Lessonface on 1:1 online tutoring but operates as a much broader incumbent serving K-12, college, and corporate segments.
• Fender Play: Subscription-based online guitar and ukulele lesson platform from Fender. Competes with Lessonface's guitar lesson segment via structured video curricula and live elements, backed by a major instrument brand.
• MasterClass: Premium creator-led video course platform featuring world-renowned instructors in arts, music, writing, and more. Adjacent in elite-instructor appeal and pre-recorded course format, though it lacks Lessonface's live 1:1 marketplace.

Others

• Lessonface for Organizations: Listed as an internal reference rather than a separate peer; included here only to flag that organizational white-label offerings (e.g., John C. Campbell Folk School partnership) may compete with bespoke platform providers like Outschool or ClassDojo in the K-12/after-school segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lessonface
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LessonFace
• Facebookfacebook.com/lessonface
• Instagraminstagram.com/lessonface
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lessonface

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lessonface