Smarthinking Online Tutoring

What Smarthinking Online Tutoring does

Pearson plc, founded in 1844 and headquartered in London with major operations in New York, is a global education company that operates across three primary segments: Higher Education, K-12, and Workforce Skills. The Higher Education business centers on the MyLab, Mastering, Revel, and Pearson+ digital learning platforms, which deliver interactive eTextbooks, adaptive assessment, homework tools, and study prep to university students and faculty; the K-12 segment combines curriculum resources, the Connexus-based Connections Academy virtual schools (40+ schools across 31 U.S. states), and assessment platforms like TestNav and Accuplacer; the Workforce Skills segment spans the Pearson VUE testing center network, PTE and Versant English language assessments accepted by 3,500+ organizations, Mondly consumer language learning (100M+ users across 41 languages), Credly digital credentials, and Faethm AI-powered workforce planning.

The underlying technology stack is a mix of patented digital learning platforms (14+ U.S. patents across MyLab/Mastering, Learning Catalytics, TestNav, and others), proprietary standards such as the Global Scale of English (developed with research from 6,000+ teachers in 50 countries), and integrated consumer apps including the Mondly Android and iOS applications. Pearson generates revenue through a hybrid model: institutional site licensing and subscriptions for MyLab and Mastering on annual billing, government per-pupil funding for Connections Academy virtual schools, one-time licensing for international GCSE/A Level/BTEC qualifications and onscreen assessments, and direct-to-consumer subscription and app-store revenue through Pearson+ and Mondly. The go-to-market motion is sales-led for enterprise and institutional customers via regional representatives globally (UK, U.S., Canada, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Belgium), supplemented by self-serve digital channels and the Pearson VUE testing center network.

Name

Smarthinking Online Tutoring

Legal name

Pearson plc

Website

https://smarthinking.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1844

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Pearson plc is a global education company providing digital learning platforms (MyLab, Mastering, Pearson+), virtual K-12 schools, English language testing (PTE, Versant), consumer language learning (Mondly), and workforce credentialing and skills solutions to higher education, K-12, corporate, and government customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Tutoring Services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Tutoring + Learning Content Platforms (Curriculum + Tutors) (EDANAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual Test Prep & Online Supplemental Instruction (K–12) (EDAJADAI), Test Prep Tutoring Platforms (SAT/ACT/GRE/GMAT, etc.) (EDANAGAH), Academic Tutoring Services (Subject-Specific & General) (EDAJALAA)

Keywords

• Online tutoring services
• Academic support programs
• Virtual learning platforms
• Student tutoring solutions
• Educational technology services

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Educational Content and Digital Platforms: Pearson generates revenue through sale of eTextbooks, digital learning platforms (MyLab, Mastering, Revel, Pearson+), and educational content across K-12, higher education, and professional markets. Revenue model combines subscription components with one-time license purchases for textbooks.
2. English Language Testing: Revenue from standardized English language tests including Pearson Test of English (PTE) accepted by governments and institutions for study, work, and migration visas in UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
3. Virtual Schools and Online Education: Connections Academy operates as a tuition-free, online public school with revenue derived from government per-pupil funding arrangements in K-12 online education.
4. International Qualifications and Assessments: Revenue from International GCSE, International A Level, BTEC qualifications, and onscreen assessment services for international schools worldwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Smarthinking Online Tutoring provides on-demand, one-to-one online tutoring and academic support for students across K-12 and higher education. As part of Pearson's portfolio, it delivers subject-specific tutoring via a digital platform with qualified tutors, supporting coursework, homework help, and test preparation. The service is typically integrated into institutional offerings or accessed by individual learners seeking supplemental academic assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MyLab: Digital learning platform for customizing courses and guiding students to results
• Mastering
• Revel
• Pearson+
• Connections Academy
• Mondly by Pearson
• Versant by Pearson
• Pearson Test of English (PTE)
• Pearson Clinical Assessment
• Credly by Pearson
• Faethm by Pearson

Products and services

• Smarthinking Online Tutoring

Quantifiable outcome

• Average test scores improved from low 60s to high 90s when using MATLAB GRADER in MyLab at Salt Lake Community College
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BBCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPearson offers BBC courses as part of its language learning and educational content portfolio, combining BBC's media content with Pearson's educational expertise.
• DisneyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPearson offers Disney courses as part of its language learning content offerings, leveraging Disney's brand appeal for educational purposes.
• Talent Beyond BoundariesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to help displaced people move internationally for work, including offering free access to PTE testing for refugees.
• MondlycoreTechnology or IntegrationPearson acquired Mondly, a language learning platform with over 100 million users learning 41 languages, integrated into Pearson's language learning portfolio.
• VersantcoreTechnology or IntegrationVersant by Pearson provides automated language tests available 24x7 for recruitment and workforce assessment, accepted by organizations worldwide.
• International SchoolscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPearson serves international schools worldwide through its International Schools division, providing British and IB curriculum resources, qualifications, and support services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Scholastic: K-12 focused publisher and education services company with classroom books, school fairs, and instructional programs; overlaps Pearson's K-12 segment but with narrower higher-ed and assessment presence.
• Elsevier (RELX): Part of RELX Group, Elsevier provides scientific and academic content plus digital platforms (ClinicalKey, ScienceDirect); overlaps Pearson in higher-ed content and assessment, but skewed toward research/healthcare rather than textbooks.

Direct peers

• John Wiley & Sons: Scholarly publisher with growing higher-ed courseware (WileyPLUS) and K-12 assessment exposure; comparable institutional sales motion and shift toward digital research and learning subscriptions.
• McGraw Hill: Major educational publisher competing directly with Pearson across higher education textbooks, digital learning platforms, and K-12 curriculum. Closely comparable product breadth, institutional sales motion, and shift to subscription-based digital delivery.
• Cengage Group: Direct competitor in higher education textbooks and digital platforms (Cengage Unlimited, MindTap), serving the same institutional and student customer base with similar subscription and courseware economics.
• Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: K-12 and supplemental education publisher with comparable curriculum, assessment, and intervention products; direct overlap in K-12 districts and institutional selling.

Emerging players

• Duolingo: Consumer language-learning platform overlapping with Mondly by Pearson; also offers an English test (DET) that competes with PTE in the language-proficiency and immigration category.
• Chegg: Student-focused learning platform with textbook rentals, study help, and tutoring; overlaps Pearson in higher-ed study support and competes for the same student wallet share.
• Coursera: Online learning platform partnering with universities and companies to deliver courses, certificates, and degrees; comparable consumer-facing digital learning and enterprise motion, but focused on open enrollment rather than textbook-anchored courseware.
• 2U (edX): Online program management partner for universities and operator of the edX MOOC platform; competes in the same higher-ed digital learning market with a different (degreed-program) business model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/smarthinking
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/PearsonEducation
• Facebookfacebook.com/smarthinking
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smarthinking-inc.
• Instagraminstagram.com/pearsonglobal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Smarthinking Online Tutoring