What Best Step Tutoring does

Best Step Tutoring is a Section 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (EIN: 87-1756045) founded around 2020 and headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois. It provides free, virtual academic tutoring to K-12 students — from preschool through 12th grade — in core subjects (Language Arts, Reading, Math, Spanish) plus introductory STEM and SAT preparation. Tutoring is delivered as weekly one-hour live sessions via Zoom, with students and tutors matched manually by the BST team after students self-register through the organization's website, specifying subjects, grade level, scheduling preferences, and learning needs. All services are provided at no cost; the organization explicitly states that no payment should be requested for tutoring services.

The organization operates a self-serve, product-led growth model with a globally distributed volunteer tutor network the organization describes as spanning "almost every continent." Customer acquisition is organic and community-driven, relying on word-of-mouth referrals, school and library partnerships, and social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Next Door Neighbor). Underlying technology is deliberately lightweight: a WordPress website with student/tutor registration portals, Zoom for live instruction, and a Google Forms-based Session Tracker for logging sessions and verifying volunteer hours. There is no proprietary matching algorithm, no native mobile application, no disclosed APIs, and no AI/ML components.

The business model is donation- and merchandise-driven rather than fee-based. Revenue is generated through charitable contributions collected via Donorbox (with a $20/month recurring default) and merchandise sales on Redbubble. There are no disclosed funding rounds, no institutional investors, no paid headcount, and no published management team. The organization maintains a strategic linkage with The Edvantage Project (TEP), surfaced as a top-level navigation item on its website. Quantitative operating metrics — student counts, tutor counts, session volumes, donation totals, and financials — are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Best Step Tutoring

Legal name

Best Step Tutoring

Website

https://beststeptutoring.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Best Step Tutoring is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded around 2020 that delivers free, weekly virtual tutoring to K-12 students via Zoom, supported by a global volunteer tutor network and funded through donations and merchandise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Tutoring Services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Test Prep Tutoring Platforms (SAT/ACT/GRE/GMAT, etc.) (EDANAGAH), Homework Tutoring & Academic Support (Subject Tutoring) (HSAAAHAC)

Keywords

• Nonprofit tutoring services
• Virtual K-12 tutoring
• Online academic support
• SAT preparation tutoring
• Free educational services

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropic Support: As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (EIN: 87-1756045), Best Step Tutoring operates primarily through charitable donations and grant funding. The organization accepts donations via Donorbox and generates additional revenue through merchandise sales on Redbubble.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Best Step Tutoring is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides free, virtual one-on-one tutoring to K-12 students in core academic subjects (Reading, Language Arts, Math, Spanish) and introductory STEM, delivered via weekly Zoom sessions by volunteer tutors drawn from an international network. It also offers an SAT preparation course and matches students with tutors through a self-serve online registration process.

Product overview

Best Step Tutoring operates as a unified tutoring platform offering student registration, tutor matching, and live virtual tutoring sessions. The core service comprises an online registration system, a global network of tutors, weekly one-hour Zoom sessions, and an SAT preparation course. Students register through the website, select up to two subjects (Language Arts, Reading, Math, Spanish), and are paired with qualified tutors. All tutoring occurs virtually via Zoom, and session tracking is managed through a Google Forms-based volunteer hour tracker. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on providing equitable education to all students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Students achieve academic success markers including 100% grades on tests

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Edvantage Project (TEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBest Step Tutoring is connected with The Edvantage Project (TEP), suggesting a strategic partnership focused on educational initiatives and expanding equitable access to education services.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• UPchieve: Nonprofit providing free, on-demand 1:1 online tutoring and college counseling to low-income high school students. Direct peer in the free, virtual, equity-focused K-12 tutoring space.
• Learn to Be: Nonprofit offering free online 1:1 tutoring to K-12 students from underserved communities. Comparable as a virtual, volunteer-driven, free tutoring nonprofit with similar mission.
• Preply: Global online tutoring marketplace with strong international tutor supply covering academic subjects and test prep. Comparable global tutor-pool structure and virtual delivery model.
• Khan Academy: Large nonprofit offering free online learning content plus tutoring-like support (SAT prep, K-12 subjects). Directly comparable as a free, mission-driven virtual education provider serving the same student demographic.
• Wyzant: Online tutoring marketplace connecting students to private tutors across academic subjects. Comparable as a virtual, online tutor-matching platform serving K-12 and test-prep needs, though paid.
• Schoolhouse.world: Nonprofit founded by Sal Khan providing free peer-to-peer tutoring, including SAT prep, via small-group sessions. Closely mirrors Best Step's free, virtual, K-12-focused tutoring model.

Broad incumbents

• Tutor.com: Large commercial online tutoring platform offering 1:1 sessions across K-12 and college subjects including SAT prep. Comparable in subject coverage and virtual delivery, though paid rather than free.
• The Princeton Review: Long-standing test-prep and tutoring provider offering SAT prep courses and 1:1 tutoring. Directly comparable on the SAT preparation module Best Step offers.
• Varsity Tutors: Established commercial tutoring platform with 1:1 virtual instruction, SAT/ACT prep, and broad K-12 subject coverage. Comparable in product breadth and delivery model; differs in being a for-profit, fee-based service.

Others

• The Edvantage Project (TEP): Strategic nonprofit partner focused on equitable education initiatives; comparable as an aligned mission-driven organization in the educational-equity space and a stated partnership of Best Step Tutoring.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BestStepTutor
• Facebookfacebook.com/BestStepTutoring
• Instagraminstagram.com/beststeptutoring
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/beststeptutoring

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Best Step Tutoring