First Tutors has closed: where parents and tutors can go in 2026

First Tutors closed permanently on 8 May 2026, after nearly twenty years as one of the UK's longest-running tutor directories. The closure notice thanked customers and tutors but gave no reason for the decision. If you were mid-search as a parent, or your listing has just disappeared as a tutor, this guide covers what to do next and how the main alternatives actually compare.

What happened to First Tutors

First Tutors was run by EduNation Limited, a company incorporated in January 2007, though the platform itself traded for close to twenty years. On 8 May 2026 the site was replaced with an official closure notice, and every listing and search page went offline the same day. No parent data breach or financial trigger has been confirmed publicly, and First Tutors has not given a reason beyond thanking users for their custom.

Its model was a one-time finder's fee, typically somewhere between £9.99 and £34.99depending on the tutor's advertised rate, charged to the parent to unlock a tutor's contact details. Once that introduction was made, there was no ongoing commission: lessons, scheduling and payment happened directly between parent and tutor, and the tutor kept 100% of what they charged. That combination, a single upfront fee and no commission afterwards, is part of why some former users are wary of platforms that instead take a cut of every lesson.

If you were mid-search as a parent

If you had already paid First Tutors' finder's fee and were exchanging messages with a tutor when the site closed, that conversation itself is not affected, only the platform hosting it is gone. If you already have the tutor's email or phone number, carry on directly. Lesson bookings arranged outside First Tutors were always between you and the tutor, so nothing about an existing arrangement needs to change.

If you were still browsing and had not yet paid to unlock contact details, that search has to start again on a different platform. There is no way to retrieve a paid introduction or a saved shortlist from a site that no longer resolves.

For a fresh search, browse the TutorLab directoryby subject and location. Compare the current profile information, then agree the tutor's rate, availability and terms before booking.

If you are a tutor who lost your profile

A First Tutors profile that took years to build reviews and search ranking on is gone, and there is no export or migration path, since the platform is offline rather than paused. The practical next step is the same one that built the original listing: get findable again somewhere parents are actually searching.

Create a TutorLab profile with accurate subjects, experience and availability. Optional software and payment services have separate current terms on their relevant surfaces.

Where else to go: an honest comparison

First Tutors' gap is being filled by a handful of established UK platforms, each with a different cost structure. None of them work exactly like First Tutors did, so it is worth knowing what changes before you commit time to a new profile or search.

Tutorful

Tutorful handles bookings and payments per lesson. Its official tutor pricing page says tutors do not pay a platform commission; parents pay a separate service fee at checkout. Check the current parent total before booking.

MyTutor

MyTutor is a managed online service rather than a direct contact directory. Parents see lesson prices while tutor pay is handled separately. Check its current published pricing and tutor terms instead of inferring a commission percentage from reviews.

Superprof

Superprof lets tutors publish profiles, but parents may need a Student Pass subscription to contact them. Subscription prices and payment options can change, so confirm the live checkout terms before subscribing.

Tutor Hunt

Tutor Hunt uses its own identity, qualification and introduction workflow. Review the current parent and tutor terms before assuming it works like the former First Tutors directory.

TutorLab

TutorLab combines a UK tutor directory with optional software for tutors. Parents can browse profiles and send an enquiry without buying a finder subscription. Tutors decide whether to accept an enquiry; any current card or platform payment fees are shown on the relevant payment surface.

For the full picture on what UK families typically pay by subject and level right now, see our UK tutor rates research for 2026. To compare more platforms side by side, our tutoring platform alternatives hub lays out cost, commission and verification for each one in a single table.

Frequently asked questions

When did First Tutors close?

First Tutors closed permanently on 8 May 2026, after close to twenty years of trading. The site was replaced with a closure notice the same day, and no listings or search pages remain live.

Why did First Tutors close?

No reason has been published. The closure notice thanked customers and tutors for their custom but did not explain the decision, and First Tutors has not issued a further statement.

I paid First Tutors' finder's fee but never got the tutor's details. What now?

Since the platform is fully offline, there is no support channel left to raise this through First Tutors directly. If the payment was taken via a card provider, a chargeback through your bank is the usual route for a service that was paid for but not delivered.

Is TutorLab free for parents?

Parents can browse TutorLab profiles and send an enquiry without a finder subscription. Agree the tutor's rate and terms before booking; any payment fees are shown on the relevant payment surface.

Can tutors create a TutorLab profile?

Tutors can create a public profile on TutorLab. Optional software and payment services have separate current terms, so review the pricing and payment surfaces before using them.