Spires review
Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026
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Our verdict
Spires suits families in the UK who want one to one tutoring at a clear hourly rate, starting at £30 per lesson. Watch the 35% service fee on top, and note that lessons are booked rather than bundled, so the bill depends on how often the tutor is needed.
Key facts
- Best for
- UK families wanting flexible one to one tutoring they book lesson by lesson.
- Lesson price from
- £30 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Trial lesson
- Free (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Tutor vetting
- Screened (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Tutor background checks
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Minimum age
- 18 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Cancellation notice
- 24 hours (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Service fee
- 35% (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Legal entity
- SOTC Ltd (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Founded
- 2016 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Chat, Help-centre (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Subjects
- Math, English, Science, Languages, Coding, School
- Lesson format
- 1to1
- Official website
- spires.co
Apps and profiles
Pros and cons
Pros
- Entry price of £30 per lesson sits under the site median of €35.08 for the group.
- The trial lesson is free, so a family can try a tutor before paying.
- Coverage spans math, english and science, so one provider can cover maths, English, science, languages, coding and school subjects.
- Tutors are screened and background checked, which matters when a tutor works with children at home.
- Support runs through email, chat and help centre, so questions get answered without a call.
Cons
- The 35% service fee adds to every lesson on top of the £30 entry price.
- Lessons run in the 1to1 format, so a group class is not among the options and there is no cheaper shared lesson to fall back on.
- Cancellations need 24 hours notice, which is tight for families juggling changing schedules.
- The £30 rate is set for the GB market, with no local pricing for families paying in another currency.
Who it suits
- UK families with a child who needs help across several school subjects
- Parents who want a free trial lesson before committing to a tutor
- Learners who value a screened, background checked tutor working one to one
Who should look elsewhere
- Families wanting group classes to cut the per lesson cost
- Anyone outside the UK looking for a local market with local pricing
- Households that need same day changes, since cancellation notice is 24 hours
Plans and prices
Spires sells tutoring by the lesson rather than through a package. The entry point is £30 per lesson, and the trial lesson is free, so the first session costs nothing while later ones start at that figure. On top of the lesson rate sits a 35% service fee, which is the number to watch when working out what a month actually costs. There is no subscription to renew and no annual commitment, so nothing renews behind the family's back and the bill simply follows the lessons booked. Bought-in lessons sit against a wider market where the median starting price across tracked brands runs to €35.08, so Spires opens below the middle of the field. Compared with DojoTutor at $10 a lesson and ErsteNachhilfe at €10.50, the Spires rate is the highest entry point of the three, though the comparison is across different currencies and markets.
The company behind it
Spires is run by SOTC Ltd, registered in the United Kingdom, and has been trading since 2016. That founding date and a named legal entity are useful anchors, since family tutoring services are often sold by individuals rather than companies. The service is online and built around math, english and science. Families who need help reach the company through email, chat and help centre, which covers written routes rather than a phone line, so questions about a tutor or a booking are easier to sort out in writing. Tutors go through a screening process and background checks, and a 18 minimum age applies to the account holder, which matters for parents setting up a profile for a younger child.
How Spires compares
8.7 vs 9.0
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8.7 vs 9.1
8.7 vs 8.7
Where Spires is available
- Available
- Australia, Canada, United Kingdom
Countries from its affiliate programme (Source)
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Spires lesson cost?+
Spires lessons start at £30. On top of that rate sits a 35% service fee, so the amount a family actually pays per lesson is higher than the headline figure. Costs rise with the number of lessons booked rather than through a package.
Is there a free trial lesson at Spires?+
Yes, the trial lesson is free. That means the first session with a tutor carries no charge, which gives a family a chance to see how a tutor works before deciding on regular lessons. Regular sessions then start at £30.
What subjects does Spires cover?+
Spires covers math, english and science, all taught one to one online. Having the main school subjects plus languages and coding in one place means a family can move the same account between maths, English, science and coding as needs change, without opening separate bookings elsewhere.
How are Spires tutors checked?+
Spires tutors are screened, and tutor background checks are carried out. That matters most for one to one work with children in the home. It is a stronger position than picking a tutor yourself from an open listing, though it is not the same as a formal teaching licence.
How do Spires lessons work in practice?+
Lessons are one to one and run online. There is no group format, so a family pays for the tutor's attention to one learner at a time. Bookings run through the 18 minimum age account holder, and questions are handled through email, chat and help centre.
How much notice do I need to cancel a Spires lesson?+
Spires asks for 24 hours notice to cancel. That is the main practical limit for families, because a child's schedule can change at short notice and a late cancellation may still be charged. Anyone needing more flexibility should plan bookings further ahead.
Is Spires available outside the UK?+
Spires is registered in the United Kingdom and operates as a single market. There is no second regional offer listed, so pricing, tutors and curriculum expectations are all set around the UK system. Families based elsewhere should check tutor availability before committing.
Does Spires use a subscription or a bundle?+
Spires charges per lesson rather than through a subscription, so there is no renewal to think about and nothing renews automatically. Spending each month follows the lessons a family actually books at £30 upward, plus the 35% service fee.
Sources
- spires.co checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Lesson format, Subjects
“more than 300 one-to-one tuitions to students over the last 10 years”
- spires.co/online-maths-tutors/gcse checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Lesson price from, Tutor background checks, Tutor vetting
“Online Maths Tutors From £30”
- spires.co/our-story checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Founded, Trial lesson
“Spires was born in 2016 after a year of planning and development it already has students and tutors in over 30 countries working together in over 100 subjects.”
- spires.co/terms-and-conditions checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Cancellation notice, Headquarters, Legal entity, Minimum age, Service fee, Support channels
“A minimum of 24 hours' notice is required for cancellation or rescheduling of any class, by either party.”
Compiled from 4 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.
Spires
UK families wanting flexible one to one tutoring they book lesson by lesson.