Starting to teach music online costs $200-600 for the essential equipment setup (microphone, lighting, camera if needed) and $0-49/month for platform fees depending on which teaching platform you use. You can start within 24 hours of deciding to begin.
Starting an online music teaching business is one of the lowest-barrier professional ventures available to skilled musicians. The total startup cost — including all essential equipment — is typically $200-600, and the first lesson can be taught within 24 hours of setting up. This compares favourably to virtually every other professional service business.
The equipment priorities are clear. The single most impactful investment is audio — specifically a USB condenser microphone in the $80-150 range. The built-in microphone on any laptop produces audio that communicates low professionalism and misses the musical nuances you need to demonstrate. A USB condenser microphone (Blue Yeti at $129, Rode NT-USB Mini at $99, or Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ at $149) transforms the lesson experience immediately. For teachers demonstrating acoustic instruments, a USB audio interface ($100-150, Focusrite Scarlett Solo) paired with an XLR microphone provides even cleaner audio.
Lighting is the second priority. Good lighting costs almost nothing if you have a window that faces you (not behind you). A ring light at $30-60 provides consistent artificial lighting for evening lessons. Bad lighting communicates lack of preparation and reduces subconscious trust — the combination of good audio and good lighting sets a professional standard that students respond to.
Camera quality is the least important of the three. Most laptops made after 2019 have 1080p cameras that are entirely sufficient. A dedicated webcam (Logitech C922, $70-100) offers better framing control but is not essential to start.
Platform fees are the ongoing cost. Virgoul's free Starter tier charges 20% commission with no monthly fee — appropriate for teachers in their first 3 months. Professional tier at £19/month charges 10-12% commission. Elite Studio at £49/month charges 5-8%. Competitors charge similar or higher commissions without the lower-fee tier options. Zoom Pro for video calling costs $15/month if not using a platform's built-in video. Scheduling and payment tools (Calendly, Acuity) cost $10-25/month if not using a platform that includes them.
Virgoul's free Starter tier requires zero monthly investment — you pay 20% commission on lessons earned, with no upfront cost. Upgrade to Professional (£19/month, 10-12% commission) when your monthly lesson income exceeds £200, at which point the tier pays for itself immediately.
Join VirgoulThe absolute minimum is a USB microphone ($80-150) and a teaching platform account (free on most platforms). If you have a 1080p laptop camera and natural window lighting, your total startup cost is $80-150. You can teach your first lesson today.
No. A quiet room with basic acoustic treatment (bookshelf, rug, curtain) and a USB microphone produces more than sufficient audio quality for lessons. Professional studios are designed for recording music for release — not for the real-time communication of online lessons.
Ongoing costs typically include: platform subscription ($0-49/month depending on tier), video calling if separate from platform ($15/month Zoom Pro), scheduling tool if separate ($10-25/month), email marketing ($0-30/month), and potentially accounting software ($10-25/month). Total ongoing cost: $35-150/month, offset by the commission savings on higher tiers.
Invest in the microphone immediately — the ROI is immediate and significant. Delay other investments until you have 5+ paying students. Teaching your first month on a budget setup is fine; the quality of your teaching matters more than your equipment at the start. Upgrade equipment as your income justifies it.
Platform fees range from 0% (Teachable Pro, Kajabi — but you bring your own students) to 40% (some marketplace platforms on new teacher rates). Most teacher marketplaces charge 15-30%. Virgoul charges 5-20% depending on membership tier, with the free Starter tier at 20% and Professional (£19/month) at 10-12%.