Online booking for English teachers
Give students a clear way to book lessons with you. Show lesson lengths, prices and available times on your own booking page.
A free 20-minute trial lesson and a paid 50-minute lesson as two event types, evenings and weekends only, paid online, twenty-four hours’ notice.
The admin nobody charges for#
Fifteen students means fifteen threads about whether Thursday still works, plus the awkward bit at the end of each lesson where money changes hands. It is an hour a week you are not paid for, and it is the part of the job people leave over.
Then there is the student who cancels at 17:50 for an 18:00 lesson. Your evening is gone and you are the one who has to decide whether to charge for it.
Suggested booking settings#
The same student in the same slot every week, booked around a Japanese school or work day, which means everything happens after 16:00 and at weekends.
| Duration | 50 minutes for adults, 30 for children |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 12 hours |
| Time between appointments | 10 minutes after, to write up and reset |
| Max bookings per day | Six lessons a day before your voice gives out |
| Location | Video, or in person at a café or the student’s home |
| Payment | Paid online — it ends the awkward conversation about cash in an envelope |
| Cancellation policy | Full refund 24 hours before, none inside — the slot was held for them |
Suggested booking questions: Current level · What do you want to use English for? · Adult or child, and age
Private lessons compete with the big eikaiwa chains on exactly one thing: it is you every week, not whoever is rostered. A booking page with your own name on it is part of that argument, and a free 20-minute trial lesson is the standard way in.
A free trial that costs you nothing to offer#
Twenty minutes, free, short notice, and the link goes wherever you advertise. It removes every reason not to get in touch, and it is what turns an enquiry into a student.
Paid lessons, booked and settled in one step#
Fifty minutes, paid online in yen straight into your own Stripe account. The money question is answered before the lesson rather than at the end of it, and your cancellation policy applies itself. Charging for lessons
Teach when people can actually learn#
Weekday evenings after 16:00 and weekend mornings. Set that as your availability schedule once and nothing will ever be offered at eleven on a Tuesday morning. Availability
Online, in person, or both#
A video lesson event type gets a Google Meet link created automatically with the calendar entry. Many teachers run both and let the student choose.
Getting started#
- Sign in at app.marubox.jp with Google or Microsoft. There is no credit card required and no time limit on the free plan.
- Create an event type with the settings above. Event types explained
- Connect your calendar so your teaching hours never gets double booked. Google · Outlook
- Set your working hours, and close Japanese public holidays in one setting. Availability
- Put the link in your bio, or the widget on your site. Adding it to your website
Common questions
How do I get paid for private English lessons?
Set the lesson event type to paid online and connect your own Stripe account. Students pay in yen by card when they book, the money goes directly to you, and Business Box takes no commission.
What if a student cancels at the last minute?
Your cancellation policy decides automatically — a full refund outside 24 hours and none inside it is typical. The student agrees to it when booking and sees the refund before confirming, so you never have to raise it.
Can students book in Japanese?
Yes. Write your lesson names and descriptions in both languages and each student sees the one their browser asks for, including in reminder emails.
Is it free for a teacher with a handful of students?
Booking, calendar sync and reminders are free with no time limit. Taking card payment online and inviting workspace members are the paid parts, at ¥1,200 a month.
Start taking bookings online
The Free plan includes booking pages, Google Calendar and Outlook connections, working hours, Japanese holiday settings and booking on your website. No credit card is required, and there is no time limit. The Paid plan is ¥1,200 per month including tax and adds online card payments, team bookings and LINE integration. Business Box charges no booking commission; Stripe processing fees apply separately.
Last reviewed 16 October 2026.