Feature Ideas

Add a blog section to Drillby where tutors and students can find helpful stories, tips, and updates. What it includes: A dedicated blog page with articles organized by topicFeatured posts that stand out at the top of each sectionIndividual article pages with full contentEasy-to-scan layout with images and excerpts Who benefits: Tutors looking for teaching tips and platform guidesStudents/parents wanting to learn more about tutoringThe Drillby team sharing announcements and stories How it works: Articles are written and managed by the teamPosts are grouped by category (e.g., News, Tips, Stories)New posts appear automatically on the blog page

Give each tutor a dedicated Drillby email address (e.g., john@tutor.drillby.com) so students can share documents via email without leaving their existing workflow. Core functionality: Auto-provisioned inbox per tutor ( {handle}@tutor.drillby.com )Receive and view emails within DrillbyAttachments auto-saved to the tutor's Drillby libraryBasic inbox management (read/unread, archived, delete) User flow: Student emails a document to john@tutor.drillby.comTutor receives notification in DrillbyEmail appears in their Drillby inboxAttachments (PDFs, images, docs) are automatically added to their library, tagged with sender and date

Allow tutors to connect their Instagram Business/Creator account and manage content publishing from within Drillby. Scope: Connect/disconnect Instagram account (via Meta Graph API)Create and publish feed posts (single image + caption)Create and publish storiesSchedule posts for future publicationView scheduled/published post history

Tutors should have a public profile page that they can share with students outside the platform. This profile will allow tutors to present their teaching style, subjects, experience, and availability. Students visiting the profile will be able to learn more about the tutor and book classes directly. The goal is to give tutors a simple way to promote their teaching and attract students, without depending entirely on a marketplace algorithm. Possible workflow: • Tutor creates and customizes their public profile • Tutor shares the profile link on social media or with students • Students visit the profile and view the tutor’s information • Students can book available time slots directly from the profile • Booked sessions automatically appear in the tutor’s schedule This feature helps tutors grow their teaching activity and makes it easier for students to discover and connect with them.

Tutors should be able to easily schedule classes with their students directly on Drillby. This feature will allow tutors to create sessions, manage their availability, and organize their teaching schedule in one place. Students will be able to see the tutor’s available time slots and book classes accordingly. The goal is to simplify scheduling and remove the need for external tools like shared calendars or manual coordination. Possible workflow: • Tutors define their availability (weekly or custom slots) • Students can book available time slots • Classes automatically appear in the tutor and student schedule • Both receive reminders before the class • The scheduled session provides direct access to the classroom This helps tutors manage their lessons more efficiently and gives students a clear way to book and attend classes.

Tutors should be able to clearly distinguish between active students and prospective students within the platform. This feature would separate ongoing student relationships from new inquiries, favorites, or initial contacts—making it easier for tutors to manage communication and prioritize their time effectively. The goal is to reduce clutter, improve response efficiency, and ensure that potential students don’t get lost among existing conversations. Possible workflow: • Students are automatically categorized (e.g., Active Students, New Inquiries, Favorites) • Tutor receives messages that are organized by category • Tutor can easily filter or switch between student groups • New or prospective students are highlighted for timely follow-up • Tutor can convert a prospective student into an active student after booking • Conversation history remains organized and easy to access Value: This feature helps tutors stay organized and responsive, especially when handling a high volume of messages. It ensures that prospective students receive timely attention while maintaining clear communication with regular students, ultimately improving both tutor efficiency and student experience.

In addition to syncing with Google Calendar (and other external calendars like Apple Calendar), it should allow tutors to automatically block off conflicting events. For example, if a tutor has personal appointments marked as busy in Google Calendar, these should be reflected as unavailable in the Drillby calendar, avoiding double bookings.

Students should be able to choose between different pricing models that match their learning style and availability, rather than being limited to a single subscription-based system. This feature would introduce flexible payment options—such as pay-as-you-go lessons, class packages, and optional subscriptions—allowing students to learn in a way that fits their schedule and commitment level. The goal is to reduce friction in the learning journey, accommodate different types of learners, and prevent frustration caused by rigid subscription models. Possible workflow: • Student chooses a preferred payment model (e.g., single class, package, subscription) • Platform clearly displays pricing options on tutor profiles • Student can purchase lessons without being locked into recurring commitments • Packages may include flexible expiration or rollover options • Subscription users can manage, pause, or adjust their plans easily • Tutor can offer multiple pricing options based on their teaching style User insight: From my experience as both a tutor and a student, the subscription model can be a major barrier. Many students—especially casual learners—prefer flexibility. Personally, I don’t want to commit to a fixed number of lessons per week because my schedule varies. Some weeks I can take multiple classes, while other weeks I have no availability at all. I’ve also seen frustration firsthand from students who lose unused lessons due to subscription limits. In one case, a student became very dissatisfied after losing several prepaid classes simply because they expired during a busy period. Additionally, as a tutor, I am frequently asked questions about how the subscription model works. However, there is little to no clear information available to tutors about pricing structures or policies. This puts tutors in a difficult position—we are expected to explain or justify a system we don’t control or fully understand, which can lead to frustration on both sides. I also regularly meet new students who are trying the platform for the first time. Many of them simply want to “test the waters” before committing. A single 25-minute trial lesson is often not enough for them to decide whether one-on-one learning is the right format. These students frequently express that they would prefer to book a small number of lessons first, rather than immediately committing to a subscription. At the same time, I recognize that some students do prefer subscriptions for consistency and structure. This highlights the need for choice, rather than a one-size-fits-all model. Furthermore, as a tutor who offers interview preparation, my target students typically have short-term, goal-oriented needs. They often only require a few sessions over a limited period (e.g., one to two weeks). The current subscription model creates a barrier for these students, making it harder for me to attract and support my ideal clientele Value: This feature increases student satisfaction and retention by aligning payment options with real-life schedules and learning habits. It reduces churn caused by inflexible subscriptions while still supporting structured learners who prefer commitment. It also improves the tutor experience by providing clarity around pricing, reducing miscommunication, and enabling tutors to better support and guide their students.

Tutors should be able to easily share lesson materials and assign homework in a structured way, directly linked to each class session. This feature would allow tutors to upload resources, track topics covered, and assign homework that is clearly accessible to both the tutor and the student before, during, or after the lesson. The goal is to create a more organized learning experience, where both tutors and students have a clear record of progress, materials, and expectations. Possible workflow: • Tutor uploads or shares resources during or after a lesson • Tutor records key topics covered in the session • Tutor assigns homework linked to that specific lesson • Student accesses all materials and homework in one place • Student completes homework and can refer back to past lessons • Tutor and student can both track progress across sessions Value: This feature helps tutors deliver more structured lessons and reduces confusion around materials and assignments. It also improves the student experience by making it easy to review past content and stay on track with learning goals.

Promote founding tutor profiles through targeted social media campaigns to help them attract their first students. How it works Founding tutors can opt in to be featured in advertising campaigns.Ad clicks will directly lead to the tutor’s public profile, where students can learn more and book classes.Audience targeting will be aligned with the tutor’s teaching subjects and student profile.No cost for tutors, advertising is funded as part of Drillby’s growth strategy. Goal Help founding tutors gain early visibility and acquire their first students while growing the Drillby ecosystem.

A feature could be implemented that allows tutors to provide regular, quick feedback without taking too much time. Tutors could select up to 3 areas of improvement (e.g., grammar, vocabulary, speaking, writing, listening, etc.) based on the student's progress over the last month, as well as 3 areas to focus on for the upcoming month. This feedback can be supplemented with brief comments or AI-generated feedback that summarizes the student's performance. Although this system may not replace real-time feedback during lessons, it provides a concise overview of progress, allowing students to gain insights into their strengths and areas for further development. This feature helps maintain a consistent feedback loop without being time-consuming for tutors.

Students should be able to find tutors based on precise, real-time availability that matches their specific schedule. This feature would allow students to filter tutors by exact time slots (e.g., early morning, late evening), ensuring that only tutors who are truly available at those times are shown. The system should reflect actual, up-to-date availability rather than general or outdated schedules. The goal is to eliminate frustration, reduce time spent searching, and help students quickly find tutors who fit both their learning needs and their availability. Possible workflow: • Student selects specific availability (e.g., 06:00–08:00) • Platform filters tutors based on real, bookable time slots • Only tutors with confirmed availability in that window are shown • Student can immediately view open slots and book a lesson • Tutor availability is synced and updated dynamically • Platform removes tutors whose schedules no longer match the filter Value: This feature significantly improves the student experience by removing one of the biggest barriers to booking lessons—schedule mismatch. It saves time, reduces frustration, and increases booking success rates. For tutors, it also leads to more relevant student matches and fewer abandoned booking attempts. User insight: From my personal experience as a student, finding a tutor who matches my schedule, especially very early in the morning, has been one of the biggest challenges. On several platforms, even when availability filters exist, they are often inaccurate. I’ve frequently found tutors listed as available at a certain time, only to discover during booking that they don’t actually offer those hours. This results in spending a significant amount of time searching, messaging, and retrying with different tutors. As someone currently learning Italian, this has been a major source of frustration. With a busy schedule, time is limited, and the inability to quickly find a tutor who matches my availability becomes a key barrier to consistent learning.

Tutors should be able to easily invite their existing students to join them on Drillby. The goal of this feature is to help tutors start using the platform with the students they already teach, instead of waiting for a marketplace to bring new students. Tutors would be able to send invitations directly to their students (via email or shareable link). Once the student joins, they can book classes, access the classroom, and interact with the tutor through the platform. Possible workflow: • Tutor sends an invite link or email to a student • Student creates an account through the invitation • The student is automatically linked to the tutor • The student can schedule classes and join lessons This helps tutors transition their existing teaching workflow to Drillby.

Visitors to the landing page may wonder which subjects they can actually teach online. Showing only 170 subjects may not be enough to answer that question clearly.

An earnings calculator that allows tutors to instantly compare how much they would keep on Drillby versus commission-based competitors, based on their number of monthly classes and price per class.