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Short answer
Growing Stars is a California-based online tutoring company founded in 2004 that offers live one-to-one lessons for grades 3 to 12 in math, science, English and test prep, with many tutors based in India. A January 2026 review listed plans of about $15 to $20 an hour. Ratings are mixed: its Trustpilot page showed a near-perfect TrustScore, while an independent reviewer rated it 2.6 out of 5, citing technical issues and cancellations. A short satisfaction guarantee covers the first sessions.
Key takeaways
- Growing Stars offers live one-to-one online tutoring for grades 3 to 12.
- A 2026 review listed about $15 to $20 an hour on monthly hour plans.
- Trustpilot scores are near perfect, but an independent review rated it 2.6 out of 5.
- Its guarantee covers the first 4 sessions or 2 weeks, whichever comes first.
How TaleemSquare compares
- Format
- Live one-to-one math lessons online
- Price
- From $85 a month for 2 classes a week (about $10.63 a class)
- Fees and contract
- No registration fee, no contract, cancel any month
- First step
- Free 45-minute assessment, then a 4-class money-back promise
How we wrote this
TaleemSquare also offers low-cost live one-to-one online tutoring, so we compete directly with Growing Stars. This review uses independent sources listed at the end, checked in October 2026. We did not buy a plan, and prices should be confirmed with Growing Stars.
Growing Stars was one of the first companies to offer online tutoring to US families with tutors overseas. Its co-founder, Biju Mathew, started it in 2004 after struggling to find affordable one-to-one tutoring for his own children. Early on, most of its tutors worked in Kochi, in the Indian state of Kerala, teaching American students over the internet.
How does Growing Stars work?
Lessons are live, one-to-one and online, through Growing Stars' own website, with screen sharing, a whiteboard and session recordings. Lessons are scheduled in advance.
A 2026 review notes that families do not choose their tutor; Growing Stars assigns one based on the student's needs and schedule. Reviews on Trustpilot say coordinators will change the tutor if the style does not fit.
What subjects and grades does it cover?
Growing Stars focuses on grades 3 to 12, covering math, science, English and reading and writing, plus AP, IB, GCSE and IGCSE support, test prep such as the SAT and ACT, programming and some languages. It does not tutor children below grade 3, which matters if you have a younger child learning to read.
What does Growing Stars cost?
Growing Stars bills by the hour. A review updated in January 2026 listed:
| Plan | Price | About per hour |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours a month | $80 | $20 |
| 8 hours a month | $120 | $15 |
That is low for live one-to-one tutoring in the US. Confirm current prices, how lessons are scheduled across the month and what happens to unused hours.
What is the satisfaction guarantee?
The same review describes a guarantee of a full refund if you are unhappy within the first 4 sessions or the first 2 weeks, whichever comes first. No free trial is mentioned. After that window, ask about the cancellation policy in writing, because the review does not describe one.
Why are the ratings so mixed?
Growing Stars' Trustpilot page showed a near-perfect TrustScore, with about 94% five-star reviews out of more than 1,000, with praise for patient tutors, helpful coordinators and better grades. Trustpilot notes the company invites customers to leave reviews, and many appeared in a cluster in early 2026.
An independent review site rated Growing Stars 2.6 out of 5 and did not recommend it, citing user complaints about technical issues, last-minute cancellations and weak tutors, and one parent who was refused a refund after a poor tutor match. The same site called the company legitimate.
The truth for your family will depend mostly on the tutor you are assigned. Use the guarantee window to judge.
What are Growing Stars' strengths and limitations?
Strengths
- Live one-to-one tutoring at a low hourly rate.
- Wide range of subjects, including AP, IB and test prep.
- Long track record since 2004.
- Refund guarantee for the first sessions.
Limitations
- No tutoring below grade 3.
- You cannot choose your tutor.
- Mixed independent reviews on reliability.
- No mobile app, and lessons must be scheduled ahead.
Who is Growing Stars best for?
It suits budget-conscious families with a child in grade 3 or above who want regular one-to-one help in core subjects or test prep, and who are happy to let the company pick the tutor. It is less suited to families with a younger reader, or those who want to interview and choose a tutor themselves.
What should you ask before paying?
- Who will my child's tutor be, and what is their experience with this grade and curriculum?
- How are lessons scheduled across the month, and what happens to hours we do not use?
- What notice do you need to cancel or reschedule a lesson?
- How do I cancel the plan after the guarantee window, and is any refund possible?
- What happens if the tutor misses a session or the connection fails?
Write down the answers, or ask for them by email, so you have a record if anything goes wrong later.
Our verdict
Growing Stars offers genuinely low-cost one-to-one tutoring with a long history, and many families are happy with it. Independent reviews are more mixed on reliability and tutor quality. Use the first two weeks to judge your assigned tutor, and get cancellation terms in writing.
What to do next
- Confirm current prices and what happens to unused hours.
- Use the guarantee window to assess the tutor and the technology.
- Compare with TaleemSquare's online math tutoring and online reading tutoring, from $85 a month for two 45-minute lessons a week, with a free assessment and published prices.
Sources
- 1.EduReviewer, Growing Stars review (updated Jan 2026) Plans and hourly prices, subjects and grades, tutor assignment, guarantee, pros, cons and rating. Checked Oct 2026.
- 2.Trustpilot, Growing Stars reviews TrustScore, number of reviews, star breakdown, review themes, company replies. Checked Oct 2026.
- 3.Education Week, India becoming online hub for tutoring US students (2005) Founding, founder, tutors in Kochi, original model. Checked Oct 2026.
Written and fact-checked by the TaleemSquare Editorial Team
We research every figure against the provider's own pages or independent sources, list them above, and update posts when prices or policies change. See our editorial process and teaching method.
