Sell teaching resources internationally, from outside the US
You don't need to live in the US to sell on TeachLessons. If you write resources in English and can receive PayPal payments in US dollars, you can join from anywhere.
Short answer: You can sell teaching resources internationally on TeachLessons from any country, as long as you write in English (or make language-teaching resources for English-speaking classrooms) and can receive PayPal payments in US dollars. You keep 70% of net revenue, paid monthly by the 15th. Taxes on that income are yours to handle locally.
Who can sell teaching resources internationally on TeachLessons?
There are two practical conditions and no country list. First, your resources are in English, or they teach a language to English-speaking classrooms (a Spanish vocabulary unit with English instructions, for example). Second, you can receive PayPal payments in US dollars. If PayPal works for you and accepts USD, the payout side works.
Everything else is the same for every seller wherever they live: 70% of net revenue to you, no membership, sign-up, annual, listing or per-resource fee, no exclusivity, and the same email-based process for sending resources.
Buyers come mainly from the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, Singapore and international schools. So a teacher in Kenya, Germany or the Philippines is selling to the same buyers as a teacher in Texas, and the advice below is about meeting those buyers where they are.
How do currency and payouts work outside the US?
You set prices in US dollars. For each sale you keep 70% of net revenue. Net revenue is the price the customer paid (after any discount, without sales tax or VAT) minus a 3% payment processing cost, so your share is 67.9% of the price.
| Price | Your payout per sale |
|---|---|
| $3.00 | $2.04 |
| $4.99 | $3.39 |
| $10.00 | $6.79 |
| $24.99 | $16.97 |
Payouts are made once a month, by the 15th, for the previous month's sales, via PayPal in US dollars, with a statement listing every sale. Whether you keep the balance in dollars or convert it is between you and PayPal, and PayPal's own conversion terms apply. If a figure on a statement looks wrong, report it within 6 weeks.
Time zones don't matter much for selling: buyers download at any hour and payouts run on a fixed monthly cycle. Questions about a statement or anything else go to support@stifo.de, and we confirm new submissions within 2 business days.
What about tax and withholding when I'm not in the US?
You are responsible for taxes on your own income. We don't give country-specific tax advice, because the rules depend on where you live and how you work. Ask a tax advisor in your country how income from selling resources should be reported.
One point to know in plain words: TeachLessons is operated from Germany. If the law requires us to withhold tax from a payout (German withholding tax on payments to sellers outside Germany is one example), we deduct it and send you a confirmation. Keep that confirmation with your records and show it to your advisor.
Our records and taxes page lists what to keep: monthly statements, PayPal records and any withholding confirmations.
How do I adapt resources for US buyers?
Most international sellers make the same few changes. None are required, but each one removes a reason for a US teacher to keep scrolling.
US Letter as well as A4
US schools print on US Letter (8.5 x 11 inches). Send both PDFs in one ZIP and say "A4 and US Letter" in the description.
A US spelling version
color, center, math, practice. Start with resources for younger pupils, where spelling matters most to teachers.
Grade terms
Year 4 in England is roughly Grade 3 in the US. Put both in the description so each buyer sees their own term.
Units and money
US classrooms often use dollars and customary units. Offer a version or keep metric and say so clearly.
Dates and seasons
Write dates in a way both groups understand, and avoid tying a resource to a month when your seasons differ.
Standards wording
If you mention US standards, map them carefully and only where you're confident. A wrong code costs more trust than no code.
If a buyer reports within 30 days that a resource doesn't fit the curriculum or standards they teach, the TeachLessons Guarantee lets us make an adapted version for their own use. It stays true to your work and isn't sold to others without your approval.
Which rights issues catch international sellers out?
- Exam papers and textbooks. National exam papers, mark schemes and textbook pages belong to someone else, even when they're free to download. Write your own questions.
- Brand and curriculum names. Using a name like IB or Cambridge to describe what a resource is for is different from implying it is endorsed. Never suggest an endorsement you don't have.
- Fonts and clip art. Licenses differ by seller, not by country. Check that each one allows commercial use in resources that are sold. See clip art and fonts for commercial use.
- Work made for your employer. Whether you can sell it depends on your contract and local rules. Check your contract or ask your school or union.
TeachLessons does not check resources for third-party rights. If a claim arises because of your resource, you are responsible for it.
How do I join from outside the US?
The process is the same in every country and runs by email. Apply with the short application form, which takes about five minutes and needs no files. We email the seller documents: the Seller Agreement, Seller Details & Payout Form, Resource Rights Checklist, Resource Submission List (Excel), Seller Privacy Notice and a one-page guide.
Sign the agreement by hand or with a drawn electronic signature in a PDF app, fill in the forms, and list one resource per row. Then send everything in one email from your own address to support@stifo.de: documents, final resource files and PNG or JPEG previews and thumbnails. Large sets can go as one Drive, Dropbox or WeTransfer link that opens without a login, up to 100 MB per resource.
We confirm receipt within 2 business days, write your product pages, set up your author page and countersign your agreement. Resources go live once they're set up.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a US bank account to sell on TeachLessons?
No. Payouts are made via PayPal in US dollars. You need a PayPal account that can receive USD payments.
Which countries can sellers be based in?
There's no country list. Teacher-authors anywhere can join if they write resources in English (or language-teaching resources for English-speaking classrooms) and can receive PayPal payments in US dollars.
Will tax be deducted from my payouts?
Only if the law requires TeachLessons to withhold it, for example German withholding tax on payments to sellers outside Germany. You receive a confirmation of any amount withheld.
Do I have to rewrite my resources in US spelling?
No. British spelling suits many buyers. A US spelling version is optional and helps with US elementary teachers in particular.
Can I sell in my own currency?
No. Prices are set in US dollars and payouts are made in US dollars. Any conversion happens in your PayPal account.
Can I keep selling on other marketplaces?
Yes. There is no exclusivity unless you've signed an exclusive deal elsewhere for a particular resource.
Ready to sell your teaching resources?
Apply with the short form. We email you the seller documents, you send your final files with previews and thumbnails, and we set up your product pages, your author page and landing pages. You keep 70% of net revenue, with no fees and no exclusivity.
Keep reading
General information about the TeachLessons Seller Program, not legal, tax or financial advice. The signed Seller Agreement sets out the binding terms. Questions: support@stifo.de.