Penny

What Penny is

Penny is business management software for independent tutors, teachers, tutoring centres and tutor agencies. It runs locally on Windows and macOS, with core functions available offline; AI and email require an internet connection. Scheduling handles individual and group lessons, recurring schedules, tutor assignments, lesson notes and weekly agendas. Student and family profiles hold attendance, lesson history and progress information. Penny creates invoices and account statements, records payments and outstanding balances, and produces financial reports. It also tracks tutor hours and rates, manages payroll and generates payslips. Optional AI features provide business intelligence, student insights, revenue forecasting, retention analysis and parent report generation through the customer’s Gemini subscription or API key. Postmark, Gemini and CSV imports are listed integrations. Records remain on the user’s computer and stay accessible after stopping use. Standard costs 380 ZAR a month and includes 150 emails monthly. Pro costs 450 ZAR a month, adds a customer domain and Postmark server, and permits unlimited email subject to the Postmark plan. A 7-day trial is available, but there is no free plan.

Who it suits

Penny suits independent tutors, teachers, tutoring centres and tutor agencies needing scheduling, student records, billing and payroll in one local application. It also fits organisations wanting offline operation and optional Gemini-powered analysis.

Limits

Standard includes 150 emails per month. Pro email is unlimited only within the limits of the customer’s Postmark plan, and AI features require the customer’s Gemini subscription or API key.

Getting started

1. Open the Penny website
2. Download Penny for Windows or macOS
3. Import existing client records, including CSV files
4. Create schedules, student profiles and billing records
5. Start the 7-day trial or select Standard or Pro

Verdict

Choose Penny if your tutoring operation needs local scheduling, learner records, billing and tutor payroll. Its optional AI tools add forecasting and reporting, while the 7-day trial offers a short evaluation period. Look elsewhere if you need a free tier or email and AI that work offline.