Table of contents
The essentials in 30 seconds
- Les Sherpas - best for personalized one-to-one tutoring, from €14/hour (50% tax credit applicable for home sessions)
- Prof Express - best free option, funded via works councils (CSE) or local authorities; 95% grade improvement reported
- Complétude - best for in-home reliability, 40 years' experience, dedicated family advisor, from €13.50/hour after tax credit
- Cours de sciences - best for science-only specialization, online 7 days/week, from €27/hour (high school)
- Kartable - best for low-cost self-directed revision, Ministry of Education-approved content, from €6.99/month
Full comparative summary
The table below compares all five platforms across the dimensions that matter most: format, school levels covered, documented results, annual cost, and the student profile each serves best.
| Rank | Platform | Format | School levels | Key result | Cost | Best-fit student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Les Sherpas | Online or in-home | Collège → CPGE | 93% of families report improvement; avg. +4.3 points | From €14/hour | Students needing personalized, adaptive one-to-one support |
| 2 | Prof Express | 100% online (live) | Primary → lycée | 95% grade improvement; 1M+ students supported | Free via CSE/partner funding | Families with employer or local authority partnership |
| 3 | Complétude | In-home or video | Primary → higher education | 40 years' track record; first-lesson satisfaction guarantee | From €13.50/h (after tax credit) | Students who benefit from in-person contact and structured follow-up |
| 4 | Cours de sciences | 100% online (live) | Collège → first-year university | Science-only specialization; extended hours 7 days/week | €27–30/hour; packages from €240 | Science-track students needing deep subject expertise |
| 5 | Kartable | Online (self-directed) | Collège → terminale | Ministry of Education-approved content; 1M+ users | From €6.99/month | Independent students revising autonomously on a tight budget |
Platform #1 - Personalized one-to-one tutoring
Why choose Les Sherpas for personalized physics tutoring?
The pedagogical approach
Les Sherpas have established themselves as the leading personalized tutoring platform in France. What distinguishes them is not simply the quality of their teacher network, but the systematic methodology that underpins every lesson: the Sherpas® Method, built on trust, initial academic assessment, and long-term consistent progress rather than last-minute revision.
Over 4,000 certified teachers - many of them graduates of Polytechnique, ENS, or HEC - offer one-to-one lessons in nearly 50 subjects, including physics, physics-chemistry, and mathematics. Lessons are available online or in-home, with a free trial lesson to assess compatibility before committing.
The support goes well beyond traditional homework help: it includes a comprehensive educational assessment at the outset, monthly progress tracking, methodological coaching, and access to an intuitive platform where both students and parents can monitor results in real time.
Documented results & pricing
93% of families report grade improvement, with an average increase of 4.3 points within a few months. Lessons start at €14 per hour. In-home sessions qualify for the French personal services tax credit (crédit d'impôt services à la personne), which reimburses 50% of the cost - bringing the effective hourly rate to as little as €7 for eligible households.
Practical example: a student in terminale preparing for the physics-chemistry component of the baccalauréat can complete a 10–30 hour intensive revision programme during the school holidays, combining targeted content review, examination technique, and motivational coaching - all within a controlled, adjustable budget.
Advantages
- Highest personalization - adapted to each student's exact level and learning pace
- 4,000+ certified teachers, many from top grandes écoles
- 93% of families report improvement; avg. +4.3 points
- 50% tax credit applicable for in-home sessions
- Free trial lesson before committing
- Nearly 50 subjects covered beyond physics
Limitations
- Higher cost than self-directed platforms (though 50% tax credit significantly reduces it)
- Requires the student to maintain session regularity
"My tutor identified exactly where I was losing marks in electricity problems - it wasn't the formulas, it was the way I was reading the circuit diagrams. Two sessions later, my approach had completely changed."
- Théo, terminale S student, LyonHow to start with Les Sherpas - step by step
- Visit sherpas.com/cours/physique and select your school level
- Complete the free educational assessment to identify your priority areas
- Browse teacher profiles and book a free trial lesson
- Choose your preferred format (online or in-home) and lesson frequency
- Monitor progress via the parent and student portal; adjust frequency as needed
Our editorial position: Les Sherpas leads this ranking because it is the most comprehensively equipped platform for sustained, personalized physics improvement - combining academic expertise, methodological rigour, and accessible pricing once the tax credit is applied. It is equally suited to students catching up after a difficult semester and those aiming to move from a good grade to an excellent one.
Platform #2 - Free inclusive academic support
Why choose Prof Express for free physics support?
The pedagogical approach
Prof Express operates on a model that is structurally distinct from every other platform in this comparison: it is entirely free for families, funded by works councils (CSE - Comité Social et Économique), local authorities, and mutual insurance companies. This makes it the only platform in the French market to offer unlimited academic support at zero direct cost to the family - provided their employer or municipality is a partner.
Live sessions take place online five days a week, between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., with qualified teachers from the French national education system. Beyond human teaching, the platform also offers Ophélia - an AI learning assistant - alongside librarians and parenting coaches, forming a 360° educational support ecosystem.
Documented results & access
Over 1 million students have already received support through the platform, with 95% reporting grade improvement. The service that would otherwise cost families over €1,000 per year becomes accessible at no charge when the CSE or local authority funding is in place.
Practical example: an 8th-grade student struggling with the fundamentals of force and motion can ask a question at 6 p.m. via the chat interface, receive a live explanation from a national education teacher, then access a summary sheet and an interactive quiz to consolidate their understanding - all in a single evening session.
Advantages
- Entirely free for eligible families - no hidden costs
- Qualified national education teachers (not peer tutors)
- AI assistant Ophélia for asynchronous support
- 360° ecosystem: teachers, librarians, parenting coaches
- 95% of students report grade improvement
- 5 sessions per week, evenings included
Limitations
- Access depends on employer or local authority partnership - not universally available
- Group or chat-format sessions may be less personalized than one-to-one tutoring
- Available only during evening session windows
"I didn't even know my company's works council offered this. My daughter used it every week for physics and chemistry in her final year. It was like having a teacher on call every evening - for free."
- Parent of a terminale student, via Prof Express feedbackHow to access Prof Express - step by step
- Visit profexpress.com/cse to check if your employer's CSE is a partner
- Alternatively, check if your commune or département offers Prof Express via their social services
- Obtain your access code from the CSE or local authority
- Create a student account and access the session schedule
- Connect to live evening sessions directly from the platform
Our editorial position: Prof Express dominates the free academic support segment by a substantial margin. For families with access through a partner organisation, it delivers a premium-quality service at no cost - making it the most financially compelling option in this entire comparison. The first step is simply to check whether your employer or municipality is already a partner.
Platform #3 - In-home & online traditional tutoring
Why choose Complétude for reliable, time-tested physics tutoring?
The pedagogical approach
With 40 years of uninterrupted operation, Complétude represents the established tradition of French private tutoring - now combined with the flexibility of modern digital formats. The platform offers in-home tutoring, intensive courses, and video-conference lessons, all with no contractual commitment required. Families can book a single session without any obligation to continue - a flexibility that distinguishes Complétude from many competitors.
Every teacher holds at least a bachelor's degree and undergoes ongoing training and pedagogical support throughout the academic year. Each family is assigned a dedicated educational advisor - a single point of contact for scheduling, teacher selection, and progress monitoring - removing the administrative burden often associated with managing private tutoring arrangements.
Pricing & tax credit
After applying the immediate 50% tax deduction via the URSSAF personal services scheme, rates are from €13.50/hour for primary school students and €16–19/hour for high school. A concrete example: a €34 lesson for a seconde student effectively costs €17 once the immediate deduction is applied. A first-lesson satisfaction guarantee is also offered - if the student is not satisfied, the session is refunded.
Practical example: a 10th-grade student can take weekly 90-minute sessions to consolidate their understanding of Newton's laws, with personalized worksheets prepared in advance by the teacher and monthly progress reports sent directly to parents.
Advantages
- 40 years of established experience and institutional credibility
- Dedicated family advisor - single point of contact throughout the year
- No commitment required - book lesson by lesson
- First-lesson satisfaction guarantee
- In-home format available for students who prefer face-to-face instruction
- Competitive rates after immediate 50% tax deduction
Limitations
- Less technology-driven than newer platforms (no AI tools or adaptive QCM)
- Subject coverage more limited than general platforms like Les Sherpas
"The advisor found us a physics teacher within 48 hours. My son had been struggling with waves and acoustics since the start of the year - by the third session, he was managing independently. The follow-up reports were genuinely useful."
- Parent of a première student, Paris regionHow to register with Complétude - step by step
- Visit completude.com and submit an initial contact request
- A dedicated advisor contacts you to define your child's needs and objectives
- A teacher is selected and proposed - no obligation to accept
- The first lesson is scheduled, with a satisfaction guarantee
- Monthly reports are sent; the advisor remains available throughout the year
Our editorial position: Complétude is the most reliable choice for families who value in-person contact, institutional credibility, and attentive human follow-up over technological novelty. Its 40-year track record and dedicated advisor model make it particularly suitable for families who want to delegate the management of academic support entirely to a trusted provider.
Platform #4 - Online science specialization
Why choose Cours de sciences for specialized online physics support?
The pedagogical approach
Cours de sciences occupies a clearly defined niche: it is the only platform in this comparison to specialize exclusively in the sciences. Its catalogue covers mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science - nothing else. This specialization allows the platform to attract and retain teachers with a particularly deep disciplinary expertise, often at the postgraduate level.
All sessions take place via Microsoft Teams, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. - including weekends - giving students significantly more scheduling flexibility than most competitors. This broad availability makes it particularly suitable for students with demanding extracurricular commitments, or those revising intensively in the days before an examination.
Pricing
Rates are transparent and straightforward: €27/hour for high school students and €30/hour for university-level students, with package deals starting at €240 for 10 hours. Note that the platform does not apply the 50% tax credit directly - students wishing to benefit from it should declare lessons independently through the URSSAF personal services scheme.
Practical example: a BTS student struggling with thermodynamics can book two hours on a Saturday morning, have their exercises corrected in real time, and download the annotated solutions after the session.
Advantages
- Exclusive science specialization - deeper disciplinary expertise than generalist platforms
- Sessions available 7 days/week, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Transparent, flat-rate pricing with no subscription required
- Covers collège through first-year university
- Package deals reduce the hourly rate for regular users
Limitations
- Higher per-hour rate than Les Sherpas or Complétude after tax credits
- Tax credit not applied directly - must be declared independently
- No subjects outside science - unsuitable for cross-disciplinary support
"I was preparing for the physics oral of the baccalauréat on a Sunday evening. I booked a session at 8 p.m., reviewed electromagnetism for two hours, and felt genuinely ready the next morning. The fact that it's available on weekends makes a real difference."
- Inès, terminale student, BordeauxHow to book with Cours de sciences - step by step
- Visit cours-de-sciences.fr and select your subject and level
- Choose between individual sessions (€27–30/hour) or a discounted package
- Book a slot - availability shown in real time across the 8 a.m.–10 p.m. window
- Connect via Microsoft Teams at the scheduled time
- Declare lessons to URSSAF independently to claim the 50% tax credit
Our editorial position: Cours de sciences is the most relevant choice for students in scientific streams (Bac Général spécialité, BTS, BCPST, or first-year university) who need deep subject-matter expertise and maximum scheduling flexibility. Its weekend evening availability is a genuine competitive differentiator.
Platform #5 - Self-directed online revision
Why choose Kartable for affordable self-directed physics revision?
The pedagogical approach
Founded by two HEC graduates, Kartable has grown into France's most widely used online revision platform, with over one million active users. Its content is validated by teachers from the French Ministry of Education and covers all subjects from 4th grade (cinquième) through 12th grade (terminale).
In physics, students have access to comprehensive structured lessons, auto-graded exercises organized by difficulty level, and evening homework help via chat - available every evening during the school year. The platform is designed for students who are reasonably autonomous and want a structured, curriculum-aligned resource they can use independently, at their own pace.
Pricing
Kartable offers the lowest entry price of any platform in this comparison: subscriptions start at €6.99/month, making it accessible to virtually any household budget. It does not provide one-to-one tutoring - it is a self-directed revision environment, not a personalized support service.
Practical example: a 10th-grade student who has understood the principles of forces and motion in class but wants to consolidate through practice can work through a full Kartable exercise series on the topic, then use the evening chat to clarify one specific point they found ambiguous.
Advantages
- Lowest price of all five platforms (from €6.99/month)
- Ministry of Education-approved content - curriculum-aligned
- Over one million users - well-tested and reliable platform
- Evening chat-based homework assistance available daily
- Graded exercises organized by difficulty level
Limitations
- No one-to-one personalized tutoring - unsuitable for students needing individual diagnosis
- Limited to collège and lycée - no higher education or CPGE content
- Effectiveness depends entirely on student self-discipline
"My children use Kartable every evening before doing their homework. The exercises are well organized, and when they get stuck, the chat is there. It's become a natural part of their daily routine - and their physics grades show it."
- Fiona, parent of two collège studentsHow to start with Kartable - step by step
- Visit kartable.fr and create a free account
- Select your child's school level and the subjects to activate
- Choose a subscription plan (monthly or annual for best value)
- Access the physics lesson library and graded exercise banks
- Use the evening chat for any questions that arise during independent study
Our editorial position: Kartable is the right choice for autonomous students who want a reliable, curriculum-aligned revision resource at minimal cost. It is not a substitute for one-to-one tutoring when a student has persistent conceptual difficulties - but as a daily self-directed study companion, it is among the best-value tools available.
Recommendations by student profile
The five platforms reviewed here are not in direct competition - each leads a distinct segment of the French physics tutoring market. The right choice depends above all on the student's profile, level of autonomy, budget, and the nature of the difficulty they are trying to overcome.
- For personalized, adaptive one-to-one support with the highest documented improvement rate: Les Sherpas
- For a free, qualified alternative accessible via employer or local authority partnership: Prof Express
- For in-home reliability, a dedicated family advisor, and 40 years' track record: Complétude
- For deep science specialization with maximum scheduling flexibility: Cours de sciences
- For low-cost self-directed revision with Ministry of Education-approved content: Kartable
Whatever platform you choose, the decisive factor remains the same: consistent practice over time. Academic support - whether one-to-one tutoring or a self-directed revision tool - is a performance accelerator, not a substitute for regular effort.
Useful external resources
The following official and institutional sources provide additional context on the French education system, the available financial support for private tutoring, and the physics curriculum at different levels.
- 🎓 Ministry of National Education - Physics-Chemistry curriculum for lycée (official)
- 💳 Tax credit for home tutoring services - Service-Public.fr - full details on the 50% crédit d'impôt services à la personne applicable to in-home private lessons
- 📊 Ministry of Education - National examination results by subject - context for understanding baccalauréat success rates in physics-chemistry
FAQ – Physics tutoring in France (2026)
What is the best physics tutoring website in France in 2026?
In this 2026 comparison, Les Sherpas rank first for personalized physics tutoring, combining certified teachers, individual assessment, monthly progress monitoring, and flexible online or in-home formats from €14/hour. However, the most appropriate platform depends on the student's profile: Prof Express leads on free accessibility (via CSE or local authority funding), Complétude on in-home reliability, Cours de sciences on science specialization, and Kartable on low-cost self-directed revision.
Why choose Les Sherpas to improve in physics?
Les Sherpas combine an initial educational assessment, tailored one-to-one lessons, regular progress monitoring, and teachers selected from leading universities. The Sherpas® Method prioritizes sustained academic development over short-term cramming. 93% of families report grade improvement, with an average increase of 4.3 points within a few months. In-home sessions also qualify for the 50% income tax credit (crédit d'impôt services à la personne), significantly reducing the net hourly cost.
Is there free physics tutoring available in France?
Yes. Prof Express is entirely free for families when the service is funded by a works council (CSE - Comité Social et Économique), a local authority, or a mutual insurance company. Families should first verify whether their employer or municipality is a Prof Express partner - if so, access to live sessions with qualified national education teachers is available at no cost to the family.
Are online physics lessons as effective as in-person tutoring?
Yes, when the student maintains a consistent schedule. Research consistently shows that the effectiveness of academic support depends more on regularity, lesson quality, and teacher-student rapport than on the delivery format. Platforms such as Cours de sciences and Prof Express deliver live, interactive instruction - with screen sharing, virtual whiteboards, and real-time Q&A - that closely replicates the in-person experience.
From what school level can students take private physics lessons?
Most platforms cover collège (middle school, from cinquième) and lycée (high school). Les Sherpas, Complétude, and Cours de sciences additionally support students in higher education and classes préparatoires (CPGE). Prof Express covers primary school through lycée. Kartable is designed for collège and lycée students.
How much do private physics lessons cost in France?
Prices vary considerably by platform and format. Les Sherpas start at €14/hour - in-home sessions qualify for the 50% income tax credit, halving the net cost for eligible households. Complétude charges from €13.50/hour (primary) to €16–19/hour (high school) after the immediate tax deduction. Cours de sciences charges €27/hour (high school) and €30/hour (university), with packages from €240 for 10 hours. Kartable offers a self-directed subscription from €6.99/month. Prof Express can be entirely free via partner-organisation funding.
Should you choose private one-to-one lessons or a self-directed exercise platform for physics?
Private one-to-one lessons are better suited for students facing conceptual difficulties or methodological gaps - where a teacher can pinpoint the exact source of confusion and adapt explanations in real time. Self-directed platforms such as Kartable are more effective for consolidating concepts already understood through regular, independent practice. Many students benefit from using both approaches simultaneously: targeted lessons to resolve difficulties, and a revision platform to maintain fluency.
How do you choose the right physics tutoring platform for your child?
Four criteria guide the decision: (1) autonomy level - independent students can use Kartable or Cours de sciences; those who need structured guidance benefit more from Les Sherpas or Complétude; (2) budget - from free (Prof Express, via partner funding) to premium one-to-one sessions; (3) need for human interaction - live individualized support or chat-based assistance; (4) objective - remediation after falling behind, ongoing progress maintenance, exam preparation, or methodological reinforcement.
Can parents monitor their child's progress on these platforms?
Yes, on the platforms offering structured educational follow-up. Les Sherpas provides monthly progress reports and an intuitive parent portal with session history and grade evolution. Complétude assigns a dedicated family advisor who sends regular updates and remains available throughout the year. Prof Express offers 360° monitoring tools for both parents and teachers. Kartable displays completed exercises and performance statistics directly in the student interface.
How many hours of physics tutoring per week produce meaningful results?
One to two hours of consistent, focused tutoring per week is generally sufficient to produce lasting progress for collège and lycée students. During intensive revision periods before the brevet or baccalauréat, three to four hours per week can help consolidate key topics and reduce examination anxiety. Long-term consistency - over a semester or full academic year - systematically outperforms short bursts of intensive preparation before assessments.
Can physics tutoring genuinely help a student who is consistently struggling in science?
Yes - when properly targeted, academic support can rebuild foundational understanding, clarify problem-solving methodology, and restore confidence in a subject that many students find abstract and inaccessible. The critical step is identifying the precise conceptual gap, which often originates one or two academic years earlier than the student's current level. A qualified tutor with diagnostic skills - such as those available through Les Sherpas or Complétude - is best placed to locate and address that gap effectively.
What is the practical difference between Les Sherpas, Prof Express, and Complétude?
Les Sherpas leads on personalization - the Sherpas® Method, rigorous teacher selection from top universities, and comprehensive progress monitoring make it the most tailored option. Prof Express leads on inclusive accessibility - entirely free for families via partner-organisation funding, it democratizes access to qualified teacher support across all income levels. Complétude leads on reliability and human proximity - 40 years of experience, a dedicated family advisor, and the option of at-home lessons give it a reassuring, structured framework that many families prefer.
