The Preply cancellation policy involves several separate actions. Cancelling one lesson changes a booking; cancelling a subscription stops that tutor’s plan from renewing; requesting a refund asks support to review money already charged. Choose the action that matches your problem before you confirm anything.
Affiliate disclosure: MentorsReview may earn a commission through our Preply links, at no extra cost to you. This research-based guide uses official Preply help pages checked November 5, 2026. We have not personally tested a cancellation or refund. The planning worksheets and examples are our editorial guidance. Images are AI-generated illustrations.
Need to change a booking? Check the clock first
For an existing booking or payment issue, open your Preply account and use the official help links below. Read the confirmation screen carefully. If you are still deciding whether to join, understand the scheduling commitment before buying lessons.
Preply cancellation policy: choose the correct action
| What you want | Action to investigate | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Move an upcoming meeting | Reschedule the lesson | New date, time zone and tutor availability |
| Remove one booking | Cancel the lesson | Timing and the resulting lesson balance |
| Stop the next automatic payment | Cancel the tutor subscription | Cancelled status and confirmation email |
| Ask for money already charged back | Contact support about a refund | Eligibility and the support decision |
Use this table as a navigation aid, not an eligibility decision. Your lesson status and the terms shown in your account matter. A message to a tutor is useful communication, but you should still verify whether the booking or subscription actually changed.
1. The lesson cancellation rule
Preply’s lesson cancellation guide says a cancellation at least 12 hours before the start returns the lesson to your balance with that tutor. Inside 12 hours, the lesson is treated as used and does not return. The scheduled start time in your account controls the window. Trials follow the same timing rule.
On the web, find the booking in My lessons, open its three-dot menu, choose Cancel, provide the requested reason and confirm. In the app, open Schedule, select the booking and choose Cancel lesson. Check the resulting status. After a lesson has started, cancellation is no longer available from your account.
Cancelling one occurrence does not stop the rest of a weekly schedule. If you want an ongoing schedule change, review the weekly setup separately. A lesson balance credit is not the same as money returned to your bank.
Our practical advice: avoid leaving changes until the exact cutoff. Allow time to log in, check the time zone and complete the confirmation. An unfinished form is a poor basis for assuming a booking has changed.
2. When rescheduling may suit you better
According to the official rescheduling guide, learners can move a booking themselves when at least 12 hours remain and the tutor has a suitable slot. Open the lesson, choose Reschedule, select a time and confirm it. If you are inside the window, message your tutor to discuss whether they can move it; an exception is not guaranteed.
Moving one weekly lesson makes that occurrence standalone; future weekly meetings continue. To change the recurring time, use the weekly setup. A trial’s duration cannot be changed after booking. Confirm the new entry in Upcoming on the web or Schedule in the app.
Before choosing a replacement time, compare it with your work commitments and travel plans. A rushed move to another unsuitable slot can create the same problem again. If you are unsure which recurring times are realistic, write down two reliable windows before discussing options with your tutor.
3. Worked timing examples
These examples illustrate the clock calculation, not a promise about an individual account. Assume all times refer to the same time zone shown for the booking and there is no daylight-saving change.
| Example booking | When you act | Time remaining |
|---|---|---|
| Friday at 8:00 p.m. | Thursday at 8:00 p.m. | 24 hours |
| Friday at 8:00 p.m. | Friday at 9:00 a.m. | 11 hours |
| Monday at 9:00 a.m. | Sunday at 8:00 p.m. | 13 hours |
Do not count only the calendar date. “Tomorrow morning” could be less than half a day away. When travelling, compare the account’s displayed zone with your current location before doing the calculation. Our recommendation is to plan with a margin rather than aim for the final eligible minute.
For a trial booking, our Preply trial lesson checklist covers what to prepare before the first meeting.
4. Cancelling a subscription is a separate decision
Preply’s subscription cancellation guide says cancellation ends automatic renewal for that tutor’s plan. Other tutor subscriptions are unaffected. Act at least 24 hours before the next billing date; if less time remains, contact support before the charge processes.
Check Settings > Subscription for the cancelled status and keep the confirmation email. There is no subscription cancellation fee. Previously booked lessons remain scheduled, while unbooked lessons expire at the end of the current 28-day cycle. Review remaining lessons during the cancellation flow rather than assuming they are protected indefinitely.
This billing deadline is different from the 12-hour lesson deadline. Put the renewal date and individual meeting times in separate calendar entries. If the recurring cost no longer matches your available time, review our Preply subscription cost comparison before deciding on a future routine.
Our decision prompt: are you trying to stop paying, move a meeting, or change teachers? Write down the desired result first. It is easier to verify success when you know what should change and what you still intend to attend.
5. Refunds require a support review
The official refund guide says a subscription refund may be considered after cancellation if no lessons in that billing cycle have been used and the request is made within 28 days of the charge. Each request is reviewed individually. Cancellation alone does not trigger a refund.
Refund requests go through customer support, rather than a refund button in settings. On the website, open the help chat via the question-mark icon; in the app, use Profile > Help > Customer support. Approved refunds go to the original payment method and may take up to 30 days to appear, depending on the bank.
Describe what happened accurately. Do not claim that a lesson was unused if you attended it, and do not present this guide as approval for your request. If the original payment method is inactive, ask the original card issuer or bank about receiving returned funds; do not assume support can redirect them elsewhere.
A clear support request worksheet
Use this original template to organise your explanation. Send it only through the official support route and replace every bracket with accurate information. You do not need to share a full card number, password or verification code in a message.
Sample: Hello, I need help with [a booking change / a subscription charge]. The tutor is [name]. The lesson or charge date is [date], and the time zone shown is [zone]. I tried [action] and the account now shows [status]. My intended result is [specific request]. Please review what options apply and confirm the next step.
If relevant, add the amount and currency from the receipt, whether the cycle has any used lessons, and when you attempted the change. Keep your original receipt and confirmation for your own records. A concise timeline is easier to assess than a long message that mixes a missed lesson with a separate renewal charge.
After support replies, read what was actually approved. Acknowledging a request is different from granting it. If the response leaves something unclear, ask one specific follow-up about the booking, renewal or refund rather than repeating the entire story.
Before and after: a practical checklist
| Before confirming | After confirming |
|---|---|
| Identify the exact tutor and booking | Check the intended booking status |
| Check the displayed date and time zone | Check the new time or available balance |
| Separate the lesson issue from renewal billing | Verify subscription status separately if relevant |
| Read the confirmation screen | Keep the confirmation or support response |
Our suggested habit is to review the next week’s lessons before a busy period starts. If meetings repeatedly clash with work, change the recurring routine rather than relying on last-minute adjustments. That is a planning recommendation, not a feature or guarantee from Preply.
If the problem is teaching fit, our business English tutor selection guide helps you compare experience, feedback style, availability and budget before choosing another teacher.
Frequently asked questions
Does messaging my tutor cancel a lesson?
Do not assume it does. Explain the situation, then verify the booking status in your account. If you cannot complete the action, use the official support route.
Is a returned lesson balance the same as a refund?
No. A lesson credit is available learning time. A refund is money returned after a separate support review under the applicable conditions.
Will cancelling one lesson stop my subscription?
No. Review renewal separately in subscription settings. Use the action that matches the result you want and confirm the resulting status.
Should I join if my schedule changes every week?
Compare your realistic attendance windows and ongoing budget first. Ask about suitable availability and read the current cancellation terms. If you cannot maintain a workable routine, delay buying a recurring commitment.
Still choosing a tutor? Start with a workable routine
If you are researching before joining, compare teachers around times you can keep. For an existing cancellation or refund issue, use account settings and official support rather than booking another lesson to resolve it.
Affiliate link · Paid lessons · No verified learner discount. For the broader platform assessment, see our Preply review.
