--- title: "Before you pay for an English course" url: https://www.learnwithsmile.app/before-you-pay-spoken-english-course description: "Refunds, loans, EMIs, auto-renewal, hidden charges: 10 checks to run on any spoken English course in India before you pay — and how we answer each." site: Learn With Smile updated: 2026-11-03 fees: "India INR, and a labeled outside-India list. See fee_lock." fee_lock: "Two published price lists. Learners in India, Indian Rupees, inclusive of taxes: Basic Spoken English ₹999/month; Intermediate Spoken English ₹1,999/month; Interactive Speaking ₹1,599/month; Business English ₹2,499/month; Interview Preparation ₹2,499/month; Demo Class ₹199. Learners outside India, USD: Basic Spoken English $49/mo; Intermediate Spoken English $89/mo; Interactive Speaking $79/mo; Business English $99/mo; Interview Preparation $99/mo; Demo Class $10. The India list applies to learners in India and the outside-India list applies to learners elsewhere. They are two separate price lists, not currency conversions of each other." --- - [Home](https://www.learnwithsmile.app/) - / - [Guides](https://www.learnwithsmile.app/guides) - / - Before you pay Buyer's checklist · any provider, us included # Before you pay for a spoken English course: 10 checks Refunds, loans, EMIs, auto-renewal and hidden charges cause most complaints about English courses in India. Ask these ten questions first — of anyone. Last updated 3 November 2026. Fees and institute bands checked against public 2026 prices. Short answer Pay for one month at a time, never a year. Refuse loans, EMIs and saved-card auto-debits. Get the refund rule, the batch size and the full tax-inclusive price in writing before you pay. Learn With Smile bills one month at a time with no auto-debit, and starts a refund within 2 working days. On this page - 1. What goes wrong most often - 2. The 10 checks before you pay - 3. What Indian rules say - 4. How Learn With Smile bills - 5. Keep reading Most complaints about English courses in India are not about the teaching. They are about money: a year paid in the first call, a refund that never comes, a subscription that renews on its own. Ten minutes of questions before you pay prevents almost all of it. Run this checklist on anyone — Learn With Smile included. ## What goes wrong most often What learners report What it looks like A year charged in the counselling call Learners and parents describe being asked to pay 6–12 months upfront, sometimes through a loan, before attending a single class. Refunds that never arrive The most common complaint on Indian consumer-complaint sites: a refund promised in the sales call, then slow or no replies once the money is paid. Subscriptions that renew on their own App users report trials that charge early and plans that renew automatically and are hard to cancel. A different teacher every call Per-session apps match you with whoever is free; nobody remembers your mistakes from last week. No refund once you start Some institutes state no refund at all, or refund only a trial — check this before you pay, not after. Patterns in public complaints and app-store reviews about English courses and apps in India, 2025–2026. Individual reports, not findings about any one company. Where these come from: Indian consumer-complaint sites (Voxya, ConsumerComplaints.in), Trustpilot and app-store reviews, and press reporting on edtech loan-linked selling. Education made up a third of the complaints India's advertising regulator (ASCI) received in 2021–22, and the Department of Consumer Affairs raised concerns about edtech advertising in 2022. Free group consultation. Your plan in writing. A free group slot with our team. You tell us your goal, we name the bottleneck and put the right course and its fee in writing. Then you enrol — or you walk. It is advice, not a class. Free group consultation — we send a booking link on WhatsApp. Want to sit in a real class? Book the ₹199 $10 Demo Class. [Get Free Consultation](https://wa.me/919674479949) [Chat on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/919674479949) ## The 10 checks before you pay Check Ask this Warning sign Learn With Smile How many months are you paying today? Can I pay for one month only? A 'discount' that needs 6–12 months paid now. One month at a time. Never more. Is there a loan or EMI in the payment? Is this a loan? Who is the lender? An EMI form, a credit check or an Aadhaar/OTP step in a counselling call. No loans, no EMIs, no finance partner. Will it renew by itself? Does this save my card or set up a UPI mandate? Auto-renewal you did not switch on, or a trial that needs a card. No auto-debit. Each month is a fresh payment link. What exactly is refundable, and by when? Send me the refund policy in writing. A refund promised verbally but missing from the written policy. Full refund of a month cancelled before its first class; refund started in 2 working days. Is the price the whole price? Is GST included? Any registration or materials fee? Tax, materials or an app charged on top of the advertised fee. Inclusive of taxes, no material fee; app, videos and weekly review included. Is the deadline real? What happens if I decide next week? 'Only 2 seats left today' with no date — false urgency is a dark pattern under India's 2023 guidelines. Offers carry a printed end date. You can decide next week. How many learners, and the same teacher? How many people in my batch? Will the teacher change? 'Small batch' with no number; a new tutor every call. About 6 learners, the same teacher for the course. Where do complaints go? Who handles complaints, and how fast? No named person, no timeline, only a sales number. A named Grievance Officer; acknowledged within 48 hours. Do the reviews read real? Read the 3-star reviews, not the 5-star wall. Reviews that disappear after a refund, or only perfect scores with no detail. We never ask anyone to change a review. Did you speak in the trial? Is the free session a class, or a sales pitch? A 'free demo' that is a counsellor and a payment link. Free consultation is counselling; the ₹199 Demo Class is a real class, adjusted if you join. Ask each question before you pay. The last column is our own answer. Get the answers in writing — a WhatsApp message counts. A promise that exists only in a sales call is the one most often disputed later. ## What Indian rules say - Dark patterns are banned. The Central Consumer Protection Authority's [Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023](https://www.scconline.com/blog/post/2023/12/04/ccpa-notifies-guidelines-for-prevention-and-regulation-of-dark-patterns-2023-legal-news/) list 13 practices, including false urgency (fake scarcity or countdowns), the subscription trap (hard-to-cancel plans, trials that auto-debit) and drip pricing (charges revealed in stages). - Coaching-centre refunds. The Ministry of Education's January 2024 model guidelines ask coaching centres to refund fees pro rata within 10 days when a student leaves mid-course, and bar fee increases during a course. They are model guidelines for states to adopt, so whether they apply depends on your state and the provider. - You can complain. The National Consumer Helpline is 1915. Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, a complaint to the Consumer Commission is usually filed within two years. Paying one month at a time is the simplest protection: whatever happens, the most you can lose is one month, not a year. ## How Learn With Smile bills - One month at a time. You pay for the current month only. We never ask for 3, 6 or 12 months upfront. - No auto-debit. No saved card, no UPI mandate, no auto-renewal. Each month is a fresh payment link that you choose to pay. - No loans or EMIs. We never offer or arrange a loan, EMI or finance plan for a course fee. - Refund in writing, started in 2 working days. Cancel a month on WhatsApp or by email before its first live class and that month is refunded in full. We start the refund within 2 working days; Razorpay usually takes 2–7 days for UPI and 5–10 days for cards to reach you. - Reviews are yours. We never ask anyone to remove or change a review, and a refund never depends on one. - Taxes included, no material fee. Course fees are inclusive of taxes, with no material fee; the Bolo app, video lessons and the weekly review are in the course fee. Any other fee is confirmed in writing in the free consultation, before you pay. The full rules are on the [Refunds and Cancellation](https://www.learnwithsmile.app/refunds) page. If something goes wrong, message us on WhatsApp; complaints go to a named Grievance Officer and are acknowledged within 48 hours. ## Keep reading - [How to choose a spoken English class in India](https://www.learnwithsmile.app/blog/how-to-choose-spoken-english-class-india) — batch size, speaking minutes, named teacher. - [English class fees in India](https://www.learnwithsmile.app/english-class-fees-india) — what each kind of course costs in 2026. - [Compare English institutes](https://www.learnwithsmile.app/english-institute-comparison-india) — apps, tutors, classrooms and us, side by side. - [Free practice vs a paid live class](https://www.learnwithsmile.app/free-english-speaking-practice-vs-paid-class) — when free is enough. Ask us every question on this list before you pay. The free consultation is counselling on WhatsApp — you get the course, the fee and the refund rule in writing. [Get Free Consultation](https://wa.me/919674479949) [Chat on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/919674479949) Online institutes, 2026 · Updated 22 September 2026. Online 2026 fee bands — confirm on their site before you pay. We sell one of the rows. PlanetSpark is for children. We are adults 15+. ## Us vs PlanetSpark, EngVarta, Cambly and the rest PlanetSpark is live 1:1 for kids 4–13 (₹13,000–₹65,000/course, a free demo class). We are live small-batch for adults 15+ from ₹999/month. Full table: [compare institutes, 2026](https://www.learnwithsmile.app/english-institute-comparison-india). Us · adults 15+ Learn With Smile From ₹999/mo, tax incl. Named teacher. No material fee. ≈6 live · adults 15+. Free consultation. Not a class. Online EngVarta ₹2,700 / 25 × 15-min No 6-month syllabus 1:1 audio, on demand. No counselling; you start with a call Online Cambly ₹8,000–₹15,000/mo if daily Book any available tutor 1:1 native video. Book a tutor. No fixed course plan. Online italki / Preply ₹250–₹4,000 / lesson You pick the tutor 1:1 marketplace. Trial lesson with that tutor Online PlanetSpark ₹13,000–₹65,000 / course Kids 4–13. Public speaking. 1:1 kids online. Free demo class for the child Online British Council Online ₹8,800–₹16,000 / module CEFR classroom / badge Often 8–12. Sold by CEFR module Online ELSA / Duolingo / Speak ₹300–₹1,200/mo AI. No named teacher. Solo app. None — you tap Start Online IELTS / Leap-style shops ₹8,000–₹35,000 / course Exam paper. Not fluency. Exam batch. Exam-focused (IELTS/PTE) Names and logos of other providers are trademarks of their respective owners, shown only to identify them in a factual comparison. Learn With Smile is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by any of them, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Facts come from each provider's public pages; prices and terms change, so confirm on their site before you pay. A trademark owner who wants their mark removed can write to [info@learnwithsmile.app](mailto:info@learnwithsmile.app). Why we're different ## Daily practice, a live teacher and your own language — from ₹999/month $49/mo Learn With Smile is the all-in-one way to learn spoken English at a low cost: live classes in a small batch, the Bolo daily-practice app, video lessons, a weekly teacher review and the same teacher — all in one monthly fee from ₹999 $49, taught in English, Hindi or Marathi. - Learn With Smile From ₹999/month $49/mo Daily practice: Yes — the Bolo app, every day, with a streak Teacher: Yes — about 6 learners, same teacher Your language: Hindi, Marathi or English How you pay: Yes — no auto-debit, no loans, refund in writing - Josh Skills From ₹58/month (their page) Daily practice: Recorded video lessons Teacher: Optional live group sessions Your language: Explained in 7 Indian languages How you pay: Terms not stated on the page we checked - EngVarta ₹2,700 for 25 sessions Daily practice: Only the calls you buy Teacher: Yes — 1:1 calls of about 15 minutes Your language: Guides for Hindi and Marathi speakers; calls in English How you pay: Prepaid session plans; trial plan refundable (developer reply) - Cambly ₹8,000–₹15,000/month if daily Daily practice: Only the lessons you book Teacher: Yes — 1:1, tutor of your choice Your language: English only How you pay: Plans auto-renew until you turn renewal off - Preply ₹250–₹4,000 per lesson Daily practice: Only the lessons you book Teacher: Yes — 1:1, tutor you choose Your language: Depends on the tutor How you pay: 28-day plan that renews on your saved card; no lock-in - italki ₹250–₹4,000 per lesson Daily practice: Only the lessons you book Teacher: Yes — 1:1, tutor you choose Your language: Depends on the tutor How you pay: Pay per lesson with credits; refunds as credits - British Council ₹8,800–₹16,000 per module Daily practice: Self-study material alongside classes Teacher: Yes — live group classes Your language: English only How you pay: Paid per module, upfront - Duolingo · ELSA Speak ₹300–₹1,200/month Daily practice: Yes Teacher: No live teacher Your language: Duolingo teaches English from Hindi How you pay: Free tier, or a subscription that auto-renews - PlanetSpark ₹13,000–₹65,000 per course Daily practice: Not stated on the page we checked Teacher: Yes — live 1:1 classes Your language: Not stated on the page we checked How you pay: Course packages; unused classes refundable on request (their reply) - City classrooms and chains ₹2,000–₹10,000/month Daily practice: Worksheets only Teacher: Yes, in rooms of 25–40 Your language: Rarely How you pay: Often several months paid upfront Checked 3 November 2026 against each provider's public pages: [Josh Skills](https://www.joshtalks.com/english-speaking/best-english-speaking-app), [EngVarta](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/engvarta-english-speaking-app/id1221875549/reviews), [Cambly](https://studentsupport.cambly.com/hc/en-us/articles/360050272511-Renewal), [Preply](https://help.preply.com/en/articles/4966680-how-subscriptions-work), [italki](https://www.italki.com/en/blog/italki-price), [British Council](https://www.britishcouncil.in/english), [Duolingo · ELSA Speak](https://elsanow.freshdesk.com/en/support/solutions/articles/31000177556-understanding-subscriptions-and-cancellation), [PlanetSpark](https://www.trustpilot.com/review/planetspark.in). Prices are typical 2026 bands in India. City classrooms: local listings. PlanetSpark teaches children 4–13 and is shown as the luxury end of the market; every Learn With Smile course is for adults 15+. Names and logos of other providers are trademarks of their respective owners, shown only to identify them in a factual comparison. Learn With Smile is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by any of them, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Facts come from each provider's public pages; prices and terms change, so confirm on their site before you pay. A trademark owner who wants their mark removed can write to [info@learnwithsmile.app](mailto:info@learnwithsmile.app). If you want to practise English every day at an affordable price — and have a real teacher check it — take a Learn With Smile course. [Ask on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/919674479949) One fee · the complete package ## Live classes, the Bolo app and the same teacher — from ₹999/month $49/mo. [See every fee](https://www.learnwithsmile.app/english-class-fees-india) Live classes Up to 2 a week · 90 min · approx. 6 learners. Bolo · Practice Daily grammar, vocabulary, reading, speaking — with a streak. Bolo · Watch Video lessons: tips to start speaking, grammar, fluency. Bolo · Review Your teacher checks your reading and speaking every week. Same teacher Real teachers. One teacher for your batch. FAQs ## Paying for an English course — questions Straight answers. Message anytime; WhatsApp replies 10am–midnight IST every day. ### Is it safe to pay for an online spoken English course in advance? Pay for one month at a time, never a year, and get the refund rule in writing before you pay. Avoid any plan that needs a loan, an EMI or a saved card. Learn With Smile bills one month at a time with no auto-debit, and refunds a month in full if you cancel before its first class. ### Can I get a refund on a spoken English course in India? It depends on the provider's written policy, so ask for it before paying. Some refund only a trial; some refund nothing once you start. At Learn With Smile, cancel a month before its first live class for a full refund, which we start within 2 working days. After that class, that month is not refunded for a change of mind. ### Should I take a loan or EMI to pay for an English course? Usually not. A spoken English course is a monthly habit, not a one-off purchase; a loan locks you into a year whether or not the class works for you. Learn With Smile never offers or arranges a loan or EMI — fees start at ₹999 a month, inclusive of taxes. ### How do I stop an English app subscription from renewing? Cancel it in the store, not by deleting the app: Google Play → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions, or iPhone Settings → your name → Subscriptions. Learn With Smile has nothing to cancel: there is no auto-debit, and each month is a fresh payment link. ### What is a dark pattern in online course selling? A design or sales trick that pushes you to pay. India's 2023 dark-pattern guidelines name 13, including false urgency (fake countdowns or 'last 2 seats'), the subscription trap (hard-to-cancel plans, trials that auto-debit) and drip pricing (charges revealed in stages). [Chat on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/919674479949)