How to cancel your Preply account and recover unused lesson credits

Why you might want to cancel Preply

You have the right to cancel your Preply subscription at any time without pressure or penalty. Whether your circumstances have changed, your tutor isn't the right fit, or your budget no longer supports language lessons, you deserve a straightforward cancellation process and transparent information about your refunds.

Students cancel Preply for legitimate reasons. Perhaps you've achieved your learning goals, your work schedule has become too unpredictable to commit to regular sessions, or you've discovered that the tutor's teaching style doesn't match your learning preferences. Some cancel because they've found a more affordable alternative, whilst others step back temporarily due to financial constraints. Whatever your reason, UK consumer law protects your interests throughout the cancellation process.

Common reasons for cancellation

Understanding your motivation helps you determine the best cancellation approach. If you're dissatisfied with your current tutor, Preply allows you to switch to another tutor without cancelling your entire account. If your trial lesson didn't meet expectations, UK consumer law protects your right to request a refund within 14 days of purchase. If your lesson package is unused and you know you won't return, a full cancellation makes financial sense. Yafee advises taking a moment to clarify which scenario applies to you before proceeding.

What happens to your unused credits

When you cancel your Preply account, your primary concern is the fate of any unused lesson credits or pre-paid funds. Preply's terms specify that lesson credits are tied to your active account. Once you cancel, you lose access to schedule future lessons, which means those credits become inaccessible unless you formally request a refund. This is where UK consumer protection law becomes your ally, and why understanding your rights is essential before you initiate cancellation.

Your consumer rights and Preply cancellation law

As a UK consumer purchasing online tutoring services from Preply, you are protected by robust legislation that shields you from unfair terms and gives you cancellation rights.

Consumer rights act 2015 and your protection

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 is your legal foundation when dealing with Preply. This law requires that services provided by Preply must be performed with reasonable skill and care, and that any information given to you about those services must be accurate and not misleading. If a tutor's profile misrepresents their qualifications or experience, or if Preply's service falls below a reasonable standard, you have grounds to request a refund or cancellation without penalty.

The Act also covers your cancellation rights if you haven't yet started lessons or if you're within a defined cancellation window. The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 extend these protections by giving you a 14-day cooling-off period from the date you purchased your lesson package. This means you can cancel without reason and receive a refund within that timeframe, provided you haven't started lessons with that tutor.

Cooling-off period: your 14-day window

The 14-day cooling-off period is one of your most powerful consumer protections. It begins on the day you complete your purchase (not the day of your first lesson), and it runs for exactly 14 calendar days. During this period, you can cancel your lesson package and request a full refund without providing justification. You must act in writing, either through the Preply platform's cancellation tool or by submitting a formal written cancellation notice.

Critical point: If you have already attended a lesson with your tutor, the cooling-off period is forfeit. Preply may then withhold a proportion of your credit equivalent to the lesson you received. However, if you haven't attended any lessons, you have an absolute right to cancel and receive a full refund within 14 days.

Your legal position

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, you hold the legal right to cancel Preply services within 14 days of purchase without penalty, provided no lesson has commenced. If Preply refuses to refund you after cancellation, you can escalate your complaint to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or pursue your claim through the Citizens Advice Consumer Service. Yafee recommends documenting every communication with Preply, including your purchase date, cancellation date, and any refund requests. This evidence becomes crucial if you need to enforce your rights through a regulator or small claims court.

Cancellation methods: how to cancel Preply

Preply offers multiple routes to cancel your account, each with specific procedural requirements. Your choice of method depends on your preference and the urgency of your cancellation.

Cancel through the Preply app or website

The fastest and most documented way to cancel Preply is through their digital platform. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Preply app or log into preply.com on your web browser.
2. Navigate to your account settings (usually located in the top-right corner under your profile icon or in a menu marked "Account" or "Settings").
3. Select "Subscription" or "Billing" from the menu options.
4. Locate the option marked "Cancel subscription" or "Manage subscription".
5. Read any confirmation prompts and confirm your intention to cancel.
6. Take a screenshot of the cancellation confirmation page as proof of your cancellation date.
7. Check your email for a cancellation confirmation from Preply within 24 hours.

Yafee strongly recommends this method because Preply provides immediate digital confirmation and a timestamp. Save this confirmation email and any reference number in a dedicated folder. This evidence protects you if Preply later disputes your cancellation date.

Cancel by email

If you prefer written correspondence or if the app method fails, you can cancel by email. This method creates a formal paper trail suitable for escalation if necessary.

1. Compose a clear, professional email to Preply's support team at [email protected].
2. State your full name, email address associated with your Preply account, and your Preply student ID (visible in your account settings).
3. Write: "I hereby request to cancel my Preply subscription effective immediately. I request a full refund of any unused lesson credits."
4. Include the date of your original purchase and the date of your cancellation request.
5. Send the email using a method that provides read receipts or proof of delivery (such as "delivery and read receipt" in Gmail).
6. Retain a copy of the email and all of Preply's responses for your records.

Email cancellations typically take 3 to 5 business days to process. Preply will confirm your cancellation via email. Yafee advises following up if you don't receive confirmation within 7 days.

Cancel by post (formal written notice)

For maximum legal protection, you can send a formal cancellation letter by post to Preply's registered office. This creates an indisputable record of your cancellation date (determined by the postmark).

1. Write a formal letter on plain paper or company letterhead (if you prefer).
2. Address it to: Preply, c/o Legal Department, 8 Dowgate Hill, London, EC4R 2SU, United Kingdom.
3. Include your full name, registered email address, and Preply student ID.
4. State: "I hereby give formal written notice of my intention to cancel my Preply subscription with immediate effect, in accordance with my consumer cancellation rights under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. I request a full refund of all unused lesson credits to my registered payment method."
5. Include the date you first purchased your lesson package and the current date.
6. Send the letter by Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9am or Recorded Delivery to obtain a proof of posting.
7. Keep your proof of posting receipt and a photocopy of your letter for your records.

This method ensures that your cancellation date is legally established by the date shown on the postmark. Preply typically processes postal cancellations within 10 business days. If you don't receive confirmation within this timeframe, use your proof of posting to escalate to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service.

Timeline and when your cancellation takes effect

Understanding when your cancellation becomes effective is crucial for calculating your refund eligibility and the end of your cooling-off period.

Immediate vs. end-of-billing-cycle cancellation

Preply distinguishes between immediate cancellation and cancellation at the end of your current billing cycle. If you cancel through the app, you can typically choose which option applies. Immediate cancellation ends your access to lessons right away, whereas end-of-cycle cancellation allows you to attend lessons until your current billing period expires. For most cancellations, Yafee recommends selecting immediate cancellation to prevent accidental charges in future billing periods.

Refund processing time

Once your cancellation is confirmed, Preply processes refunds to your original payment method within 5 to 14 business days. If you paid by credit or debit card, the refund appears as a credit on your card statement. If you paid via PayPal or another digital wallet, the funds return to that account. Monitor your bank or card statement closely. If the refund doesn't appear within 14 days, contact Preply's support team with your cancellation confirmation reference number and request a status update.

Calculating your refund and unused lesson credits

Your refund depends on whether you're within the 14-day cooling-off period and whether you've attended any lessons.

If Preply fails to deliver the standard of service you reasonably expected (for example, a tutor who fails to attend sessions or repeatedly cancels lessons without notice), you may be entitled to a refund or compensation even after 14 days. This protection comes from the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which guarantees that services are performed with reasonable skill and care. Yafee recommends documenting every instance of poor service, including dates, times, and details of what went wrong.

What happens after cancellation

Cancelling Preply is not the end of the process; several important steps follow to protect your account and confirm your refund.

Confirming your cancellation has been processed

Within 24 to 48 hours of cancelling, log back into your Preply account and check your subscription status. Your dashboard should display "Account cancelled" or "No active subscription". If you still see an active subscription or any indication that lessons are available to book, contact Preply's support team immediately. This signals that your cancellation did not go through correctly.

Monitoring for refund and unwanted charges

Check your bank or card statement 5 to 7 days after cancellation. You should see the refund credit appear as a negative transaction (money entering your account). If your cancellation date was close to your regular billing date, verify that no new charge has been applied in the same statement period. If you spot an unwanted charge after cancellation, contact your bank or card issuer immediately and provide them with your Preply cancellation confirmation. You can dispute the charge, and your bank will often reverse it within 7 to 10 days.

Recovering your lesson credits after cancellation

If you cancelled your account but believe you have entitled lesson credits that should have been refunded, contact Preply support with your cancellation reference number. Provide a clear breakdown of how much you paid, how many lessons you attended, and the value of unused credits. If Preply disputes your calculation, escalate to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service with copies of your purchase receipt, lesson history, and all correspondence with Preply. Yafee has helped thousands of consumers cancel their language learning subscriptions and recover their credits by following this approach systematically.

Common mistakes when cancelling Preply

Cancelling can feel straightforward, but several preventable errors undermine your position if a dispute arises.

Relying on verbal cancellation or chat support alone

Never cancel Preply based solely on a conversation with a support agent in the chat function. Chat logs disappear from your account after a set period, and Preply may later deny that the conversation took place. Always request written confirmation of your cancellation, either through the app's confirmation page or via email. If chat support offers to cancel on your behalf, ask them to send a follow-up email confirming the cancellation date and reference number. Yafee recommends treating verbal or chat-only cancellations as incomplete until you receive written proof.

Cancelling without documenting your purchase date

Your 14-day cooling-off period begins on the date you purchased your lesson package, not the date of your first lesson. If you cancel but don't record your purchase date, you may struggle to prove you were within the cancellation window if Preply challenges your refund claim. Before you cancel, open your original purchase email or receipt and note the exact date. Write this date in your cancellation request email or letter. This ensures Preply cannot later argue that your 14 days had already expired.

Forgetting to take a screenshot of the cancellation confirmation

Preply's app and website sometimes delete cancellation confirmations after 48 hours. If you need to prove your cancellation date weeks or months later (for example, to claim a charge-back with your bank), you won't be able to retrieve the confirmation from Preply's platform. Immediately after cancelling, take a full-page screenshot of the confirmation message showing the date and time. Save this screenshot to your computer or cloud storage. Yafee advises treating this screenshot as equivalent to a receipt for a purchase; it's your proof of cancellation.

Not requesting a refund explicitly

Cancelling your account is not the same as requesting a refund. Preply may simply suspend your account and hold your unused credits indefinitely. Always include the phrase "I request a full refund of all unused lesson credits" in your cancellation request. If you're within 14 days and haven't attended lessons, write "I am exercising my right to cancel under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 and request a full refund." This explicit language prevents Preply from claiming they were unaware you wanted a refund.

Preply cancellation pricing and refund table

Understanding Preply's pricing structure helps you calculate your expected refund accurately.

Prices vary by tutor, language, and region. The table above reflects typical GBP pricing for UK consumers as of 2026. Your actual refund depends on your specific purchase and Preply's current terms. If your refund amount differs significantly from what Preply offers, escalate your complaint to Yafee, which specialises in recovering consumer refunds across digital education platforms.

Comparing Preply with alternative tutoring platforms

Before you cancel Preply entirely, consider whether switching tutors or pausing your subscription might better serve your needs. If you're dissatisfied solely because of your current tutor, Preply allows you to switch without cancelling.

Yafee recommends comparing cancellation policies before committing to any tutoring platform. Preply's 14-day cooling-off period and flexible monthly billing make it competitive. However, if you've found a tutor who works for you, switching might be unnecessary. If you're cancelling due to cost, platforms like Busuu or iTalki may offer more affordable alternatives without the need to cancel your current subscription entirely.

If Preply refuses to refund you

If Preply denies your refund request or cancellation despite your clear entitlement under consumer law, you have formal escalation routes.

Escalating through preply's internal complaints process

First, submit a formal complaint to Preply's customer service team. Write an email to [email protected] stating: "I am submitting a formal complaint regarding the refusal to refund my cancelled subscription. I believe Preply has breached my consumer rights under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. I request a full refund within 14 days, failing which I will escalate this complaint to the relevant consumer protection authority." Include all supporting evidence: your cancellation confirmation, purchase receipt, and any correspondence with Preply. Preply must respond to formal complaints within 30 days.

Contacting the citizens advice consumer service

If Preply fails to resolve your complaint within 30 days, or if their response is unsatisfactory, escalate to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service. This is the official consumer advocacy body in the United Kingdom. You can file a complaint online at citizensadvice.org.uk. Provide your Preply cancellation reference, purchase receipt, and a summary of your attempts to resolve the issue directly with Preply. The Citizens Advice Consumer Service will investigate and may pursue enforcement action against Preply if they find a breach of consumer law. Yafee recommends filing your complaint within 6 months of your cancellation to preserve your evidence trail.

Claiming a charge-back with your bank or card issuer

If Preply has charged your card after cancellation or refused to refund you post-cancellation, contact your bank or card issuer and initiate a dispute or charge-back claim. Provide your cancellation confirmation and evidence that Preply did not honour your refund request. Most banks will reverse the transaction within 7 to 10 days if you can demonstrate that you cancelled before the charge was applied or that the goods (lessons) were never delivered. This is your legal right under the Payment Services Regulations 2017.

Frequently misunderstood aspects of Preply cancellation

Certain aspects of Preply's cancellation process often confuse users, leading to unnecessary delays or missed refunds.

The difference between pausing and cancelling

Preply offers a "pause" feature that temporarily suspends your subscription without cancelling it entirely. If you pause, your account remains active, your lesson credits remain available, and your subscription will automatically resume after your pause period expires. Cancelling, by contrast, permanently ends your subscription and triggers the refund process. Never select "pause" if you intend to cancel; always choose "cancel" to ensure your refund claim is activated.

Can you get a refund after cancelling by switching tutors?

No. Once you switch tutors within the same Preply account, your purchase is treated as "in use" and your cooling-off period expires. If you're dissatisfied with a tutor within 14 days of your purchase, request a refund by cancelling entirely rather than switching. If you switch first and then decide to cancel, Preply will calculate your refund based on the lessons attended with your new tutor, which will reduce your refund amount.

What if my tutor cancels a lesson?

If your tutor cancels or fails to attend a scheduled lesson, Preply credits the lesson cost back to your account. This credit is not automatically refunded to your payment method; it remains as a lesson credit within your Preply account. If you subsequently cancel your account, you can request that Preply refund these credits as part of your overall cancellation refund. Include details of cancelled lessons in your refund request email.

Your checklist for cancelling Preply safely

Use this checklist to ensure you've covered every step and protected your refund entitlement.

Contact information and formal cancellation address

Use these contact details to cancel Preply by email or post, or to escalate complaints if necessary.

Preply customer support (email): [email protected]

Preply formal notice (postal cancellation): Preply, c/o Legal Department, 8 Dowgate Hill, London, EC4R 2SU, United Kingdom

Citizens Advice Consumer Service (escalation): Visit citizensadvice.org.uk or call 0330 540 3012 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm GMT)

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) complaints: Visit fca.org.uk or call 0800 111 6768 to report concerns about Preply's compliance with financial consumer protections

Before contacting regulators, exhaust Preply's internal complaints process. Send your initial formal complaint to [email protected] and allow 30 days for a response. Only escalate to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service or FCA if Preply refuses to resolve your complaint or if their response is inadequate. Yafee specialises in guiding consumers through this escalation pathway and has helped thousands of language learners cancel subscriptions and recover their credits successfully. If you need professional guidance, Yafee's team is available to review your case and advise on your next steps. Contact Yafee through yafee.com to discuss your specific situation and ensure your cancellation is handled correctly under UK consumer law.