Varsity Tutors is an innovative education technology company that is revolutionizing how students and professionals learn. We focus on an individual’s needs and, through our state-of-the-art digital platforms, connect them to the best experts and personalized instruction to achieve any goal.Learn More
Is Varsity Tutors legit?
Varsity Tutors (varsitytutors.com) has a 3.9 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 201 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Education & Training and its reputation is mixed. 23% of reviews are 1 star, a relatively high share; The business has replied to 96% of negative reviews; Reviews mostly discuss User experience, Customer service. Last updated 2026-08-11.
What reviewers say
AI generated
Reviewers had a great experience with this company. Customers consistently praise the dedicated tutors for being incredibly patient, knowledgeable, and exceptionally helpful in boosting student confidence across various subjects. Many people also appreciate the flexible scheduling options and engaging lessons that make complex concepts much easier to understand and enjoy.
However, some reviewers were not happy with unexpected charges, hidden subscription fees, and confusing billing practices. A few other people also felt that customer support and technical assistance were completely unhelpful when trying to resolve scheduling or account problems. Some consumers noted difficulties in reaching responsive staff or getting clear answers regarding unused hours and refunds.
Auto-generated from all reviews of this business. For reference only.
I am extremely disappointed with this platform, its teachers, and the overall quality of service provided.
The website is unreliable and inconsistent. At times, the session join link appears as expected, while at other times it does not, creating unnecessary frustration and disruption. Scheduling classes has been equally problematic. Only one teacher is assigned at a time, and in many cases the assigned teacher is either unavailable or lacks the teaching skills needed to effectively support student learning.
Despite paying for the service, the company was unable to provide the promised four classes per month based on my availability. Sessions were repeatedly missed because teachers were unavailable or because scheduling conflicts arose due to different time zones. As a customer, I should not have to bear the consequences of the company's staffing and scheduling issues.
What is most disappointing is that, even after failing to deliver the services that were paid for, the company refused to issue a refund, citing its policy rather than taking responsibility for its inability to provide the agreed-upon instruction.
Overall, this has been a highly frustrating and unsatisfactory experience. The platform overpromises, underdelivers, and lacks the flexibility and customer support needed to resolve legitimate service failures. I would not recommend this service to others.
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-06-22
Hi Rachana - Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can, unfortunately, we are unable to locate you with the contact information you have listed. Could you please respond to your email for your contact email sent through Trustpilot with the Contact information related to the Varsity Tutors account? You can also feel free to email us directly at [email protected] with your Name, Email Address, Phone number and a screenshot of this review in order for our Client Experience Team to assist you. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
I just noticed $2,000 plus charge on my credit card from 2025! I am trying to contact them also BBB, Google Business etc to be reimbursed. I will update this page once I’ve spoken to them.
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-06-19
Hi Patty - Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can, unfortunately, we are unable to locate you with the contact information you have listed. Could you please respond to your email for your contact email sent through Trustpilot with the Contact information related to the Varsity Tutors account? You can also feel free to email us directly at [email protected] with your Name, Email Address, Phone number and a screenshot of this review in order for our Client Experience Team to assist you. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
Horrible billing experience. The marketer we spoke to never mentioned monthly subscription, sent us a link to pay for 4 tutoring session to be used within a month, we told him we are only interested to use this service for one month for our son to improve his grades for one subject before summer break. We were just charged for a monthly fee we never saw coming. They never give you fair warning before charging your card. This is a complete scam!
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-06-19
Hi Hayat - Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can, unfortunately, we are unable to locate you with the contact information you have listed. Could you please respond to your email for your contact email sent through Trustpilot with the Contact information related to the Varsity Tutors account? You can also feel free to email us directly at [email protected] with your Name, Email Address, Phone number and a screenshot of this review in order for our Client Experience Team to assist you. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
The tutoring was good, no complaints there. We signed up for the service over the phone, there was no contract to sign other than to simply pay. It was sold to us as a fixed dollar amount for a fixed number of tutoring sessions. HOWEVER, they "auto" renewed us the following month for another $845 dollars and claimed I signed a contract agreeing to this, I DID NOT SIGN ANYTHING. They never actually sent me a contract. After I canceled the service they sent me the contract which I supposedly signed, however, it only references an IP address. I looked up the IP address and it is linked to an amazon web server (Not my house). This is not a legally binding contract.
P.S. I requested a refund and it was granted so that is appreciated. However, it should not even have been a question. They should change their policy because it reflects poorly on the tutors who are actually good.
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-06-19
Hi Dan - Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can, unfortunately, we are unable to locate you with the contact information you have listed. Could you please respond to your email for your contact email sent through Trustpilot with the Contact information related to the Varsity Tutors account? You can also feel free to email us directly at [email protected] with your Name, Email Address, Phone number and a screenshot of this review in order for our Client Experience Team to assist you. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
Hidden fees and unclear billing beyond what we agreed to
I paid Varsity Tutors $399 for what was presented and understood as 4 hours of tutoring. At the time of payment, we were not clearly informed that this was a membership, recurring plan, or that continuing sessions would result in additional charges.
After the original 4 hours, sessions continued without clear disclosure that we would be charged significantly more. We were later charged an additional $800, and even after cancelling, we were told there would still be another $100 charge.
This was extremely frustrating because the pricing, membership structure, and extra fees were not clearly explained upfront. We only knowingly agreed to pay $399 for 4 hours, not ongoing charges or hidden fees.
I would strongly recommend that anyone considering Varsity Tutors ask for the full written terms, cancellation policy, membership details, and all possible fees before paying anything.
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-06-18
Hi Paras- Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can, unfortunately, we are unable to locate you with the contact information you have listed. Could you please respond to your email for your contact email sent through Trustpilot with the Contact information related to the Varsity Tutors account? You can also feel free to email us directly at [email protected] with your Name, Email Address, Phone number and a screenshot of this review in order for our Client Experience Team to assist you. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
When I originally reached out to them, I knew that tutoring would not be cheap. I tried to ask for pricing at the beginning of the call and the person was exceptionally nice and had to go through their spiel. When it came to the pricing for the 8 class package, I said it was too much, and even if it was half that I couldn't afford it. So they quoted me the 4 class package that wasn't even half of the 8. I was a bit upset, but I understood that they are trying to sell a product. I said, thank you. Please don't call me again. I cannot afford this service. They have called me multipe times. I have had to block them and even blocked, I continue to get voicemails. This is bordering harassment. I would not be reviewing poorly if it was just from my first call. But the fact that they cannot take no for an answer and continual to harass somebody who said they can't afford it and has ignored every single call since is unacceptable bullying behavior. Since my initial conversation with them on june 9th, they have called five times. That is not acceptable
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-06-18
Hi Bunny- Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can, unfortunately, we are unable to locate you with the contact information you have listed. Could you please respond to your email for your contact email sent through Trustpilot with the Contact information related to the Varsity Tutors account? You can also feel free to email us directly at [email protected] with your Name, Email Address, Phone number and a screenshot of this review in order for our Client Experience Team to assist you. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
Their customer service team was very helpful and corrected all of my billing issue.
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-06-18
Hi Allyson-It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can. A member of our Client Experience Team will be reaching out to you soon. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
I liked the tutor but the service did not help with standardized tests.
I liked the tutor. She helped my daughter with school work particularly well. But the main purpose of signing up was to improve my daughters SAT scores and when they only improved by 100 points I reached out to varsity tutors for a plan to make more of an improvement and I got no response. The tutor also did not really provide any plans to increase my confidence in the service. It was a waste of money for the SATs if you ask me. I wish I had gone with Princeton review. I would not recommend. Maybe for regular coursework help it is ok but not for standardized tests. Terrible customer service.
It’s now June 2026. A client experience specialist reached out to me to attempt to improve my experience because of this review. They have offered me more tutor time with a different tutor to help my daughter improve her SAT score. I have given them more stars now because they are trying to make things right. So let’s see how the additional tutoring goes and if things really do get better.
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-06-15
Hi JDS- It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can. A member of our Client Experience Team will be reaching out to you soon. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
This place allowed a minor to sign a contract, charge me $2600 and refuse to offer me a refund or services!! How awful of a company to try and take advantage of a person like that!!!... Your site even says pause and un pause yet you felt it was ok to just take my $2600 and do noting to earn...
Purchase Details
50 Hours of College & Grad School - Academic (Grades 6+)
Varsity Tutors Client Experience
Wed, Jun 10, 8:41 PM (17 hours ago)
to me
Hi Maya,
We hope this email finds you well. We received and reviewed your recent credit request. After careful consideration, we are unable to offer additional credit at this time.
If we may be of further assistance to you in any way, please don't hesitate to contact us using the chat or SMS features within your account.
With Kind Regards,
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-06-11
Hi Cell- Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can, unfortunately, we are unable to locate you with the contact information you have listed. Could you please respond to your email for your contact email sent through Trustpilot with the Contact information related to the Varsity Tutors account? You can also feel free to email us directly at [email protected] with your Name, Email Address, Phone number and a screenshot of this review in order for our Client Experience Team to assist you. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
My daughter used this company for 2 months. Zero improvement in her grade. Seemed like a waste of her time and our money. We told the tutor we would no longer be using varsity tutors and then got charged $1000 for the 2 subsequent months after. I requested a refund and was told no but then after being a bit argumentative they said they would refund one of the months but not the other despite us cancelling and receiving no services. Although her tutor was a very nice person, I would not recommend based on my experience.
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-06-11
Hi Amy- It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can. A member of our Client Experience Team will be reaching out to you soon. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
I do not advise anyone to use this service. Very bad business
I do not advise anyone to use this company. When you are ready to cancel their service it is very difficult. They will charge you for months after you cancel. And also when you call to cancel they will tell you to put it on pause that way they can not charge you for one month and then continue charging you and not call you. They have no checks and balance system. It’s just bad business. If you can do better I strongly advise you to go somewhere else for your educacional needs. This one is not worth it.
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-06-08
Hi Roxanne - Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can, unfortunately, we are unable to locate you with the contact information you have listed. Could you please respond to your email for your contact email sent through Trustpilot with the Contact information related to the Varsity Tutors account? You can also feel free to email us directly at [email protected] with your Name, Email Address, Phone number and a screenshot of this review in order for our Client Experience Team to assist you. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
I have been a Varsity Tutors customer for a significant period of time and have invested considerably in their Learning Membership plan. What I am sharing here is not a one-time frustration - it is a pattern of systemic failures that has cost me real money and time, with no accountability from the company.
The Core Problem: Tutor Cancellations With No Recourse
Tutors on the Varsity Tutors platform cancel sessions. This happens repeatedly and without adequate notice. When a tutor cancels, rescheduling is not always possible due to availability conflicts on the tutor’s side. The result? Sessions don’t happen. Hours sit unused. And then, at the end of the billing cycle, those hours simply expire - regardless of why they were not used.
This is fundamentally unfair. The customer pays for hours. The tutor cancels. The platform pockets the money anyway. There is no automatic protection, no rollover, no proactive compensation. The burden falls entirely on the paying customer.
Support That Sounds Helpful But Delivers Nothing
When I raised this issue, I was first met with a virtual assistant that recited policy at me. The policy, in summary: hours expire, that’s how it works, too bad. After pushing for a human agent, I connected with a live representative who acknowledged the tutor cancellations, expressed sympathy, and escalated my case. So far, reasonable. But when I asked for a ticket number to track the escalation and a specific date for resolution, the agent admitted she could not provide either. An escalation with no reference number and no timeline is not an escalation - it is a way to make a customer feel heard while doing nothing.
I had first raised this issue days before this conversation. No update, no outreach, no resolution. I had to chase it myself.
The Bigger Issue: Customers Absorb the Cost of Platform Failures
This is not just about 6 hours. Over my time with Varsity Tutors, I have lost hours multiple times due to circumstances outside my control. I let it go. Most customers do. Varsity Tutors likely counts on that. The business model, intentionally or not, benefits from customers not fighting for what they paid for.
When a customer who has been loyal for years asks for a one-time exception - one that is entirely justified by documented tutor-side cancellations - the answer should not require multiple escalations, days of waiting, and a phone call to finally reach someone with actual authority.
What Varsity Tutors Needs to Fix
One, implement automatic hour protection when a tutor cancels a session. Two, give frontline support agents the tools and authority to resolve straightforward cases. Three, provide customers with ticket numbers and committed response timelines - basic standards any service company should meet.
Until these issues are addressed, I cannot in good conscience recommend Varsity Tutors to other families. The tutors themselves may be excellent. The platform and support infrastructure around them is not.
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-06-03
Hi Mads - Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can, unfortunately, we are unable to locate you with the contact information you have listed. Could you please respond to your email for your contact email sent through Trustpilot with the Contact information related to the Varsity Tutors account? You can also feel free to email us directly at [email protected] with your Name, Email Address, Phone number and a screenshot of this review in order for our Client Experience Team to assist you. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
Can't see hours not sure how to pay if I can't see hours
If I could give them zero stars, I would. No one at this company provides meaningful technical support. I haven’t been able to view my hours, and I’ve been stuck on hold for days with no resolution. It feels like no one cares about helping customers or addressing their issues—only about taking their money. Very disappointing experience.
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-06-01
Hi Olivia - Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can, unfortunately, we are unable to locate you with the contact information you have listed. Could you please respond to your email for your contact email sent through Trustpilot with the Contact information related to the Varsity Tutors account? You can also feel free to email us directly at [email protected] with your Name, Email Address, Phone number and a screenshot of this review in order for our Client Experience Team to assist you. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
This company is awful. I went through 3 bad tutors and customer service will do nothing to help. If you’re thinking about using this platform; I really recommend you reconsider.
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-05-26
Hi Crysta - Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can. A member of our Client Experience Team will be reaching out to you soon. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
Your company has a bait and switch method, no one takes responsibility on the problems your tutors created. Then all you get is the run around and some people are not here in the U.S.A. Very bad experience all the way around. I will never recommend your service!!!
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-05-26
Hi Mario- Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can. A member of our Client Experience Team will be reaching out to you soon. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
If you are looking for a tutor, I would not advise going through Varsity Tutors. You'll be pressured to sign up for the most expensive tutoring package they can squeeze out of you (due to the pressure their sales force is under to "close" as quickly as possible) and will find it nearly impossible to cancel your contract, which they call a "30-Day Billing Cycle. "
They try to bury their negative reviews by using software that cherry picks the best ones on Google. I was blocked from posting my review on the BBB.
They couldn't possibly have many good reviews -- since they pay their independent contractor tutor "experts," who are also encouraged to lie about their credentials and use Nerdy AI to support sessions, $18 an hour.
Anyway -- I worked for VT for six months. I was lied to every step of the way regarding earnings, bonuses, their mission, etc. They encourage their sales people to lie starting on Day 1, faking education so their "credibility statement" will be trusted.
I was the real deal. I have a PhD in English, a 20+ year history of teaching at the college level, and thought we were there to help people -- not make our managers a monthly bonus or ensure they get the December "Presidents Club" tropical vacay.
The turnover and mass lay offs are outrageous, so expect not to last unless lying is your speciality.
Also, good luck thinking you're working on reliable hardware as a Sales Consultant. The Mac Air is designed for CASUAL use at best, and yet Live Learning Technologies (Varsity Tutors is just one loser company owned by money-grabbing Chuck Coen) uses some of the most energy-gobbling Communication System software on the planet. The operating system crashes constantly, but you'll be blamed for that -- unless it's a month they can't afford to pay bonuses, in which case the glitchy management tracking software will be blamed and gosh darn it, they just can't confirm how many calls you took. You also have to provide your OWN ethernet cable.
This is a revised review from my previous experience. I had expressed my frustration with the process and the company through their customer service channels. I was contacted by an agent named Roberto who promptly apologized and fixed the issue. The App gives you the impression that you’re on your way to getting a tutor assigned yet you have to call to resolve the initial tutor match. Once you have a tutor the process is smooth. We’ve had a good experience with our Algebra tutor so far. The customer service team has been attentive an eager to make amends for our initial troubles. They seem to have a wide range of subjects and tutors. Once you talk to their team (both agents and tutors) the experience improves 100% It’s convenient to have the kids tutored at home and with flexibility.
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-05-22
Hi Felipe- Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can. A member of our Client Experience Team will be reaching out to you soon. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
BE VERY CAREFUL! This company set us up with a monthly subscription of $800 a month with very little clarity. My daughter has not had a tutoring session in two months and they will not acknowledge the misunderstanding and refund the money.
Reply from Varsity Tutors2026-05-20
Hi Heidi - Thank you for your feedback. It is always our goal to exceed your expectations and your feedback suggests you did not receive our best efforts. We would like to learn more about your experience and help in any way we can, unfortunately, we are unable to locate you with the contact information you have listed. Could you please respond to your email for your contact email sent through Trustpilot with the Contact information related to the Varsity Tutors account? You can also feel free to email us directly at [email protected] with your Name, Email Address, Phone number and a screenshot of this review in order for our Client Experience Team to assist you. - The Varsity Tutors Client Experience Team
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