The short answer: before you pay, ask the academy to confirm in writing (an email, a WhatsApp message or a policy page is fine) the monthly fee and what it covers, how long each class is, the trial terms, the refund rules, how pausing and missed classes work, whether you can change teacher, and how your child is kept safe. If an academy is happy to answer all of these clearly, that is a good sign in itself.
Why "in writing" matters
Most online Quran academies are small, friendly and run over WhatsApp. That is part of their charm, but it also means a lot is agreed in a quick voice note and then forgotten. Six months later, nobody is sure whether a missed class should be made up, or whether the fee was meant to include two classes a week or three.
Getting the key points written down is not about distrust. It protects the teacher and the academy as much as it protects you, and it means everyone is working from the same page when something unexpected happens, like a family trip, Ramadan or a teacher falling ill.
The 9 things to confirm
1. Fees and what they include
Ask for the exact monthly price for your chosen number of classes per week, in your currency. Then ask what is not included: registration fees, book or material charges, certificate fees or currency conversion costs. Check how and when you pay, and whether the price can change (and with how much notice).
If you have more than one child, ask about a sibling discount. Our guide to what online Quran classes cost explains typical price ranges.
2. Class length and frequency
"Three classes a week" means very different things at 20, 30 or 45 minutes. Confirm the length of each class, how many classes a month that works out to, and whether the time is fixed every week. If you are unsure how many to book, see how many Quran classes a week suit a child.
3. Trial terms
How many free classes, and do you need to give card details first? Does the trial roll straight into a paid plan if you forget to cancel? A good trial has no strings: you try, you decide, and only then do you pay.
4. Refund or money-back terms
Ask what happens if you pay for the first month and it is clearly not working. Is there a money-back period? How many days do you have, and is it a full or partial refund? Get the answer in the academy's own words.
5. Pausing for travel, illness or exams
Families travel, children get ill, exam season arrives. Ask whether you can pause, how much notice is needed, and what happens to classes you have already paid for. Do they carry over, or are they lost?
6. Missed classes
There are two kinds: the ones your child misses and the ones the teacher misses. Ask how much notice you must give to reschedule, what counts as a missed class, and what happens when the teacher cannot make it. We explain this in more detail in what happens if a Quran class is missed.
7. Changing teacher
Sometimes a child and teacher simply do not click. Ask whether you can change, whether there is a fee, and how quickly it can happen. Also ask whether you can choose a male or female teacher, and whether the price is the same.
8. Safeguarding
This is the one parents most often forget to ask about in detail. Confirm how teachers are checked before hiring, whether parents can watch classes, whether teachers may contact your child privately (they should not), and who checks lessons. Our guide on whether online Quran classes are safe for children lists the safeguards to look for.
9. Progress and communication
Ask how you will hear about progress, how often, and who to contact if you have a concern. A named WhatsApp number and a typical reply time are worth more than a vague "contact us any time".
A printable checklist
Copy this list into a message to the academy, or print it and tick it off during the admissions call.
- ☐ Monthly fee for my chosen plan, in my currency
- ☐ Any extra charges (registration, books, certificates)
- ☐ Payment methods and payment date
- ☐ Length of each class and number of classes per month
- ☐ Number of free trial classes, and whether a card is needed
- ☐ Money-back or refund terms for the first paid month
- ☐ How to pause, and what happens to unused classes
- ☐ Rules for missed classes, by my child and by the teacher
- ☐ Whether I can change teacher, and if it costs anything
- ☐ Male or female teacher, and whether the fee is the same
- ☐ How teachers are checked before they are hired
- ☐ Whether I can watch any class without notice
- ☐ Who checks lessons, and how I hear about progress
- ☐ A contact number and usual reply time
How we answer these at Online Quran Lessons
So you can see what clear answers look like, here are ours. The full details are on our class rules and family policy page and our refund policy.
| Question | Our answer |
|---|---|
| Fees | Plans from $30 a month (one class a week); no registration fee; all materials included |
| Class length | 30 minutes (Hifz classes 45 minutes, same monthly plans) |
| Trial | 3 free trial classes, no card needed |
| Money-back | 7-day money-back guarantee on your first paid month |
| Pausing | Classes can be paused for travel; unused balance carries to the next month |
| Missed classes | Set out on our class policy page |
| Teacher | Male or female, same fee; change teacher free, at any time |
| Safeguarding | Every teacher's ID and certificates checked plus a demo class before hiring; a female supervisor checks every class; parents can join any class at any time |
| Payment | Card, PayPal, Wise or bank transfer |
| Discounts | 10% family discount from the second child; 10% for low-income families |
| Contact | WhatsApp, usually answered within an hour |
Red flags
- The academy will not tell you the price until after the trial.
- You must give card details for a "free" trial.
- Nobody can tell you who checks the teachers.
- Parents are discouraged from watching classes.
- A teacher suggests paying them directly, outside the academy.
Next step
Take this checklist into your trial. If you would like to try us, book 3 free trial classes, ask us anything on the list, and we will answer in writing on WhatsApp.
