How trial lessons work
Updated September 7, 2026 · 14 min read
A trial lesson is a short video meeting between a student and tutor. Choose who will attend, read the terms in Hola25, then pay on the secure Stripe page.
At a glance
Who this is for
Adult student or parent booking a Trial lesson
Estimated time
6–10 minutes to book
Outcome
Follow the lesson from booking to completion, cancellation, or a review
Before you start
- You have a complete account and a verified email address.
- When booking for a child, the child account is linked to your parent account.
- You have a card accepted for online payment and have read the cancellation and recording information.
Steps to follow
Review the Trial lesson offer
Open the tutor page and review subject, offered durations, description, student reviews, calendar and displayed price before payment. Compare public information and ask for clarification when needed. Below the tutor's presentation, a section lists up to three other tutors, same subject first; each card opens that tutor's own page.
The "How to book a lesson" section on the subject page shows the exact steps for that tutor's offer: durations, confirmation mode, joining the room and what follows the Trial lesson. When the tutor offers only the Trial lesson on Hola25, you agree on how to continue in the chat that stays open after the lesson; an orientative off-platform price, when shown, is not a sale through Hola25.
Each student or child can take one Trial lesson with the same tutor. The Trial lesson is not free, and the tutor does not receive the amount you pay for it.
- Open the tutor offer.
- Choose the subject and available duration.
- Read the displayed price and terms.
Expected result
You see the exact offer and continue only when subject, duration and price are suitable.
Choose the attendee and time
Choose an open time. Before payment, Hola25 checks again that the time is free and can be booked.
If you book for a child, choose the child who will attend. You pay and receive the payment documents or any refund, while the child joins the lesson.
- Choose the person who will attend.
- Choose date and time.
- Review time zone and summary before continuing.
The parent pays, the child attends
If you book for a child, you receive the payment documents and any refund, while the child joins from their own account.
Expected result
The summary shows the correct person, subject, duration and time; the attendee cannot change after payment.
Confirm the agreements and pay
Review the summary and applicable rules, then open and read the displayed documents. Select “I agree” and choose “Confirm”. Enter payment and card details on the Stripe page.
If you have a promo code, enter it directly on the Stripe payment page, not in Hola25. The price shown in Hola25 before Stripe stays the list price; the discounted amount appears on the Stripe page and is what is actually charged.
Teacher pages may show currently valid public vouchers with a discount percentage, a code to copy, eligible duration. Select “View details” to expand the expiry and redemption instructions; “Hide details” collapses them again. The voucher price is indicative until you enter the code on the Stripe payment page. You can also use a code received in an ad. Vouchers cannot be combined; Stripe checks the code terms and shows the final amount, including zero for a 100% discount.
Do not press again if returning to Hola25 takes time. If you close the payment page or let it expire, the lesson does not remain booked.
- Select “I agree” and choose “Confirm” only after reading the documents.
- Open secure payment.
- Complete Stripe details and return to Hola25.
Expected result
The lesson appears in your area with the status received after payment confirmation.
Follow acceptance, refusal or expiry
An instant-approval offer moves directly to Scheduled. With manual approval, the lesson waits for the tutor to accept or refuse.
If the tutor declines or does not answer in time, the lesson is canceled and the refund starts. It may take time; follow the status shown in the booking.
- Open Profile → My lessons.
- Check status and next action.
- Do not book the same time while the first attempt is active.
Expected result
The lesson is Scheduled or clearly shows refusal/cancellation and refund state.
Reschedule or cancel before the deadline
Your booking shows whether you can reschedule, the deadline, and how many times you can move it. Review the new time and confirm the change.
Before canceling, you see whether the action is available and the refund amount calculated from what was actually paid. If the tutor cancels after you paid, Hola25 starts a full refund.
- Open lesson details.
- Choose Reschedule or Cancel only when available.
- For cancellation, check the refund amount before confirming. For rescheduling, choose an open time; if it is no longer available, choose another one.
- Check status and history afterward.
Expected result
The lesson shows the new time or cancellation; only cancellation shows what happens to the amount you paid.
Join the video room and check recording
Use the lesson join action when available. If you booked for a child, the child joins from their own account; the parent does not join automatically.
Pre-join disclosure does not prove recording started. Check the live indicator in the room. If the header says recording did not start or stopped unexpectedly, continue the lesson and report the problem through Help.
- Check microphone, camera and connection.
- Join from the lesson page.
- Confirm participants and recording state.
Expected result
The person you booked for joins the correct room and sees whether recording has started.
Check completion, no-show, review and support
After the end, the lesson may become Completed or enter No-show review. Do not confirm a state you do not recognize; use the support or dispute action on the lesson.
Once the lesson is Completed, the adult student who attended can leave a review. If the review option is shown for the child's booking, the authorised parent can leave it for the teacher-child relationship; the child does not publish it.
After completion, if you have not already reviewed this tutor and lesson emails are enabled, you may receive an email invitation. Select “Leave a review”, sign in to the appropriate account, choose your stars and confirm publication. A comment is required for 1–3 stars and optional for 4–5. The review is public under the author’s name. Lesson email preferences are separate from marketing preferences.
Follow the displayed guidance for recording playback, access expiry, or deletion.
After processing finishes, open Lesson resources for the transcript and summary. The transcript may contain mistakes and should be checked in context.
- Open the lesson after its end time.
- Check status, attendance, recording, and lesson resources.
- Use the Review action when it is available for your role.
- Open support or the dispute action when needed.
Expected result
The lesson clearly shows whether it ended or is under review and offers the available actions for a review, dispute, support, and recording.
If something does not work
The time disappeared before payment.
Hola25 checks the calendar again before payment. Reload the offer and choose another time.
I paid, but the lesson is waiting for the tutor.
The tutor must reply before the lesson is scheduled. Follow the status; a decline or no reply starts cancellation and the refund.
I cannot see reschedule or cancel.
Actions depend on the lesson status and the rules shown for your booking. Open the details to see the deadline, number of changes, and what happens to the amount you paid if you cancel.
Recording does not show Active.
Check the indicator in the room. If it says recording did not start or stopped unexpectedly, continue the lesson and report the problem through Help.
I left the call or my connection dropped.
The lesson has not ended. Press "Rejoin the call" on the screen that appears. If you closed the page, enter again from the lesson page. "The lesson has ended" appears when the room has closed, not when only you left.
Frequently asked questions
How do I book a trial lesson?
Choose a tutor, duration, attendee, and open time. Read the displayed terms, continue to the secure payment page, then return to Hola25 and follow the booking status.
Where do I enter payment details?
On the secure Stripe page, after reviewing the booking in Hola25. Enter the requested details and card there.
Is the trial lesson free?
No. The platform sets the price for the selected duration, and it may be lower when the student or tutor has Premium; the exact amount appears before you send the request.
How long until the tutor confirms my request?
The tutor needs to reply only when the booking requires manual approval. They have until the displayed deadline; if they do not reply in time, the booking is cancelled and a full refund starts. With instant confirmation, the lesson is scheduled directly.
What if the tutor declines my Trial Lesson request?
Choose another available slot with the same tutor or find a different tutor for the subject; the decline initiates a full refund to the payment method you used, and its status remains visible in the booking.
Can I book another trial lesson with the same tutor?
You can take one trial lesson with the same tutor. If you book for children, each eligible child can have a separate trial lesson with that tutor.
What happens after the trial lesson?
After the scheduled end, an adult student can confirm that the lesson happened. Once completed, the adult student who attended can leave a review. If a parent booked for a child, the parent manages confirmation and can leave the review for the teacher-child relationship only when the option is shown; the child does not publish it. Chat and the actions available in lesson history remain available for continuing or getting support.
What does canceled by the Hola25 team mean?
The Hola25 team closed the booking. If you paid, follow the refund in My lessons → Payments. When the refund shows as started, your bank may still need time to display the money in your account.
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Still need help?
Send a request and follow its status.