Payment related

Can I get a free trial?

Yes, EF Hello offers a one-time, 7-day free trial for new users (not applicable to any CNY purchases). This free trial is available only once per person, regardless of how many accounts they create. When you use the app for the first time, you will see the option to start your 7-day free trial. Once the free trial period ends, your subscription will automatically begin, and payments will be processed and renewed until you choose to cancel. By activating the free trial, you agree to the aforementioned payment terms.

Please note that if you have previously used the free trial on any account, you will not be eligible for another free trial period. In such cases, you will not see the free trial option within the app, and your paid subscription will begin immediately upon upgrading, even with a new account.

If you have any further questions about our free trial policy or need assistance with your account, please don't hesitate to contact our customer support team. Simply shake your phone or tablet, and tap ‘Contact Us’, or write to us at [email protected].

What's the difference between free access and a paid subscription?

Free users are gifted one free course and are able to complete one section of that course a day.

Pro members enjoy:

Unlimited access to all courses
Intelligent technology that creates personalized exercises to target specific pronunciation, vocabulary, and listening weaknesses
Personalized study tools including auto-generated notes and answer history for each lesson, analysis of your speaking exercises, and much more 😁

What are the pricing options for paid features?

This is a subscription-based service that is offered as a three-monthly, yearly or lifetime plan. The longer the chosen payment plan, the higher your monthly saving. 💸

Lifetime plan membership can only be purchased on the EF Hello website.

How do I pay for subscriptions?

Apple App Store

You can make purchases through your Apple ID in the Apple App Store. If you have not made a purchase on the Apple App Store before, please follow the below instructions:

Click here to view how to add, remove, or edit Apple ID payment methods.

Click here to view the accepted payment methods you can use with your Apple ID.

Google Play

You can make purchases through your Google Play account on the Google Play Store. If you have not made a purchase on the Google Play Store before, please follow the below instructions:

Click here to view how to add, remove, or edit your payment methods.

Click here to view the accepted payment methods on the Google Play Store.

EF Hello Website

You can also purchase a subscription on the EF Hello website. To do so, please follow the below instructions:

1a. If you already have an EF Hello account - click here] to log in to your existing account on the website. Be sure to log in using the same credentials as your existing account

1b. If you don’t already have an account - click here] to create an account on the website (it is important to use the same email address that you will use to log in on the app)

2. Choose your subscription

3. Purchase your chosen subscription (this will require a credit or debit card)

4. Your account will be upgraded to EF Hello Pro

I can't complete a purchase

In-app Purchase

If you are experiencing trouble completing your purchase, please check to make sure that you don’t have an active restriction on buying in-app purchase products. You can find out more information regarding in-app purchases here:

iOS

Android

EF Hello Website

You can also make purchases through the EF Hello website. If you have not made a purchase on the website before, please follow the below instructions:

1a. If you already have an EF Hello account - click here] to log in to your existing account on the website. You need to log into the same account on the website and the app, or you can’t access premium features.

1b. If you don’t already have an EF Hello account - click here] to create an account on the website (it is important to use the same email address that you will use to log in on the app)

2. Choose your subscription

3. Purchase your chosen subscription (this will require a credit or debit card)

If you are having difficulty making a purchase on the EF Hello website, you can contact us on the website or app. On our website, please use our live chat which can be accessed by clicking on the blue message icon in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. If you prefer to contact us through the app, please shake your phone or tablet and then send us a message through 'Contact Us’.

I purchased but can't use paid features

If you made an in-app purchase:

Go to your Apple ID/Google Play Account and open your Order / Subscription. Check that EF Hello appears as a subscription here.

If EF Hello is listed here and you can’t access paid features, please do as follows:

1. Quit the app then re-open it

2. Navigate to the Settings ⚙️ screen in the EF Hello app (found in the top right corner of the 'Me' tab), select 'Upgrade' and then click the 'Restore Purchase' button at the bottom of the page

If you're still having difficulties, please contact us by shaking your phone or tablet and selecting 'Contact Us'.

If EF Hello is not listed under your Subscriptions, please try the below steps:

1. Double check with your bank that the payment was successful

2. Ensure you have the most recent version of the EF Hello app from the app store and that it does not need updating

3. Quit the app then re-open it

4. Navigate to the Settings ⚙️ screen in the EF Hello app (found in the top right corner of the 'Me' tab), select 'Upgrade' and then click the 'Restore Purchase' button at the bottom of the page

For a smoother experience, kindly note that EF Hello doesn't handle payments directly — they're processed by Apple or Google. If your bank confirms the payment but it's not reflected in your EF Hello subscription list, please reach out to Apple Store or Google Play for assistance using the following steps:

iOS

Google

If you purchased a subscription on EF Hello website:

If there's a delay between your purchase and getting full access to EF Hello you need to check your email address. The most common issue is trying to log on to the app with a different email to that which was used to pay for your subscription. This is likely to be the case if you're being asked to pay again.

In other words, you need to log in to the EF Hello app with the same details (Apple ID, Google Play or email) that you used to log in to the EF Hello website.

If you still need help, please shake your phone or tablet, and then send messages through 'Contact Us' and our customer service team will help you.

How do I change or cancel my subscription?

INSTRUCTIONS:

According to Apple’s and Google Play's official regulations, at the end of the 7-day free trial, the subscription is automatically charged. If you purchased a subscription on a third-party platform (Apple App Store / Google Play), EF Hello does not have the right to cancel your subscription directly.

Apple App Store

1. Open Settings; tap your Apple ID. 2. Head to Subscriptions. 3. Select EF Hello. 4. Tap Cancel Subscription (or Cancel Free Trial). 5. Confirm cancellation. Once the cancellation is successful, you will receive a confirmation email from Apple. Make sure to submit a cancellation request at least 24 hours before the renewal date.

Google Play Store

1. Open Google Play Store; tap the profile icon. 2. Go to Payments & subscriptions > Subscriptions. 3. Find EF Hello. 4. Tap Cancel subscription and confirm. Once the cancellation is successful, you will receive a confirmation email from Google. Make sure to submit a cancellation request at least 24 hours before the renewal date.

EF Hello Website

If you purchased on our website using your credit card, you can cancel the subscription in the EF Hello app by following the below instructions:

1. Open EF Hello app; go to 'Me' tab and tap settings (top right). 2. Tap Manage Subscription. 3. Choose Cancel subscription and follow the prompts.

If you want to change your payment plan, you need to cancel your subscription as described above, and then buy a new payment plan.

If you still need help, please shake your phone or iPad, and then send messages through 'Report a bug' and our customer service team will help you.

REFUND POLICY:

Third-Party Platforms

EF Hello cannot provide refunds for subscriptions purchased through third-party platforms like Apple's App Store or Google's Google Play Store. Digital goods such as an EF Hello subscription, Netflix subscriptions, or even movies sold by these third-party platforms can only be refunded by that specific platform.

For example, if you bought a song from Apple iTunes and want a refund, you can only get it from Apple, not from the artist who created that song. Apple is the platform where the transaction took place and the one that processed the payment. Similarly, if you purchased an EF Hello subscription through Apple or Google, you must contact them directly for any refund requests.

In their Terms of Service, platforms like Apple and Google state that all digital goods purchases are final and non-refundable. Although they may occasionally grant refunds on a case-by-case basis when contacted directly, the decision is entirely up to the platform, and EF Hello has no control over the outcome.

EF Hello Website Purchases

If you purchased your subscription directly through the EF Hello website and would like to request a refund, please contact our customer support team for assistance. You can do this by shaking your phone while in the EF Hello app, then tap the "Contact Us" button in the pop-up. Alternatively, write to us at [email protected].

Lifetime Plans offered on the website are non-refundable.

Unfortunately, for subscriptions purchased through third-party platforms, you must contact their respective customer support channels for refund inquiries.

Can I apply for a refund?

Normally we don't offer refunds. If you request a refund within 24 hours of the transaction date, you may get a refund payment, however this will depend on the purchase details.

If you purchased our services on a third-party platform (Apple App Store / Google Play), EF Hello does not have the right to refund you directly.

Apple App Store

1. Go to reportaproblem.apple.com. 2. Log in with your Apple ID. 3. Locate the EF Hello transaction and select "Report a Problem." 4. Explain why you're asking for a refund and submit.

Google Play

1. Open Google Play Store. 2. Tap Menu > "Account" > "Purchase History." 3. Find EF Hello; choose "Report a problem" and the refund reason. 4. Complete the form and submit your refund request.

EF Hello Website

You may be eligible for a refund if it is requested within 24 hours from the date of purchase. Please note that this is at the discretion of EF Hello and does not guarantee a refund, unless required by regional law. Lifetime Plans are non-refundable.

If you’d like a refund, please shake your phone or tablet, and then contact the EF Hello customer service team. When inside the app, shake your phone and select ‘Contact Us’. You can also simply tap into your ‘Me’ tab in the EF Hello app, click on the ‘💬 Help’ button on the top left corner of the screen, then select ‘Contact Us’. Alternatively, write to us at [email protected].

REFUND POLICY:

Third-Party Platforms

EF Hello Website Purchases

Lifetime Plans offered on the website are non-refundable.

Unfortunately, for subscriptions purchased through third-party platforms, you must contact their respective customer support channels for refund inquiries.

Can my Hello Pro account be used on other devices?

Please remember that all EF Hello paid purchases are linked to the account you used to sign up, be it with Apple, Google, phone number, or email. To access paid features on multiple devices, simply sign in with the same account.

If you're unable to access the account associated with your purchase, restoring it is easy and free. Just follow these instructions:

1. Go to the Settings ⚙️ screen in the EF Hello app (found in the top right corner of the 'Me' tab)

2. Click on 'Upgrade'

3. Click 'Restore Purchase' at the bottom of the page to access all the items you’ve purchased previously

If you paid through the EF Hello website, please shake your phone or tablet, and then contact the EF Hello customer service team via ‘Contact Us’.

How can I get a receipt?

In-app Purchase:

After making an in-app purchase, EF Hello is unable to directly provide a receipt since transactions are processed through the App Store or Google Play Store. To obtain a receipt, please reach out to Apple or Google Support.

EF Hello Website

For purchases made on the EF Hello website, a receipt from Stripe will be emailed to the address associated with your account.

If you need help, please shake your phone or iPad and send us a message though 'Report a bug' and our customer service team will help you as soon as possible.

Sign Up / Account Creation / Account Deletion / Account changing

How do I create an account?

To create an account and save your progress please follow these instructions:

1. Download and open the EF Hello app

2. Tap on the 'Start Now' button

3. Create an account with one of the different authentication options on the welcome page: Continue with Apple or Google or Email

4. If you choose 'Continue with Email', a verification code will be sent to your email. Enter that verification code to confirm your account set up

You should now be able to easily log in to your account in the future 😁

How do I delete my account?

We understand saying goodbye can be part of moving forward, so here's how to delete your EF Hello account:

Free Users:

In the EF Hello app, tap 'Me' > settings icon (top right).
Select "Manage Account."
Tap "Delete Account."

Then your account will be deleted.

Hello Pro or Trial Users: First, check your subscription status:

Here are the simplified instructions for checking your subscription status in the App Store and Google Play Store:

For the App Store (iOS Users):

Open Settings; tap your Apple ID.
Select "Subscriptions" for your EF Hello status.

For Google Play Store (Android Users):

Open the Google Play Store; tap profile icon.
Select "Payments & Subscriptions" > "Subscriptions."
Locate your EF Hello subscription.

If You're on a Free Trial

For the App Store (iOS Users):

Open your Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap on your Apple ID name at the top.
Select Subscriptions.
Choose EF Hello > "Cancel Trial." Confirm to stop the trial without charges.

For Google Play Store (Android Users):

Open the Google Play Store app.
Tap on your profile icon in the top-right corner.
Tap Payments & subscriptions.
Select Subscriptions.
Choose EF Hello > "Cancel Subscription"; confirm the cancellation to avoid charges. Remember, you should cancel at least 24 hours before the trial period ends to avoid any charges.

If You're a Hello Pro User

Since you purchased our services on a third-party platform (Apple App Store / Google Play), EF Hello does not have the right to refund you or cancel your subscription directly. You'll need to request a refund and cancel through your app store.

For the App Store (iOS Users): To Ask for a Refund:

Visit Apple’s reportaproblem.apple.com.
Sign in with your Apple ID and password.
Find the transaction for EF Hello, and tap "Report" or "Report a Problem."
Select the reason for requesting a refund, fill in the details, and submit.

To Cancel a Subscription:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap your Apple ID name at the top.
Select Subscriptions.
Tap the EF Hello subscription.
Choose Cancel Subscription (or Cancel Free Trial).
Confirm your cancellation.

For Google Play Store (Android Users): To Ask for a Refund:

Open the Google Play Store app.
Tap the Menu (three horizontal lines) and choose Account.
Go to Purchase history and find the EF Hello purchase.
Tap on "Report a problem" and select the refund option.
Give a reason for the request, and then submit.

To Cancel a Subscription:

Open the Google Play Store app.
Tap the Profile icon.
Tap Payments & subscriptions, then Subscriptions.
Select the EF Hello subscription.
Tap Cancel subscription.
Follow the prompts to confirm cancellation.

To ensure a smooth process, please note that canceling your subscription halts future payments. To secure your refund, promptly submit your request after canceling since refund eligibility often has a time limit.

After requesting a refund or canceling your subscription/free trial, kindly proceed with the following instructions to notify customer service:

1. Tap the Settings ⚙️ icon in the top right corner of the 'Me' tab

2. Click on 'Manage Account'

3. Click on 'Delete Account'

Then our customer service will receive your request to help you delete your account.

How do I change the log in email account?

Normally, an account is linked to one specific email address. If you'd like to use a different email, we recommend you to create a new account with the new email.

However, if your current account contains important study materials that you wish to retain, please shake your phone or tablet and send us a message though 'Contact Us', send both your original and new email addresses to our customer service team, we will help you as soon as possible.

Course

How can I change the Course I'm studying in the app?

If you are a free user, you cannot change your course.

If you are a Pro user, you can enroll in any course. To do this follow the below instructions:

1. Go to the 'Discover' tab (the home screen)

2. Tap on your chosen course

3. Tap the 'Enroll in Course' button

You're now enrolled in that course and can start studying it immediately. That course will also show on your 'My Courses' tab.

How can I adjust my current lesson within the Course?

We don't support switching your current lesson in the app.

To review past lessons, simply visit your Course lesson plan and press 'Review' on any lesson you'd like to revisit. Within your personalized notebooks, you'll find a summary of all your learning content. For further practice, tap 'Practice Again' to reinforce previous lessons. We're here to support your learning journey!

How can I set the language of my interface?

The interface language of the EF Hello app is determined by your phone settings. Please follow the below steps to set your language:

1. Go to the '⚙️ Setting' app of your phone.

2. Tap 'General'

3. Tap 'Language & Region'

4. Choose which languages you would like to use.

5. Quit the EF Hello app then reopen it. If we support your chosen language it will now be reflected.

How can I change text size in EF Hello app?

If you want to enlarge or decrease the text size in EF Hello, you need to change the text size settings of your phone. Please follow the below steps to change the text size:

1. Go to the '⚙️ Settings' on your phone

2. Tap on 'Display & Brightness'

3. Tap on 'Text Size'

4. You can change the size by swiping left or right

Is the EF Hello course in a British or American English accent?

We're thrilled to share that our audio and video content showcases a range of accents from British to American and beyond, enriching your journey as you navigate our course. 🗣

English serves as a vital global communication tool, and our course is thoughtfully designed to help you comprehend and interact with diverse English accents, preparing you to confidently engage with speakers from across the world. Embrace the adventure of mastering English in all its varieties with us!

How can I switch difficulty level?

The EF Hello courses are sorted into four difficulty levels: Foundation, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. All courses appear on the 'Discover' tab (the home screen).

EF Hello Pro users can choose to enroll in and then study courses of any level 🎓

Can I learn offline?

The EF Hello app must be connected to Wi-Fi to provide the full learning experience. Please make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi.

How are the difficulty levels of courses divided?

Course levels in EF Hello relate to CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) levels, which is the standard structure for ranking language ability. Here is a guideline for how the EF Hello difficulty levels are matched to the CEFR levels:

Foundation = A1 CEFR

Beginner = A2 CEFR

Intermediate = B1 - B2 CEFR

Advanced = C1 - C2 CEFR

For more information about CEFR levels, please refer to https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/cefr/

How can I study more languages in the app?

EF Hello offers language courses in French, German, Italian, and Spanish—all taught in English. Typically, these courses are accessible to native English speakers.

To learn French, German, Italian, or Spanish with English instruction, please follow these simple steps:

Switch EF Hello to English:

Open your device settings.
Find and select EF Hello.
Choose 'Language' and set it to English.
Restart the EF Hello app.
A flag should appear in your Discover tab.

Add an Additional Study Language NOTE: This is only available for Hello Pro users

In Discover, tap the flag icon.
Press "+ Add.”
Choose the desired language.
Answer some questions for a suitable starter course.
The new language is now added.

Switch Between Study Languages:

Go to Discover and tap the flag icon.
Pick the language to study.
The app will update to the selected language.

Speaking Section

What should I do if the voice recording button doesn’t work?

Please check that your device microphone is turned on. To do this, go to your device Settings > Privacy > Microphone > and confirm that EF Hello has been granted microphone access.

Tips for better voice recording:

1. Hold your device near you when speaking

2. Record in a quiet environment to avoid background noise

3. Press and hold the 'Hold to Record' button for 2 seconds before and after speaking

If you’ve followed the above tips and you’re still having difficulty recording, please contact us for further help. You can shake your phone or iPad, and then send messages through ‘Report a bug’.

My first recorded word is always marked as incorrect in Speaking sections. What should I do?

A tip is to hold down the 'Hold to Record' button for 2 seconds before you start speaking and don’t release the button until 2 seconds after you’ve finished speaking. This will allow our technology a chance to capture all of your speech.

If you are still having difficulty recording, please shake your phone or iPad, and send us a message through ‘Report a bug’ so our customer service team can help you.

How can I skip Speaking exercises?

If you want to skip a speaking exercise, you can click the gray arrow button ⏩ (the skip button) located to the right of the 'Hold to Record' button. You can skip each speaking exercise one by one if you don't want to do any of the speaking exercises in that section.

Points

What is the purpose of points?

Awesome that you’re earning loads of points! 🤩 We hope they encourage you to develop a great learning habit and that they add to the fun. We are always open to feedback, suggestions, and ideas so do please let us know if you have ideas for how you would like to use your points in the future. Please shake your phone or iPad, and then send us a message through ‘Suggest an improvement’ to report your feedback.

Device

Can I use EF Hello on my desktop / smartphone / iPad?

There is currently no PC version of EF Hello.

We suggest that you use EF Hello app on your smartphone or iPad since these are the devices we have optimized for and they will give you the best learning experience. 🎓

If you’re struggling to get EF Hello on your smartphone or iPad, ensure that your operating system is up to date.

Contact

I need help. How can I contact you?

Please go to the 'Me' tab, tap the ⚙️, then select 'FAQs'.

If you can’t find the answer to your query in the FAQs, just shake your phone or tablet and select ‘Contact Us’ to get in touch with the EF Hello customer service team. Alternatively, you can write to us at [email protected].

Please ensure that you attach a related screenshot or screen recording with your message. We will always try to respond to your query as soon as we can 🤓.