FAQ

Honest answers to honest questions.

If you can't find what you're looking for, email us — we read every one.

Getting started

How long does it take to set up?

A few minutes for a solo teacher. The onboarding wizard walks you through your first lesson type and your first student — both quick.

Do I need a credit card to start?

No. Solo comes with a 14-day free trial and no card required up front. You only add payment details if you decide to keep going after the trial.

Can I import my existing students from Tutorbird, Sawyer, or a spreadsheet?

Yes. Upload a spreadsheet file (CSV — we have a template) or send us your export, and we'll bring everything over for you, free of charge. Most teachers are up and running within a couple of days.

Does it work on mobile?

Yes, it works well in any phone's browser. A dedicated mobile app is coming in the future.

Scheduling & lessons

How do repeating lessons work?

Set a weekly slot once (e.g. Tuesdays at 4:30 pm) and lessons generate automatically going forward. Need to change or cancel a specific lesson? Open it and edit it directly.

Can students see each other's lessons?

Never. Each student's portal shows only their own schedule, their own notes, and their own invoices. Parents can see all their children, but no other students.

What about group lessons?

Yes — group plans support multiple students in the same lesson slot, each with their own plan and billing.

Can I block out vacation weeks?

Yes — turn on holiday handling per plan, and lessons falling on your region's school holidays are automatically skipped.

Billing & payments

How does invoicing work?

Pre- or post-payment, billed monthly or per-lesson — your choice, including which day of the month invoices go out. Pay by card or iDEAL through Stripe or Mollie, or mark cash and bank transfer payments manually.

What's your take?

LessonPen takes nothing from your invoices — the subscription is the only thing you pay us. Choose to accept payments through Stripe or Mollie, and that provider charges their own standard fee, but only on the payments you route through them. Mark a payment as bank transfer or cash instead, and there's no fee at all.

Lesson notes

Are lesson notes private to me, or shared with students?

Lesson notes are visible to the student in their portal as soon as you save them, and they're notified automatically. There's a separate private note per student that only you ever see.

What can I attach?

Links (YouTube, articles, SoundCloud — they get rich previews), images (worksheets, photos), and files (PDFs, audio recordings).

For schools

How does multi-teacher coordination work?

Admins get a complete overview of your entire operation — all teachers, all students, all schedules in one place. Teachers see only their own students and bookings, so they stay focused on what matters to them. We customize access levels during setup to match your academy's structure.

How do you match students to teachers and manage capacity?

Teachers define their availability and student limits upfront. Admins see the full picture — open slots, enrolled students, and any gaps — so you can fill seats and balance workload across your team. When a student enrolls, LessonPen prevents overbooking and makes sure everyone's schedule is in sync.

How does centralized billing work?

Student invoices, teacher payouts, and the school admin's fee are all calculated and issued automatically each month, with VAT handled and a payslip generated for every payout.

Support

How do I get help?

Solo: email support, replies within one business day. School: dedicated success manager.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. No contracts on Solo — cancel from Settings, your access continues until the end of the billing period. School contracts are typically annual but month-to-month is available on request.

Start your studio

One quiet place for your students, your schedule, and your invoices.