Learning English has become much easier. With internet access, we have the opportunity to study English on dynamic platforms that have a lot to offer.
Among them is Verbling, which offers classes with verified teachers and an interesting system, but without a differentiating factor compared to what other schools offer.
That's why at Papora we decided to analyze what it has to offer, its advantages and disadvantages, and find out if it's worth considering as an option for learning a language as important as English.
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What is Verbling and how does it work?
Verbling is a platform created in 2011 that offers online tutoring and language teaching services. Its catalog includes teachers in more than 70 languages, including French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Portuguese, and many more, including English, of course.
Users can connect with tutors around the world and take personalized lessons in real time via video conferencing.
Verbling's main idea is to create a learning community where students can share what they are learning.
To start using the website, you just need to log in with an email address and indicate which language you want to learn. Once inside, you can see that it has an intuitive interface and that most of its teachers are native English speakers.
Its platform displays cards with information about its available teachers, with the idea that each student can search for and try out a teacher who seems to suit what they are looking for.
Verbling also has an option for English courses for companies, but it works in a very similar way to its normal system.
Key features of their method:
To find the “ideal teacher,” you can use filters that can be customized by price, availability, teacher's skills, and much more.
The card usually shows the teacher's name and photo, where they are from, whether they are a native speaker or not, if they speak another language, their education, and their hourly rate. In addition, their profile shows their schedule and comments about their work.
With Verbling, you can request a free 30-minute trial lesson to talk to the teacher and see if they are a good fit for you.
The methodology depends 100% on each teacher, the curriculum they establish in English, and the tools they use to teach. At Verbling, teachers do not have to comply with a system established and studied by the platform, but can do whatever they want.
They do not give a specific certificate that guarantees your level in the language, it is only a proof of your progress.
They also have a “community” tab, but this only works as a forum where users can talk.
Is Verbling a platform for students and teachers?
Verbling is a hybrid platform where both students and teachers can register. Students register with the intention of learning a new language, such as English.
However, in this case, Verbling allows anyone to register on its system as a teacher, as long as it can verify that they have previous experience and are suitable for its platform.
For students, it functions as a catalog where they can view available teachers and their schedules to choose the one that best suits their needs.
For teachers, it functions as a platform where they can easily offer their services.
How much does it cost to study with Verbling?
Verbling’s pricing varies significantly because rates are set by individual teachers rather than the platform itself. Lessons can cost anywhere from $5 per hour to over $75 per hour, and rates may even increase over time as teachers adjust their pricing.
This teacher-driven pricing model means costs are influenced by multiple factors, including a teacher’s location, background, whether they are a native speaker, their level of experience, and more.
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Advantages and disadvantages of learning English with Verbling
One of the most important points to consider when looking for a platform to learn a new language is the advantages and disadvantages of the service, especially if we are looking for how to learn English quickly from home.
Advantages:
Personalized classes
The fact that classes are a direct contact between the teacher and the student allows for the personalization of modules according to what you want to learn, depending on your needs, interests, and much more.
Flexible schedules
With so many professionals available, it's easy to find one that fits your schedule. The website even has a filter that allows you to enter your schedule and shows you the teachers who are available during that time frame.
Qualified teachers
Unlike other platforms such as Italki, Verbling does not allow just any tutor to sign up for its service. They ensure that their teachers are experienced and certified so that they can deliver reliable content.
Disadvantages:
Irresponsible teachers
However, many users have reported issues with teacher reliability, noting that some instructors arrive late to classes or fail to attend altogether. Others have expressed frustration that certain teachers do not encourage active participation, leading to unproductive lessons.
Problems with refunds
Because some teachers do not show up for their classes, many students have lost the payment they made when booking the classes. The platform is not responsible for teachers arriving on time, and its customer service does not refund the money that students have lost.
Finding the ideal teacher can be difficult
Although it can be useful for scheduling, having so many teachers registered makes it very difficult to find one that suits your needs and that you get along with. You will need to try out many teachers and review many profiles.
System with constant glitches
In addition, their system often has constant glitches, cuts classes short, and does not show schedules, which creates a significant problem when scheduling and interacting with their platform and teachers.
No teaching materials
Despite the classes with teachers, Verbling does not have teaching materials that students can use to study and practice what they have learned. It relies solely on classes, and sometimes the teachers are not very effective at teaching.
User reviews
Taking other users' opinions into account is essential when choosing the ideal platform for learning English, especially to understand what an option like Verbling can offer us.
“I really like this website. I have a friendly teacher and I love having lessons with her. It's easy and convenient to book, and I can study several languages at once. However, I would recommend that you create some structured lesson plans and materials for the languages offered to help teachers structure their lessons more easily and at an appropriate level. It would also help students see their progress.”
And although classes can go well with some teachers, there are other factors that significantly affect the experience. The lack of tools to aid practice, teaching materials, and platform failures completely change the student's view.
“The video call feature is slow and buggy. It seems to use much more computer processing power and internet bandwidth than any other web application or video call platform.”
Furthermore, the lack of a refund policy is a significant problem, considering that some teachers often cancel classes at the last minute or simply do not show up.
“They have a no-refund policy, so once you've paid, if the teacher is no longer available, you've lost your money. Is that legal, Verbling? Terrible.”
That said, the ability to select a teacher who best matches your learning needs is certainly an attractive feature.
“Overall, I like Verbling as a platform. I love having the opportunity to choose a personal language teacher regardless of where the teacher is located and where I am, and not being tied to a fixed, rigid schedule.”
And the fact that Verbling fines students if they cancel, but not teachers, is an injustice that directly affects the person who is paying.
“The app fines the student if they cancel the lesson less than 12 hours in advance. In this case, if the teacher canceled the lesson after it started, no penalties apply. If you don't like the teacher, you can't get a refund for the lessons you've purchased. I don't recommend this app. If you don't like the teacher, you can't get a refund for the lessons you've purchased. I don't recommend this app.”
If you want to read reviews of other courses, you can check out our article on Kale Anders reviews.
In short, is it worth studying English with Verbling?
Verbling is an interesting option if you want to try out many teachers until you find the one that best suits your needs, as it offers flexibility and has many teachers registered in its catalog.
It's a fun activity for practicing and having a casual class, but it may not be the best option for regular classes. There are many other options for English learning platforms that offer the same and much more.
The fact that Verbling does not offer the possibility of practicing with tools created by them and that the teachers do not follow a specialized and studied method are disadvantages that, when combined with their refund problems, late teachers, and technical glitches, do not make it an incredible option.
Why do we recommend learning English with Papora?
Unlike Verbling, Papora has a group of dedicated teachers who teach using the same proven method that has been effective and seeks to help students learn in a dynamic way.
In addition, they use memes, images, practical examples, interactive activities, and everything else that makes learning more fun and effective.
Papora’s teachers are native speakers and experienced professionals dedicated to providing top-quality instruction. The platform offers clear, fixed pricing—simply choose your plan, and you can start accessing your classes right away without any complications.
One standout feature that sets Papora apart from Verbling, and one that students truly value, is its self-guided course. This option allows learners to study independently and reinforce the concepts they cover in class, making their learning experience even more effective.
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Frequently asked questions about Verbling:
The time it takes to speak English well on Verbling depends on the student's initial level, daily dedication, and consistent practice. Many achieve an advanced level in 6 to 12 months, but language learning is an ongoing process. It also depends on whether the teacher is consistent as well.
Students can reach different levels of English, from intermediate to advanced, depending on their initial ability and dedication, as well as the teacher who is teaching them, the method they choose, etc. There are different factors that affect this.
