Within the world of English learning academies and platforms, there's What's Up S.L., which promises an innovative method like no other course.
They even call themselves "The English Island," with their main focus on teaching the language primarily through oral expression, in addition to their aforementioned "Social Club" feature.
But does it really work as an English academy? What are its users' opinions? That's exactly what we'll help you discover in this article, with the help of Papora.
What is the What's Up! academy and how does it work?
What's Up! is an English academy that offers classes under its own unique method, called "100% Living English." This method aims to teach the language by focusing on conversational development, giving students the opportunity to speak from the very beginning.
- They offer their clients the option to start the course at any time of the year, flexible scheduling, and an English coach.
- On their platform, they offer in-person, blended, online, and corporate classes.
Learn English with the best alternative to What's Up!
With Papora, you can learn English with content created by native-speaking teachers from day one, without leaving home.
Try a class for free
On the other hand, What's up offers English schools and courses in Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia; they even have English locations in Terrassa, Sabadell, and Girona. In total, they have 17 locations throughout Spain, although the vast majority are centralized so you can study English from Barcelona.
How much does it cost to learn English at What's Up!?
❌ This academy doesn't provide specific course pricing information on its website. To obtain it, you'll need to go through the entire process of contacting the company's team.
💵 However, some users have stated that the price is around €145 per month and that you must attend a minimum of 4 hours of classes per week. However, What's Up! suggests you can take as many classes per month as you prefer.
Advantages of learning English with What's Up!
- Their method focuses on speaking, an important element in learning new languages.
- The variety of locations, and theoretically, schedules, they have available for instruction.
- The opportunity to prepare for international exams.
- The provision of native teachers who accompany and monitor students in the classroom.
Disadvantages of learning English at What's Up!
On the other hand, its disadvantages are striking and come from the real and sincere opinions of people who have already studied at the center.
- It's too expensive: Unlike the competition, both online and in-person, the services offered don't always meet the standards expected for the price.
- It's difficult to book appointments: Therefore, in most cases, students can't take classes with the flexibility promised, instead taking whatever hours are left.
- The class environment isn't the best: Mainly because the classrooms or virtual classrooms, for learning English from home, are crowded, with very large groups, which prevents proper interaction.
- It's difficult to cancel the service: Many users state that, when they realize it wasn't what was promised and decide to cancel, the process is problematic, resulting in a loss of money.
- Problems with the contract: The terms are unclear, which creates problems with payment methods, contract cancellation, and other administrative tasks. Furthermore, in many cases, they try to persuade customers to pay for the year, even if they don't want to.
User Reviews
Now let’s move on to the most crucial part of What’s Up! — the student reviews, which offer genuine insight into their learning experiences at this school.
“They ask for the money upfront, and if the course doesn't work out for you because the schedule doesn't work or you've moved, etc., they don't care. Oh, and some of the high-star reviews are the school's own teachers.”
Problems accessing classes are very common, preventing true flexibility and taking away valuable time from students.
“I liked the course at first, but starting at level 7, I found it very difficult to access the virtual classroom because so many people were connecting, and I couldn't fit in the free classes due to my schedule. The teachers are native speakers. I would prefer smaller groups.”
Additionally, customer service is unclear regarding registration and payment processes.
“I attended the WhatsApp academy in Madrid, and initially, they forced me to pay for a full year without being able to test the class dynamics. Due to work issues, I had to "freeze the classes," and when I tried to resume, they told me my registration had expired and that I'd have to pay an additional €1,100 to resume. It seems like a huge scam to me. I don't recommend it at all. I'll most likely end up reporting them to the consumer protection agency.”
One of the main problems is their misleading promises, which confuse students.
“I'm personally happy with the academy and have been there for seven months now, but the truth is that there are only six students in the face-to-face classes; in the rest of the classes, there are many more. I never thought it was right that they use misleading advertising. Apart from that, as I mentioned, I'm happy with the service.”
Is it worth learning English at What's Up!?
This academy offers a dynamic and flexible way to learn English, offering different levels of the language, from A1 Beginner to C1 Advanced.
However, given the price and user complaints, we conclude that it doesn't work as well as other competing English academies, which offer even better options for the same price and offer real flexibility.
What's the best alternative for learning English?
If you're looking for a platform that offers flexibility, easy access, and quality classes created by native teachers, what you need is the Papora online English course.
✅ Unlimited live classes with native-level teachers to become an expert in the language.
✅ A self-guided course of over 500 lessons, making learning English an easy, even recreational activity 24/7.
✅ Its training method allows you to learn from real-life situations, with practicality, dynamism, and completely at your own pace, speaking from day one.
✅ Certification for each level from A1 to C1. Improving your resume and learning English from scratch.
Learn effective English, without technical glitches or false promises.
At Papora, you get unlimited live classes and a self-guided course with 500+ lessons up to C1.
Study without deception
Frequently asked questions about learning English at What's Up!
This English language school is guided by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, ranging from beginner to advanced levels, categorized by letters from A to C. "What's Up!" offers teaching at each level in Speaking, Listening, Conversation, and Writing.
Although this depends on your needs and expectations from each school, Papora is an excellent option if you're looking for flexibility and efficient, comprehensive information, combined with dynamic, fun classes that will help you interact with the language in your daily life.
