How to Cancel Course Hero in 2026 (Tutor Subscription + Unlock Refund)
Updated 2026-02-22 · 6 min read
💸 $39.99/Month for Uploaded Homework Answers
Course Hero charges $39.99/month for access to student-uploaded study documents — many of which are incomplete, incorrect, or outdated. Their "30 unlocks per month" system creates artificial scarcity for content that users uploaded for free. ChatGPT answers questions better, instantly, and for free.
How to Cancel Course Hero
Cancel Premier Subscription
Log into coursehero.com
Click your profile icon → Settings
Click "Subscription" tab
Click "Cancel Subscription"
Navigate through retention screens (they'll offer discounts and pauses)
Confirm final cancellation
If Subscribed Through Apple/Google
iPhone: Settings → Your Name → Subscriptions → Course Hero → Cancel. Android: Google Play → Payments & Subscriptions → Course Hero → Cancel. The Course Hero website can't cancel app store subscriptions.
Contact Support (Backup Method)
Email support@coursehero.com with your account email requesting immediate cancellation. Or use the help chat at coursehero.com/help. Support can also process refunds that the self-service portal can't.
⚠️ Annual Plan Gotcha
Course Hero offers an annual plan at $9.95/month — but it bills as a single $119.40 charge upfront. Canceling mid-year does NOT get you a pro-rata refund. If you signed up for annual, you've already paid for the full year. Set a calendar reminder 30 days before renewal to cancel.
The Course Hero Business Model (And Why It's Dying)
Course Hero's model is simple: students upload their notes, homework, and study guides for free "unlock credits." Course Hero then charges OTHER students $39.99/month to access that content. The people who created the content get nothing — Course Hero profits from both sides.
This model had three fatal problems even before AI:
Quality control: Anyone can upload anything. Wrong answers, outdated material, and incomplete solutions are common.
Academic integrity: Multiple universities have flagged Course Hero for facilitating cheating. Having it on your browser history during an academic integrity investigation is not great.
AI made it obsolete: ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity answer homework questions better, explain concepts more clearly, and generate custom study materials — all for free or $20/month max.
Free Alternatives That Replace Course Hero
ChatGPT / Claude / Perplexity: Ask any question, get explanations with step-by-step work. Better than Course Hero's static document database.
Khan Academy: Free video lessons for math, science, economics, and more. Nonprofit, no subscription.
MIT OpenCourseWare: Free course materials from MIT — lectures, exams with solutions, problem sets.
YouTube: Professor Leonard (math), Organic Chemistry Tutor (science), CrashCourse (everything). Free, high-quality, and searchable.
Your university library: Most schools provide access to textbook solutions manuals, past exams, and tutoring services — included in your tuition.
Study groups: Discord servers for your specific classes. Free, real-time help from classmates.
Getting a Refund
Within 72 hours of signup: Full refund via support
Didn't use unlocks: Contact support — they sometimes refund if you haven't used any document unlocks that billing period
Auto-renewal: Dispute with your bank. Course Hero's renewal notices are easy to miss.
Annual plan mid-year: Very unlikely to get a refund, but worth asking support — especially if you cite a financial hardship
Delete Your Account + Uploaded Content
Cancel your subscription first
Remove any documents you uploaded (Profile → My Uploads → Delete each one)
Email support@coursehero.com requesting account deletion and removal of all uploaded content
Request confirmation that your content has been removed from their platform
🔍 How Much Are You Spending on "Study Help"?
Course Hero, Chegg, Quizlet+, Bartleby, Mathway Premium — "study aid" subscriptions can total $80-120/month. JustCancel scans your bank statement to find every recurring charge, including the ones that snuck in during midterm panic.