Connecting language learners and teachers from around the world is a great idea. The company is shady though and has questionable business practices. I had a teacher not show up for a lesson but I was still charged. Also, if you have unused credits, they keep the money after a period of inactivity. I don't think that's legal. It's like buying a gift card, those never expire, why should my iTalki credits expire? You have to purchase them in blocks of $10, $20, etc. but the lessons cost off amounts so they always make a little more. All very shady.
I am sorry to hear that you've had a bad experience with one teacher. If the teacher didn't show up, you have the option to reschedule with the teacher or get a refund. In case an agreement can't be made, you can count on us to handle the dispute. All the lesson prices are set by individual teachers on their own and italki doesn't set any price. The italki credit do expire if you haven't login to your account in the past 12 months however you can contact us to reactivate it.
If you would like to discuss this further, feel free to contact us at servicemanager@italki.com
Best Regards,
Samuel