Payments & Cancellation Policy

Matchspace Music is the all-in-one platform that lets music teachers run and grow their teaching business and gives students a simple, secure way to book and pay for lessons. This Payments & Cancellation Policy explains how payments, payouts, billing, cancellations and refunds work for lessons, Lesson Plans and Lesson Packages. It forms part of, and should be read with, our Terms of Service (which it supplements), the Teaching Terms and the Privacy & Cookie Policy; capitalised terms have the meaning given in the Terms of Service.

Payments and payouts are processed by our payment service provider (currently Stripe). The Teacher contracts directly with the Student and owns the commercial relationship, including the lesson service, pricing, fulfilment, cancellations and refunds, subject to mandatory law. Before a Student purchases, we inform the Student whether the relevant Teacher is acting as a trader or as a private individual and, where the Teacher is not a trader, that EU and national consumer-protection rules do not apply to the lesson contract. Matchspace provides the software, commerce, studio and payment infrastructure that makes this possible and, for Marketplace-sourced Students, the trust and safeguards described in the “Disputes and Platform Safeguards” section.

Matchspace AG, Technoparkstrasse 1, CH-8005 Zürich, Switzerland, has no establishment in the European Union. It has designated Prighter EU Rep GmbH, Schellinggasse 3/10, 1010 Vienna, Austria, as its representative in the Union under Article 27 GDPR and as its legal representative under Article 13 of the Digital Services Act. Our single point of contact for users and authorities under Articles 11 and 12 of the Digital Services Act is legal@matchspace.com (languages: German and English). Further details are set out in the Impressum.

1. Definitions

“Standard Terms” means the refund, cancellation and related commercial terms provided by Matchspace as a uniform standard framework, which every Teacher adopts and makes available to the Student before purchase. Teachers do not draft or publish their own terms. A Teacher may exercise reasonable goodwill in the Student’s favour on a case-by-case basis but may not apply or publish terms that are less protective than the Standard Terms or that fall below mandatory consumer-protection law.

“Marketplace-sourced Student” means a student whose first relevant introduction to, or inquiry for, the Teacher was generated through a Matchspace-operated discovery, search, recommendation, lead-routing or marketplace feature.

“Teacher-sourced Student” means a student whom the Teacher acquired independently of those Matchspace marketplace features, even if the Teacher later uses Matchspace infrastructure to administer the relationship.

“Platform Safeguards” means the policies and procedures that Matchspace expressly identifies as applying to transactions with Marketplace-sourced Students, including escalation, evidence review and any remedy Matchspace may validly require under the “Disputes and Platform Safeguards” section.

2. Immediate performance and statutory cancellation rights

Students who are consumers have a statutory right of withdrawal of 14 days from conclusion of the contract for lessons, Lesson Plans and Lesson Packages purchased at a distance. Where the Student expressly requests that performance begin during the withdrawal period, the checkout flow records that express request and the Student’s acknowledgement that the right of withdrawal is lost once the service has been supplied in full, and the contract confirmation on a durable medium repeats both. The Student gives this request and acknowledgement by actively ticking a box that is not pre-ticked. The service is supplied in full once all lessons covered by the contract have taken place. If the Student withdraws after performance has begun, the Student owes only the proportionate amount for the lessons already supplied. Where no right of withdrawal exists or it may lapse early, the Student is told so before purchase. Standard Terms and trial rights apply in addition to, and do not limit, mandatory consumer rights.

3. SaaS subscriptions

Subscription fees for Stage, Marketplace, Studio and Practice are payable to Matchspace. Unless mandatory law or the applicable subscription terms require otherwise, fees already paid for a current billing period are not refunded. The Teacher may cancel in-app, with cancellation taking effect at the end of the current billing period. Nothing here excludes a remedy for non-performance, incorrect charging or another claim that cannot lawfully be excluded.

We will notify the Teacher of any change to the subscription terms or to subscription prices on a durable medium at least 15 days before the change takes effect, and the Teacher may terminate the subscription before it takes effect. Price changes apply from the next billing period and never for a period already paid for. Subscriptions renew automatically and the Teacher may cancel at any time in-app (“click to cancel”). We will send a reminder before renewal and provide an easy in-app cancellation route where the applicable law of the Teacher’s country requires this.

4. Lesson Plans

A Lesson Plan is governed by Matchspace’s Standard Terms, which are made available to the Student before purchase and explain the billing cycle, included lessons, scheduling, cancellation, refunds, carry-over and expiry. A trial lesson may be purchased separately and the Teacher may define whether a trial lesson is free of charge or paid; if the Student proceeds, payment for the first Lesson Plan cycle is taken immediately and later cycles renew automatically at the disclosed interval. The exact checkout flow and timing shown to the Student prevail. No Plan may be described as categorically “non-refundable” where mandatory law, non-performance, duplicate or incorrect charging, or a Platform Safeguard requires a refund or other remedy.

1. Plan options and discounts

Plans run on 4-week (28-day) cycles from the date of purchase, not calendar months. Options: weekly (4 lessons every 4 weeks, with a 5% discount) or every other week (2 lessons every 4 weeks). Lesson Plans require a saved card or other recurring-payment method on file. One-off methods that cannot support automatic renewal are not available for Plans. The payment methods available depend on the Student’s country (see “Payments and chargebacks”). Matchspace may change the available discounts, plan options and pricing structure where there is an objective reason, in particular changed costs, payment-provider charges or levies. Any such change applies to new purchases and, after notice given at least 30 days before it takes effect together with a right to cancel before that date, to renewals from its effective date. It does not affect a billing cycle already paid for.

2. Single-lesson cancellation

Teacher cancels (any time): the lesson is credited back to the Student. Student cancels 24 hours or more before the lesson: free of charge. Student cancels less than 24 hours before the lesson, or does not attend: the Teacher may charge the agreed lesson fee as a lump sum for the time reserved, less expenses saved. The Student may show that no loss or a lower loss was incurred, in which case the amount is reduced accordingly. A make-up lesson is at the Teacher’s discretion.

3. Lesson carry-over

Where a lesson is credited back (Teacher cancels, or Student cancels 24 hours or more in advance), carry-over rules apply. Carry-over limits: a maximum of 6 lessons (weekly plan) or 4 lessons (every-other-week plan). A lesson counts as carry-over when granted in a previous billing cycle and not yet taken, including scheduled or unscheduled lessons available in the plan. Lessons already taught and logged do not count as carry-over and must be completed for payout. Reaching a carry-over limit triggers an automatic pause under “Automatic pauses” and does not by itself cause paid lessons to lapse. Carried-over lessons expire 6 months after the end of the billing cycle in which they were granted. Lessons that could not be taken by then for reasons attributable to the Teacher or to Matchspace do not expire, and the Student may request rescheduling or repayment of the amount paid for them.

4. Pausing a plan

The Student may pause the plan at any time in the app. A pause skips the next billing cycle and the plan resumes automatically afterwards. After resuming, the Student must wait at least one full cycle before pausing again; ending a pause early updates the billing date accordingly. No charges are made during a pause; available lessons may still be scheduled and taught; both parties are notified when a pause begins and ends.

5. Automatic pauses

To provide a fair service, the system automatically pauses a plan for one cycle (subject to pausing limits) when carry-over reaches 6 lessons (weekly) or 4 lessons (every other week); Teachers and Students are notified ahead of time to schedule upcoming lessons.

6. Logging past lessons

Teachers can log lessons up to 28 days into the past; only lessons actually taught are eligible. Logged past lessons are eligible for completion and automatic payout. Lessons not logged in time continue to count as carry-over, subject to carry-over limits. Only scheduled or logged and completed lessons are paid out automatically. Lessons taught in the past but not completed do not count as carry-over and do not expire.

7. Automatic renewal and renewal reminders

Lesson Plans renew automatically as described above. Students may cancel at any time in-app using a clearly labelled cancellation button that is permanently available and directly accessible, leads to a confirmation page and triggers a cancellation confirmation on a durable medium. We will send a reminder to the Student before a renewal where the applicable law of the Student’s country requires this. This section does not repeat the billing, renewal and cancellation mechanics set out above, it supplements them.

5. Lesson packages

Packages are a one-off purchase of a set number of lessons: 10 lessons (10% discount, valid 6 months), 20 lessons (15% discount, valid 12 months) or 40 lessons (20% discount, valid 18 months). Prices shown to the Student are total prices including any applicable value added tax. A Package must be booked before the first lesson takes place. Before committing to a Package, a Student may take a trial lesson, which the Teacher may offer free of charge or paid. Packages may be paid using the payment methods Matchspace supports for the Student’s country (see “Payments and chargebacks”). Instalment or pay-later options, where offered, are subject to the relevant provider’s terms. Matchspace may change the available Package sizes and discounts from time to time. Any such change applies to new purchases from its effective date and does not affect a Package already purchased. Lessons within a Package are not refunded merely because the Student chooses not to take them. Any other refund is at the Teacher’s discretion. Outside the statutory right of withdrawal, where the Teacher refunds part of a Package, the lessons already taken are charged at the undiscounted single-lesson price. Lessons that could not be taken within the validity period for reasons attributable to the Teacher or to Matchspace do not lapse, and the Student may request rescheduling or repayment of the amount paid for them. Mandatory law, non-performance, duplicate or incorrect charging and Platform Safeguards remain unaffected.

6. Vouchers

Cash refunds for purchased vouchers (gift vouchers and discounted partner vouchers) are generally not possible and refunds for vouchers are issued as a voucher to the value owed. This does not apply where a refund in money is required by law, in particular where a Student exercises a statutory right of withdrawal, where a paid lesson is not delivered, or where an amount was charged twice or incorrectly.

7. Teacher unavailability

If a Teacher cannot deliver a paid lesson, the Teacher must promptly notify the Student and offer an appropriate remedy under the Standard Terms and mandatory law. A substitute Teacher or transfer may be offered only with the Student’s informed agreement. If no agreed substitute or reasonable rescheduling solution is available, the Teacher is responsible for the applicable refund or credit for undelivered lessons. Matchspace may facilitate the remedy through the Platform. No handling fee may reduce a mandatory refund; any fee allowed for another remedy must have been disclosed, proportionate and lawful. For Marketplace-sourced Students, unresolved cases may be escalated under the “Disputes and Platform Safeguards” section.

8. Disputes and Platform Safeguards

Matchspace provides the Standard Terms as a uniform framework and service to the Teacher; the Teacher adopts and is responsible for applying them to the Teacher-Student contract, and may exercise reasonable goodwill in the Student’s favour, subject to mandatory law. The Teacher may not substitute, broaden against the Student, or publish their own terms.

For a Teacher-sourced Student, Matchspace ordinarily acts as infrastructure provider and does not decide the underlying commercial dispute merely because payment or administration used the Platform. This does not prevent Matchspace from complying with law, payment-provider rules, fraud controls, court or authority orders, or enforcing its own platform terms.

For a Marketplace-sourced Student, the Teacher expressly agrees to the Platform Safeguards. If the Student and Teacher cannot resolve a dispute and the dispute is escalated through the designated Matchspace process, Matchspace may review relevant Platform records and evidence submitted by both parties and may require a proportionate remedy permitted by the applicable terms and law, including a refund, credit, replacement lesson or release from future instalments. Matchspace gives the Teacher a statement of the reasons for its decision on a durable medium before or at the time the decision takes effect and gives the Teacher the opportunity to clarify the facts through the internal complaint-handling process described below. The Teacher must comply with a final Matchspace determination made under that process, including authorising or reimbursing an applicable refund, subject to mandatory law and payment-provider rules.

Before making a determination, Matchspace should ordinarily: a) notify both parties of the issue; b) give each a reasonable opportunity to provide relevant evidence; c) apply the policy version disclosed for the transaction; d) state the outcome and principal reason; and e) maintain an internal record. Matchspace may take urgent interim action where reasonably necessary to address suspected fraud, safety, abuse, unlawful conduct or material financial risk.

Matchspace’s role under this section is a contractual platform safeguard, not a representation that Matchspace is the provider of the lesson or the general arbiter of every Teacher-Student dispute. A Matchspace determination does not restrict either party’s non-waivable rights or access to a court, regulator, payment-provider process or other mandatory remedy.

Internal complaint handling and dispute resolution

Matchspace operates an internal complaint-handling process that is free of charge for Teachers and easily accessible. Teachers may complain about alleged non-compliance by Matchspace with these terms, about technological issues affecting the provision of the service, and about measures taken by Matchspace in relation to the Teacher. Matchspace examines each complaint, deals with it within a reasonable period and communicates the outcome to the Teacher individually and in plain and intelligible language.

9. Payments and chargebacks

Regulated payment services are provided by the identified payment service provider under its applicable terms. Platform payments may be used only for legitimate products and services supported by Matchspace. The Teacher authorises Matchspace and the payment service provider to process refunds, reversals, reserves, set-offs or other adjustments where required by law, payment-provider or card-scheme rules, the Standard Terms, or a valid determination under the “Disputes and Platform Safeguards” section, provided the contractual authority and operational flow have been implemented and disclosed. Matchspace informs the Teacher of the reason for and the amount of any reserve or set-off and limits it to what is necessary to cover the identified risk. A payment-provider chargeback or reversal process may proceed independently of Matchspace’s dispute process. The Teacher must not issue a duplicate refund while another reversal is pending and must provide requested evidence within the stated deadline. The payment methods available depend on the country and are those supported by our payment service provider (currently Stripe) for that country. Matchspace may add, remove or change supported payment methods, and may change the payment service provider for a country, from time to time. Within the European Union, Matchspace does not apply different conditions of access or different payment conditions on the basis of a Student’s nationality, place of residence or place of establishment, except where this is objectively justified.

10. Promotions and affiliate programmes

Promotions for a Teacher’s offerings are funded by that Teacher. Any promotional discount, including a marketplace or affiliate promotion that Matchspace may run (for example an introductory discount for a new Student), is deducted from the Teacher’s payout only where the Teacher has agreed in advance to take part in the relevant promotion. Matchspace discloses the conditions of the promotion and its expected effect on the payout before the Teacher agrees. Payout is triggered when the Student books and pays. Discount codes are provided by Matchspace and applied at the Teacher’s discretion.

11. Statutory rights and conflicts

Nothing in this Policy excludes or restricts rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted. If this Policy conflicts with mandatory law, that law prevails to the extent of the conflict. A Teacher may voluntarily grant a Student greater protection as a matter of goodwill in an individual case, but the Standard Terms remain the baseline and a Teacher may not publish or impose terms less protective than them. This Policy is governed by Swiss law. For a Student who is a consumer resident in the European Union, that choice of law does not deprive the Student of the protection of the mandatory consumer-protection rules of the Student’s country of residence, and claims against the Student may be brought only in the courts of that country, while the Student may sue Matchspace there or at its seat. References to the rules of a particular jurisdiction do not imply that identical rights or procedures apply in every jurisdiction.