Refunds and cancellation rights for online courses
The EU 14-day withdrawal right, the digital content exception and money-back guarantees: what consumer rules mean for creators selling video courses.
"Can I get a refund?" is one of the most common questions under any sales page. Answering it well protects the buyer and protects you from disputes. For video courses, the answer runs through a specific EU rule on digital content.
This guide summarises what the EU Consumer Rights Directive says, how to set up checkout and how to write a refund policy. It applies to sales to consumers in the EU; other countries have their own rules. It isn't legal advice: national transpositions can add detail, so have your terms checked.
What is the general rule?
Directive 2011/83/EU gives consumers who buy at a distance (online, by phone) 14 days to withdraw from the contract without giving a reason. It covers goods, services and digital content, with the exceptions listed in Article 16.
The right belongs to consumers, not businesses: if you sell licences to a company, as covered in selling online courses to companies, the contract sets the terms.
What is the digital content exception?
Article 16(m), as amended by Directive 2019/2161, excludes the right of withdrawal for digital content not supplied on a tangible medium if performance has begun and, where the consumer has to pay, three conditions are all met:
- the consumer gave prior express consent to start supply during the withdrawal period;
- they acknowledged that they thereby lose the right of withdrawal;
- the trader provided confirmation of the contract (Article 7(2) or Article 8(7)).
| 14-day withdrawal | |
|---|---|
| Access not yet started | Yes |
| Access started without express consent | Yes |
| Express consent but no acknowledgement of loss | Yes |
| Consent, acknowledgement and confirmation sent | No |
| Live part not yet fully performed | Partly |
Our summary of Articles 9, 14 and 16 of Directive 2011/83/EU, consolidated text. Not legal advice.
If even one condition is missing, the right remains. Article 14 adds that in that case the consumer pays nothing for the digital content already received.
How do you set up checkout?
With two elements: an unticked box and an email confirmation. The box says something clear like: "I ask for immediate access to the course and acknowledge that, once access begins, I lose my 14-day right of withdrawal." The order confirmation email then records that consent and acknowledgement.
Many course platforms offer this setting; check that the wording is explicit and the box isn't pre-ticked. Checkout is still where most purchases are lost, as we explain in abandoned checkout for online courses: an extra box needs simple wording.
What about live parts?
Coaching sessions, live classes and feedback are services. For services, Article 16(a) excludes the right of withdrawal after full performance, if performance began with the consumer's express consent and acknowledgement. If the consumer withdraws earlier, Article 14(3) says they pay an amount proportional to what was provided up to that point.
In a mixed offer (recorded course plus live sessions), describe the two parts separately in your terms. For support formats, see high-ticket coaching for creators.
An example refund policy
A creator sells a $149 recorded course with four live group sessions. Her terms say three things. First: buyers who access the recorded lessons immediately do so with express consent and lose the statutory withdrawal right on that part, as stated at checkout. Second: she still offers a 14-day commercial guarantee, with a full refund for anyone who asks by email after watching the first lessons. Third: live sessions not yet held are refunded pro rata if the student drops out. Buyers know exactly what happens in every case. The commercial guarantee also lowers perceived risk without exposing her to abuse, because it has a clear end date. In practice, the law sets the minimum, and the commercial policy decides how generous to be. The example is ours and should be adapted with an adviser.
Should you offer a commercial guarantee?
For many creators, yes: it removes doubt for people who don't know you yet and shows confidence in the course. A commercial guarantee differs from the statutory right: you set it, with your conditions, and it becomes part of the offer. So write it clearly on the sales page, as we explain in how to write a sales page for an online course, and always honour it.
Which mistakes should you avoid?
- Pre-ticked boxes. Consent must be express, not assumed.
- No confirmation email. Without confirmation, the right remains.
- Hidden terms. The refund policy belongs where buyers see it.
- Confusing withdrawal and guarantee. One is a right, the other your promise.
- Treating live and recorded the same. They're different parts with different rules.
Key terms. The right of withdrawal is the EU right to cancel a distance purchase within 14 days. Digital content is a product supplied in digital form, like a video course. A commercial guarantee is a voluntary commitment beyond legal duties.
How we checked. We found no independent data on how often course buyers use the withdrawal right, so we don't quote rates. We read Directive 2011/83/EU on EUR-Lex, in the consolidated text including the 2019/2161 amendments (Articles 9, 14 and 16). We didn't read national transpositions or non-EU rules. Contact: hi@heytea.app. Editorial note: we check every figure against the sources listed below and correct mistakes openly.
Frequently asked questions
Do online course buyers have a right of withdrawal?
In the EU, generally yes: a consumer buying at a distance has 14 days to withdraw without giving a reason (Article 9 of Directive 2011/83/EU). For digital content not supplied on a tangible medium, though, the right is lost once supply has started with the consumer's express consent, their acknowledgement and the trader's confirmation.
How do I let the course start immediately without a withdrawal right?
At checkout, ask the consumer, with an unticked box, to consent to supply starting immediately and to acknowledge that they lose the withdrawal right. Then send the contract confirmation on a durable medium, such as an email, recording that consent. Have your wording checked by an adviser.
What if the course includes live sessions?
Live parts, such as coaching or live classes, are services and follow different rules: the right is lost once the service has been fully performed, if the consumer asked for it to start during the withdrawal period and acknowledged this. If they withdraw before, they pay in proportion to what was provided.
Should I offer a money-back guarantee?
Often yes, but it's a commercial choice, not a legal duty. A clear guarantee, for example 14 or 30 days with written conditions, lowers the buyer's perceived risk. If you offer it, always honour it and write the conditions clearly, because it becomes part of the offer.
How do I prevent guarantee abuse?
With clear, reasonable conditions: a fixed period, a request by email, perhaps having watched the first lessons. You don't need a complex system: abusers are usually a small minority, and a generous policy is worth more than the few refunds you lose.
Sources
- Directive 2011/83/EU on consumer rights, consolidated text, Articles 9, 14 and 16. Accessed 19 October 2026. eur-lex.europa.eu