Chegg is an online education platform based in California. Two businessmen, Osman Rashid and Aayush Phumbhra, founded the company. The initial goal was to rent, buy, and sell textbooks, but the platform expanded by offering tutoring, scholarships, and homework solutions.
Today, Chegg is well-known for providing services to students and helping them with their homework. The platform covers various subjects, from math and history to finance, computer science, and algebra. Some Chegg reviews claim that services are not legit, so we’ll discuss this further in the article.
Chegg started renting textbooks, but today, it’s well-known for its tutoring services. You can use the platform as a tutor or a student. If you’re having trouble with a particular subject, there are step-by-step explanations and over 22,000 solutions. Students and teachers can work together in virtual classrooms, using audio and video chat and a virtual whiteboard.
Pros & Cons
Pricing Plans
Chegg Basic Services
$14.95/per month
21-day purchased book return
Up to 90% discount on textbooks
One-month free access to Chegg Study Pack
Post 20 questions per month (to Q&A experts)
Chegg Study Pack
$19.95/per month
All basic services
Instructor-made materials
Practice sets
Plagiarism checker
Features, Courses, and Materials
Chegg Tutors Review
Chegg Tutors is an online tutoring service for students of all ages. Students can pick their tutors based on their profiles. Classes are conducted in virtual classrooms and are mobile-friendly.
To become a tutor on Chegg, you’ll have to meet specific requirements, such as teaching experience and enrollment or graduation from a four-year university. Once you get accepted, you’ll be able to see tutoring requests from students. There is a practical set of tools you can use for interaction with students. In short, you can use a video chat tool, a virtual whiteboard, and a text window while conducting a class.
For example, use the whiteboard to present the problem (draw it on the board). Try to find a solution by asking students about their opinion. Help them work through the problem by giving them advice via video.
Some Chegg tutoring reviews mention the importance of the Chegg Tutors honor code. You are not allowed to help your students during online exams as a tutor. The result of this code violation is profile deactivation (you won’t be allowed to work).
This honor code states that tutors are strictly forbidden to cheat or plagiarize. Moreover, students cannot use the platform to cheat on their exams. Chegg is authorized to reveal all the information to students’ educational institutions if contacted by them. You can find the code on the official website.
Chegg Tutor Requirements
To become a Chegg tutor, you must fill out an online application and meet the requirements. You’ll need the following:
- The photo of your diploma, ID card, and scanned copies of your transcripts
- A picture of you holding your ID (passport or driver’s license)
- To pass the proficiency test (in some cases)
- Access to a computer, stable internet connection, a mic, and a camera
- A PayPal account
- A short introductory video (this is optional)
According to Chegg Tutors, it takes about one week for them to process your application. (However, it sometimes takes longer). You can log into your account and accept students’ requests when accepted.
Chegg Tutor Salary
The typical tutor on Chegg makes $20 per hour. The hourly rate can range from $20 to $22. You can earn an average annual salary of $44,170. Your pay depends on the number of minutes you work during the week; the minimum working time is five minutes.
That means you’ll always make at least $1.67 if you work at least five minutes daily. Payments will arrive in your PayPal account every Thursday morning.
Tips for Starting Chegg Careers
There are ways to boost your earnings and even start a career on Chegg. Here’s what you can do:
- You can earn many bonuses if you’re teaching popular subjects.
- You can earn $10 every time you use the referral system (refer a tutor).
- If you want to make more money, ensure you’re available during midterm and final examination periods (midterms are in October and March, and finals are in December and May).
- Your “available now” status must always be on.
- Don’t forget to answer students’ questions whenever you can.
Chegg Solutions Reviews
Chegg offers several solutions to fix the problems students often face. You can choose between textbook solutions and expert Q&A. What is the difference?
If you choose to use textbook solutions, you’ll be able to use step-by-step guidelines and video tutorials. You’ll need to enter the ISBN (from your textbook) in the search tab to see the possible solution for your problem.
On the other hand, the Q&A option will get you in touch with an expert in the field who will answer your question in less than 30 minutes. To get this answer, you’ll have to take a picture (or screenshot) of your homework and send it to Chegg.
Chegg Study Review
As we mentioned above, there are two options: textbook solutions and expert Q&A.
If you’re having trouble with a particular subject, you can search for the answer using solutions for 22,000 ISBNs on this platform or step-by-step explanations.
How to use Chegg Study:
- Go to Chegg Study, and click “Try Chegg Study.”
- Enter your credit card information and click “Join Now.”
- You’ll have to enter your phone number, after which you’ll receive a text containing the link to the app.
- To find the solutions to your questions, click “Find Textbook Solutions” and enter the title or the textbook’s author’s name.
- You’ll see a menu in the left corner with the textbook’s chapters. You can scroll to the section you need.
- Click on the problem, and you’ll get a step-by-step solution.
Chegg Book Rental Reviews
On Chegg, you can rent ebooks and hard copies. If you rent a book, you’ll need to return it on the due date. If you’re late with your return, the platform will charge you an additional fee or the book’s full price.
To extend your due date and avoid paying an additional fee, you need to contact Chegg.
Benefits of renting textbooks:
- Renting books saves money. You can compare prices and see if there are any discounts.
- Flexible rental terms. You can contact Chegg for a free extension if you need to keep your book past the due date.
- In addition to renting, you can purchase new and used editions or download textbooks.
- You get a four-week free trial of Chegg Study.
- Textbook deliveries include gifts and discounts.
Chegg Buyback Reviews
Chegg used to buy used textbooks from students, but now it outsources this service to GoTextbooks. You log in through your account and link through to GoTextbooks from there.
You just need to enter ISBN and send the book. After reviewing the book’s condition, they’ll pay you in one of several ways (gift card, Chegg credit system) within 15 days. Alternatively, you can donate low-value books.
The standard for selling books on GoTextbooks and buying books on Chegg differs. You can highlight the books you rent, but when you sell used books, the site is very fussy about the condition and may ship highlighted books back to you at your cost.
Moreover, some Chegg sell books reviews mentioned poor customer service, the lack of communication, and bad tracking service, while others praised the swiftness of its buyback service. However, Chegg doesn’t have this option anymore. It now only allows you to rent or buy books (hard and digital copies) and other solutions for students.
If you want to sell used textbooks, you can also use another platform like BookScouter, Amazon, or TextbookRush.
Chegg Ebook Reviews
To read your ebooks, you need to download the Chegg eReader app, and then you can make a purchase.
How to purchase:
- To make a purchase, you’ll need to sign in to your Chegg account and click on “Books.”
- Scroll down to the book you want to buy and select it (if you’re going to buy more books, you’ll have to repeat all the steps).
- You can choose between the “Extend” or “Purchase” button. This will transfer you to another page.
- Click the “Select Here” (next to the book title) and select “Purchase.”
- To complete the purchase, select the “Checkout” button and follow the next few steps.
Chegg Homework Help Reviews
On top of textbook solutions and expert Q&A, Chegg provides homework help services. Take a photo of your assignment, send it to Chegg, and they’ll get someone to help you.
You can also use the database to find similar homework problems and solutions or compare them. There are many video tutorials (walkthroughs) that can help you out as well.
The homework help allows you to:
- Search for a solution to your homework assignment in a large library section. Find step-by-step textbook solutions for many subjects.
- Use the help of experts in the field. They are available 24/7. Take a picture (or scan) of your homework, and send it to Chegg. You’ll get a detailed answer within 30 minutes.
- If you’re a visual type, you can watch walkthrough videos.
Ease of Use
Chegg tutoring jobs are suitable for people who pass the requirements test. The site is user-friendly and easy to navigate, and most tutors enjoy it. There is only one disadvantage related to the company’s first-come-first-serve model. What does this mean?
In short, you’ll see many tutoring requests on your screen, but as soon as you click on them, the system will tell you they are not available anymore. This can be frustrating for most tutors.
Plans and Pricing
How Much Does Chegg Cost?
Chegg offers a one-week free trial that can be canceled during those seven days. The monthly subscription fee depends on the tools and packages you want to use. An annual subscription will cost you $74.95. You can reap many benefits if you choose an annual or monthly subscription.
In addition to the one-year subscription, the monthly cost of Chegg is $14.95, and it includes basic services:
- Standard shipping is free of charge if your order is $35 or more. It usually takes 7–10 business days. Keep in mind that this fee doesn’t include taxes.
- You have 21 days to return a purchased book.
- You can get up to 90% discount on textbooks.
- You’ll get one month of free access to Chegg Study, which includes step-by-step solutions and expert Q&A.
- As mentioned before in our Chegg review, rental extensions are free.
- Each month, you’ll get detailed solutions for five different textbooks.
- You are allowed to post 20 questions per month (to Q&A experts).
- You’ll get unlimited view-only access to 25 million homework solutions answered by experts in their fields.
- You’ll be able to use help from Chegg tutors (this service is free for the first 30 minutes).
You can also purchase the Chegg Study Pack for $19.95 per month, including the services mentioned above, plus video walkthroughs, practice sets, and a plagiarism checker.
Chegg Membership Cost
Being a Chegg member provides many benefits, such as access to step-by-step textbook solutions for five different textbooks each month, posting 20 questions each month, and getting access to 25 million answered homework questions.
Everything except the practice problems, guided videos, math solver, and writing tool is at your disposal. To get full access to all the tools, you’ll need a Premium Chegg study subscription for $19.95 per month. You can also subscribe for Homework Help by itself for $14.95 per month.
Chegg Writing service costs $9.95 per month (individually). It gives you access to EasyBib (easy-to-use tools for creating proper citations), Plagiarism Checker, and Grammar Checker.
If you want to use the Chegg plagiarism checker, you have to upload your document (or copy and paste it) to the checker. When your scan is complete, you’ll see the option ”return to paper.” Click on this option to see your results. The matching sentences will be highlighted.
The Math Solver alone costs $9.95 per month. It offers step-by-step solutions to math problems in the following subjects:
- Algebra
- Pre-Algebra
- Calculus
- Precalculus
- Geometry
- Trigonometry
- Statistics and Probability
- Advanced Math
If you cancel your Chegg subscription plans, you can still use its services until the next billing date. Monthly subscribers are allowed to pause their subscription at any time. If you use a free trial version, make sure to cancel it before the billing begins to avoid the charges going through.
You can switch your membership within the first 30 days of paying for your annual subscription. For more information, check out the help center. When it comes to the Chegg refund policy, you can get a full refund for your annual Chegg study subscription.
Account sharing is one more critical thing most customers complain about. You should know that Chegg doesn’t allow multiple users. You can have only one account and are not allowed to share it. If you share the account, Chegg will suspend it, and you won’t be able to use it for a specific period.
All the information you provide to create an account must be accurate and complete. As we already mentioned, it’s forbidden to share your Chegg account. To prevent suspension of your account, you need to log out after every use. Remember that you’ll need to use a single device to access your account.
Failing to do so can trigger account suspension. Your account can be suspended if you use different devices to log in or enter your account from multiple locations. These, and other factors, can indicate a shared account.
E.g., if you log into your account from another city (state) using a different device, Chegg will suspend your account.
Chegg Scholarship Reviews
Chegg began as an online textbook store for renting and selling books. But today, it hosts over $1 billion in scholarships, including its own scholarships. Chegg scholarships range from $500 to $12,500. You can win a monthly scholarship challenge that all US citizens are eligible to apply for. You must be at least 16 years old if you want to apply.
Chegg gives personalized scholarships depending on your profile. There are five awards available, each worth between $1,500 and $5,000 in scholarships.
According to many Chegg reviews, scholarships are also available for international students. To apply, you must show transcripts, write an essay, and get a reference form. There are 60 international scholarships available.
Overall, there are over 25,000 scholarships available on Chegg.
Refund Policy
As mentioned before, Chegg offers a refund policy that can be requested within 21 days of purchasing a book. To get the full refund (minus shipping), the book you send back must be in the same condition as it was when you received it.
When it comes to digital books (ebooks), you’ll have a full refund if you return the book within 14 days. You’ll see all the instructions on your Account page.
Online Ratings
There are a lot of Chegg complaints, and some people consider it to be a platform that helps students cheat on their exams, present plagiarized work as original, etc. It’s safe to say this platform is not for everyone.
Tutors benefit the most from it, even though they can’t rely on Chegg as their only source of income. Students can benefit from Chegg if they don’t use its services to cheat on exams.
According to Chegg customer service reviews, several problems are recurring on this platform:
- Many people complain about the account suspension due to the alleged account sharing.
- You won’t get a refund if your question is unanswered or incorrectly answered.
- Many people complain about the non-responsive customer service and non-intuitive account ID.
- Some hard copies are not in good condition.
- Some people believe Chegg is an unethical platform that helps students cheat.
As opposed to these claims, Chegg employee reviews tell a different story. People seem to think this platform offers excellent service that people sometimes use for illegitimate purposes. That said, some colleges even banned their students from using it. Other reviews reveal that tutors enjoy working on Chegg, and tutoring reviews are generally positive.
This brings us back to the importance of the honor code. Tutors are not allowed to cheat or plagiarize. Moreover, students mustn’t use Chegg to cheat on their exams. The platform is authorized to reveal all the information to educational institutions if requested.
Despite some Chegg ratings that are not as high, the tutors’ knowledge and credentials are indisputable (and Chegg offers many tutors). But when posting a question, be sure to double-check the facts. It seems that expert Q&A is probably Chegg’s drawback, together with the non-responsive customer service and non-intuitive account ID.
Overall, Chegg is a legit platform, not a scam, as some may think.
Final Verdict
In these Chegg reviews, we discussed the platform’s offers, solutions, pricing, tutoring, and customer service. Like every other online education platform, it has its cons and pros. All things considered, Chegg can be useful to students who use it as an accessory and not a way to cheat. So is Chegg a scam? No. Is it legit? Yes. Many reviews on the internet prove that.
Is Chegg worth a try? If you’re looking for cheap college textbooks to buy or rent, Chegg is one of the best options out there, but when it comes to other services, it’s maybe better to check other alternatives.