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Business Profile

Educational Research

Academia.edu

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

Find BBB Accredited Businesses in Educational Research.

Complaints

Customer Complaints Summary

  • 145 total complaints in the last 3 years.
  • 128 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

If you've experienced an issue

Submit a Complaint

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

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Complaint status

Complaint type

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/20/2025

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

    Sincerely,

    Dulguunjargal Tsogtgerele renewal after I was informed of the active subscription, cancellation was tricky. I made several attempts as it needed an extra confusing step. I would check if it is cancelled and see that it is not and try again. This happened at least five times before I finally figured it out. As a student, this is a significant amount of money for me, and I never intended to continue the subscription.Resolution Sought:I am requesting a full refund of the subscription amount as a goodwill exception due to the unclear cancellation process and the unintended nature of the charge. I would also like Academia.edu to improve their cancellation interface to prevent future misunderstandings for others.

    Business Response

    Date: 05/21/2025


    Thank you for continued followed-up on this issue. After discussing
    this with our team, we've decided to grant you a one-time exception to
    our refund policy. However, moving forward we will not be able to offer
    refunds on renewal payments after your 30-day low cost trial and we will
    not be able to process any additional refunds for you on this
    subscription or any additional subscriptions.

    Depending on your bank, you will see the refund show up anywhere between 5-10 business days from now.

    With
    your free account, you'll retain access to all our Academia free
    features, such as uploading and downloading single papers, messaging,
    basic analytics, title search, and your profile.

    Please let us know if we can help you out with anything else, and thanks for being a part of the *******************

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/19/2025

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

    Sincerely,

    **** ******ncellation is commonly recognized as a deceptive subscription practice. 3) Denial of Refund despite of reasonable request - Upon noticing the charge (within 3 working days), i immediately contacted with Academia.edu and requested a refund. Youre refusing, despite the lack of renewal notice and the unclear cancellation process, both of which preventing me from canceling in a timely manner. I request a full refund of $159 charge, as i was not given a lawful opportunity to cancel before renewal and was faced with an unclear cancellation process.

    Business Response

    Date: 05/20/2025


    Thanks for getting in touch. Our records currently indicate this payment was refunded!

    In some cases, if you refund very close to your purchase date, your original payment will have never been processed and been removed from your card.

    If you still see the original charge and no refund, please contact your bank or payment processor.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/19/2025

    Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    We had a subscription with ************** The subscription was auto-renewed without prior notice which did not give us the option to cancel. After reading about all the other similar complaints, this seems to be a standard pattern.

    Business Response

    Date: 05/19/2025

     
    Thanks for following up with this concern. After discussing this
    with our team, we've decided to grant you a one-time exception to our
    renewal refunds policy. However, moving forward we will not be able to
    offer refunds on renewal payments after your 30-day low cost trial and
    first year payment.

    Depending on your bank, you will see the refund show up anywhere between 5-10 business days from now. Thanks for trying it out.

    With
    your free account, you'll retain access to all our Academia free
    features, such as uploading and downloading single papers, messaging,
    basic analytics, title search, and your profile.

    Please let us know if we can help you out with anything else, and thanks for being a part of the *******************

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/19/2025

    Type:Billing Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Complaint Title: Unnotified Price Increase for Academia Premium Subscription Refund Requested Complaint Description:On May 17, 2025, I was charged PLN 598 via ****** for the renewal of my Academia.edu Premium subscription.This amount is twice as high as the fee I paid the previous year (PLN 299 in 2024). I was not informed in any wayneither by email nor through the platformabout this substantial increase in subscription cost.Had I been properly notified, I would have cancelled the subscription prior to renewal. The lack of communication regarding such a significant price change is, in my view, unethical and misleading. Additionally, the charge was processed automatically without any explicit confirmation or option to opt out.I respectfully request a full refund of PLN 598 and the cancellation of my Premium subscription, effective immediately.I am submitting this complaint in the hope that appropriate action will be taken and that other users will not be subject to similarly opaque billing practices in the future.Resolution Sought: Full refund of PLN 598

    Business Response

    Date: 05/19/2025

    Thanks for getting in touch over the phone! We see that your payment is
    associated with an Academia Premium renewal payment. Generally speaking,
    we are not able to process refunds for renewal payments - our 30 day
    refund policy is only for trial payments and first year subscription
    payments.

    However, after discussing this with our team, we've
    decided to grant you a one-time exception to our policy and process a
    refund for this payment. Depending on your bank, you will see the refund
    show up anywhere between 5-10 business days from now. Thanks for trying
    it out.

    With your free account, you'll retain access to all our
    Academia free features, such as uploading and downloading single papers,
    messaging, basic analytics, title search, and your profile.

    Please let us know if we can help you out with anything else, and thanks for being a part of the Academia community!
     

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/18/2025

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.

    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I am awaiting the refund, which was promised. 

    I no longer want however to be receiving any "trial" memberships, and will be taking that up with academia.edu

    Sincerely,

    ****** *****

    Business Response

    Date: 05/19/2025

    Thanks for following up with this concern. After discussing this with our team, we've decided to grant you a one-time exception to our renewal refunds policy. However, moving forward we will not be able to offer refunds on renewal payments after your 30-day low cost trial and first year payment.

    Depending on your bank, you will see the refund show up anywhere between 5-10 business days from now. Thanks for trying it out.

    With your free account, you'll retain access to all our Academia free features, such as uploading and downloading single papers, messaging, basic analytics, title search, and your profile.

    Please let us know if we can help you out with anything else, and thanks for being a part of the Academia community!


  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/18/2025

    Type:Billing Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

    Sincerely,

    ***** *******d my premium membership subscription on the academia.edu portal for the year 2025/26 with the specified financial amount. Then I will consider it and make an appropriate decision.Attached the invoice with the fee.

    Business Response

    Date: 05/28/2025

    ]
    Thanks for getting in touch. Our records currently indicate this payment was refunded!

    In some cases, if you refund very close to your purchase date, your original payment will have never been processed and been removed from your card.

    If you still see the original charge and no refund, please contact your bank or payment processor.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/15/2025

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I signed up for a 1 dollar monthly account in April of 2024. It then charged me for a $159 for an annual account on May of 2024. I was fine with this charge since I knew I forgot to cancel. I then went through the process and thought I cancelled. I then noticed I was charged $299 on May 9, 2025. The only notification of the increased price was an email labelled similarly to all emails from the site. It was also only a week before the automatic renewal time. Despite the price nearly doubling they didn't request any new approval for the charge. I contacted them immediately May 10th when I noticed the charge. I requested a refund since I had not used the service in nearly a year and did not want to pay for the service. They refused a refund citing a policy to not issue refunds on account renewals. This is despite when I originally signed up them having a 30 day no questions asked refund even for renewals.

    Business Response

    Date: 05/19/2025


    Thanks for following up with this concern. After discussing this with our team, we've decided to grant you a one-time exception to our renewal refunds policy. However, moving forward we will not be able to offer refunds on renewal payments after your 30-day low cost trial and first year payment.

    Depending on your bank, you will see the refund show up anywhere between 5-10 business days from now. Thanks for trying it out.

    With your free account, you'll retain access to all our Academia free features, such as uploading and downloading single papers, messaging, basic analytics, title search, and your profile.

    Please let us know if we can help you out with anything else, and thanks for being a part of the *******************

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/13/2025

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

    Sincerely,

    ********* *****

    Business Response

    Date: 05/16/2025


     
    Thanks for following up with this concern. After discussing
    this with our team, we've decided to grant you a one-time exception to
    our renewal refunds policy. However, moving forward we will not be able
    to offer refunds on renewal payments after your 30-day low cost trial
    and first year payment.

    Depending on your bank, you will see the refund show up anywhere between 5-10 business days from now. Thanks for trying it out.

    With
    your free account, you'll retain access to all our Academia free
    features, such as uploading and downloading single papers, messaging,
    basic analytics, title search, and your profile.

    Please let us know if we can help you out with anything else, and thanks for being a part of the *******************

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/07/2025

    Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

    Sincerely,

    ******* *******

    Business Response

    Date: 05/19/2025


    Thanks for getting in touch. Our records currently indicate this payment was refunded!

    In some cases, if you refund very close to your purchase date, your original payment will have never been processed and been removed from your card.

    If you still see the original charge and no refund, please contact your bank or payment processor.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:05/06/2025

    Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I am writing to file a complaint regarding an unexpected and unadvertised price increase by ***********. When I first subscribed to their premium plan, I was charged $169.00 CAD. However, on May 3, 2025, I was auto-renewed and charged ****** CAD (an increase of approximately 77% with no prior notice or communication). To be clear I did not receive any email or other form of notification regarding this increase. And as a struggling university student working to pay off student loans, this gargantuan increase is not only unaffordable, but frankly fraudulent. I have now cancelled my subscription, but I am requesting a full refund of the $****** CAD charge due to the lack of transparency and communication regarding this change. Although I submitted a complaint through ************ customer service system, I was met with an automated message indicating that responses are currently delayed. Therefore, I am escalating this matter through the BBB to ensure that my request is processed. Please see the attached screenshots for my account/billing information.

    Business Response

    Date: 05/19/2025


    Thanks for getting in touch. Our records currently indicate this payment was refunded!

    In some cases, if you refund very close to your purchase date, your original payment will have never been processed and been removed from your card.

    If you still see the original charge and no refund, please contact your bank or payment processor.

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