Guruvice — Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 25 July 2026. Answers reflect the current live app. Features marked Coming soon are planned but not yet available.

Account & Registration

Who can use Guruvice? Anyone who is at least 18 years old. You can join as a Learner to book sessions, or apply to become a Guru to teach — the same account can do both.

What's the minimum age to sign up? You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account or use Guruvice.

How do I sign up? Download the app and register with your phone number. You'll set a password and confirm your number with a one-time code (OTP) sent by SMS. You can also sign up with Continue with Google.

How do I log in? Sign in with your phone number and password, or tap Continue with Google. Your phone number is your primary login.

Do I sign in with email or phone? Phone number. Your email is captured at signup for receipts, password/account recovery, and important notices, but you log in with your phone number.

Do I need to verify my email? We verify your phone number by SMS code when you sign up. Your email is used for receipts and notifications.

I forgot my password — how do I reset it? On the login screen tap Forgot password. We send a one-time code by SMS to your registered phone number; enter it and set a new password.

Can I edit my profile? Yes. Open Settings → Edit Profile to update your name, photo, bio, and other details.

Can I change my email address? Your email becomes a locked identity anchor once your account is established (it protects account recovery and receipts). To correct an email, contact support and we'll verify your identity and update it.

Can I change my phone number or country? Your phone number and country are set at signup and locked (your country determines your currency and regional pricing). Contact support if you need a correction.

Can I have more than one account? No — one account per person, tied to your phone number.

Can a Guru also be a Learner? Yes. Every account starts as a Learner. Becoming a Guru simply adds teaching abilities on top — you can still book and attend sessions with other Gurus.

Is Guruvice available on iPhone? Guruvice is live on Android today. An iOS version is coming soon.

Becoming a Guru

How do I become a Guru? In the app, open Become a Guru and complete the application wizard: fill in your professional details, topics, and upload the requested verification documents, then submit for review.

Does it cost anything to become a Guru? No. Applying and becoming a Guru is completely free — there's no signup or listing fee.

What gets verified? We review your identity and the professional background/qualifications you submit (via your documents), and we may schedule a short verification video call with our team.

How long does approval take? Typically about 3–5 business days after you submit a complete application.

How will I know if I'm approved? You'll see your application status in the app and receive a notification. Once approved, your Guru profile goes live and you can start creating offerings.

What happens if my application is rejected? You'll be told the outcome and, where applicable, can submit an appeal or reapply with additional information.

How do I set up my Guru profile? After approval, add your profile photo, professional title, bio/teaching approach, and the topics you teach. A complete, polished profile helps Learners find and trust you.

Do I set my own prices? Yes. You set your base rates for each offering in your home currency. Guruvice applies regional pricing adjustments and shows each Learner the correct local price automatically.

Creating Offerings (Guru)

What can I offer as a Guru? Three offering types: 1:1 Sessions (single video sessions), Packages (a discounted bundle of sessions with you), and Webinars (paid group sessions). You can also enable Instant Sessions for on-demand calls.

How do I create a 1:1 session offering? Go to Create → 1:1 Session, set the title, description, duration, and price, then publish. Learners can then request to book it.

How do I create a Package? Create → Package: set the title, number of sessions, total price (usually discounted vs single sessions), and validity window. Learners buy the whole package upfront and book sessions from it over time.

How do I host a Webinar? Create → Webinar: set the date/time, duration, price per seat, and minimum and maximum attendees. Learners register and pay to reserve a seat.

What are Instant Sessions? On-demand 1:1 video calls. When you toggle Ready for Instant, Learners can request an immediate call. You choose which durations (15/30/45/60 min) to offer and your per-call rate. You have 2 minutes to accept a request, then both sides join within 5 minutes.

How do I set my availability? Set your weekly availability and manage bookings from the in-app Calendar. Learners can only book times you've made available.

Can I edit or delete an offering? Yes — open the offering and edit its details, or delete it. Note that some fields lock once people have booked (for example, you can't change a Webinar's price or time after Learners have registered) to protect people who've already paid.

How do I manage my schedule? The Calendar shows all your upcoming sessions, packages, and webinars by day, week, or month. Tap any day to see the full details of each booking.

Is there a recommended price for Instant Sessions? The app suggests roughly 1.25× your standard 1:1 rate as a hint, but you're free to set any rate at or above the platform minimum for that duration.

Booking (Learner)

How do I find a Guru? Browse the Explore and Search screens by topic or name, or open a Guru's profile to see their sessions, packages, and webinars.

How do I book a 1:1 session? Open the Guru's offering, pick an available time, and confirm. Your payment is authorized (held) and the Guru is asked to accept the request.

How does the request-then-accept flow work? For scheduled 1:1 sessions you send a booking request; the Guru accepts it to confirm. Your card is authorized when you book, but you're only charged after the session takes place.

What's the acceptance deadline? A Guru must accept at least 12 hours before the session starts. If they don't accept in time, the request expires automatically and you're not charged — the hold is released in full, or for a package session your credit is returned. Because sessions must be booked at least 24 hours out, the Guru always has a full 12 hours to respond.

What if the Guru never accepts? The request expires and you pay nothing. You're free to book another time or another Guru.

How do I buy a Package? Open the Package on the Guru's profile and purchase it. You pay the full package price upfront and receive session credits you can book over the package's validity window. Package sessions are booked one at a time, in order — you schedule the next one after the previous session has finished — and each booking honours the same 24-hour minimum notice.

How do I register for a Webinar? Open the Webinar and register — registration stays open until 5 minutes before the start. If you register before the Webinar is confirmed, your payment is held and captured at confirmation (once minimum attendance is met, or the Guru confirms early). If you register after it's been confirmed, you're charged straight away, since the Webinar is already going ahead. Either way, a registration can't be cancelled once made.

How do I book an Instant Session? On a Guru showing Ready for Instant, request an instant call and choose the duration. Your payment is held, the Guru has 2 minutes to accept, and once accepted you both have 5 minutes to join.

How far in advance can I book? Between 24 hours and about 6.5 days ahead. Sessions must be booked at least 24 hours before they start — that gives the Guru a full 12 hours to accept — and the furthest you can book is a little under a week out, so that the card hold placed when you book stays valid all the way through to your session. Webinars are the exception at the near end: you can register right up to 5 minutes before one starts.

Why can't I book something two weeks out? Because the card authorization placed when you book has a limited lifetime, and your whole booking — start, finish, and payment — has to fit inside it. Booking further ahead would mean either charging you early or risking the hold expiring before your session happens. The exact cut-off shifts slightly with session length: a longer session has to start a little sooner.

What does the price include? The price you see is the full total you'll pay — it already includes the platform and payment-processing fees. There are no hidden charges added at checkout.

What currency am I charged in? Your own local currency, based on your country. At launch we support SGD, INR, USD and GBP; other regions default to SGD.

Why does the same Guru cost a different amount for me than for someone abroad? Prices are adjusted for regional purchasing power and converted to your local currency, so two Learners in different countries may see different amounts for the same offering.

Sessions & Calls

How do I join my call? Open the session (from your dashboard, the session detail screen, or your calendar) and tap Join when it becomes available. The call runs on secure in-app video.

When does the Join button become active? For scheduled 1:1 sessions and webinars, Join opens shortly before the start time (about 5 minutes before). For Instant Sessions, you join within the 5-minute window after the Guru accepts.

What if I'm running late? Join as soon as you can — there's a grace window of about 10 minutes after the start for scheduled sessions (5 minutes for Instant). If one side never joins within the window, no-show rules apply (see Cancellations & Refunds).

What do I need for a call? A smartphone with a working camera and microphone, a stable internet connection, and camera/mic permissions granted to the app.

Can I share my screen? Yes — screen sharing is available during calls.

How long is a session? As long as the offering's set duration (for example 30 or 60 minutes; Instant Sessions come in 15/30/45/60-minute options). Either party can end the call early.

What happens if my connection drops mid-call? The app tries to reconnect automatically. If you're disconnected for a while you'll see reconnect options; for Instant Sessions there's an End option after a prolonged drop so you're never stuck.

Can I reschedule a session? Full self-service rescheduling is coming soon. Today, a confirmed session can't be moved — if you need a different time, cancel (subject to the 12-hour rule) and book again. Remember the replacement booking needs to be at least 24 hours out, so a same-day swap usually isn't possible.

Are sessions recorded? Session recording is coming soon. Calls are not recorded today.

Cancellations & Refunds

Can I cancel a 1:1 session? Yes, if you cancel more than 12 hours before the start time. You receive a full refund (or, for a package session, your credit is returned) with no penalty.

Can I cancel within 12 hours of the start? No. To protect the Guru's reserved time, cancellations aren't allowed inside the final 12 hours — the app hides the cancel option in that window.

What if the Guru cancels or doesn't show up? You get a full refund (or your package credit back). The Guru receives a reliability demerit, and for package sessions your package validity is extended to make up for the lost time.

What happens if I don't show up but the Guru does? For a scheduled 1:1 session you're charged the full session price — the Guru held that time for you and turned up — and you receive a small reliability demerit. For a package session, the credit is used up and the Guru is paid for it; your package validity isn't extended. Instant Sessions are the exception: a learner no-show there is charged at 50%, because the commitment window is only minutes long.

What if neither side shows up? No one is charged and no demerits are applied. For a package session, the credit is returned to your package.

Can I cancel a Webinar registration? No. Webinar registrations can't be cancelled once you've registered. If the Webinar itself is cancelled (not enough attendees, or the host doesn't show), you're fully refunded automatically.

How do package cancellations and credits work? A package is paid upfront and gives you session credits. Cancelling an individual session more than 12 hours ahead returns that credit to your package to rebook — it's not a separate cash refund.

What happens to unused package credits? If your package's validity window ends with credits left unused, you're automatically refunded on a pro-rata basis for the remaining credits (including the fee portion) — no need to ask.

How long do refunds take? It depends on the type. If your payment was only held (not yet charged) — as with most 1:1 cancellations before the session — the hold is released and no money ever leaves your account, so it clears quickly. If an actual charge is refunded (for example a package pro-rata refund), it goes back to your card on Stripe's standard timeline, typically 5–10 business days.

How do I request a refund or report a problem with a session? Use the Report an issue option on the session, or contact support. Our team reviews disputes case by case and may ask both parties for details.

Payments

How are payments processed? Securely through Stripe. Guruvice never stores your full card number.

When am I actually charged? Usually your card is authorized (held) when you book, and only captured (charged) when the session happens. For 1:1 sessions the charge is taken after the session; for packages you're charged upfront; for webinars the charge is taken when the webinar is confirmed (or straight away if you register after it's already been confirmed). Because sessions can't be booked more than about 6.5 days ahead, the hold placed when you book stays valid right through to your session.

What fees are included in the price? The price you see includes a platform fee and payment-processing fees. For same-currency bookings these are lower; for cross-border (currency-conversion) bookings a slightly higher processing-and-conversion fee and a small FX buffer apply. You always see one final total before paying.

Why is a cross-border booking a bit more expensive? Cross-currency payments carry higher processing and currency-conversion costs, plus a small buffer to cover exchange-rate movement. This is built into the total you see.

Which payment methods can I use? Credit and debit cards through Stripe. Availability of specific methods depends on your region.

Which currencies are supported? At launch: Singapore Dollar (SGD), Indian Rupee (INR), US Dollar (USD), and British Pound (GBP). More regions are being added.

Is my card information safe? Yes. Card details are handled by Stripe (a PCI-compliant payment provider) and are never stored on Guruvice's own servers.

Will I get a receipt? Yes — payment confirmations are sent to the email on your account.

Payouts (Guru)

How do I get paid? Earnings are paid out to your bank/wallet through Wise. Add your payout details in the Payouts screen, then request a withdrawal when you're eligible.

When do my earnings become available? Each completed session's earnings become withdrawable after a 4-day holding period (a safety window covering any post-session issues).

Why is my available balance lower than my total earnings? Two reasons: recent earnings are still within the 4-day hold, and your available figure is shown after the platform commission. Your total reflects gross earnings; the available balance is what you can actually withdraw now.

What's the minimum withdrawal? It depends on your currency: S$100 (SGD), ₹3,000 (INR), $100 (USD), or £100 (GBP). You can withdraw once your available balance reaches the minimum for your currency.

What fee is deducted from my earnings? A platform commission is taken at payout: 5% for 1:1 and package sessions, and 9% for webinars. Guruvice absorbs the Wise transfer fee, so you receive the expected net amount in your currency.

How does the payout amount get calculated? Guruvice adds up your eligible completed earnings (past the 4-day hold), subtracts the platform commission, and pays the net. The amount is computed on our servers — you always receive exactly what you're owed.

How long does a payout take? After you request a withdrawal it goes through a quick approval and is sent via Wise. Bank/wallet arrival times vary by country and method (often same-day to a few business days).

Is there an approval step? Yes. Payouts are reviewed and approved by our team before the transfer is sent, as a fraud- and error-prevention measure.

How do I add or change my bank/payout details? In the Payouts screen, add a payout method for your country (Guruvice reads the exact fields Wise needs for your region). You can replace or remove your saved method at any time.

What currency am I paid in? Your own local currency. Guruvice funds the transfer and Wise converts as needed so you receive your net earnings in your currency.

Reviews

Who can leave a review? The Learner who attended, after the session is completed. Reviews come from real, completed bookings.

When can I review? Once a session is marked completed, a Leave a review option appears on that session. You review the specific session you attended.

How do package reviews work? Packages are reviewed per session — you can leave a review for each completed session in the package, not just one for the whole package.

How many reviews can I leave per session? One review per completed session.

How do ratings work? You give a star rating (1–5) and can add written feedback. Ratings contribute to the Guru's overall reputation.

Why can't I review a session? Because it isn't eligible — reviews are only for sessions that actually took place. Sessions that were cancelled, refunded, or ended as a no-show can't be reviewed.

Can I edit or delete a review after posting? Reviews are final once submitted. If you posted something in genuine error, contact support.

Are reviews anonymous? Reviews are attributed to the Learner who wrote them; where a name isn't available they may display generically.

Calendar & Integrations

What does the in-app Calendar show? All your Guruvice bookings — 1:1 sessions, package sessions, and webinars — in day, week, and month views. Tap a day to see full cards for each event (title, the other person's name/photo/country, time, price/earning, and status).

Can I connect my Google Calendar? Yes. When you connect Google Calendar, Guruvice reads your calendar to reflect your existing commitments and help avoid double-booking, and writes your Guruvice bookings, sessions, and webinars onto your calendar as events (the "Sync with Google" connect path, live today). Connecting is optional.

What Google Calendar permissions does Guruvice use? Read and write access to your calendar events. Guruvice reads your events for conflict detection and creates, updates, and removes the Guruvice booking events it adds to your calendar. It only manages the events it creates — it doesn't change your other events or your calendar settings — and never sells or shares your calendar data.

How do I disconnect Google Calendar? Open the integration in Settings and tap Disconnect; access is revoked immediately.

Can I connect Telegram? Yes. Linking Telegram lets Guruvice send you a daily brief of your upcoming schedule and reminders on Telegram. You can disconnect any time.

Can the Telegram assistant answer my questions? Yes. You can ask it general questions about Guruvice — how sessions, payments, or policies work — and it replies using AI, grounded in this FAQ. Answers are for general information only, so double-check anything important.

Is there WhatsApp integration? No — WhatsApp is not an integrated messaging channel. Any WhatsApp links are for sharing or support only.

Are calls recorded to my calendar or elsewhere? No. Recording is coming soon; today nothing from the call is stored as a recording.

Demerits & Reliability

What is a reliability score? A simple measure of how dependable you've been over the last 60 days, shown as a percentage. Everyone starts at 100%. Gurus and Learners each have their own score.

What is a demerit? A small point penalty applied when someone misses a commitment — for example a no-show or a late cancellation. Points from the last 60 days reduce your reliability score and then automatically fall off over time.

How do I get a demerit? Common causes: a Guru missing a confirmed session (the largest penalty), letting a request expire, cancelling an accepted session, or a Learner not showing up. Reliable behavior over time raises your score back up.

Will I be automatically suspended for demerits? No. There's no automatic suspension. Reliability is shown as a transparent score; serious or repeated issues are reviewed by our team on a case-by-case basis.

Does my score ever hit zero? No — it never drops below 10%, so there's always room to rebuild.

How do I keep good standing? Show up to confirmed sessions, respond to requests promptly, and avoid last-minute cancellations. Older events drop off the 60-day window automatically as you stay consistent.

Where can I see my reliability score? On your own profile you can see your score(s) with a breakdown. When browsing, Learners see a Guru's reliability, and Gurus see a Learner's reliability, so both sides can book with confidence.

Account Deletion & Privacy

How do I delete my account? In the app: Settings → Account Management → Delete Account. You can also start deletion from the web at guruvice.com/deleteguruviceaccount.

Why won't it let me delete right now? Deletion is blocked while you have active commitments — upcoming or in-progress sessions, active package bookings, live webinars, or a pending payout. The app shows you exactly what's outstanding; clear those first (complete, cancel, or withdraw) and you'll be able to delete.

Is deletion immediate? No. Your account is first deactivated and enters a 30-day grace period. During that time it's hidden and inactive but recoverable — just log back in to cancel the deletion. After 30 days it's permanently removed.

What data is deleted versus kept? Your profile, content, and personal details are removed. A limited set of transaction and financial records is retained where we're legally required to keep them (for tax, accounting, and dispute purposes).

Can I get my account back after deleting? Yes, within the 30-day grace period — simply log in again to reactivate. After that window it can't be recovered.

How is my data protected? Payments are handled by Stripe and payouts by Wise (we don't store full card or bank numbers), sign-in is secured through AWS Cognito, and data is stored on secure cloud infrastructure. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

Where can I read the privacy policy and terms? In the app under Settings (Terms and Privacy open the live pages), or on the website at guruvice.com/privacy and guruvice.com/terms.

Support

How do I contact support? Use the in-app support/contact option (Learners can reach support from their application status and settings screens). You can also reach us by email: support@guruvice.com for general support, or privacy@guruvice.com for account and privacy questions.

How fast will I hear back? We aim to respond promptly, typically within a couple of business days depending on the request.

How do I report a problem or dispute a session? Use Report an issue on the relevant session, or contact support with the details. For call problems, our team can review call logs from both sides and decide fairly.

What if I was charged incorrectly? Contact support with your booking details. We'll investigate and correct any genuine error, including issuing a refund where appropriate.

A Guru behaved inappropriately — what do I do? Report it to support with as much detail as possible. Serious conduct issues are reviewed by our team, independent of the automatic reliability score.