StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories Reviews 49

TrustScore 4 out of 5

4.1

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Rated 4 out of 5 stars

The well researched method to learn in a more interesting and effective way. Takes some application on your part, but pays off little by little Cost is a bit high, but as you've got it forever, it... See more

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Rated 3 out of 5 stars

*UPDATE* I did sign up in the end but due to the initial issues I had lost interest by this point - however, i have revised up my rating from 1 to 3* Signed up for the free trial and no login... See more

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I have many levels of StoryLearning in several languages (not all completed yet...) and so far have found them all to be at just the right level to refresh some vocabulary but keep me challenged to... See more

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I have really been enjoying this experience. Story learning has helped more with natural sentence structure and grammar, without feeling like you’re studying. I am learning Russian and it is a great s... See more

Company replied

Company details

  1. Language course provider

Written by the company

StoryLearning® helps you learn a new language quickly — through stories, not rules. With StoryLearning, you can put the language directly into your brain, using the same natural learning process children use to learn their native language. Through our books, YouTube videos and online language courses, we help you make a breakthrough in your language learning and finally achieve your dreams of fluency. Our courses have been taken by over 100,000 students and our popular language books have sold over 1 million copies worldwide.


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4.1

Great

TrustScore 4 out of 5

49 reviews

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I signed up for the 7 day free course

I signed up for the 7 day free course. Having then reviewed the material I decided it wasn't for me so emailed customer support the following day to cancel (i.e., day 1 of the 7 day trial). No response. I sent two further emails on subsequent days requesting cancellation. No response. 7 day trial period is now up and my credit card has been charged for the full subscription, and still no response from support. There is no customer support contact number or chat, so email is your only option. I feel like I've given them sufficient time to respond before turning to Trustpilot, but providing a cancellable free trial that you ultimately can't cancel now seems like an effective way to generate subscriptions. @ Storylearning - I see your response on other Trustpilot posts is to contact support, but therein seems to lie the problem. Please advise how I can have my subscription refunded.

Update: @storylearning - My emails were sent to the correct support address you refer to (Trustpilot is not allowing me to include the actual email addresses here in this review). I have now sent a further email to this address as I have been charged for two subscriptions but you have only refunded me for one.
Update: For completeness, my subscription fees were refunded within a few days of my Trust pilot review (albeit with a significant negative £££ difference I assume related to exchange rates) and an offer to continue the original subscription for free by way of an apology for the frustrating experience

6 April 2026
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi Colin,

Thanks for your message and I am sorry to see you've had an issue cancelling your free trial.

I've checked our system and we have no emails from you in the inbox, which is why we hadn't cancelled your free trial - we never know you wanted to cancel!

Can you let me know what address you emailed to? Our support email is support@storylearning.com

I've also looked up your order in our system today and issued you a full refund for the programme as requested.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Very aggressive seeling tactics

This is a comment on the aggressive selling tactics rather than the course itself, which I never enrolled in. I was interested in the VIP option and so scheduled a call with one of their sales reps (Bree) . She knew very little about language learning, was following a script, and was calling from the US - in Europe it was 10pm. She basically said that unless I signed up THERE AND THEN with a credit card, I couldn't get a place, as - predictably - there was only one place left. It was hard-selling tactics 101 and left a pretty awful taste in my mouth. It's such a shame, as I probably would have signed up had she not been so aggressive. I asked if she could understand that at 10pm I'm not about to pay $4500 over the phone and would need to think about it, but she said that wouldn't work. so - sorry - no. A company that uses such tactics isn't one I feel comfortable with. (she also recorded the call without consent - as an fyi)

21 January 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi Andy,

I am really sorry to hear about your experience. That sounds incredibly frustrating, and it is certainly not the helpful, mentor-like approach we aim for at StoryLearning.

We want our students to feel excited and comfortable starting their journey, not pressured by timing. I do want to clarify that we genuinely had a massive amount of demand for the VIP coaching program during that window, and we really were down to the very last spots. Places for nearly every language we offer ended up selling out completely. So while it might have sounded like a hard-sell tactic, we were simply trying to be transparent about how fast the program was filling up.

All the same, we are sorry you felt pressured. That was never the intention. We also take your concerns about the call recording very seriously. Please reach out to us at support@storylearning.com so we can look into this and address your experience personally.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I have purchased the "Short Stories in…

I have purchased the "Short Stories in English" for students in ESL and ELL classes. The stories are simple but provide a great learning experience. My only other comment is that I hope that an "American English" version will come out soon.

1 December 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi Jim!

It is great to hear you are using the "Short Stories in English" series for your ESL and ELL classes. We love hearing from teachers who are bringing the story method into the classroom; it is such a powerful way to help students engage with the language naturally.

I hear you on the American English version! While many of our current stories lean toward British English, we know how important regional variations are for students depending on where they are in the world. I will definitely pass that feedback along to our publishers.

Thanks for the support, and I hope your students keep enjoying the stories!

The StoryLearning Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Different and enjoyable

I have really been enjoying this experience. Story learning has helped more with natural sentence structure and grammar, without feeling like you’re studying. I am learning Russian and it is a great story so far. Thanks

23 December 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi Rebecca,

It is great to hear that you are enjoying the Russian course! Russian can definitely feel intimidating with its unique grammar, so I am glad the story is helping you pick up natural sentence structures without it feeling like "work."

That is the best part of the method—when you are caught up in a great story, your brain starts absorbing the patterns of the language automatically. It makes the whole process feel much less like a chore and more like an adventure.

Thanks for the feedback, and enjoy seeing where the story takes you next!

The StoryLearning Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

excellent course

excellent course
very detailed and thorough

lots of grammar explanations and examples

I use it every day

1 December 2025
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi Jack,

It is great to hear that the course has become a part of your daily routine. Consistency is the real secret to making progress, so showing up every day is a huge win.

Keep up that daily momentum!

The StoryLearning Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A great and effective way to learn a…

A great and effective way to learn a language.
Great support available when needed.
Very enjoyable.

5 December 2025
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi!

It is wonderful to hear that you are finding the course both effective and enjoyable. We really believe that when you are actually having fun with a story, the learning part tends to take care of itself.

I am also glad to hear you have had a good experience with our support. We know that even with a great method, it helps to know someone is there if you run into a question.

Thanks for the support and keep enjoying the journey!

The StoryLearning Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

It is the fastest natural way to learn…

It is the fastest natural way to learn a language. It provides the new target language in a natural setting with which you can identify. You intuitively pick-up an remember new vocabulary.

17 November 2025
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi!

It is great to hear you are finding the method so effective. You have described exactly why we focus on stories: when you can identify with the setting and the characters, your brain stops fighting the language and starts absorbing it.

That intuitive "pick-up" of vocabulary is the magic of context. Instead of memorizing a list, you are remembering a moment in a story, which makes the words stick so much better.

We are glad you are enjoying this natural way of learning!

The StoryLearning Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I have found the course one of the best I’ve…

I have found the course the best I’ve seen to intelligently engage one’s brain in logically learning through imagination (story), and sense (sound), and technique (grammar), without the need for memorising great lists of unconnected vocabulary and rules of grammar. It’s quite encouraging and positive. Highly recommended.

3 September 2025
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi John,

It is great to hear that the method is clicking for you. You hit on exactly why we love stories: they engage your imagination and your senses at the same time.

We are big believers that the brain is much better at absorbing a language when it has a plot and characters to latch onto, rather than just staring at a list of disconnected words. It is much more encouraging to see the grammar working in action instead of trying to memorize it by rote.

Thanks for the high recommendation, and enjoy the rest of the course!

The StoryLearning Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

StoryLearning Has Greatly Improved My Courage Speaking Spanish

I like being able to understand what I read in Spanish better. I also have improved my pronunciation and, finally, had enough courage to find a Spanish speaking partner to practice the exercises StoryLearning designs for a speaking partner.

8 August 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi Letitia,

It is wonderful to hear that your confidence is growing. One of the biggest hurdles in learning a language is finding the courage to actually speak it, so taking that step to find a partner is a huge win.

I am glad the exercises we designed for speaking practice are helping you put what you learn into action. Improving your pronunciation and reading skills is a great foundation, but using the language with another person is where it all starts to feel real.

Keep up that momentum with your Spanish partner!

The StoryLearning Team

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I can’t cancel my account!

I’ve been trying to cancel my account for a number of days, but they will not send confirmation. I’ve been trying for many days and contacted many ways. Instructions are to email support and while they send an initial receipt of request, they never follow up to confirm cancellation. They also say if I don’t receive confirmation at the end of the trial period, I will be billed $300.

Update: Did eventually received confirmation, but it’s stressful they don’t automatically accept cancellations like most sites. It was manually reviewed 5 days after my first request. Wish this company would make cancelling as easy as it was to sign up.

14 July 2025
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi Jennifer,

I am glad you eventually received your confirmation, but I am truly sorry for the stress the delay caused you. That is definitely not the experience we want our students to have when they are trying to manage their accounts.

While we do have a manual review process for some requests, five days is longer than it should take. We know how important it is to feel confident that you won't be billed unexpectedly, and your feedback about making the cancellation process as seamless as signing up is very fair.

Thank you for your patience while we got this sorted. If you ever decide to come back to your language journey in the future, we would love to have you back.

The StoryLearning Team

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Lifetime Course Access Revoked After…

Lifetime Course Access Revoked After Purchase

I purchased a course from StoryLearning.com in 2021. At the time, they clearly advertised it as “lifetime access” (I’ve attached a screenshot from their FAQ confirming this). The course was self-paced, and I expected to return to it anytime.

Recently, I tried logging in and found I could no longer access the course. I contacted their support team multiple times over several weeks and received no response at all.

This is incredibly frustrating — I paid for lifetime access, and they’ve essentially cut me off from what I paid for with zero explanation.

If anyone else has had a similar issue — did you ever get it resolved? Any tips for getting access restored?

16 July 2025
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi Hung Yiying,

I am very sorry for the frustration this has caused. It sounds like there has been a serious breakdown in communication, and I can understand why you would feel let down after expecting to return to your course.

We definitely stand by our lifetime access promise for purchases made on our site. It sounds like something has gone wrong either with your login credentials or our support ticketing system. We want to get this fixed for you immediately so you can get back to your stories.

Please reach out to us again at support@storylearning.com and include "Urgent: Access Issue" in the subject line. We will make it a priority to track down your account and restore your access right away.

The StoryLearning Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

This course is fun and effective

This course is fun, comprehensive, and effective if you do the work. It has vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and culture, and has Latin American versions.

20 June 2025
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi Mona,

It is great to hear you are finding the course both fun and effective. You hit on a really important point: the method works best when you put in the time to engage with the stories.

We are also glad you are enjoying the cultural side and the Latin American versions. Providing that specific context is a big part of making the language feel real rather than just a set of rules. It sounds like you are making the most of the comprehensive approach we built into the program.

Keep up the great work with your studies!

The StoryLearning Team

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

The well researched method to learn in…

The well researched method to learn in a more interesting and effective way. Takes some application on your part, but pays off little by little

Cost is a bit high, but as you've got it forever, it's better value than night be expected. Just misses some speech/talking practice within the system

5 May 2025
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

It’s great to hear that you’re seeing the payoff from the method. You’re spot on about the "application" part. It does take a bit of showing up every day, but that’s how the real progress happens.

We appreciate the honest feedback on the price and the speaking practice. We try to make sure that lifetime access provides long-term value, even if the initial cost feels a bit higher. Regarding the speaking side, since our method focuses so much on "Input" first to build your internal map of the language, it can definitely feel different from traditional classes.

Thanks for sharing your experience, and we’re glad the stories are keeping things interesting for you!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Interesting Stories at Just the Right Level but with Challenges!

I have many levels of StoryLearning in several languages (not all completed yet...) and so far have found them all to be at just the right level to refresh some vocabulary but keep me challenged to learn more--and absorb the grammar without having to learn it by rote. The variety of stories keeps me interested in going on to the next.

The videos that accompany the courses are valuable for enhancing your learning experience and many of their instructors are native speakers.

2 May 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi Wayne,

It’s great to see you’re exploring so many different languages with us. Keeping several courses on the go is a challenge, but it’s the best way to keep things fresh.

I’m really glad the stories are hitting that balance for you. We aim to provide enough familiar ground to build confidence while introducing just enough new material to keep your brain working. Learning grammar through absorption rather than rote memorisation is exactly why we use this method. It just feels more natural that way.

It is also good to know that the native speaker videos are adding that extra value to your experience. Thanks for being such a long-term part of the StoryLearning community.

The StoryLearning Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Level Appropriate Content is key

I've been using StoryLearning for many years now. I've taken many German language courses and now I've moved on to Spanish because there's a larger Spanish language population where I live and I'd really like to be able to converse with them in their own language instead of relying on whatever English they know. StoryLearning has engaging, level appropriate content that challenges you to learn without overwhelming you with grammar that it frustratingly complicated. The videos that accompany the courses are valuable for enhancing your learning experience and many of their instructors are native speakers.

25 April 2025
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Thanks, Terry!

It’s great to have you with us after all these years! Moving from German to Spanish is a big jump, but it makes total sense given the community around you. There’s no better motivation than wanting to have real conversations with your neighbours.

I’m glad to hear the Spanish content is hitting that "sweet spot". Challenging enough to keep you growing, but not so heavy on the grammar that it feels like a chore. That’s exactly what we aim for. Our instructors and native speakers work hard to keep those videos useful, so it’s awesome to know they’re helping you bridge the gap to real-world speaking.

Good luck with your Spanish journey!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Don’t trust the free trial ! They charge you ££

I signed up for a free trial and cancelled within the week, was emailed confirmation by the company that it had been cancelled and I would not be charged. I was charged anyway. Don’t trust the free trial !

18 April 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Hi Emma, I’m really sorry to hear about the trouble with your billing. That definitely shouldn't happen, especially if you received a cancellation confirmation. I can understand why that would be frustrating.

We want to make sure this is sorted out, and your money is back with you as quickly as possible. Please reach out to our support team at support@storylearning.com with a copy of your confirmation email. We’ll look into what went wrong in the system and get it resolved for you right away.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Surely the best way to learn a new…

Surely the best way to learn a new language is how you learn your native language. StoryLearning is the next best thing for me. Thoroughly recommend.

24 April 2025
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Thanks, Elizabeth!

You’ve hit on the exact philosophy behind why we do what we do. Learning a language through stories mimics that natural "immersion" we all had as kids—picking things up through context rather than staring at grammar charts.

It’s awesome to hear that this approach is resonating with you. There really is no better way to make the language stick than by just living in the story.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Words in context is key

After using MULTIPLE language apps, I found this platform really helped me advance my language journey. Studying words and phrases in context is crucial and allowed me to retain was I was learning.

11 April 2025
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Thanks, Susan!

It's great to hear that you've made that jump from apps to context. Most of us have been through the "app phase," but there's a big difference between clicking buttons and actually seeing how a language lives inside a story.

You hit the nail on the head. Context is exactly how the brain is designed to retain information. It’s much easier to remember a phrase when it’s tied to a character or a plot point rather than just a floating flashcard.

Glad to have you with us for this next stage of your journey!

The StoryLearning Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Taught an old dog a new language

I'm a 60 yo who never learned another language and never was good at English grammar. So the challenge of learning Spanish has been painful. I've tried three other teaching styles over several years including a tutor and Storylearning worked when none else did. The story kept my interest and motivation for the year I've used it. I listened to the entire 20 chapter of Spanish 1 and 2 paying close attention and then repeated all the lessons doing the exercises.
I'm now going back over the material working to fill in gaps. I'm also reading a lot of material for beginners. I've found it important to use conjugation and vocabulary drills (in a separate program) to support my failing memory and to provide a different style of practice and drills.

2 February 2025
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Congrats on your progress, Thomas! We always say age doesn't mean you can't learn a language. It just takes a good method, persistence and determination :)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The stories are enjoyable

The stories are enjoyable, interesting and challenging. This is a unique way to learn French. I like to re-read the stories after awhile and am pleased to see my progress.

14 January 2025
Unprompted review
StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories logo

Reply from StoryLearning - Learn A Language Through Stories

Glad to hear your enjoyed the story and the course Diane!

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