Independent profile — not affiliated with JustAnswer
JustAnswer
JustAnswer is an online service operated by JustAnswer LLC; the company says that in most circumstances members pay a one-time join fee and a monthly membership fee for access to independent professional Experts, and that exceptions may apply. This page sets out the company's own cancellation, billing and refund terms as displayed on October 11, 2026, the FTC lawsuit filed in January 2026 and its docket steps, the Ninth Circuit and California appellate rulings on its arbitration clause, an Australian penalty order, BBB and Trustpilot figures, and 300 archive posts dated 2007 to 2025.
Complaints & Reviews on USAComplaints
300 complaints on USAComplaints, including 2 published in the last three years.
- They'll charge you a monthly subscription without telling you upfront
- Unrecognized charges on my Amex credit card
- Consumer Report
- Consumer Report
- Consumer Report
- Consumer Report
- Consumer Report
- Consumer Report
- Consumer Report
- Consumer Report
- Consumer Report
- Consumer Report
- Hp printers
- Consumer Report
- Consumer Report
- Pearl.com Not getting 'expert' or 'professional' help
- Consumer Report
- Consumer Report
- N/a can't find accessed my checking account without authorization. Didn't sign up to be a member took out 60.00 and now am screwed
- Consumer Report
Complaint Themes
Independent Sources
Shown for context — not merged with USAComplaints' own numbers.
Contacts & Login
- Official website: https://www.justanswer.com/
- Customer Care, United States (Contact page): 1-800-300-8955
- Cancellation and support line named in Terms of Service: 1-800-581-6476
- Support and written cancellation notice: [email protected]
- Legal: dispute notifications (Terms section 19): [email protected]
- Cancel membership (button in My Account, login required): https://my-secure.justanswer.com/managepearlunlimited
- BBB-listed phone: (800) 808-0643
Locations
| Type | Address |
|---|---|
| Mailing address | 440 N. Barranca Ave #7508 Covina CA 91723 |
JustAnswer complaints: how billing, cancellation and refunds work (checked October 11, 2026)
JustAnswer.com is operated by JustAnswer LLC. The company's own Help Center, opened on October 11, 2026, says: “In most circumstances, when you use JustAnswer, you're signing up for a monthly membership-based service,” with “a one-time join fee and also a monthly fee,” both charged at sign-up, and that “the monthly charge will recur unless you cancel.” The Terms of Service say that unless the sign-up page states otherwise, a membership is “an automatically renewing Membership” billed at the stated frequency (for example monthly or annually) at the then-current price until you cancel. Many of the billing complaints archived on this site (see the complaint record below) describe people who expected a single payment for one question.
Advertised price. The company's Pricing page, opened on October 11, 2026, displays “$65 /month per category” with a “one-time $5 join fee at signup,” and the note “Pricing current as of November 3, 2025. Your pricing may vary.” The Help Center page on cost adds: “Exceptions may apply in certain instances or for certain categories. Specific pricing will be more fully described during the sign up process.” The Terms say: “Some Members may be charged a one-time join fee,” and that join fees “may be discounted or waived.” The $65 and $5 figures are a company-advertised example as displayed that day, not a price every member pays.
How to cancel, as the company describes it.
- Website: select the Cancel membership button on the Membership panel in My Account (the Terms call it “I want to cancel” on the account's Membership page and say you may cancel “without the need to speak to a live agent”).
- iPhone or Android app: open the app, tap Account, then Manage Membership, then Cancel Membership and confirm (Help Center page “How can I cancel my membership?”).
- Other routes listed in Terms section 10: written notice to [email protected], or the online chatbot, or phone 1-800-581-6476. The Contact page lists 1-800-300-8955 for the United States.
- Memberships bought through an app store are managed by Apple or Google; the Terms say JustAnswer “does not have the ability to manage any aspect of an app store subscription Membership.”
Timing and refunds, as the Terms state them. Cancelling “cancel[s] only future charges”; cancellation “will become effective at the end of your current subscription period,” and to avoid the next charge it must be submitted “at least 24 hours before that period begins.” The Terms add: “You are not entitled to a refund of Membership fees except as expressly set forth in these Terms or in accordance with applicable law.” The Help Center's refund page says only that a customer who is not satisfied should contact Customer Care. Help also says a customer unhappy with an answer can request a new Expert “at no additional cost.” Separately, the “Refund and Exchange Policy” section of the BBB profile (opened October 11, 2026) says: “if we still can't meet your needs, we'll refund you.” The BBB text and the Terms' refund sentence appear on different pages and are both quoted here as the company's statements. Charges may appear “under the name of JustAnswer, the Expert providing your services, or a related payment descriptor”; the Terms direct customers who do not recognize a charge to the Help Center.
If the company does not resolve it. Keep the dates, amounts and screenshots of the sign-up page. The FTC's consumer page on card disputes says a billing-error dispute letter should reach the card issuer “within 60 days after the first bill with the error was sent to you” and that the issuer must acknowledge it in writing within 30 days. You can report problems to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general. Note that Terms section 19 (effective August 8, 2026) contains an arbitration clause and class action waiver with an opt-out window and a pre-dispute notice step; the Ninth Circuit's 2025 decision in Godun v. JustAnswer LLC is summarized in the litigation section.
The company's position. In its response to the FTC complaint, posted on its BBB profile on January 15, 2026, JustAnswer said it “clearly publishes its pricing and model upfront, and makes cancelling simple and convenient through multiple channels,” and that it “has met or exceeded all legal disclosure requirements.”
Regulators: FTC lawsuit (United States) and ACCC penalty order (Australia)
Federal Trade Commission, filed January 13, 2026. The FTC sued JustAnswer LLC and its founder and CEO Andrew Kurtzig in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The press release says the FTC alleges the service “falsely claim[s] that consumers can ‘join’ JustAnswer and get access to expert advice for as little as $1 or $5,” while consumers are enrolled in a monthly subscription “costing anywhere from $28 to $125” that is charged immediately along with the join fee and continues every month until cancelled. It alleges violations of the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA) and the FTC Act, and seeks an injunction, money for consumers and civil penalties. The release states: “The case will be decided by the court,” and that the Commission files a complaint when it has “reason to believe” a violation is occurring. The FTC case page listed the case as Pending when opened on October 11, 2026. These are allegations, not findings. The defendants answered on October 5, 2026; see the litigation section for the docket steps.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, announced July 8, 2026. The ACCC said the Federal Court of Australia ordered JustAnswer LLC to pay penalties of $10 million (the figure as stated in the ACCC release) for misleading representations to Australian consumers about the cost of the service, and for claims of affiliation with the Fair Work Ombudsman. The ACCC says JustAnswer “admitted that it had breached the Australian Consumer Law” and agreed to joint submissions on penalties; the court also ordered refunds to Australian consumers who joined between November 2022 and August 2025, a corrective notice, a compliance program and an injunction. This was a separate proceeding under Australian law about Australian consumers and is not part of the U.S. case.
No state attorney general action against JustAnswer was identified in the sources checked on October 11, 2026 (the FTC, ACCC and court dockets listed on this page); that is a statement about those searches, not about all state records.
Who runs JustAnswer: JustAnswer LLC, an Idaho limited liability company
The Terms of Service describe a “binding legal agreement between you and JustAnswer LLC.” The FTC case page names the defendant as “JustAnswer LLC, an Idaho limited liability company.” In the FTC docket, JustAnswer LLC's Certificate of Interested Entities (January 28, 2026) identifies “Corporate Parent Pearl.com LLC” and “Corporate Parent Pearl Holding Corp.” The company's About page lists Andy Kurtzig as founder and CEO and refers to the company's Pearl brand (“joined Pearl in 2017”); its chat assistant is called the “Pearl Chatbot.”
How the service is described. Terms section 2: the Platform “is an online venue where Seekers can interact with Experts,” and JustAnswer “does not provide advice or any professional service to Seekers”; Experts “are independent contractors and not employees, partners, or agents of JustAnswer.” The Terms add that JustAnswer “does not guarantee that you will receive a response from an Expert, or that you will be satisfied.” The Terms are governed by Idaho law, with courts in Ada County, Idaho for disputes outside arbitration. The Terms of Service page opened on October 11, 2026 displays “Effective Date: August 8, 2026” and links the prior terms, “Effective September 22, 2024.” The current Terms include a mass-arbitration procedure (section 19, paragraph h) that, for 25 or more similar demands from the same law firm or coordinated counsel, has JAMS administer them in batches of 50.
Related sites. The FTC release lists AskALawyerOnCall.com, AskAVeterinarianOnline.com and AskWomensHealth.com as specialized advice sites JustAnswer operates. BBB shows the business started in 2002 and was incorporated in 2007, as read from the profile's page data (see complaint record).
Complaint record: BBB and Trustpilot as displayed, plus archive posts
BBB (as displayed on 2026-10-11). The BBB profile for JustAnswer, San Francisco, CA shows rating A and BBB Accredited status (page data: accredited 2006-07-19, file opened 2006-06-23). The complaints tab shows “7,300 total complaints in the last 3 years” and “1,688 complaints filed in the last 12 months”; the reviews tab shows “Average of 10,000 Customer Reviews” at 4.2 out of 5. BBB notes that displayed complaint text might not represent all complaints. BBB also carries a Pending Government Action notice for the FTC case and the company's response.
Trustpilot (as displayed on 2026-10-11). 4.6 out of 5 from 145,840 reviews; the profile is claimed (September 2014) with a paid Trustpilot subscription, and Trustpilot says it does not fact-check reviews.
This site's archive. 300 posts on usacomplaints.com name JustAnswer: one dated 2007, 297 dated 2008 to 2013 (most in 2011 and 2012) and two dated 2025. They are unverified submissions by individual users, not findings, and describe the service as it was at the time. Counting keywords in the 300 posts: 62 mention monthly or subscription-type charges, 60 say no answer was received, 82 mention a refund or money back, 28 describe a charge as unauthorized, and 29 criticize the quality or relevance of an answer. A post can match more than one keyword group. These counts are a keyword search of this archive and are separate from the BBB and Trustpilot figures, which are never added to them.
Posters most often describe paying a small amount for one question and later finding a monthly charge, being charged without receiving an answer, and difficulty reaching the company for a refund. The company's position on pricing and cancellation is in the first section above.
Court record: FTC case, consumer class action, and two rulings on arbitration
FTC v. JustAnswer LLC and Andrew Kurtzig (N.D. Cal. No. 3:26-cv-00333, Judge James Donato). Per the CourtListener docket opened October 11, 2026: complaint filed January 13, 2026; an order of April 17, 2026 denied the sealing motions and directed unredacted filings, and the unredacted complaint was filed April 20, 2026; JustAnswer and Kurtzig each moved to dismiss (Dkt. 34 and 32; JustAnswer's unredacted motion is Dkt. 53), with the hearing continued to September 3, 2026; a case management scheduling order was entered September 2, 2026 and an “Order” terminating motions appears on September 8, 2026, but the text of that order was not displayed in the docket view opened. On October 5, 2026 both defendants filed an answer (Dkt. 79), whose caption lists a trial date of November 8, 2027. In the answer the defendants deny the complaint's allegations except as admitted; they admit, for example, that a consumer who enrolls in a membership is charged a monthly membership fee and that the amount of that fee has varied, and state that the payment form “has disclosed both the one-time join fee and the monthly membership fee before any consumer is charged.” They also admit receiving an FTC Civil Investigative Demand in or around February 2023. The case is pending.
Quamina (Godun et al.) v. JustAnswer LLC (N.D. Cal. No. 3:22-cv-06051, Judge Donato, filed October 13, 2022). The Ninth Circuit describes it as a putative class action under the Electronic Funds Transfer Act and California and other states' consumer protection laws, by users who say they were enrolled in a monthly subscription without consent and found cancellation difficult. A scheduling order of November 24, 2025 set fact discovery to close June 8, 2026 and a jury trial for August 2, 2027. A motion to dismiss (Dkt. 63) had its hearing continued to April 23, 2026; the docket view opened shows stipulations and an order on a stipulation in August 2026 but did not display a ruling on that motion. Allegations are not findings.
Godun v. JustAnswer LLC (9th Cir. No. 24-2095). JustAnswer appealed the denial of its motion to compel arbitration. On April 15, 2025 the panel affirmed, writing that “no meeting of the minds took place” between those plaintiffs and JustAnswer on the Terms of Service as presented in their sign-up flows (a “sign-in wrap”); rehearing en banc was denied June 6, 2025 and the mandate issued June 16, 2025. The ruling concerns whether the arbitration clause bound those plaintiffs; it did not decide the merits.
Sellers v. JustAnswer LLC (Cal. Ct. App., 4th Dist., Div. 1, No. D077868, opinion filed December 30, 2021). The plaintiffs alleged violations of California's Automatic Renewal Law; the court affirmed the order denying JustAnswer's petition to compel arbitration.
Other dockets. CourtListener also lists Larson v. JustAnswer LLC (C.D. Cal. No. 2:25-cv-10174, filed October 23, 2025, transferred to N.D. Cal. No. 3:26-cv-01679) and Pappas v. JustAnswer LLC (E.D. Mo. No. 4:25-cv-01865, removed December 22, 2025 and remanded April 24, 2026). The docket entries opened do not state the claims, so none are described here.
Is JustAnswer Legitimate?
JustAnswer is operated by JustAnswer LLC, an Idaho limited liability company named as the defendant in the FTC case; BBB lists it as a Limited Liability Company that is BBB Accredited with an A rating as displayed on October 11, 2026, alongside 7,300 complaints in the last 3 years. The FTC filed a federal lawsuit against JustAnswer LLC and its CEO on January 13, 2026 over how the monthly subscription is presented; the company denies the allegations and the case is pending in court. Two appellate courts declined to compel arbitration against the plaintiffs in those cases (Sellers, 2021; Godun, 2025), and an Australian court ordered penalties in a separate action about Australian consumers. Trustpilot shows 4.6 out of 5 from 145,840 reviews, with the profile claimed and paid. These facts are reported from the sources above and are not a rating or verdict by this site; whether the service fits your question and what you pay depends on the plan terms you accept at sign-up.
Court & Public Records
| Case | Authority | Dates | Type | Outcome | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Trade Commission v. JustAnswer LLC and Andrew Kurtzig Docket 3:26-cv-00333 | U.S. District Court, N.D. California | Filed | Filed — no final outcome recorded FTC action alleging violations of ROSCA and the FTC Act over how a monthly subscription was presented and charged after a $1 or $5 join fee; seeks an injunction, consumer redress and civil penalties. These are allegations. Defendants moved to dismiss in March 2026 (hearing continued to September 3, 2026) and filed an answer denying liability on October 5, 2026, admitting some facts; the caption lists a trial date of November 8, 2027. The case is pending. | Source | |
| Quamina (Godun et al.) v. JustAnswer LLC Docket 3:22-cv-06051 | U.S. District Court, N.D. California | Filed | Filed — no final outcome recorded Putative class action under the Electronic Funds Transfer Act and consumer protection laws by users who say they were enrolled in a monthly subscription without consent; these are allegations, not findings. The Ninth Circuit affirmed denial of JustAnswer's motion to compel arbitration (see Godun). A November 24, 2025 scheduling order set a jury trial for August 2, 2027; a ruling on the motion to dismiss (Dkt. 63) was not displayed in the docket view opened. The case is pending. | Source | |
| Godun et al. v. JustAnswer LLC Docket 24-2095 | U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit | Appeal decided | Appeal decided — see outcome The panel (Paez, Ikuta, R. Nelson) affirmed the district court's order denying JustAnswer's motion to compel arbitration, concluding that no contracts were formed with those plaintiffs under an inquiry-notice theory because the sign-up notices were not sufficiently conspicuous or did not tell users what actions signaled assent. Rehearing en banc was denied on June 6, 2025 and the mandate issued on June 16, 2025. The ruling does not decide the merits of the claims. | Source | |
| Sellers et al. v. JustAnswer LLC Docket D077868 (San Diego Super. Ct. 37-2020-00005869-CU-BT-CTL) | California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division One | — | Appeal decided | Appeal decided — see outcome In a putative class action alleging violations of California's Automatic Renewal Law, the court affirmed the trial court's order denying JustAnswer's petition to compel individual arbitration. The opinion is certified for publication. The later history of the case in the superior court was not verified. | Source |
| Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v JustAnswer LLC | Federal Court of Australia | — | Judgment | Judgment entered As announced by the ACCC on July 8, 2026: the court ordered JustAnswer LLC to pay penalties of $10 million (as stated in the ACCC release) for misleading statements about cost and about affiliation with the Fair Work Ombudsman; JustAnswer admitted the breaches of the Australian Consumer Law. The court also ordered refunds for Australian consumers who joined between November 2022 and August 2025, a corrective notice, a compliance program and an injunction. The proceeding concerns Australian consumers and is separate from the U.S. case; the order date and case number are not stated in the release. | Source |
Company Relationships
- Owned by: Pearl.com LLC
- Owned by: Pearl Holding Corp.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cancel a JustAnswer membership?
The Help Center says to select the Cancel membership button on the Membership panel in My Account, or in the iPhone or Android app to open Account, Manage Membership, Cancel Membership and confirm. The Terms also list written notice to [email protected], the online chatbot, or phone 1-800-581-6476. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current period and must be submitted at least 24 hours before the next billing period begins.
How do I ask JustAnswer for a refund?
The Terms state that you are not entitled to a refund of membership fees except as set out in the Terms or required by law, and that there is no refund for a partial membership period. The Help Center's refund page directs customers who are not satisfied to contact Customer Care. Keep the date, the amount and a screenshot of the sign-up page you saw when you contact the company.
Why was I charged a monthly fee after paying a small join fee?
The company's Help Center says that in most circumstances users sign up for a monthly membership with a one-time join fee and a monthly fee, both charged at sign-up, that exceptions may apply, and that the monthly charge continues until cancelled. Its Pricing page displayed “$65 /month per category” and a “one-time $5 join fee” on October 11, 2026, with the note that pricing may vary. The FTC alleges that advertising a join price of $1 or $5 obscured this; the defendants deny those allegations in their October 5, 2026 answer while admitting that members are charged a monthly fee that has varied in amount.
What is the FTC lawsuit against JustAnswer about, and what is its status?
The FTC sued JustAnswer LLC and CEO Andrew Kurtzig on January 13, 2026 in the Northern District of California (No. 3:26-cv-00333), alleging violations of ROSCA and the FTC Act in how the monthly subscription was presented and charged. The FTC case page listed the case as Pending on October 11, 2026, and the defendants answered on October 5, 2026. The allegations are unproven and the case will be decided by the court.
Who owns and operates JustAnswer?
The Terms of Service name JustAnswer LLC, and the FTC identifies it as an Idaho limited liability company. In its January 28, 2026 certificate of interested entities in the FTC case, JustAnswer LLC identified Pearl.com LLC and Pearl Holding Corp. as corporate parents. The company's About page lists Andy Kurtzig as founder and CEO.
How can I dispute a JustAnswer charge with my card issuer?
The FTC's consumer page on card disputes says to write to the card issuer at its billing-inquiry address so the letter arrives within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was sent, and that the issuer must acknowledge the dispute in writing within 30 days. Charges may appear under JustAnswer's name, an Expert's name or another descriptor, according to the Terms; the Help Center is the route the Terms give for unrecognized charges.
Does JustAnswer's arbitration clause stop me from suing?
Terms section 19 provides for individual JAMS arbitration and a class action waiver, requires a written Dispute Notification first, and lets you opt out in writing to [email protected]; the notice “must be sent within thirty (30) days of the Effective Date of these Terms of Service or your first use of the Platform, whichever is later.” The Terms page displays an effective date of August 8, 2026. Courts have addressed the clause: the Ninth Circuit in Godun (April 15, 2025) and the California Court of Appeal in Sellers (December 30, 2021) each affirmed denial of JustAnswer's motion to compel arbitration against the plaintiffs in those cases, on the sign-up flows those plaintiffs saw. Whether the clause binds you depends on your own facts; consider legal advice.
What do BBB and Trustpilot show for JustAnswer?
BBB lists the JustAnswer profile in San Francisco with an A rating and Accredited status, 7,300 complaints in its three-year window (1,688 of them filed in the last 12 months) and a 4.2 out of 5 average across 10,000 customer reviews. Trustpilot displays 4.6 out of 5 across 145,840 reviews for www.justanswer.com, noting a claimed profile with a paid plan. Both were read on October 11, 2026; they use different methods and are kept separate here.
How do I contact JustAnswer customer care?
The Contact page offers live chat and lists 1-800-300-8955 for the United States. The Terms list [email protected] and 1-800-581-6476 for cancellation requests, and [email protected] for dispute notifications. BBB lists (800) 808-0643 for the company.