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Everything you need to know about connecting, teaching, and learning on Hobvia.
🚀
Getting Started
1
Create your account
Sign up with your email address. You'll receive a one-time code to verify your identity — no password needed.
2
Pick your interests
Choose the hobbies and activities you love. Hobvia uses these to personalise your feed, suggest nearby people, and surface classes that match what you're into.
3
Set your location
Allow location access so you can discover people and classes near you. Your exact coordinates are never shown to other users — only your city.
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Feed & Social
1
Post to the feed
Share updates, photos, or videos from the Feed tab. Posts are visible to everyone on Hobvia who shares at least one of your interests.
2
Discover nearby members
The Nearby tab shows members in your area who share your interests. Tap a profile to view their portfolio, interests, and reviews.
3
Send a direct message
Tap the chat icon on any profile or start a conversation from the Messages tab. DMs are private and end-to-end visible only to you and the recipient.
🎓
Booking a Class
1
Find a class
Open the Classes tab and browse listings that match your interests. Tap a listing to see the instructor's bio, pricing, schedule, and student reviews.
2
Choose a session type
Classes are offered in two pricing models. Per-session: pay for a single 1-on-1 or group session at a time — good for trying something out. Monthly program: enrol in an ongoing program billed every 1st of the month — better value for regular learners.
3
Pay securely
Complete checkout with a card via Stripe. A 10% platform fee is added to the instructor's listed price. Your booking is confirmed instantly once payment succeeds. Monthly programs are billed on the 1st of each month and renew automatically until you cancel.
💡 You can cancel an upcoming per-session booking from the Classes tab as long as the session is more than 48 hours away. To cancel a monthly program subscription, tap 'Cancel subscription' — your access continues until the end of the billing period. See the Cancellations & Rescheduling section below for full details.
📷 For individual and recurring sessions, you must scan the instructor's QR code at every session to confirm attendance. For monthly program enrolments, the QR scan is only required at your first session — subsequent months are confirmed automatically when your payment processes on the 1st of each month.
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Individual & Per-Session Classes
Per-session classes are single, pay-as-you-go sessions — either 1-on-1 (individual) or open to a group. Students pick a specific date and time from the slots the instructor has made available.
For instructors — setting up your listing
1
Set your availability slots
When creating or editing a per-session class, tap "+ Add Slot" to define when you are available to teach. Each slot has a day of the week and a start time — for example, "Tuesday at 6:00 PM". You can add as many slots as you like. Students will only be able to book sessions that fall on one of these slots, so add every recurring window when you are free.
💡 Slots repeat weekly by default. If a student has already booked a slot, that specific date + time is automatically blocked so no one else can double-book the same 1-on-1 session.
2
Set a minimum booking notice
Minimum booking notice is the shortest amount of time in advance that a student is allowed to book. For example, setting 24 hours means students cannot book a session that starts within the next 24 hours. This gives you enough preparation time and prevents last-minute surprises. You can set it to 0 if you are happy to accept same-day bookings.
3
Add rules & disclaimer (optional)
Use the Rules & Disclaimer field to add any requirements or expectations students should know before booking — for example: "Bring your own equipment", "No refunds within 48 hours", or "Suitable for ages 16+". This text is shown to the student on the booking screen and they must acknowledge it before confirming their booking.
📋 The rules & disclaimer field is optional but recommended. Use it to set clear expectations upfront and reduce misunderstandings.
For students — booking a per-session class
1
Pick an available slot
Open the class listing and tap 'Book Session'. The calendar shows all upcoming available slots based on the instructor's schedule. Grayed-out slots are already taken or fall within the minimum booking notice window.
2
Acknowledge the rules
If the instructor has added rules or a disclaimer, you'll be asked to review and accept them before completing your booking. Make sure you read them carefully — accepting confirms you understand the instructor's conditions.
3
Complete payment
Pay securely with a card. Your booking is confirmed immediately. You can view it under your upcoming bookings in the Classes tab.
🗓️
Monthly Classes
Monthly classes are ongoing programs billed once a month. Students enrol for a recurring schedule and are automatically charged on the 1st of each month. This section explains all the scheduling options instructors can configure.
For instructors — scheduling options
1
Session schedule: Fixed vs Any day
Fixed means you pick the exact day(s) of the week the class runs — students enrol and show up on those specific days. Any day means the instructor is flexible and students choose which day of the week works for them at booking time. Use "Any day" for 1-on-1 programs where you want students to self-schedule within your available windows.
2
Session frequency
Choose how often sessions occur each week: Weekly (once every 7 days), Biweekly (every other week), or Monthly (once per month). This controls how many sessions a student gets within their monthly billing period.
3
Class days
Select which days of the week the class is available. For fixed schedules you can pick multiple days (e.g. Monday and Thursday for a twice-weekly program). For any-day schedules these become the pool of days students can choose from when they book.
4
Fixed time vs time range
Fixed time: you set one specific start time for the session (e.g. 10:00 AM). All students on that day attend at that exact time. Time range: you set a window (e.g. 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM) and students pick their preferred slot within it at booking time. Time range is most useful for 1-on-1 classes where different students can take different slots within the same availability window.
5
Start date: Next available date vs First selected day of the month
Next available date means the student's program begins on the very next upcoming occurrence of the chosen class day after they enrol — could be just a few days away. First selected day of the month means the program starts on the first occurrence of the chosen day in the upcoming calendar month — giving both you and the student a clean, predictable programme start. For example, if a student enrols mid-October for a Monday class, 'Next available' might start that same week, while 'First selected day of the month' would start on the first Monday of November.
💡 First selected day of the month is the better choice for structured programs where all students should start at the same point in the curriculum. Next available date suits open-entry classes where students can join at any time.
6
Minimum booking notice
Same as per-session classes — this is the minimum number of hours before the first session that a student must complete their enrolment. For example, setting 48 hours prevents students from enrolling for a session that starts tomorrow. Set it to 0 to allow enrollments right up until the session begins.
For students — enrolling in a monthly class
1
Choose your day and time
If the instructor offers a fixed schedule, you'll see the set day(s) and time(s) to confirm. If the instructor allows any day or offers a time range, you'll pick your preferred day and time slot from the available options at checkout.
2
Your program start date
Depending on the instructor's setting, your program either starts on the next upcoming class day or on the first occurrence of your chosen day in the coming month. This is clearly shown on the booking confirmation screen before you pay.
3
Monthly billing
Your card is charged once for the first month at checkout. From month 2 onwards, billing happens automatically on the 1st of each month. You can cancel your enrolment at any time — access continues until the end of the current billing period.
📷 Monthly program students only need to scan the instructor's QR code at their very first session to confirm enrolment. All subsequent sessions are automatically confirmed when your monthly payment processes.
🔄
Cancellations & Rescheduling
For students — cancelling a booking
1
Find your booking
Go to the Classes tab and scroll to your upcoming bookings. Each confirmed booking shows a 'Cancel' button.
2
Cancel more than 48 hours before the session
Tap 'Cancel' on the booking card. You can cancel a per-session booking at any time as long as the session is more than 48 hours away. For monthly program subscriptions, tap 'Cancel subscription' — your access continues until the end of the current billing period.
3
Within 48 hours — no cancellation allowed
Once you're inside the 48-hour window before a session, the Cancel button is disabled and the booking is locked. At this stage the booking is non-refundable and cannot be cancelled.
⏰ 48-hour rule: Cancellations must be made more than 48 hours before the session start time. Inside that window the booking is locked and non-refundable. Plan ahead to avoid losing your spot fee.
For instructors — rescheduling a class
1
Open your class listing
Go to the Classes tab and find the class you want to reschedule. Tap the '✏️ Edit' button on your class card.
2
Edit up to 4 hours before the session
You can update the schedule, time, or location of your class as long as the next upcoming session is more than 4 hours away. The Edit button is automatically disabled within the 4-hour window to protect enrolled students.
3
Students are notified
When you reschedule, all students with upcoming bookings receive an in-app notification about the change.
4
Student's free-cancel window
After an instructor reschedules, students have a 24-hour window to cancel their booking free of charge — even if it falls inside the normal 48-hour cutoff. This window is noted on their booking card.
⚠️ 4-hour reschedule cutoff: The Edit button on your class listing is disabled within 4 hours of the next scheduled session. Finalize any changes well in advance so your students can plan accordingly.
📷
Attending a Class & Confirming Attendance
Attendance confirmation is how Hobvia verifies that a session actually took place. It protects students, ensures instructors are paid fairly, and unlocks the ability to leave a review.
⚠️ QR scan rules by session type: Individual & recurring sessions — scan required at every session. Monthly programs — scan required at your first session only; all subsequent months are auto-confirmed when your subscription renews on the 1st.
For students
1
Show up to your session
Attend the class at the scheduled time and location. The check-in window opens 2 hours before the session and stays open for 12 hours after it starts.
2
Tap 'Scan to Attend' in the Classes tab
Open the app, go to the Classes tab, and find your upcoming booking. Tap the 'Scan to Attend' button that appears during the check-in window. (Monthly program students only need to do this for their very first session.)
3
Scan the instructor's QR code
Point your camera at the QR code your instructor is displaying on their device. The app will detect it automatically — no button press needed. If your camera isn't available, tap 'Enter code manually' and type in the session code your instructor shows you.
4
Attendance confirmed — payment released, review unlocked
Once the QR code is recognised, your attendance is stamped and you'll see a green '✓ Attended' badge on your booking. For individual sessions, your payment is released to the instructor at this point. The 'Leave a Review' button becomes available after the session ends.
For instructors
1
Open your Bookings list
Go to the Classes tab, tap your class listing, then tap '📋 Bookings' to see everyone who has signed up for a session.
2
Generate the attendance QR code
Find the student's booking card and tap '🔲 Show QR Code'. The app generates a unique, time-limited QR code for that specific session.
3
Display the QR code to your students
Show the QR code on your screen at the start of class. For individual and recurring sessions, each student must scan it every time — this is what triggers payment to your account. For monthly programs, the first session requires a scan to confirm enrolment; after that, attendance and payment are processed automatically on the 1st of each month. The code is unique per session and cannot be reused.
🔒 Each QR code is tied to a specific class and session date. It cannot be used for a different student or a different session.
⭐
Leaving a Review
1
Attendance required
You can only review a class after your attendance has been confirmed via QR scan. This ensures all reviews come from students who actually attended.
2
Tap 'Leave a Review'
After the session ends, a '★ Leave a Review' button appears on your booking card in the Classes tab.
3
Rate and share your experience
Choose a star rating (1–5) and optionally write up to 500 characters about your experience. Your review appears on the instructor's profile and helps other students make informed decisions.
📝 Reviews can only be submitted once per booking and cannot be edited after submission.
🏫
Teaching a Class
1
Set up your payout account (required)
Before you can list a class, you must connect a Stripe payout account so students' payments can be transferred to you. Go to the Classes tab and tap 'Set up Payouts'. You'll be taken through a quick Stripe onboarding — you'll need your bank details and identity verification. This is a one-time setup.
2
Access your Stripe Express Dashboard
Once your payout account is active, you can open your personal Stripe Express Dashboard at any time. Go to **More → Open →** (the button next to your payout status). The dashboard lets you: view your current balance and scheduled payout dates; browse your full earnings history and individual transaction details; download tax documents (e.g. 1099-K for US instructors) when they're issued; update your payout bank account or debit card; and review any open disputes or refund requests from students.
💡 The Stripe Express Dashboard is your financial hub as an instructor. Bookmark it or return to it from More → Open → any time you want to check your earnings or manage your payout settings.
Creating & managing your classes
3
Create a class listing
Once your payout account is active, tap '+ List Class'. Add a title, description, interest category, duration, and location. Choose a pricing model: per-session (1-on-1 or group, charged per booking) or monthly program (students pay on the 1st of each month). Set your price — the 10% platform fee is added on top when students pay, so you receive the full amount you set.
4
Set your schedule
Add recurring schedule slots (e.g. every Tuesday at 6 pm) so students know when you're available. Students book specific upcoming sessions based on your schedule.
5
Manage bookings
View all upcoming bookings from your class card. You'll receive an in-app notification each time a student books your class.
6
Display QR code to confirm attendance and release payment
At the start of each class, open the booking in the Classes tab and tap '🔲 Show QR Code'. For individual and recurring sessions, each student must scan the code every session — their payment is released to your account as soon as they scan. For monthly programs, students scan once at their first session to confirm enrolment; from month 2 onwards, attendance is auto-confirmed and payment is transferred to you automatically on the 1st of each month.
7
Pause or delete a listing
Tap '⏸ Pause' to temporarily hide a class from new bookings, or '🗑 Delete' to remove it permanently. Existing confirmed bookings are not affected by pausing.
💳 Payouts are processed by Stripe and typically arrive in your bank account within 2–7 business days after each transfer.
✨
Premium Membership
1
What Premium unlocks
Premium gives you everything in the free plan plus the ability to **list and sell classes or lessons** to other members. You also unlock a **Portfolio & Certifications** section on your profile where you can showcase your work and credentials. Premium members receive a **Pro skill level badge** displayed on their profile, and can complete **Identity Verification** and a **Background Check** to earn the corresponding trusted-member badges — both of which build student confidence when booking your classes.
2
Subscribe
Go to **More → Premium**. Hobvia Premium is **$6.99/month**. New members get **3 months free** when they join — no commitment needed to try it out. Identity verification and background check services include a separate fee. Payment is handled securely by Stripe.
3
Cancel anytime
Your subscription renews automatically each month. You can cancel at any time from More → Premium — your access continues until the end of the paid period.
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XP, Streaks & Achievements
Hobvia rewards active participation with XP (experience points), streaks, and achievement badges.
🔥Daily login streak
streak bonus
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Help & Support
Have a question or spotted a problem? We're here to help.
Report a bugMore → Report a Bug inside the app
Send feedbackMore → Send Feedback
Email uscontactus@hobvia.com