You’re staring at a screen. Your sink is geysering water, or maybe your cat ate a weird leaf, or—and this is usually the big one—you’ve got a legal question that feels like it’s worth a thousand dollars an hour. You find a site promising an answer for five bucks. You pay it. Then, a month later, you see a $50 charge on your credit card. You're furious. You feel scammed. This is the exact cycle that fuels the heated debate over whether is JustAnswer.com a legitimate business or a high-tech shell game.
It’s legitimate. But honestly, it’s complicated.
Founded in 2003 by Andy Kurtzig, JustAnswer has been around longer than most of the apps on your phone. It’s headquartered in San Francisco. They have thousands of verified experts. They’ve been featured in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. By every traditional metric of corporate existence, they are as real as Amazon or eBay. However, the gap between "legitimate business" and "user-friendly experience" is where things get messy.
The Logic Behind the Paywall
Most people arrive at JustAnswer via a frantic Google search. You’re not there to browse; you’re there because something is broken. The site connects you with doctors, lawyers, mechanics, and tech support people. The catch? These professionals don't work for free. JustAnswer acts as the middleman, taking a cut of the fee you pay to talk to the "Expert."
The problem starts with the "Trial Fee."
Usually, it's advertised as a $5 or $1 monthly trial. Most users think they are paying a one-time fee for one specific answer. They don't realize they are actually signing up for a recurring subscription. When that trial ends—often after only seven days—the full membership fee kicks in. This is where the "scam" accusations fly. People feel tricked by the fine print.
Is it predatory? Some say yes. Is it illegal? No. It’s a standard subscription model, albeit one that relies heavily on people being too stressed to read the terms and conditions.
Why People Ask: Is JustAnswer.com a Legitimate Business?
If you look at the Better Business Bureau (BBB), you’ll see a "A+" rating. That's a shock to people who just read 500 one-star reviews on Trustpilot. The reason for this discrepancy is how JustAnswer handles complaints. They are incredibly aggressive about responding to BBB tickets. They refund money. They explain their terms. They do the paperwork.
The legitimacy comes from the fact that they actually provide the service they promise. If you ask a mechanic why your 2015 Camry is making a clicking sound, a real person with a real ASE certification will likely give you a real answer. The "Expert" side of the platform is strictly vetted. They use an 8-step verification process, which includes license checks and peer reviews.
The Expert Vetting Reality
JustAnswer uses a third-party firm called Sterling to conduct background checks. They verify credentials like bar memberships for lawyers or medical licenses for doctors.
I’ve looked into the "Expert" experience too. It's not a get-rich-quick scheme for them either. Experts have to maintain a high rating to stay on the platform. If they give bad advice, users rate them poorly, and they stop getting "claims." It’s a gig-economy marketplace, much like Uber or Upwork, but for specialized knowledge.
But here is the nuance: an expert can be "verified" and still be unhelpful. A lawyer can give you general legal information but cannot give you specific "legal advice" that creates an attorney-client relationship. That’s a massive distinction. You’re paying for a consultation, not a representative. If you go in expecting a lawyer to file a motion for you, you’re going to be disappointed and feel like you’ve been ripped off.
The Subscription Ghost
The real "villain" in the JustAnswer story is the recurring billing.
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Let’s be real. Nobody wants a subscription to a "question" site. You have a problem once. You want it fixed once. JustAnswer’s business model is built on the hope that you’ll forget to cancel after your cat stops vomiting or your computer finally boots up. This is called "breakage" in the industry—profit made from unused services.
It’s the same way gym memberships work.
If you look at the fine print on the payment page, it usually says something like "Join for $5 and then $46/month thereafter." It’s there. It’s not hidden in a secret vault. But when you’re worried your house is going to burn down because of a faulty wire, you aren't reading the 8-point font near the "Submit" button.
Comparing JustAnswer to Other Services
You could go to Reddit. You could go to Quora. Those are free.
The difference is accountability. On Reddit, "BoogerEater69" might give you advice on your rash. He might be a dermatologist. He might be a twelve-year-old with a vivid imagination. On JustAnswer, you can see the person’s real name, their credentials, and their history of answered questions. That is the "product" you are buying.
Is it worth $50 a month? Probably not for most people. Is it worth $5 for a one-off emergency? Maybe.
The Trustpilot vs. Reality Gap
If you scroll through negative reviews, you’ll notice a pattern.
- "They charged me $60 after I paid $1!"
- "The expert didn't know the answer!"
- "I couldn't find the cancel button!"
These are valid frustrations. But they don't necessarily point to a "fake" business. They point to a business with a friction-heavy user experience. In 2020, the company actually faced class-action lawsuits regarding their renewal practices, particularly in California, which has very strict laws about "automatic renewal." They’ve had to tweak their disclosures because of this, but the core model remains.
How to Use JustAnswer Without Getting Burned
If you decide to use it, you have to be smarter than the interface.
First, use a virtual credit card if you have one. Services like Privacy.com allow you to create a card with a spend limit. Set it to $5. If they try to charge you the $50 membership fee later, the transaction fails.
Second, cancel immediately. You don't have to wait for the trial to end. You can usually get your answer and then go straight to the account settings to terminate the membership.
Third, be specific. If you ask a vague question, you get a vague answer. Instead of "My car won't start," say "My 2018 Ford F-150 turns over but won't ignite, and I hear a buzzing near the fuel tank." Give the expert something to work with.
The Verdict on Legitimacy
Is JustAnswer.com a legitimate business? Yes. They employ hundreds of people, pay thousands of experts, and solve millions of problems. They aren't stealing your identity or selling your credit card info on the dark web.
Are they a "good" business? That depends on your definition of "good." They use aggressive marketing and subscription tactics that catch people off guard. They occupy a gray area where the service provided is high-quality, but the billing method feels low-quality.
It’s a tool. Like a hammer, it can help you build something, or you can hit your thumb with it.
Actionable Steps for the Skeptical User
If you’ve already been charged and you’re reading this in a post-purchase panic, don't just stew in anger.
- Contact Customer Support Immediately: Use their "Contact Us" page or call their 24/7 support line. They are surprisingly quick to refund membership fees if you claim you didn't understand the terms.
- Screenshot Your Interaction: If the expert gave you wrong info, document it. JustAnswer has a "Satisfaction Guarantee." It’s a bit of a process to claim, but it exists.
- Check Your PayPal: If you paid via PayPal, you can go into your "Automatic Payments" settings and revoke JustAnswer's permission to pull money. This is the "kill switch" for any subscription.
- Evaluate the Expert: Look at the profile of the person who answered you. If they don't have a verified badge or a long history, ask for a different expert. You are allowed to request a second opinion within the platform.
The bottom line is simple: JustAnswer is a real company that provides real access to experts, but their billing model is designed for the "set it and forget it" crowd. If you stay on top of your subscriptions and read the fine print, it's a useful resource for those midnight emergencies when you can't wait for an appointment. If you're looking for a free, no-strings-attached answer, stick to a Google search or a niche forum. Just don't expect the same level of professional vetting you'd get when you're paying for it.