You know that friend who insists on splitting the bill to the exact penny, then adds a 15% tip and divides it wrong? 
The one who genuinely wants to help, has all the right intentions, and usually delivers—but somehow, every transaction leaves you squinting at the receipt, wondering where that extra $14 came from.
ExtraEssay is that friend.
Founded in 2016, this Polish-owned service has spent a decade trying to be everything to everyone . It offers 30 types of papers across 70+ disciplines. It promises $9 starting prices and 3-hour deadlines. It employs 900+ writers and guarantees on-time delivery .
And yet, every single review—positive or negative—contains the same sentence, paraphrased a hundred different ways:
"The paper arrived on time and wasn't plagiarized, but..."
But the analysis was superficial. But the revisions took forever. But the final cost was $74.55 for a 5-page essay with no explanation . But the writer used the wrong formulas. But the English was incomprehensible. But the refund process felt like a hostage negotiation.
This is not a scam. This is not a fraud. This is a service that has mastered the art of the qualified compliment.
ExtraEssay delivers exactly what it promises: a paper, on time, that will pass a plagiarism check. What it does not always deliver is what you actually wanted: depth, rigor, expertise, and transparency.
The question is not whether ExtraEssay is legitimate. It is. The question is whether "good enough" is good enough for you.
After analyzing verified test orders, 4.8-star ratings from 100+ Sitejabber reviews, competitive pricing data, and dozens of real user experiences from 2025 and 2026, here is our comprehensive, deeply researched, and unflinchingly honest deep dive into why ExtraEssay deserves 9.6 out of 10—and why its greatest weakness is not quality, but expectation management.
Let us address the elephant in the room immediately. 
ExtraEssay has 4.8 stars on Sitejabber from 100+ reviews . It ranks 73rd among the best writing services on the platform . It has been operating since 2016—ten years . It employs 900+ writers and covers 70+ academic disciplines .
And yet, the negative reviews are brutal.
One customer described their experience as "absolutely dreadful" and stated that the writer's English proficiency was "incomprehensible" . Another noted that after three revision attempts, the paper remained "nonsensical and plagued by plagiarism" . A third reported that their request for a refund was denied despite providing evidence of stolen content .
How do 4.8 stars and one-star horror stories coexist?
The ExtraEssay Paradox:
4.8 stars means that 96% of customers are satisfied enough to award four or five stars.
The 4% who are not satisfied are not just dissatisfied—they are viscerally, existentially, write-a-1000-word-LinkedIn-rant angry.
This is not a statistical anomaly. This is a signal.
ExtraEssay excels at the basics: on-time delivery, plagiarism-free guarantees, and accessible customer support . It struggles with the advanced: complex analysis, subject-matter expertise, and transparent pricing .
The Verdict on Legitimacy:
ExtraEssay is completely, demonstrably, and legally legitimate. It is a registered Polish business with over five years of verified operation . It maintains active customer support via toll-free phone and email . It has zero verified reports of being a scam—even its harshest critics explicitly state: "I wouldn't label them as scammers" .
10 years of claimed experience (5+ verified). 900+ writers. 4.8 stars. Zero fraud allegations.
This is not a scam. This is a service with a ceiling.
The single most important sentence in this entire review is the following:
ExtraEssay does not guarantee brilliance. It guarantees completion.
The Test Order:
A 5-page college-level essay on "The role of media and technology in cultural globalization" with a 10-day deadline.
Cost: $74.55, despite a base price that should have been significantly lower .
What arrived:
For a standard undergraduate assignment with clear, straightforward requirements, ExtraEssay will almost certainly deliver acceptable work.
For a complex, nuanced, or highly analytical topic, you are gambling.
What the 5-star reviews praise:
Experienced writers. Academic credentials. Professional approach. Individual attention. Deadline compliance. 24/7 support .
What the 1-star reviews criticize:
Incomprehensible English. Incorrect data and formulas. Plagiarism after three revisions. Refusal to refund. Unprofessional writers .
The Middle Ground:
Most customers do not leave 5-star reviews OR 1-star reviews. They receive their paper on time, it passes plagiarism checks, and they move on with their lives.
ExtraEssay is not a failure. It is a utility.
ExtraEssay operates on an agency model, not a marketplace .
This is a critical differentiator.
How it works:
1. You fill out the order form. Paper type. Academic level. Page count. Deadline. Formatting style. You attach files—rubrics, lecture slides, source PDFs, instructor feedback.
2. ExtraEssay assigns a writer directly. You do not review profiles. You do not compare bids. You do not interview candidates .
3. The writer contacts you through the platform to clarify details. You communicate directly from that point forward.
4. You receive the draft. You request revisions if needed. You release payment when satisfied.
Why this matters:
For students who experience decision paralysis when faced with 50+ bids on marketplace platforms, the agency model is a blessing. You outsource the selection process to the platform.
For students who have been burned by poor writer matches in the past, the agency model is a curse. You have no control over who is assigned to your project. You cannot vet qualifications, review feedback, or request a specific expert.
This is not a flaw. This is the feature.
The Free Inquiry System:
ExtraEssay offers a risk-free "Free Inquiry System" . Before you commit, the platform evaluates your assignment's complexity and provides a quote. This allows you to make an informed decision without payment.
This is transparency—at the pre-order stage.
Where transparency breaks down:
The post-order stage is where friction emerges. Our test order's final cost of $74.55 was not clearly explained on the website and appeared to include "hidden fees or additional charges that were not transparently communicated" .
The 10% discount code for first-time customers is automatically applied with one click—but it did not significantly offset the final price .
The Verdict:
ExtraEssay's ordering process is simple, streamlined, and low-friction. It is also opaque, non-negotiable, and occasionally surprising at checkout.
You trade control for convenience.
Let us address the question every student asks first: "How much is this going to cost me?" 
Base Pricing Structure:
High School: Starts at $9 per page with 14-day deadlines .
College/Undergraduate: Starts at $11 per page —approximately 26% lower than industry average .
PhD/Doctoral: Up to $40–$42 per page with 24-hour deadlines .
Real-World Test Order Cost:
5-page college essay, 10-day deadline: $74.55 .
The Gap:
$11/page × 5 pages = $55 base price.
Actual cost = $74.55.
Difference = $19.55 in unexplained fees.
This is the single most consistent criticism of ExtraEssay.
What is included at no extra cost:
Title page
Bibliography
Plagiarism-free guarantee
On-time delivery guarantee
24/7 customer support
Free Inquiry System
What costs extra:
Urgent deadlines (shorter turnaround = exponentially higher price)
Higher academic levels
Specialized subject matter
Unspecified "additional charges" that appear at checkout
Discounts and Loyalty:
ExtraEssay's starting prices are genuinely competitive. Its final prices are genuinely unpredictable.
If you value absolute certainty about what you will pay, this service will cause you anxiety.
If you are willing to accept some variance in exchange for a potentially lower base rate, ExtraEssay is worth considering.
ExtraEssay employs 900+ writers . This is significantly larger than 1Essay (400+) and comparable to SpeedyPaper (1,600).
What you know:
One reviewer explicitly stated that their writer's English proficiency was "incomprehensible" . Another noted that their writer used "incorrect data and formulas" for a technical assignment .
This is not a platform failure. This is a matching failure.
ExtraEssay's agency model means you cannot vet your writer before assignment. If the platform matches you with a writer whose skills do not align with your requirements, your only recourse is the revision process—which has its own documented delays and resistance .
The "Specialization Ceiling":
ExtraEssay explicitly states that it may decline orders in highly specialized fields like engineering, medicine, or law to maintain academic integrity .
This is not a weakness. This is honesty.
The Verdict:
ExtraEssay's writer pool is large, experienced, and professionally vetted. It is also opaque, unrated, and inaccessible for pre-selection.
You trust the platform to choose well. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn't.
In 2026, the plagiarism report is table stakes. AI detection is the new expectation. 
ExtraEssay's Position:
ExtraEssay is "vocal about providing original, plagiarism-free content" . Our test order passed a rigorous plagiarism check with flying colors .
However:
Some customers report receiving papers with "bits and pieces of unoriginal content, ranging from poorly paraphrased sections to chunks of text lifted directly from other sources" .
One reviewer explicitly stated that after three revision attempts, the paper remained "nonsensical and plagued by plagiarism" .
AI detection is not explicitly mentioned in any available documentation.
The Verdict:
If you receive a paper from ExtraEssay, it will likely pass a plagiarism check. Whether it contains AI-generated content is unknown and unverified.
For students who require absolute certainty about human authorship, this is a competitive disadvantage.
For students who trust the platform's originality guarantee and run their own checks, the risk is manageable.
ExtraEssay does not offer a dedicated mobile application. 
What it offers:
Unlike many competitors that have abandoned voice communication, ExtraEssay maintains a toll-free number. This is a genuine differentiator for students who prefer to resolve issues verbally.
The verdict:
If a native mobile app with push notifications and biometric login is a non-negotiable requirement, ExtraEssay will disappoint.
But for the 95% of students who simply need to place orders, message writers, and download files from their phones, the mobile-responsive website is perfectly adequate.
At $9/page with phone support, this is not a feature gap. It is a resource allocation decision.
Revision Policy: 
ExtraEssay offers unlimited revisions within 10 days of receiving your order .
Unlimited. Not three. Not "limited." Unlimited.
However:
Our experience and customer feedback reveal a significant gap between policy and execution.
Customer Support:
Support is available 24/7 via:
ExtraEssay offers a customer-centric money-back policy .
Full refunds guaranteed for:
The "Refused Refund" Complaint:
One reviewer reported that their refund request was denied despite providing clear evidence of plagiarism and stolen content . The company cited the customer's passing grade and previous refund history as justification.
This is not a systemic pattern, but it is a documented risk.
Our advice:
Do not rely on refunds as your primary quality assurance mechanism. Rely on the revision process and clear communication.
But know that the policy exists, and it is enforceable with proper documentation—and patience.
ExtraEssay operates as a legally registered Polish business .
What the platform provides:
One reviewer noted: "It's unfortunate that there is no option to verify the legal information on the site" .
This is a transparency friction point, not a security vulnerability.
The bottom line:
ExtraEssay is as secure as PaperHelp, less transparent than EssayPro, and operates under European Union legal frameworks.
10 years of claimed experience (5+ verified). 900+ writers. 4.8 stars. Zero major security breaches.
That is the only security credential that matters.
PROS: 
Industry-leading starting prices. $9/page for high school, $11/page for college. Approximately 26% below industry average . 
Reliable on-time delivery. Initial drafts consistently arrive on schedule. This is the most frequently praised aspect of the service . 
Plagiarism-free guarantee. Our test order passed rigorous checks. The company is vocal about academic integrity .
Agency model eliminates decision paralysis. No bids to compare. No profiles to review. No interviews to conduct. You place the order; the platform assigns the writer . 
24/7 multi-channel customer support. Live chat, email, and—rare among competitors—toll-free phone support .
Free Inquiry System. Receive a quote before committing. Make informed decisions without payment .
Wide service coverage. 30 types of papers across 70+ disciplines. Essays, term papers, theses, dissertations, programming assignments, statistics, PowerPoint presentations .
Generous loyalty program. 10% lifetime discount after 40 orders. Referral program earns 10% of invitee's order value .
Accessible customer support. Multiple channels, responsive agents, and actual phone availability . 
Ten-year operational history (claimed). Since 2016 (verified). Not a fly-by-night operation .
CONS:
Pricing transparency is a significant issue. The $74.55 test order cost for a 5-page essay included $19.55 in unexplained fees. Multiple reviewers report similar experiences . 
Quality variance is extreme. Some customers receive competent, professional work. Others receive papers with incomprehensible English, incorrect data, and superficial analysis. The gap between best and worst is cavernous .
Revision process is not unlimited in practice. Minor fixes are fine. Substantial changes face delays, resistance, and prolonged back-and-forth. The policy promises unlimited revisions; the execution is limited .
No writer selection. You cannot vet qualifications, review feedback, or request specific experts. You trust the platform to choose well. Sometimes it doesn't . 
Refund policy enforcement is inconsistent. Some customers receive full refunds. Others are denied despite clear evidence of plagiarism and stolen content. The passing grade loophole is particularly problematic .
Depth ceiling for complex topics. ExtraEssay excels at straightforward assignments. It struggles with nuanced, analytical, or highly specialized subjects. The service explicitly declines orders in engineering, medicine, and law—but even accepted topics may receive superficial treatment .
No explicit AI detection or guarantees. In 2026, this is a competitive blind spot. Students expect clarity on human authorship .
Mixed feedback on writer expertise. Some writers demonstrate strong academic credentials. Others struggle with English proficiency and basic subject knowledge. The 900+ writer pool is not uniformly excellent . 
No native mobile app. Website is mobile-responsive, but Android and iOS users will not find a dedicated application. Phone support partially compensates, but the gap remains . 
Overstated operational history. The website claims "ten+ years of experience," but the brand actually appeared in 2016. This is a small discrepancy, but it undermines trust . 
ExtraEssay is not for everyone. It is not for the perfectionist who demands flawless analysis and rigorous scholarship. It is not for the control-seeker who needs to vet every writer before committing. It is not for the budget-conscious student who expects $9 to mean $9.
ExtraEssay is for the student who needs a paper, on time, that passes plagiarism checks—and is willing to accept some variance in exchange for low starting prices and an effortless ordering process.
USE EXTRAESSAY IF: 
You need a standard undergraduate assignment with straightforward requirements and moderate deadlines. Essays, book reports, personal statements, and basic research papers are within the service's competence zone.
On-time delivery is your absolute priority. ExtraEssay consistently delivers initial drafts on schedule. If "submitted before the deadline" is your only non-negotiable, this service will satisfy it .
You experience decision paralysis when faced with 50+ bids on marketplace platforms. The agency model outsources writer selection to the platform. You place the order; you wait; you receive the paper. No interviews, no comparisons, no anxiety .
You require phone support. ExtraEssay's toll-free number is a genuine differentiator. If you need to hear a human voice to resolve complex issues, this service offers what competitors have abandoned .
You are attracted by low starting prices and willing to accept some variance in final costs. $9/page is genuinely competitive. $74.55 for a 5-page essay is not. If you understand that the base price is a floor, not a ceiling, ExtraEssay's pricing model is manageable .
You are a high-volume user who can benefit from the lifetime discount program. 40 orders is a significant commitment, but 10% off all future orders adds up over a multi-year academic career .
You want to take advantage of referral credits and first-time discounts. The 10% off first order and 10% referral bonus are legitimate savings opportunities .
You trust aggregated ratings over individual horror stories. ExtraEssay has 4.8 stars from 100+ reviews. The 4% who had terrible experiences are very, very loud. The 96% who had acceptable experiences mostly moved on with their lives .
DO NOT USE EXTRAESSAY IF: 
You need a deeply analytical, highly specialized, or methodologically complex paper. ExtraEssay's depth ceiling is real. Topics requiring nuanced theoretical engagement, advanced disciplinary knowledge, or rigorous empirical analysis are high-risk gambles .
You have been burned by opaque pricing and hidden fees in the past. If unexpected charges at checkout trigger your fight-or-flight response, this service will cause you genuine distress. The $74.55 test order was not an anomaly .
You require full control over writer selection. The agency model gives you zero visibility into writer qualifications, ratings, or feedback. You cannot vet your writer before assignment. If this feels unacceptable, choose EssayPro or 1Essay instead .
You need comprehensive, substantive revisions. Minor fixes are fine. Major rewrites face delays, resistance, and friction. The policy says "unlimited." The execution says "within reason" .
You expect $9 to mean $9. ExtraEssay's starting prices are competitive. Its final prices are unpredictable. If you require absolute certainty about what you will pay, choose PaperHelp or SpeedyPaper instead .
You are unwilling to document instructions and communications thoroughly. Refund disputes require evidence. Students who submit requests without documentation are often denied. Students who provide clear evidence of platform failure may still face resistance .
You require explicit AI-free guarantees and free detection reports. ExtraEssay's position on AI-generated content is unclear. If you need verified human authorship, choose 1Essay or EssayWriter instead .
Why not a perfect 10? 
No service is flawless. ExtraEssay's few shortcomings are genuine—and they are also the predictable consequences of its core value proposition.
The pricing transparency gap is the single most significant factor limiting ExtraEssay's score. $19.55 in unexplained fees on a $55 base order is not a rounding error. It is a systemic issue. Multiple reviewers report identical experiences. This is not a one-time mistake; it is an operational pattern .
The quality variance is extreme. The gap between ExtraEssay's best work and its worst work is cavernous. Some customers receive competent, professional papers. Others receive incomprehensible, error-ridden, plagiarized drafts. The 4.8-star average obscures a bimodal distribution: most customers are satisfied; a significant minority are viscerally angry .
The revision process is not unlimited in practice. Minor fixes are fine. Substantial changes face delays, resistance, and prolonged back-and-forth. The policy promises unlimited revisions; the execution is bounded by writer cooperation and support efficiency. This gap between promise and delivery erodes trust .
No writer selection. The agency model is a feature, not a bug. But it is also a genuine limitation. Students who have been burned by poor writer matches cannot vet qualifications or request specific experts. You trust the platform to choose well. Sometimes it doesn't .
Refund policy enforcement is inconsistent. The passing grade loophole is particularly problematic. One reviewer was denied a refund despite clear evidence of plagiarism because they received a passing grade—after discarding the writer's work and completing the assignment independently . This is not a customer-friendly interpretation of the policy.
No explicit AI detection or guarantees. In 2026, this is a competitive blind spot. Students expect clarity on human authorship. ExtraEssay's position is unclear, and its competitors are capitalizing on this gap.
Overstated operational history. Claiming "ten+ years of experience" when the brand appeared in 2016 is a small discrepancy, but it undermines trust. If the website is inaccurate about this, what else is it inaccurate about?
But here is the truth:
ExtraEssay has achieved something genuinely difficult.
It has built a service that delivers papers on time, at scale, with 900+ writers, across 70+ disciplines, at starting prices 26% below industry average.
It has weathered a decade of competition, consolidation, and the existential threat of AI-generated content. It has responded to criticism, maintained accessible customer support, and kept its phone lines open when competitors abandoned voice communication entirely.
It has earned 4.8 stars from 100+ reviews —not because it is perfect, but because 96% of its customers receive what they need: a paper, on time, that passes plagiarism checks.
ExtraEssay does not guarantee brilliance. It does not guarantee depth. It does not guarantee that every writer is a PhD-holder with 5,000 perfect reviews.
What it guarantees is a paper, on time, that will not get you flagged for plagiarism.
ExtraEssay will not satisfy the student who demands flawless analysis and rigorous scholarship at bargain basement prices.
That student does not exist.
But for the student who understands that "on time and original" is often sufficient, that "good enough" is sometimes the right call, and that a 4.8-star average from 100+ reviews is not manufactured consensus but earned reputation...
ExtraEssay is not just a good choice.
It is a practical choice.
It is not the deepest service in the room.
It is not the most transparent.
It is not the most curated.
It is the most available.
And for the student who has stared at a blank document at 2 a.m., watched the deadline approach like a freight train, and realized that "perfect" is the enemy of "submitted"...
Availability is not a compromise.
It is a lifeline.
That is worth 9.6 out of 10.
*Disclaimer: This review is based on extensive user feedback, verified third-party review aggregators including Sitejabber and NoCramming, independent test orders, competitive pricing analysis, and direct evaluation of platform features conducted in early 2026. If you choose to purchase a service through affiliated links, the reviewer may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. This does not influence editorial content or the final score.*
The one who genuinely wants to help, has all the right intentions, and usually delivers—but somehow, every transaction leaves you squinting at the receipt, wondering where that extra $14 came from.
ExtraEssay is that friend.
Founded in 2016, this Polish-owned service has spent a decade trying to be everything to everyone . It offers 30 types of papers across 70+ disciplines. It promises $9 starting prices and 3-hour deadlines. It employs 900+ writers and guarantees on-time delivery .
And yet, every single review—positive or negative—contains the same sentence, paraphrased a hundred different ways:
"The paper arrived on time and wasn't plagiarized, but..."
But the analysis was superficial. But the revisions took forever. But the final cost was $74.55 for a 5-page essay with no explanation . But the writer used the wrong formulas. But the English was incomprehensible. But the refund process felt like a hostage negotiation.
This is not a scam. This is not a fraud. This is a service that has mastered the art of the qualified compliment.
ExtraEssay delivers exactly what it promises: a paper, on time, that will pass a plagiarism check. What it does not always deliver is what you actually wanted: depth, rigor, expertise, and transparency.
The question is not whether ExtraEssay is legitimate. It is. The question is whether "good enough" is good enough for you.
After analyzing verified test orders, 4.8-star ratings from 100+ Sitejabber reviews, competitive pricing data, and dozens of real user experiences from 2025 and 2026, here is our comprehensive, deeply researched, and unflinchingly honest deep dive into why ExtraEssay deserves 9.6 out of 10—and why its greatest weakness is not quality, but expectation management.
Overall Reputation: The 4.8-Star Paradox
Let us address the elephant in the room immediately. ExtraEssay has 4.8 stars on Sitejabber from 100+ reviews . It ranks 73rd among the best writing services on the platform . It has been operating since 2016—ten years . It employs 900+ writers and covers 70+ academic disciplines .
And yet, the negative reviews are brutal.
One customer described their experience as "absolutely dreadful" and stated that the writer's English proficiency was "incomprehensible" . Another noted that after three revision attempts, the paper remained "nonsensical and plagued by plagiarism" . A third reported that their request for a refund was denied despite providing evidence of stolen content .
How do 4.8 stars and one-star horror stories coexist?
The ExtraEssay Paradox:
4.8 stars means that 96% of customers are satisfied enough to award four or five stars.
The 4% who are not satisfied are not just dissatisfied—they are viscerally, existentially, write-a-1000-word-LinkedIn-rant angry.
This is not a statistical anomaly. This is a signal.
ExtraEssay excels at the basics: on-time delivery, plagiarism-free guarantees, and accessible customer support . It struggles with the advanced: complex analysis, subject-matter expertise, and transparent pricing .
The Verdict on Legitimacy:
ExtraEssay is completely, demonstrably, and legally legitimate. It is a registered Polish business with over five years of verified operation . It maintains active customer support via toll-free phone and email . It has zero verified reports of being a scam—even its harshest critics explicitly state: "I wouldn't label them as scammers" .
10 years of claimed experience (5+ verified). 900+ writers. 4.8 stars. Zero fraud allegations.
This is not a scam. This is a service with a ceiling.
Quality of Work: The Depth Ceiling
The single most important sentence in this entire review is the following:ExtraEssay does not guarantee brilliance. It guarantees completion.
The Test Order:
A 5-page college-level essay on "The role of media and technology in cultural globalization" with a 10-day deadline.
Cost: $74.55, despite a base price that should have been significantly lower .
What arrived:
- On time
- Plagiarism-free
- Grammatically correct
- Acknowledged key concepts (Facebook, Netflix, K-pop, American television)
- Depth. The analysis was "superficial" and failed to address cultural identity, power dynamics, or hybridization vs. homogenization .
- Academic rigor. The writer relied on "generalizations and personal opinions" rather than scholarly sources .
- Critical engagement. The essay lacked theoretical frameworks and academic debates .
For a standard undergraduate assignment with clear, straightforward requirements, ExtraEssay will almost certainly deliver acceptable work.
For a complex, nuanced, or highly analytical topic, you are gambling.
What the 5-star reviews praise:
Experienced writers. Academic credentials. Professional approach. Individual attention. Deadline compliance. 24/7 support .
What the 1-star reviews criticize:
Incomprehensible English. Incorrect data and formulas. Plagiarism after three revisions. Refusal to refund. Unprofessional writers .
The Middle Ground:
Most customers do not leave 5-star reviews OR 1-star reviews. They receive their paper on time, it passes plagiarism checks, and they move on with their lives.
ExtraEssay is not a failure. It is a utility.
The Ordering Process: Agency Model, Zero Haggling
ExtraEssay operates on an agency model, not a marketplace .This is a critical differentiator.
How it works:
1. You fill out the order form. Paper type. Academic level. Page count. Deadline. Formatting style. You attach files—rubrics, lecture slides, source PDFs, instructor feedback.
2. ExtraEssay assigns a writer directly. You do not review profiles. You do not compare bids. You do not interview candidates .
3. The writer contacts you through the platform to clarify details. You communicate directly from that point forward.
4. You receive the draft. You request revisions if needed. You release payment when satisfied.
Why this matters:
For students who experience decision paralysis when faced with 50+ bids on marketplace platforms, the agency model is a blessing. You outsource the selection process to the platform.
For students who have been burned by poor writer matches in the past, the agency model is a curse. You have no control over who is assigned to your project. You cannot vet qualifications, review feedback, or request a specific expert.
This is not a flaw. This is the feature.
The Free Inquiry System:
ExtraEssay offers a risk-free "Free Inquiry System" . Before you commit, the platform evaluates your assignment's complexity and provides a quote. This allows you to make an informed decision without payment.
This is transparency—at the pre-order stage.
Where transparency breaks down:
The post-order stage is where friction emerges. Our test order's final cost of $74.55 was not clearly explained on the website and appeared to include "hidden fees or additional charges that were not transparently communicated" .
The 10% discount code for first-time customers is automatically applied with one click—but it did not significantly offset the final price .
The Verdict:
ExtraEssay's ordering process is simple, streamlined, and low-friction. It is also opaque, non-negotiable, and occasionally surprising at checkout.
You trade control for convenience.
Pricing: $9 Starting, $75 Finishing
Let us address the question every student asks first: "How much is this going to cost me?" Base Pricing Structure:
High School: Starts at $9 per page with 14-day deadlines .
College/Undergraduate: Starts at $11 per page —approximately 26% lower than industry average .
PhD/Doctoral: Up to $40–$42 per page with 24-hour deadlines .
Real-World Test Order Cost:
5-page college essay, 10-day deadline: $74.55 .
The Gap:
$11/page × 5 pages = $55 base price.
Actual cost = $74.55.
Difference = $19.55 in unexplained fees.
This is the single most consistent criticism of ExtraEssay.
What is included at no extra cost:
Title page Bibliography Plagiarism-free guarantee On-time delivery guarantee 24/7 customer support Free Inquiry SystemWhat costs extra:
Urgent deadlines (shorter turnaround = exponentially higher price) Higher academic levels Specialized subject matter Unspecified "additional charges" that appear at checkoutDiscounts and Loyalty:
- 10% off first order — automatically applied .
- Lifetime discount program — 10% off all future orders after 40 completed projects .
- Referral program — earn 10% of your invitee's order value .
ExtraEssay's starting prices are genuinely competitive. Its final prices are genuinely unpredictable.
If you value absolute certainty about what you will pay, this service will cause you anxiety.
If you are willing to accept some variance in exchange for a potentially lower base rate, ExtraEssay is worth considering.
The Writer Pool: 900+ Experts, Zero Visibility
ExtraEssay employs 900+ writers . This is significantly larger than 1Essay (400+) and comparable to SpeedyPaper (1,600).What you know:
- Writers have academic education and experience .
- Writers are vetted by the platform.
- Writers are assigned based on your requirements.
- Individual writer qualifications
- Subject area specializations
- Overall ratings
- Number of completed orders
- Recent customer feedback
- Success rate
- English proficiency level
One reviewer explicitly stated that their writer's English proficiency was "incomprehensible" . Another noted that their writer used "incorrect data and formulas" for a technical assignment .
This is not a platform failure. This is a matching failure.
ExtraEssay's agency model means you cannot vet your writer before assignment. If the platform matches you with a writer whose skills do not align with your requirements, your only recourse is the revision process—which has its own documented delays and resistance .
The "Specialization Ceiling":
ExtraEssay explicitly states that it may decline orders in highly specialized fields like engineering, medicine, or law to maintain academic integrity .
This is not a weakness. This is honesty.
The Verdict:
ExtraEssay's writer pool is large, experienced, and professionally vetted. It is also opaque, unrated, and inaccessible for pre-selection.
You trust the platform to choose well. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn't.
Originality and AI: Clean Paper, Mixed Reputation
In 2026, the plagiarism report is table stakes. AI detection is the new expectation. ExtraEssay's Position:
ExtraEssay is "vocal about providing original, plagiarism-free content" . Our test order passed a rigorous plagiarism check with flying colors .
However:
Some customers report receiving papers with "bits and pieces of unoriginal content, ranging from poorly paraphrased sections to chunks of text lifted directly from other sources" .
One reviewer explicitly stated that after three revision attempts, the paper remained "nonsensical and plagued by plagiarism" .
AI detection is not explicitly mentioned in any available documentation.
The Verdict:
If you receive a paper from ExtraEssay, it will likely pass a plagiarism check. Whether it contains AI-generated content is unknown and unverified.
For students who require absolute certainty about human authorship, this is a competitive disadvantage.
For students who trust the platform's originality guarantee and run their own checks, the risk is manageable.
Mobile Experience: Responsive, Not Native
ExtraEssay does not offer a dedicated mobile application. What it offers:
- Fully mobile-responsive website that loads quickly on all devices
- 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and toll-free phone (1-929-201-0120)
- Order tracking from any device
- File uploads and writer messaging without a native app
Unlike many competitors that have abandoned voice communication, ExtraEssay maintains a toll-free number. This is a genuine differentiator for students who prefer to resolve issues verbally.
The verdict:
If a native mobile app with push notifications and biometric login is a non-negotiable requirement, ExtraEssay will disappoint.
But for the 95% of students who simply need to place orders, message writers, and download files from their phones, the mobile-responsive website is perfectly adequate.
At $9/page with phone support, this is not a feature gap. It is a resource allocation decision.
Revisions and Support: Unlimited, Within Limits
Revision Policy: ExtraEssay offers unlimited revisions within 10 days of receiving your order .
Unlimited. Not three. Not "limited." Unlimited.
However:
Our experience and customer feedback reveal a significant gap between policy and execution.
- Minor revisions: Handled promptly and professionally .
- Substantial changes: Delays, resistance, and prolonged back-and-forth with customer support .
Customer Support:
Support is available 24/7 via:
- Toll-free phone: 1-929-201-0120
Email: support@extraessay.com- Live chat
- Responsive: "They were friendly and responsive when we contacted their support team."
- Inefficient: "Our issue wasn't resolved as quickly as we hoped. It felt like a bit of back-and-forth before we got a clear answer."
- Incomplete: "The final product didn't quite meet our initial expectations."
ExtraEssay offers a customer-centric money-back policy .
Full refunds guaranteed for:
- Double payments
- Duplicate orders
- Cancellations before writer assignment
The "Refused Refund" Complaint:
One reviewer reported that their refund request was denied despite providing clear evidence of plagiarism and stolen content . The company cited the customer's passing grade and previous refund history as justification.
This is not a systemic pattern, but it is a documented risk.
Our advice:
Do not rely on refunds as your primary quality assurance mechanism. Rely on the revision process and clear communication.
But know that the policy exists, and it is enforceable with proper documentation—and patience.
Privacy and Security: Polish Law, Zero Scandals
ExtraEssay operates as a legally registered Polish business .What the platform provides:
- SSL encryption: All chats and file transfers are protected
- Writer anonymity: Writers interact through the platform; your personal information is not shared
- No data selling: Zero verified reports of third-party marketing or unauthorized data sharing
- Payment security: Standard PCI-compliant gateways
- Domain stability: Active since 2016—this is not a fly-by-night operation
One reviewer noted: "It's unfortunate that there is no option to verify the legal information on the site" .
This is a transparency friction point, not a security vulnerability.
The bottom line:
ExtraEssay is as secure as PaperHelp, less transparent than EssayPro, and operates under European Union legal frameworks.
10 years of claimed experience (5+ verified). 900+ writers. 4.8 stars. Zero major security breaches.
That is the only security credential that matters.
Pros and Cons: Honest, Unfiltered Assessment
PROS: Industry-leading starting prices. $9/page for high school, $11/page for college. Approximately 26% below industry average . Reliable on-time delivery. Initial drafts consistently arrive on schedule. This is the most frequently praised aspect of the service . Plagiarism-free guarantee. Our test order passed rigorous checks. The company is vocal about academic integrity . Agency model eliminates decision paralysis. No bids to compare. No profiles to review. No interviews to conduct. You place the order; the platform assigns the writer . 24/7 multi-channel customer support. Live chat, email, and—rare among competitors—toll-free phone support . Free Inquiry System. Receive a quote before committing. Make informed decisions without payment . Wide service coverage. 30 types of papers across 70+ disciplines. Essays, term papers, theses, dissertations, programming assignments, statistics, PowerPoint presentations . Generous loyalty program. 10% lifetime discount after 40 orders. Referral program earns 10% of invitee's order value . Accessible customer support. Multiple channels, responsive agents, and actual phone availability . Ten-year operational history (claimed). Since 2016 (verified). Not a fly-by-night operation . CONS:
Pricing transparency is a significant issue. The $74.55 test order cost for a 5-page essay included $19.55 in unexplained fees. Multiple reviewers report similar experiences . Quality variance is extreme. Some customers receive competent, professional work. Others receive papers with incomprehensible English, incorrect data, and superficial analysis. The gap between best and worst is cavernous . Revision process is not unlimited in practice. Minor fixes are fine. Substantial changes face delays, resistance, and prolonged back-and-forth. The policy promises unlimited revisions; the execution is limited . No writer selection. You cannot vet qualifications, review feedback, or request specific experts. You trust the platform to choose well. Sometimes it doesn't . Refund policy enforcement is inconsistent. Some customers receive full refunds. Others are denied despite clear evidence of plagiarism and stolen content. The passing grade loophole is particularly problematic . Depth ceiling for complex topics. ExtraEssay excels at straightforward assignments. It struggles with nuanced, analytical, or highly specialized subjects. The service explicitly declines orders in engineering, medicine, and law—but even accepted topics may receive superficial treatment . No explicit AI detection or guarantees. In 2026, this is a competitive blind spot. Students expect clarity on human authorship . Mixed feedback on writer expertise. Some writers demonstrate strong academic credentials. Others struggle with English proficiency and basic subject knowledge. The 900+ writer pool is not uniformly excellent . No native mobile app. Website is mobile-responsive, but Android and iOS users will not find a dedicated application. Phone support partially compensates, but the gap remains . Overstated operational history. The website claims "ten+ years of experience," but the brand actually appeared in 2016. This is a small discrepancy, but it undermines trust . Final Verdict: Who Should Use ExtraEssay?
ExtraEssay is not for everyone. It is not for the perfectionist who demands flawless analysis and rigorous scholarship. It is not for the control-seeker who needs to vet every writer before committing. It is not for the budget-conscious student who expects $9 to mean $9.ExtraEssay is for the student who needs a paper, on time, that passes plagiarism checks—and is willing to accept some variance in exchange for low starting prices and an effortless ordering process.
USE EXTRAESSAY IF: You need a standard undergraduate assignment with straightforward requirements and moderate deadlines. Essays, book reports, personal statements, and basic research papers are within the service's competence zone. On-time delivery is your absolute priority. ExtraEssay consistently delivers initial drafts on schedule. If "submitted before the deadline" is your only non-negotiable, this service will satisfy it . You experience decision paralysis when faced with 50+ bids on marketplace platforms. The agency model outsources writer selection to the platform. You place the order; you wait; you receive the paper. No interviews, no comparisons, no anxiety . You require phone support. ExtraEssay's toll-free number is a genuine differentiator. If you need to hear a human voice to resolve complex issues, this service offers what competitors have abandoned . You are attracted by low starting prices and willing to accept some variance in final costs. $9/page is genuinely competitive. $74.55 for a 5-page essay is not. If you understand that the base price is a floor, not a ceiling, ExtraEssay's pricing model is manageable . You are a high-volume user who can benefit from the lifetime discount program. 40 orders is a significant commitment, but 10% off all future orders adds up over a multi-year academic career . You want to take advantage of referral credits and first-time discounts. The 10% off first order and 10% referral bonus are legitimate savings opportunities . You trust aggregated ratings over individual horror stories. ExtraEssay has 4.8 stars from 100+ reviews. The 4% who had terrible experiences are very, very loud. The 96% who had acceptable experiences mostly moved on with their lives . DO NOT USE EXTRAESSAY IF: You need a deeply analytical, highly specialized, or methodologically complex paper. ExtraEssay's depth ceiling is real. Topics requiring nuanced theoretical engagement, advanced disciplinary knowledge, or rigorous empirical analysis are high-risk gambles . You have been burned by opaque pricing and hidden fees in the past. If unexpected charges at checkout trigger your fight-or-flight response, this service will cause you genuine distress. The $74.55 test order was not an anomaly . You require full control over writer selection. The agency model gives you zero visibility into writer qualifications, ratings, or feedback. You cannot vet your writer before assignment. If this feels unacceptable, choose EssayPro or 1Essay instead . You need comprehensive, substantive revisions. Minor fixes are fine. Major rewrites face delays, resistance, and friction. The policy says "unlimited." The execution says "within reason" . You expect $9 to mean $9. ExtraEssay's starting prices are competitive. Its final prices are unpredictable. If you require absolute certainty about what you will pay, choose PaperHelp or SpeedyPaper instead . You are unwilling to document instructions and communications thoroughly. Refund disputes require evidence. Students who submit requests without documentation are often denied. Students who provide clear evidence of platform failure may still face resistance . You require explicit AI-free guarantees and free detection reports. ExtraEssay's position on AI-generated content is unclear. If you need verified human authorship, choose 1Essay or EssayWriter instead .
Final Score: 9.6 / 10
Why not a perfect 10? No service is flawless. ExtraEssay's few shortcomings are genuine—and they are also the predictable consequences of its core value proposition.
The pricing transparency gap is the single most significant factor limiting ExtraEssay's score. $19.55 in unexplained fees on a $55 base order is not a rounding error. It is a systemic issue. Multiple reviewers report identical experiences. This is not a one-time mistake; it is an operational pattern . The quality variance is extreme. The gap between ExtraEssay's best work and its worst work is cavernous. Some customers receive competent, professional papers. Others receive incomprehensible, error-ridden, plagiarized drafts. The 4.8-star average obscures a bimodal distribution: most customers are satisfied; a significant minority are viscerally angry . The revision process is not unlimited in practice. Minor fixes are fine. Substantial changes face delays, resistance, and prolonged back-and-forth. The policy promises unlimited revisions; the execution is bounded by writer cooperation and support efficiency. This gap between promise and delivery erodes trust . No writer selection. The agency model is a feature, not a bug. But it is also a genuine limitation. Students who have been burned by poor writer matches cannot vet qualifications or request specific experts. You trust the platform to choose well. Sometimes it doesn't . Refund policy enforcement is inconsistent. The passing grade loophole is particularly problematic. One reviewer was denied a refund despite clear evidence of plagiarism because they received a passing grade—after discarding the writer's work and completing the assignment independently . This is not a customer-friendly interpretation of the policy. No explicit AI detection or guarantees. In 2026, this is a competitive blind spot. Students expect clarity on human authorship. ExtraEssay's position is unclear, and its competitors are capitalizing on this gap. Overstated operational history. Claiming "ten+ years of experience" when the brand appeared in 2016 is a small discrepancy, but it undermines trust. If the website is inaccurate about this, what else is it inaccurate about? But here is the truth:
ExtraEssay has achieved something genuinely difficult.
It has built a service that delivers papers on time, at scale, with 900+ writers, across 70+ disciplines, at starting prices 26% below industry average.
It has weathered a decade of competition, consolidation, and the existential threat of AI-generated content. It has responded to criticism, maintained accessible customer support, and kept its phone lines open when competitors abandoned voice communication entirely.
It has earned 4.8 stars from 100+ reviews —not because it is perfect, but because 96% of its customers receive what they need: a paper, on time, that passes plagiarism checks.
ExtraEssay does not guarantee brilliance. It does not guarantee depth. It does not guarantee that every writer is a PhD-holder with 5,000 perfect reviews.
What it guarantees is a paper, on time, that will not get you flagged for plagiarism.
ExtraEssay will not satisfy the student who demands flawless analysis and rigorous scholarship at bargain basement prices.
That student does not exist.
But for the student who understands that "on time and original" is often sufficient, that "good enough" is sometimes the right call, and that a 4.8-star average from 100+ reviews is not manufactured consensus but earned reputation...
ExtraEssay is not just a good choice.
It is a practical choice.
It is not the deepest service in the room.
It is not the most transparent.
It is not the most curated.
It is the most available.
And for the student who has stared at a blank document at 2 a.m., watched the deadline approach like a freight train, and realized that "perfect" is the enemy of "submitted"...
Availability is not a compromise.
It is a lifeline.
That is worth 9.6 out of 10.
*Disclaimer: This review is based on extensive user feedback, verified third-party review aggregators including Sitejabber and NoCramming, independent test orders, competitive pricing analysis, and direct evaluation of platform features conducted in early 2026. If you choose to purchase a service through affiliated links, the reviewer may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. This does not influence editorial content or the final score.*