Course Platform Fees Compared: 14 Platforms to Sell a Course (+ Free Calculator)

Every course platform features a pricing page, yet very few reveal the crucial figure you truly need to consider: how much of your revenue will be lost over the course of a year.

We’ve conducted a detailed analysis of 14 course-selling platforms: this includes nine hosted course platforms, Udemy’s marketplace, and four WordPress LMS plugins. Utilise the calculator below by entering your course price and sales to find out what each platform would cost you. For simplicity, we’ll use a consistent example throughout: 300 sales of a course priced at $100, amounting to $30,000 annually.

Quick note: Masteriyo, one of the WordPress LMS plugins compared here, is affiliated with the Themeisle family, the team responsible for this blog.

In short: If your sales total $30,000 a year, most platforms charge between $1,150 and $2,700 annually in fees. The most affordable options are WordPress + Masteriyo (free) at approximately $1,151 and Stan Store for $1,260. On the other hand, the priciest choices are Gumroad at $4,110 and Udemy’s marketplace, which retains $18,900 from organic sales.

Curious about your own figures? Skip to the fee calculator for courses and input your course price and annual sales.

Results for $30,000 in Sales

Each option is priced based on its most economical plan for $30,000 in annual sales, billed yearly (Payhip only bills monthly, so its total reflects 12 months). The total includes subscription fees, platform charges, and payment processing fees (2.9% + 30¢ per transaction, which totals $960 for 300 sales).

Hosted Course Platforms

WordPress LMS Plugins

The total cost for using WordPress encompasses three elements: the plugin, the fixed costs that a hosted platform would typically include, and card processing fees.

• Fixed costs ($191 per year): hosting at $2.99/month ($36 per year), a .com domain ($11 annually), and private video hosting via Vimeo Starter ($144 annually).
• Card processing ($960): Stripe’s standard rate of 2.9% + $0.30 per sale, across 300 sales of a $100 course.

None of the mentioned plugins impose a platform fee on your sales.

Udemy

Udemy frequently discounts courses through its Deals Programme, which instructors are automatically enrolled in (though you can opt-out), thus the figures here reflect its revenue cut only.

Key Findings

1. The Fee Structure is Crucial. Platforms with a flat rate and 0% fees typically resulted in totals between $1,150 and $2,700. The higher expenses were attributed to variable fees, such as Gumroad’s 10% + 50¢ per transaction and Udemy’s 63% cut from organic sales.

2. Card Processing Fees are Relatively Consistent. $960 from almost every total stems from the standard processing fee of 2.9% + 30¢ per sale. Some platforms subtract this from totals while others incorporate it into their overall fees.

3. WordPress Ownership Offers Flexibility. By opting for Vimeo instead of listed videos on YouTube, the total for Masteriyo (free version) decreases to approximately $1,007. If you require larger hosting, costs will increase.

Stan Store vs WordPress + Masteriyo: What You Receive

Stan Store and WordPress + Masteriyo rank as the two most affordable options at $30,000, so let’s compare what each offers. We’ll examine Stan’s entry-level Creator plan ($300/year) against Masteriyo’s free plugin on WordPress (including $191/year for hosting, domain, and video). When a feature requires an upgrade, the table will indicate this.

In Summary: Stan Store offers a straightforward setup: it is hosted, includes built-in video hosting, and allows you to drip-feed lessons on the basic plan. However, its course builder lacks quiz and certificate features, and emailing your list requires the $948/year Creator Pro plan. Masteriyo’s free plugin offers quizzes and automatic certificates, with courses hosted on your own site, allowing control over design, domain, and student data. You’ll need to arrange video hosting separately.

Masteriyo Free vs Pro Comparison

If you choose the WordPress path with Masteriyo, here’s how the free version stacks against the Pro version.

Masteriyo’s paid plans start from $99 annually (Basic), which includes Zoom lessons and sequential content release. Here, we compare the free version with Pro ($149 for the first year) because Pro adds features such as prerequisites, advanced content drip, assignments, a gradebook, coupons, subscriptions, and course bundles, which are key upgrades for many course sellers. You can check every plan on Masteriyo’s pricing page.

Masteriyo doesn’t take a share of your sales with either plan; you merely incur the standard processing fees from your payment provider.

Setting Up the WordPress Environment: Hosting, Video, and Email

A WordPress LMS requires three essential components that hosted platforms usually provide:

Hosting. Plans outlined in our review of the best WordPress hosting feature Hostinger, which currently lists its most economical WordPress plan at $2.99/month on a 48-month term. This price is what is used in the calculator. Note that introductory prices may increase after the first term, and larger course sites will require a more extensive plan. If hosting is new to you, start with our guide for beginners in WordPress hosting.

Video. You have two common options:

• YouTube (unlisted): $0. This is free and straightforward; however, anyone with the link can view and share your videos, and playback cannot be limited to your website.
• A Private Video Host. Vimeo Starter is priced at $144/year and allows you to restrict video embeds to your own domain. For more options, see our roundup of the best video hosting services.

Email. There are several email tools that offer free plans which are suitable for your first course:

• Kit: Free for up to 10,000 subscribers (automations require a paid plan).
• MailerLite: Free for up to 250 subscribers.
• Brevo: Free for up to 300 emails daily.

Post Year One: Masteriyo Pro renews at $299 and the LifterLMS Earth bundle is $398. LearnDash’s pricing page offers an introductory discount. Hosting introductory prices also increase after the initial term, so be sure to check renewal rates when planning your budget.

Platform Overview

• Stan Store: The Creator plan ($300/year) encompasses unlimited courses, with Stan retaining 0% from transactions.
• Thinkific: The Basic plan ($40/month, billed yearly) offers unlimited courses with a 0% transaction fee when you use Thinkific Payments, which charges the standard 2.9% + $0.30.
• Teachable: The Builder plan ($69/month, billed annually) has no transaction fees when using teachable:pay; the more affordable Starter plan incurs a 7.5% fee per sale.
• LearnWorlds: The Pro Trainer plan ($79/month, billed year-round) features enrollment fees. The Starter plan charges $5 for each paid enrollment.
• Payhip: The Plus plan ($29/month) charges a 2% fee on every sale, plus standard Stripe or PayPal fees.
• Skool: Pro ($990/year, billed annually, or $99/month) charges 2.9% + 30¢ per sale, already inclusive of card processing. Courses are sold within the Skool community.
• Podia: Shaker ($84/month, charged annually) incurs transaction fees. The less expensive Mover plan charges 5% on each sale.
• Kajabi: Basic ($143/month, billed yearly) is the priciest subscription among these options. Kajabi retains a share of revenue when you use Kajabi Payments; connecting an alternative payment provider incurs a 2% fee on the Basic plan.
• Gumroad: Charges 10% + 50¢ on each sale, with additional card processing fees (2.9% + $0.30).
• Udemy: Retains 63% of revenue from sales made through its marketplace, and 3% from sales via your coupon or referral link.
• Masteriyo: Offers a free plugin featuring Stripe and PayPal as checkout options; the Pro plan costs $149 in the first year.
• Tutor LMS: The free plugin supports PayPal, while Stripe requires the Tutor LMS Pro plan ($199/year).
• LifterLMS: The free version does not include payment processing capabilities. The Earth bundle ($199 for the first year) includes the necessary gateway options.
• LearnDash: Offers a free version. The Essentials plan costs $259/year and supports both Stripe and PayPal.

Factors Beyond Cost

• Sales Tax and VAT. Gumroad and Skool function as the merchant of record, while Teachable manages and submits US sales tax and EU/UK VAT during checkout. With a WordPress site, however, you will need to manage sales tax and VAT independently.
• Maintenance. Hosted platforms take care of updates and security on your behalf. A WordPress site necessitates ongoing maintenance.
• Ownership. By using WordPress, your site, courses, and student data are stored on your own hosting, with no restrictions on the number of courses or students.

Calculate Your Own Course Platform Fees

Input your course price and your annual sales figures. The list will rearrange all platforms relevant to this article, ranked by cost, starting from the cheapest. If there have been any changes to a platform’s pricing, select Edit on its row to enter the new details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

• For $30,000 in sales, most platforms charge between $1,150 and $2,700 in fees.
• Variable fees (Gumroad, Udemy’s marketplace) contribute significantly to platform costs.
• WordPress + Masteriyo was identified as the most affordable option in our example, providing quizzes and certificates in the free version.
• Utilise the calculator with your specific course price and sales data, as rankings shift with your input.

Which platform are you using to sell? We’d love to hear your experiences in the comments!

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