Sarah launched her photography course last month and made $3,200 in sales. She thought she'd pocket most of that money. Then the bills started rolling in: $150 in platform fees, $160 in transaction fees, $89 for email marketing, $47 for video hosting. Her $3,200 became $2,754 real quick.

Sound familiar? Most course creators focus on revenue but forget about the costs that eat into their profits. Let's break down exactly how much it costs to sell an online course in 2026.

Key Facts

• Platform costs range from $29-$549/month - Teachery charges $49/month while Kajabi starts at $89/month

• Transaction fees can cost 0-8% per sale - Teachable charges 5% on Basic plans while Teachery charges 0%

• Total monthly costs typically run $200-$800 - including platform, email, video hosting, and payment processing

• A $550 lifetime deal can save $1,586+ over two years - compared to monthly platforms like Kajabi's $2,136 total

The Complete Cost Breakdown

Here's what you're actually paying to sell courses online. I'll give you real numbers from 2026 so you can budget properly.

Course Platform Fees

This is your biggest ongoing expense. Every platform takes a different approach:

Monthly subscription platforms:

• Kajabi: $89-$399/month

• Teachery: $49/month (or $550 lifetime)

• Thinkific: $49-$199/month

• Teachable: $39-$499/month

• Podia: $39-$199/month

Transaction-based platforms:

• Gumroad: 3.5% + $0.30 per sale

• Stan Store: 7.5% per sale

• Payhip: 5% per sale

Real talk: monthly platforms usually work out cheaper if you're selling consistently. A 5% transaction fee on $5,000 in monthly sales costs $250. That's more than most monthly platforms.

If you want to skip the monthly fees entirely, try Teachery - it's the only major platform offering a true lifetime deal at $550.

Transaction Fees (The Hidden Killer)

This is where many course creators get surprised. Even if you pay monthly platform fees, some platforms still charge per transaction:

• Teachable Basic: 5% per sale

• Podia Starter: 5% per sale

• LearnWorlds Starter: $5 per sale

• Teachery: 0% on all plans

• Kajabi: 0% on all plans

• Thinkific: 0% on all plans

Here's the math: if you sell a $197 course and your platform charges 5% transaction fees, that's $9.85 per sale. Sell 50 courses and you've paid $492.50 in fees alone.

Payment Processing (Unavoidable)

Every platform uses Stripe or PayPal for payment processing. These fees are unavoidable:

• Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30 per successful charge

• PayPal: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction

On a $197 course sale, you'll pay about $6.01 in processing fees. This is the same whether you use Teachery, Kajabi, or any other platform.

The Supporting Cast of Costs

Your course platform is just the beginning. Here are the other tools most course creators need:

Email Marketing

You need email marketing to sell courses effectively. Popular options:

• ConvertKit: $29-$208/month

• Mailchimp: $13-$350/month

• ActiveCampaign: $15-$449/month

• Flodesk: $38/month (flat rate)

Budget $30-$100/month depending on your list size.

Video Hosting

Most platforms don't host your videos. You'll need:

• Vimeo Pro: $20-$75/month

• Wistia: $79-$399/month

• YouTube (free, but limited control)

• Bunny Stream: $10-$50/month

Vimeo Pro at $20/month handles most course creators' needs.

Course Creation Tools

You'll need tools to create your course content:

• Screen recording: Loom ($8-$16/month) or Camtasia ($299 one-time)

• Design: Canva ($15/month) or Adobe Creative Suite ($53/month)

• Audio editing: Audacity (free) or Adobe Audition (included with Creative Suite)

Budget $50-$100/month for creation tools.

The Real-World Cost Framework

Here's a framework to calculate your actual costs. I'll show you three scenarios based on course creators we work with.

The Starter Setup ($150-$250/month)

Monthly costs:

• Course platform: $49 (Teachery monthly)

• Email marketing: $29 (ConvertKit Starter)

• Video hosting: $20 (Vimeo Pro)

• Screen recording: $8 (Loom Business)

• Design: $15 (Canva Pro)

• Payment processing: $30-$60 (varies by sales)

Total: $151-$181/month

This works if you're just getting started or selling 1-2 courses. At $2,000/month in course sales, your costs are about 9% of revenue.

The Growth Setup ($300-$500/month)

Monthly costs:

• Course platform: $89 (Kajabi Basic)

• Email marketing: $59 (ConvertKit Creator)

• Video hosting: $50 (Vimeo Premium)

• Design tools: $53 (Adobe Creative Suite)

• Analytics: $29 (Google Analytics 360 or similar)

• Payment processing: $100-$200 (varies by sales)

Total: $380-$480/month

This setup handles $10,000+/month in course sales. Your costs are about 4-5% of revenue at that level.

The Lifetime Deal Setup ($100-$200/month)

Monthly costs after year one:

• Course platform: $0 (paid Teachery's $550 lifetime deal upfront)

• Email marketing: $59 (ConvertKit Creator)

• Video hosting: $20 (Vimeo Pro)

• Design: $15 (Canva Pro)

• Payment processing: $60-$120 (varies by sales)

Total: $154-$214/month (after initial $550)

This is the most cost-effective long-term approach. You save $588/year compared to Kajabi Basic.

Hidden Costs Most People Miss

Beyond the obvious monthly fees, watch out for these sneaky expenses:

Refund Processing Fees

When someone requests a refund, you don't get the processing fees back. If you have a 5% refund rate on $10,000 in sales, you're out about $15 in processing fees on refunded orders.

Failed Payment Fees

Stripe charges $0.25 for each failed payment attempt. If someone's card gets declined twice before succeeding, that's an extra $0.50 per customer.

International Transaction Fees

Selling to customers outside your country? Stripe adds 1% for international cards. On a $197 course, that's an extra $1.97.

Currency Conversion

If you price in multiple currencies, conversion rates fluctuate. You might price a course at $197 USD and €180 EUR, but currency changes can affect your actual revenue.

Compliance and Legal

Depending on where you sell:

• GDPR compliance tools: $29-$99/month

• Terms of service and privacy policy: $200-$500 one-time (lawyer fees)

• Business insurance: $200-$400/year

How to Minimize Your Costs

Here's how to keep more money in your pocket:

Choose the Right Platform Model

Monthly platforms with 0% transaction fees usually beat transaction-based platforms once you're selling consistently. Teachable's Basic plan costs $39/month + 5% per sale. If you sell $1,000/month, you pay $89 total. Teachery's $49/month with 0% transaction fees saves you money at that volume.

Go Lifetime When Possible

Teachery's lifetime deal costs $550 upfront but eliminates monthly platform fees forever. Over two years, that's $1,586 less than Kajabi's basic plan ($2,136 total).

Run the math: if you plan to sell courses for more than 12 months, lifetime deals usually win.

Start Simple

You don't need every tool on day one. Start with:

• A course platform

• Basic email marketing

• Free video hosting (YouTube unlisted)

• Free design tools (Canva free tier)

Add tools as you grow and need them.

Bundle Smartly

Some platforms include multiple features. Kajabi includes email marketing, landing pages, and course hosting. If you'd pay $60/month for email marketing anyway, Kajabi's $89/month makes sense.

But if you already have email tools you love, a focused course platform like Teachery makes more sense.

The Break-Even Math

Let's do some real math. Say your total monthly costs are $300 and you sell a $197 course:

$300 ÷ $197 = 1.52 courses

You need to sell 2 courses per month to break even. Everything above that is profit (minus taxes).

If your costs are $500/month with the same course price, you need 3 sales to break even.

This is why controlling costs matters. Lower costs = fewer sales needed to be profitable.

Cost Comparison: Popular Platforms

Here's what you'll actually pay with different platforms over 24 months, assuming $5,000/month in course sales:

Teachery (lifetime):

• Platform: $550 (one-time)

• Processing: $4,350 (2.9% + $0.30 per sale)

• Total: $4,900

Kajabi Basic:

• Platform: $2,136 (24 × $89)

• Processing: $4,350

• Total: $6,486

Teachable Basic:

• Platform: $936 (24 × $39)

• Transaction fees: $6,000 (5% of $120,000 sales)

• Processing: $4,350

• Total: $11,286

The winner? Teachery saves you $1,586 vs Kajabi and $6,386 vs Teachable Basic over two years.

Red Flags to Avoid

Watch out for these cost traps:

Platforms with Setup Fees

Some platforms charge $99-$299 to get started. That's usually a red flag - good platforms don't need setup fees.

Per-Student Pricing

Avoid platforms that charge per active student. Your costs should be predictable, not tied to your success.

Limited Features on Cheap Plans

A $19/month platform sounds great until you realize you can't accept payments or embed videos. Always check what's included.

Annual-Only Pricing

Be wary of platforms that only offer annual billing. If you need to cancel after 3 months, you're stuck paying for 9 unused months.

The bottom line? Selling online courses costs $150-$800/month for most creators. Your biggest decision is choosing between monthly platforms (predictable costs) and transaction-based platforms (costs tied to sales).

If you're planning to stick with course creation long-term, platforms with lifetime deals or 0% transaction fees will save you thousands over time. Start your free Teachery trial and see exactly what it costs to sell your course without hidden fees or monthly surprises.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to sell an online course on average?

Most course creators spend $200-$500 per month on tools and platform fees. This includes your course platform ($39-$199/month), email marketing ($29-$100/month), video hosting ($20-$50/month), and payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.30 per sale). The exact cost depends on your sales volume and which tools you choose.

Do all course platforms charge transaction fees?

No, transaction fee policies vary significantly by platform. Teachery charges 0% transaction fees on all plans, while Teachable charges 5% on its Basic plan. Kajabi and Thinkific also charge 0% transaction fees, but their monthly costs start higher. Always factor in both monthly fees and per-sale costs when comparing platforms.

Is it cheaper to use a lifetime deal or pay monthly?

Lifetime deals typically save money if you plan to sell courses for more than 12-18 months. Teachery's $550 lifetime deal breaks even after 11 months compared to their $49 monthly plan, and saves $1,586 over two years compared to Kajabi's basic plan. Run the math based on how long you expect to sell courses.

What hidden costs should I budget for when selling courses?

Beyond platform and transaction fees, budget for refund processing fees (you don't get Stripe fees back on refunds), failed payment charges ($0.25 per failed attempt), international transaction fees (1% extra for non-domestic cards), and compliance tools if selling globally. These typically add $50-$200 per month depending on your sales volume.