{"id":119142,"date":"2026-10-13T16:42:47","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T13:42:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/?p=119142&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=119142"},"modified":"2026-09-29T13:11:03","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T10:11:03","slug":"course-platform-fees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/course-platform-fees\/","title":{"rendered":"Course Platform Fees Compared: 14 Platforms to Sell a Course (+ Free Calculator)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every course platform has a pricing page. None of them show you the number that actually matters: <strong>how much of your revenue you&rsquo;ll give away in a year.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So we worked it out for <strong>14 platforms to sell a course<\/strong>: nine hosted course platforms, Udemy&rsquo;s marketplace, and four WordPress LMS plugins. <strong>Use the calculator below with your own course price and sales<\/strong> to see what each option would cost you. To keep the article easy to follow, we&rsquo;ve used one example throughout: <strong>300 sales of a $100 course, or $30,000 a year.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quick disclosure: <a href=\"https:\/\/masteriyo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Masteriyo<\/a>, one of the WordPress LMS plugins in this comparison, is part of the Themeisle family, the same team behind this blog.<\/p>\n\n\n    \r\n    <style>\r\n        :root {\r\n        --jtoc-progress-bar-color: #4267cf;\n        }\r\n                    .wpj-jtoc.--jtoc-theme-none.--jtoc-has-custom-styles {\r\n        --jtoc-width: 100%;\n--jtoc-toc-padding: 24px;\n--jtoc-toc-border: 1px solid;\n--jtoc-toc-border-color: #dedede;\n--jtoc-background-color: #f6f7f9;\n--jtoc-header-height: 20px;\n--jtoc-header-margin: 0;\n--jtoc-header-padding: 0;\n--jtoc-title-color: #393939;\n--jtoc-title-font-size: 1.2em;\n--jtoc-title-label-font-weight: 400;\n--jtoc-body-margin: 16px 0 0 0;\n--jtoc-body-padding: 0;\n--jtoc-headings-margin: 10px 0 0 0;\n--jtoc-link-font-size: 1em;\n--jtoc-link-font-weight: 400;\n--jtoc-link-color: #848484;\n--jtoc-link-color-hover: #4a66c8;\n--jtoc-link-color-active: #4a66c8;\n        }\r\n        .--jtoc-the-content{\r\ndisplay:none;\r\n}\r\n.--jtoc-is-active>.wpj-jtoc--item-content>a:before{\r\nmargin-left:3px;\r\n}\r\n.wpj-jtoc--nav>.wpj-jtoc--items li a::before{\r\ncontent:'\\203A';\r\ndisplay:block;\r\nfloat:left;\r\nheight:100%;\r\nfont-weight:700;\r\ncolor:#4267CF;\r\nline-height: 20px;\r\nmargin-right: 3px;\r\n}\r\n.sidebar .wpj-jtoc--toc{\r\nborder:0;\r\npadding:0;\r\n}\r\n.sidebar .wpj-jtoc--header,\r\n.sidebar .wpj-jtoc--body{\r\nbackground:transparent;\r\n}\r\n\r\n.sidebar .--jtoc-is-active>.wpj-jtoc--item-content>a{\r\ntext-decoration:none;\r\n}\r\n.sidebar-left .widget-first{\r\nposition:sticky;\r\ntop:70px;\r\nmargin-bottom:1250px;\r\n}\r\n.sidebar-left{\r\ndisplay:none;\r\nmax-width:300px;\r\nposition:absolute;\r\nleft:-330px;\r\ntop:0;\r\nheight:100%;\r\n}\r\n@media only screen and (max-width: 1900px) {\r\n.single-post .sidebar-left{\r\ndisplay:none !important;\r\n}\r\n.--jtoc-the-content{\r\ndisplay:block;\r\n}\r\n@media only screen and (max-width: 400px) {\r\n.wpj-jtoc--item .wpj-jtoc--item-content{\r\nmargin-top:5px;\r\n}\r\n.wpj-jtoc--header-main .wpj-jtoc--title{\r\nfont-size:1.1em;\r\n}\r\n}    <\/style>\r\n\r\n\r\n    <!-- jtoc progress bar widget -->\r\n    <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--widget-progress --progress-top\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--widget-progress-bar\"><\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"wpj-jtoc\" class=\"wpj-jtoc wpj-jtoc--main --jtoc-the-content --jtoc-theme-none --jtoc-title-align-left --jtoc-toggle-icon --jtoc-toggle-position-right --jtoc-toggle-1 --jtoc-header-as-toggle --jtoc-headings-full-row-clickable --jtoc-floating-toc-top --jtoc-floating-has-shadow --jtoc-has-custom-styles --jtoc-is-unfolded\" >\r\n            \r\n    <!-- TOC -->\r\n    <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--toc \">\r\n                            <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--header\">\r\n                <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--header-main\">\r\n                                        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--title\">\r\n                        <!-- <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" class=\"lucide lucide-columns-3\"><rect width=\"18\" height=\"18\" x=\"3\" y=\"3\" rx=\"2\"\/><path d=\"M9 3v18\"\/><path d=\"M15 3v18\"\/><\/svg> -->\r\n                        <span class=\"wpj-jtoc--title-label\">Table of contents<\/span>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                                                        <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n                                <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--body\">\r\n                        <nav class=\"wpj-jtoc--nav\">\r\n                <ol class=\"wpj-jtoc--items\"><li class=\"wpj-jtoc--item --jtoc-h2\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--item-content\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n                        <a href=\"#the-results-at-30000-in-sales\" title=\"The results at $30,000 in sales\" data-numeration=\"1\" >The results at $30,000 in sales<\/a>\r\n                    <\/div> <ol class=\"wpj-jtoc--items\"><li class=\"wpj-jtoc--item --jtoc-h3\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--item-content\" data-depth=\"3\">\r\n                        <a href=\"#hosted-course-platforms\" title=\"Hosted course platforms\" data-numeration=\"1.1\" >Hosted course platforms<\/a>\r\n                    <\/div> <\/li><li class=\"wpj-jtoc--item --jtoc-h3\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--item-content\" data-depth=\"3\">\r\n                        <a href=\"#wordpress-lms-plugins\" title=\"WordPress LMS plugins\" data-numeration=\"1.2\" >WordPress LMS plugins<\/a>\r\n                    <\/div> <\/li><li class=\"wpj-jtoc--item --jtoc-h3\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--item-content\" data-depth=\"3\">\r\n                        <a href=\"#udemy\" title=\"Udemy\" data-numeration=\"1.3\" >Udemy<\/a>\r\n                    <\/div> <\/li><\/ol><\/li><li class=\"wpj-jtoc--item --jtoc-h2\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--item-content\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n                        <a href=\"#what-we-found\" title=\"What we found\" data-numeration=\"2\" >What we found<\/a>\r\n                    <\/div> <\/li><li class=\"wpj-jtoc--item --jtoc-h2\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--item-content\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n                        <a href=\"#stan-store-vs-wordpress-masteriyo-what-you-get\" title=\"Stan Store vs WordPress + Masteriyo: what you get\" data-numeration=\"3\" >Stan Store vs WordPress + Masteriyo: what you get<\/a>\r\n                    <\/div> <\/li><li class=\"wpj-jtoc--item --jtoc-h2\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--item-content\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n                        <a href=\"#masteriyo-free-vs-pro\" title=\"Masteriyo Free vs Pro\" data-numeration=\"4\" >Masteriyo Free vs Pro<\/a>\r\n                    <\/div> <\/li><li class=\"wpj-jtoc--item --jtoc-h2\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--item-content\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n                        <a href=\"#building-the-wordpress-side-hosting-video-and-email\" title=\"Building the WordPress side: hosting, video, and email\" data-numeration=\"5\" >Building the WordPress side: hosting, video, and email<\/a>\r\n                    <\/div> <\/li><li class=\"wpj-jtoc--item --jtoc-h2\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--item-content\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n                        <a href=\"#platform-by-platform\" title=\"Platform by platform\" data-numeration=\"6\" >Platform by platform<\/a>\r\n                    <\/div> <\/li><li class=\"wpj-jtoc--item --jtoc-h2\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--item-content\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n                        <a href=\"#things-to-consider-beyond-cost\" title=\"Things to consider beyond cost\" data-numeration=\"7\" >Things to consider beyond cost<\/a>\r\n                    <\/div> <\/li><li class=\"wpj-jtoc--item --jtoc-h2\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--item-content\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n                        <a href=\"#calculate-your-own-course-platform-fees\" title=\"Calculate your own course platform fees\" data-numeration=\"8\" >Calculate your own course platform fees<\/a>\r\n                    <\/div> <\/li><li class=\"wpj-jtoc--item --jtoc-h2\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--item-content\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n                        <a href=\"#frequently-asked-questions\" title=\"Frequently asked questions\" data-numeration=\"9\" >Frequently asked questions<\/a>\r\n                    <\/div> <\/li><li class=\"wpj-jtoc--item --jtoc-h2\">\r\n        <div class=\"wpj-jtoc--item-content\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n                        <a href=\"#wrapping-up\" title=\"Wrapping up \ud83c\udfc1\" data-numeration=\"10\" >Wrapping up \ud83c\udfc1<\/a>\r\n                    <\/div> <\/li><\/ol>            <\/nav>\r\n                                                        <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The short answer:<\/strong> At $30,000 a year in sales, most options cost between <strong>$1,150 and $2,700 a year<\/strong> in fees. The cheapest were <strong>WordPress + Masteriyo (free) at about $1,151<\/strong> and <strong>Stan Store at $1,260<\/strong>. The most expensive were <strong>Gumroad at $4,110<\/strong> and <strong>Udemy&rsquo;s marketplace, which keeps $18,900<\/strong> of organic sales.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#128073; <strong>Want your own numbers?<\/strong> <a href=\"#calculate-your-own-course-platform-fees\">Jump to the course fee calculator<\/a> and enter your course price and yearly sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t<div class=\"ti-tweet-clear\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ti-tweet_wrapper\">\n\t\t    \t<div class=\"ti-tweet_text\">\n\t\t    \t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Selling+an+online+%23course%3F+%F0%9F%92%B8+See+what+14+platforms+charge%2C+with+a+free+fee+calculator&amp;via=themeisle&amp;related=themeisle&amp;url=https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/course-platform-fees\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Selling an online #course? &#128184; See what 14 platforms charge, with a free fee calculator<\/a>\n\t\t    \t<\/div>\n\t\t    \t<div class=\"ti-tweet_sharebtn\">\n\t\t    \t<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Selling+an+online+%23course%3F+%F0%9F%92%B8+See+what+14+platforms+charge%2C+with+a+free+fee+calculator&amp;via=themeisle&amp;related=themeisle&amp;url=https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/course-platform-fees\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Click To Tweet \n\t\t    \t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t    \t<\/a>\n\t\t    <\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"the-results-at-30000-in-sales\" class=\"wp-block-heading joli-heading jtoc-heading\">The results at $30,000 in sales<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each option is priced on its <strong>cheapest plan at $30,000 a year<\/strong>, billed annually (Payhip only bills monthly, so its price is 12 months). Every total includes the subscription, platform fees, and card processing (2.9% + 30&cent; per sale, or $960 across 300 sales).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"hosted-course-platforms\" class=\"wp-block-heading joli-heading jtoc-heading\">Hosted course platforms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Platform<\/th><th>Best plan at $30k<\/th><th>Subscription \/ yr<\/th><th>Platform fee<\/th><th>Card processing<\/th><th><strong>Total \/ yr<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>You keep<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Stan Store<\/strong><\/td><td>Creator<\/td><td>$300<\/td><td>0%<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$1,260<\/strong><\/td><td>$28,740<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Thinkific<\/strong><\/td><td>Basic<\/td><td>$480<\/td><td>0%<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$1,440<\/strong><\/td><td>$28,560<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Teachable<\/strong><\/td><td>Builder<\/td><td>$828<\/td><td>0%<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$1,788<\/strong><\/td><td>$28,212<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>LearnWorlds<\/strong><\/td><td>Pro Trainer<\/td><td>$948<\/td><td>0%<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$1,908<\/strong><\/td><td>$28,092<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Payhip<\/strong><\/td><td>Plus<\/td><td>$348<\/td><td>2% ($600)<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$1,908<\/strong><\/td><td>$28,092<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Skool<\/strong><\/td><td>Pro<\/td><td>$990<\/td><td>None (built into processing)<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$1,950<\/strong><\/td><td>$28,050<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Podia<\/strong><\/td><td>Shaker<\/td><td>$1,008<\/td><td>0%<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$1,968<\/strong><\/td><td>$28,032<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Kajabi<\/strong><\/td><td>Basic<\/td><td>$1,716<\/td><td>0%<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$2,676<\/strong><\/td><td>$27,324<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Gumroad<\/strong><\/td><td>No plans<\/td><td>$0<\/td><td>10% + 50&cent; ($3,150)<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$4,110<\/strong><\/td><td>$25,890<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"wordpress-lms-plugins\" class=\"wp-block-heading joli-heading jtoc-heading\">WordPress LMS plugins<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each WordPress total adds up three things: the plugin, the fixed costs a hosted platform would bundle in, and card processing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Fixed costs ($191\/year):<\/strong> hosting at $2.99\/month ($36\/year), a .com domain ($11\/year), and private video hosting on Vimeo Starter ($144\/year).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Card processing ($960):<\/strong> Stripe&rsquo;s standard 2.9% + 30&cent; per sale, across 300 sales of $100.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">None of these plugins charges a platform fee on your sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>WordPress LMS plugin<\/th><th>Plan<\/th><th>Plugin \/ yr<\/th><th>Hosting + domain + Vimeo \/ yr<\/th><th>Card processing<\/th><th><strong>Total \/ yr<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>You keep<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Masteriyo<\/strong><\/td><td>Free<\/td><td>$0<\/td><td>$191<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$1,151<\/strong><\/td><td>$28,849<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Masteriyo<\/strong><\/td><td>Pro<\/td><td>$149<\/td><td>$191<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$1,300<\/strong><\/td><td>$28,700<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Tutor LMS<\/strong><\/td><td>Pro (needed for Stripe)<\/td><td>$199<\/td><td>$191<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$1,350<\/strong><\/td><td>$28,650<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>LifterLMS<\/strong><\/td><td>Earth bundle (includes payments)<\/td><td>$199<\/td><td>$191<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$1,350<\/strong><\/td><td>$28,650<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>LearnDash<\/strong><\/td><td>Essentials<\/td><td>$259<\/td><td>$191<\/td><td>$960<\/td><td><strong>$1,410<\/strong><\/td><td>$28,590<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"udemy\" class=\"wp-block-heading joli-heading jtoc-heading\">Udemy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Sale type<\/th><th>Udemy keeps<\/th><th><strong>You keep<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Sold through your own coupon or referral link<\/td><td>3% ($900)<\/td><td>$29,100<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sold by Udemy&rsquo;s marketplace (organic)<\/td><td>63% ($18,900)<\/td><td>$11,100<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Udemy discounts courses through its Deals Program, which instructors are in by default (you can opt out), so these rows show its revenue share only.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-we-found\" class=\"wp-block-heading joli-heading jtoc-heading\">What we found<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. The fee model matters more than the platform.<\/strong> Every option with a flat price and 0% platform fees landed between about $1,150 and $2,700. The expensive results came from <strong>percentage fees<\/strong>: Gumroad&rsquo;s 10% + 50&cent; per sale and Udemy&rsquo;s 63% cut of organic sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. Card processing is the same almost everywhere.<\/strong> $960 of nearly every total is the standard 2.9% + 30&cent; per sale. No platform removes it; some just include it in their own fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. On WordPress, you choose what goes around the plugin.<\/strong> Swap Vimeo for unlisted YouTube videos and the Masteriyo (free) total drops to <strong>about $1,007<\/strong>. Pick a bigger hosting plan and it goes up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"stan-store-vs-wordpress-masteriyo-what-you-get\" class=\"wp-block-heading joli-heading jtoc-heading\">Stan Store vs WordPress + Masteriyo: what you get<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stan Store and WordPress + Masteriyo were the two cheapest options at $30,000, so here&rsquo;s what each one actually gives you. We&rsquo;re comparing <strong>Stan&rsquo;s entry Creator plan ($300\/year)<\/strong> with <strong>Masteriyo&rsquo;s free plugin on WordPress<\/strong> (plus $191\/year for hosting, a domain, and Vimeo). Where a feature needs an upgrade, the table says which one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th><\/th><th><strong>Stan Store: Creator plan<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>WordPress + Masteriyo: free plugin<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Cost at $30k (year 1)<\/td><td>$1,260 ($300 plan + $960 card processing)<\/td><td>$1,151 ($191 hosting, domain, and Vimeo + $960 card processing)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Where your course lives<\/td><td>In your Stan storefront, on Stan&rsquo;s platform<\/td><td>On your own WordPress site and domain<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Video hosting<\/td><td>&#9989; Included: upload videos straight to lessons<\/td><td>Separate: embed from YouTube (free) or Vimeo (counted in the $191)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Quizzes<\/td><td>&#10060; Not in Stan&rsquo;s course builder<\/td><td>&#9989; Included (3 question types)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Completion certificates<\/td><td>&#10060; Not in Stan&rsquo;s course builder<\/td><td>&#9989; Included, issued automatically when a student finishes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Drip content (release lessons over time)<\/td><td>&#9989; Included<\/td><td>Needs a paid plan: sequential drip from Basic ($99), advanced drip on Pro ($149)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Email marketing<\/td><td>Collects emails; sending broadcasts and automated flows needs Creator Pro ($948\/yr)<\/td><td>Free Brevo and FluentCRM integrations; Mailchimp, HubSpot, and Zapier need Pro<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Payments<\/td><td>Stripe, PayPal<\/td><td>Stripe, PayPal, Mollie, Lemon Squeezy<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Platform fee<\/td><td>0%<\/td><td>0%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>In short:<\/strong> Stan Store is the simpler setup: it&rsquo;s hosted, video hosting is built in, and you can drip lessons out on the entry plan. But its course builder doesn&rsquo;t include quizzes or certificates, and emailing your list needs the $948\/year Creator Pro plan. Masteriyo&rsquo;s free plugin includes quizzes and automatic certificates, and your courses live on your own site, where you control the design, the domain, and your student data. You&rsquo;ll handle video hosting separately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"masteriyo-free-vs-pro\" class=\"wp-block-heading joli-heading jtoc-heading\">Masteriyo Free vs Pro<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you go the WordPress route with Masteriyo, here&rsquo;s what the free plugin includes and what Pro adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Masteriyo&rsquo;s paid plans start at <strong>$99 a year (Basic)<\/strong>, which adds Zoom lessons and sequential content drip. We compare the free plugin with <strong>Pro ($149 in the first year)<\/strong> because Pro is the plan that adds prerequisites, advanced drip, assignments, the gradebook, coupons, subscriptions, and course bundles, the features most course sellers upgrade for. You can see every plan on <a href=\"https:\/\/masteriyo.com\/pricing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Masteriyo&rsquo;s pricing page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Feature<\/th><th><strong>Masteriyo Free<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Masteriyo Pro<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Price<\/td><td>$0<\/td><td>$149 first year, then $299\/yr<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Courses and students<\/td><td>Unlimited<\/td><td>Unlimited<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Payments<\/td><td>Stripe, PayPal, Mollie, Lemon Squeezy<\/td><td>Adds coupons, subscriptions, and course bundles<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Quizzes<\/td><td>3 question types<\/td><td>9 question types<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Certificates<\/td><td>Certificate builder, 1 template, issued automatically on completion<\/td><td>More templates, plus QR-code certificate verification<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Scheduled content drip and prerequisites<\/td><td>Not included<\/td><td>&#9989;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Assignments and gradebook<\/td><td>Not included<\/td><td>&#9989;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Live lessons<\/td><td>Google Meet<\/td><td>Adds Zoom<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>SCORM<\/td><td>&#9989;<\/td><td>&#9989;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Platform fee<\/td><td>0%<\/td><td>0%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Masteriyo doesn&rsquo;t take a cut of your sales on either plan; you only pay your payment provider&rsquo;s standard processing fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"building-the-wordpress-side-hosting-video-and-email\" class=\"wp-block-heading joli-heading jtoc-heading\">Building the WordPress side: hosting, video, and email<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A WordPress LMS needs three things a hosted platform includes for you. Each has a free or low-cost option:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Hosting.<\/strong> Plans in our <a href=\"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/best-wordpress-hosting\/\">tested guide to the best WordPress hosting<\/a> include Hostinger, which currently lists its cheapest WordPress plan at <strong>$2.99\/month<\/strong> on a 48-month term. That&rsquo;s the price used in the calculator. Intro prices renew higher after the first term, and bigger course sites need a bigger plan. If you&rsquo;re new to hosting, start with our <a href=\"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/best-wordpress-hosting-for-beginners\/\">best WordPress hosting for beginners<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Video.<\/strong> You have two common routes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>YouTube (unlisted): $0.<\/strong> Free and easy, but anyone with the link can watch and share your videos, and you can&rsquo;t restrict playback to your site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A private video host.<\/strong> Vimeo Starter costs <strong>$144\/year<\/strong> and lets you limit embeds to your own domain. See our roundup of the <a href=\"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/best-video-hosting-sites\/\">best video hosting sites<\/a> for more options.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Email.<\/strong> Several email tools have free plans that cover a first course:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Kit:<\/strong> free for up to 10,000 subscribers (automations need a paid plan)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MailerLite:<\/strong> free for up to 250 subscribers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brevo:<\/strong> free for up to 300 emails a day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>After year one:<\/strong> Masteriyo Pro renews at $299 and the LifterLMS Earth bundle at $398. LearnDash&rsquo;s pricing page shows no introductory discount. Hosting intro prices also renew higher, so check your host&rsquo;s renewal price when you plan your budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"platform-by-platform\" class=\"wp-block-heading joli-heading jtoc-heading\">Platform by platform<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Stan Store:<\/strong> The Creator plan ($300\/year) includes unlimited courses, and Stan takes 0% of transactions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Thinkific:<\/strong> The Basic plan ($40\/month, billed annually) includes unlimited courses. The 0% transaction fee applies when you use Thinkific Payments, which charges the standard 2.9% + 30&cent;.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Teachable:<\/strong> Builder ($69\/month, billed annually) has 0% transaction fees when you use teachable:pay. The cheaper Starter plan charges 7.5% per sale.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>LearnWorlds:<\/strong> Pro Trainer ($79\/month, billed annually) has no enrollment fees. The Starter plan charges $5 per paid enrollment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Payhip:<\/strong> Plus ($29\/month) charges 2% per sale, plus standard Stripe or PayPal fees.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Skool:<\/strong> Pro ($990\/year billed annually, or $99\/month) charges 2.9% + 30&cent; per sale, which already includes card processing. Courses are sold inside a Skool community.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Podia:<\/strong> Shaker ($84\/month, billed annually) has no transaction fees. The cheaper Mover plan charges 5% per sale.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kajabi:<\/strong> Basic ($143\/month, billed annually) is the most expensive subscription here. Kajabi takes no revenue share when you use Kajabi Payments; connecting a different payment provider adds a 2% fee on Basic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gumroad:<\/strong> 10% + 50&cent; per sale, with card processing (2.9% + 30&cent;) charged on top.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Udemy:<\/strong> keeps 63% of sales its marketplace brings in, and 3% of sales made through your own coupon or referral link.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Masteriyo:<\/strong> free plugin with Stripe and PayPal checkout. Pro is $149 in the first year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tutor LMS:<\/strong> the free plugin supports PayPal. Stripe needs Tutor LMS Pro ($199\/year).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>LifterLMS:<\/strong> the free plugin can&rsquo;t take card payments. The Earth bundle ($199 in the first year) includes payment gateways.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>LearnDash:<\/strong> no free version. Essentials is $259\/year and includes Stripe and PayPal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"things-to-consider-beyond-cost\" class=\"wp-block-heading joli-heading jtoc-heading\">Things to consider beyond cost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sales tax and VAT.<\/strong> Gumroad and Skool act as the merchant of record, and Teachable collects and remits US sales tax and EU\/UK VAT on its own checkout. On a WordPress site, you&rsquo;re the seller, so you handle sales tax and VAT yourself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Maintenance.<\/strong> Hosted platforms handle updates and security for you. A WordPress site needs someone to keep it updated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ownership.<\/strong> On WordPress, your site, courses, and student data live on your own hosting, with no plan limits on courses or students.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"calculate-your-own-course-platform-fees\" class=\"wp-block-heading joli-heading jtoc-heading\">Calculate your own course platform fees<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"tfc\" style=\"border:1px solid #e6e9ef;border-radius:14px;padding:24px;margin:28px 0;background:#fff\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;color:#667085;font-size:15px\">Loading the course fee calculator&hellip;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script nowprocket>\n\/* Course platform fee calculator. Everything is built and styled from this script (inline styles) on purpose:\n   WP Rocket's \"Remove Unused CSS\" strips stylesheet rules for elements that only exist after JavaScript runs.\n   Keep this script ASCII-only, with no double ampersands or less-than signs: WordPress rewrites them\n   when it outputs the post (it turned one into HTML entities and broke the script). *\/\n(function(){\n  var root=document.getElementById('tfc'); if(!root||root.getAttribute('data-ready')) return;\n  root.setAttribute('data-ready','1'); root.innerHTML='';\n  var BLUE='#1267d3', INK='#1a1a1a', MUT='#667085', LINE='#e6e9ef';\n  var CARD_PCT=0.029, CARD_FIX=0.30, WPX=2.99*12+11.08+144;\n  \/* a = yearly price (annual billing), pct \/ fix = platform fee per sale, card = card processing charged on top,\n     cap = max contacts on that plan. First-year prices checked 30 September 2026. *\/\n  var PLATFORMS=[\n    {n:'Stan Store',plans:[{p:'Creator',a:300,card:1},{p:'Creator Pro',a:948,card:1}]},\n    {n:'Thinkific',plans:[{p:'Basic',a:480,card:1},{p:'Start',a:984,card:1}]},\n    {n:'Teachable',plans:[{p:'Starter',a:348,pct:0.075,card:1},{p:'Builder',a:828,card:1},{p:'Growth',a:1668,card:1}]},\n    {n:'LearnWorlds',plans:[{p:'Starter',a:288,fix:5,card:1},{p:'Pro Trainer',a:948,card:1}]},\n    {n:'Payhip',plans:[{p:'Free',a:0,pct:0.05,card:1},{p:'Plus',a:348,pct:0.02,card:1},{p:'Pro',a:1188,card:1}]},\n    {n:'Skool',plans:[{p:'Hobby',a:90,pct:0.10,fix:0.30},{p:'Pro',a:990,pct:0.029,fix:0.30,skool:1}]},\n    {n:'Podia',plans:[{p:'Mover',a:504,pct:0.05,card:1},{p:'Shaker',a:1008,card:1},{p:'Earthquaker',a:1800,card:1}]},\n    {n:'Kajabi',plans:[{p:'Basic',a:1716,pct:0.029,fix:0.30,cap:2500},{p:'Growth',a:2388,pct:0.028,fix:0.30,cap:25000},{p:'Pro',a:4788,pct:0.027,fix:0.30}]},\n    {n:'Gumroad',plans:[{p:'Direct sales',a:0,pct:0.10,fix:0.50,card:1,gumroad:1}]},\n    {n:'WordPress + Masteriyo (free)',wp:1,own:1,plans:[{p:'Masteriyo free plugin ($0)',a:0,card:1}]},\n    {n:'WordPress + Masteriyo Pro',wp:1,own:1,plans:[{p:'Masteriyo Pro plugin ($149 first year)',a:149,card:1}]},\n    {n:'WordPress + Tutor LMS Pro',wp:1,plans:[{p:'Tutor LMS Pro plugin ($199\/yr)',a:199,card:1}]},\n    {n:'WordPress + LifterLMS',wp:1,plans:[{p:'LifterLMS Earth bundle ($199 first year)',a:199,card:1}]},\n    {n:'WordPress + LearnDash',wp:1,plans:[{p:'LearnDash Essentials ($259\/yr)',a:259,card:1}]},\n    {n:'Udemy (marketplace sales)',off:1,plans:[{p:'Udemy keeps 63%',a:0,pct:0.63}]}\n  ];\n  var INPUT='width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;margin:0;height:auto;min-height:0;padding:10px 12px;border:1px solid #cfd6e2;border-radius:8px;'+\n    'background:#fff;color:'+INK+';font:inherit;font-size:18px;font-weight:600;line-height:1.3;box-shadow:none;';\n  var LINK='background:none;border:0;padding:2px 0;margin:0;cursor:pointer;font:inherit;font-size:13px;font-weight:600;color:'+BLUE+';'+\n    'text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:2px;text-transform:none;letter-spacing:normal;box-shadow:none;min-height:0;line-height:1.4';\n\n  function h(tag,css,text){ var e=document.createElement(tag); if(css) e.style.cssText=css; if(text!=null) e.textContent=text; return e; }\n  function money(v){ return '$'+Math.round(v).toLocaleString('en-US'); }\n  function num(v){ var x=parseFloat(v); return isFinite(x)?(x>0?x:0):0; }\n  function round2(v){ return Math.round(v*100)\/100; }\n  function cost(e,price,sales){ var rev=price*sales; return e.a+rev*e.pct+sales*e.fix+(e.card?rev*CARD_PCT+sales*CARD_FIX:0); }\n  function auto(pf,price,sales){\n    var best=null;\n    pf.plans.forEach(function(pl){\n      if(pl.cap){ if(sales>pl.cap) return; }\n      var pct=pl.pct||0;\n      if(pl.skool){ if(price>899) pct=0.039; }\n      if(pl.gumroad){ var m=price*sales\/12; if(m>20000) pct=(0.10*20000+0.05*(m-20000))\/m; }\n      var e={a:pl.a+(pf.wp?WPX:0),pct:pct,fix:pl.fix||0,card:!!pl.card}, c=cost(e,price,sales);\n      if(!best||best.c>c) best={p:pl.p,e:e,c:c};\n    });\n    return best;\n  }\n  function field(label,prefix,value,big){\n    var w=h('label','display:block;flex:1 1 '+(big?'180px':'120px')+';min-width:0;margin:0');\n    w.appendChild(h('span','display:block;font-size:'+(big?13:12)+'px;font-weight:600;color:'+MUT+';margin:0 0 5px',label));\n    var box=h('span','position:relative;display:block');\n    var i=h('input',INPUT+(big?'':'font-size:15px;padding:8px 10px;')+(prefix?'padding-left:'+(big?26:22)+'px;':''));\n    i.type='number'; i.min='0'; i.step='any'; i.value=value; i.inputMode='decimal';\n    if(prefix) box.appendChild(h('span','position:absolute;left:'+(big?12:10)+'px;top:50%;transform:translateY(-50%);color:'+MUT+';font-size:'+(big?16:14)+'px;pointer-events:none',prefix));\n    box.appendChild(i); w.appendChild(box);\n    return {el:w,input:i};\n  }\n\n  root.appendChild(h('p','margin:0 0 4px;font-size:20px;font-weight:700;line-height:1.3;color:'+INK,'What would each platform cost you?'));\n  root.appendChild(h('p','margin:0 0 18px;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5;color:'+MUT,'Enter your course price and how many you sell a year. Totals are fees for one year.'));\n  var ins=h('div','display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:12px;margin:0 0 16px');\n  var fPrice=field('Course price','$',100,true), fSales=field('Sales per year','',300,true);\n  ins.appendChild(fPrice.el); ins.appendChild(fSales.el); root.appendChild(ins);\n\n  var sum=h('div','background:#f5f8ff;border-radius:10px;padding:14px 16px;margin:0 0 8px;line-height:1.4');\n  sum.setAttribute('aria-live','polite');\n  var sumLabel=h('div','font-size:14px;color:'+MUT), sumMain=h('div','font-size:20px;font-weight:700;color:'+INK+';margin:2px 0'), sumKeep=h('div','font-size:14px;color:'+MUT);\n  sum.appendChild(sumLabel); sum.appendChild(sumMain); sum.appendChild(sumKeep); root.appendChild(sum);\n\n  var list=h('div','margin:0'); root.appendChild(list);\n  var LIMIT=5, showAll=false;\n  var more=h('button',LINK+';font-size:14px;display:block;margin:12px 0 0'); more.type='button';\n  more.addEventListener('click',function(){ showAll=!showAll; render(false); });\n  root.appendChild(more);\n\n  var rows=PLATFORMS.map(function(pf){\n    var st={pf:pf,ov:null,open:false};\n    st.row=h('div','padding:12px 0;border-top:1px solid '+LINE);\n    var top=h('div','display:flex;align-items:baseline;gap:12px');\n    var nameBox=h('div','flex:1 1 auto;min-width:0;line-height:1.35');\n    nameBox.appendChild(h('span','font-size:15px;font-weight:600;color:'+(pf.own?BLUE:INK),pf.n));\n    st.plan=h('span','display:block;font-size:13px;color:'+MUT);\n    nameBox.appendChild(st.plan);\n    st.cost=h('span','flex:none;font-size:16px;font-weight:700;color:'+INK+';font-variant-numeric:tabular-nums;white-space:nowrap');\n    st.edit=h('button',LINK+';flex:none','Edit'); st.edit.type='button'; st.edit.setAttribute('aria-expanded','false');\n    st.edit.setAttribute('aria-label','Edit fees for '+pf.n);\n    top.appendChild(nameBox); top.appendChild(st.cost); top.appendChild(st.edit); st.row.appendChild(top);\n    var track=h('div','height:6px;background:#eef1f6;border-radius:3px;margin:8px 0 0;overflow:hidden');\n    st.fill=h('div','height:100%;width:0;border-radius:3px;transition:width .25s ease;background:'+(pf.off?'#d0d5dd':pf.own?BLUE:'#a9c3ea'));\n    track.appendChild(st.fill); st.row.appendChild(track);\n    if(pf.off) st.row.appendChild(h('div','font-size:12px;color:'+MUT+';margin:6px 0 0','Not ranked: Udemy discounts courses through its Deals Program, so this shows its cut of marketplace sales.'));\n\n    st.panel=h('div','display:none;margin:10px 0 0;padding:12px;background:#f8fafc;border:1px solid '+LINE+';border-radius:8px');\n    var pf3=h('div','display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:10px');\n    st.fA=field('Fixed cost per year','$',0,false); st.fP=field('Fee per sale (%)','',0,false); st.fF=field('Fixed fee per sale','$',0,false);\n    pf3.appendChild(st.fA.el); pf3.appendChild(st.fP.el); pf3.appendChild(st.fF.el); st.panel.appendChild(pf3);\n    var cardL=h('label','display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;margin:10px 0 0;font-size:13px;color:'+INK+';cursor:pointer');\n    st.fC=h('input','margin:0;width:16px;height:16px;flex:none'); st.fC.type='checkbox';\n    cardL.appendChild(st.fC); cardL.appendChild(h('span','','Add card processing (2.9% + 30 cents per sale)')); st.panel.appendChild(cardL);\n    var foot=h('div','display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:8px;margin:10px 0 0');\n    foot.appendChild(h('span','font-size:12px;color:'+MUT,pf.wp?'Fixed cost = plugin ($'+pf.plans[0].a+') + hosting ($36) + domain ($11) + Vimeo ($144).':\"Prices change. Update these to the platform's current numbers.\"));\n    st.reset=h('button',LINK,'Reset to our numbers'); st.reset.type='button'; foot.appendChild(st.reset); st.panel.appendChild(foot);\n    st.row.appendChild(st.panel);\n\n    st.edit.addEventListener('click',function(){\n      st.open=!st.open; st.panel.style.display=st.open?'block':'none';\n      st.edit.setAttribute('aria-expanded',st.open?'true':'false'); st.edit.textContent=st.open?'Close':'Edit';\n      render(false);\n    });\n    function readOv(){ st.ov={a:num(st.fA.input.value),pct:num(st.fP.input.value)\/100,fix:num(st.fF.input.value),card:st.fC.checked}; }\n    [st.fA,st.fP,st.fF].forEach(function(f){\n      f.input.addEventListener('input',function(){ readOv(); render(false); });\n      f.input.addEventListener('change',function(){ render(true); });\n    });\n    st.fC.addEventListener('change',function(){ readOv(); render(true); });\n    st.reset.addEventListener('click',function(){ st.ov=null; render(true); });\n    return st;\n  });\n\n  root.appendChild(h('p','margin:14px 0 0;font-size:12px;line-height:1.5;color:'+MUT,\n    \"Uses each platform's cheapest plan for your numbers, billed annually where available, at first-year prices checked 30 September 2026. \"+\n    \"Card processing is 2.9% + 30 cents per sale. WordPress totals include hosting ($2.99\/mo, about $36\/yr), a .com domain ($11\/yr), and Vimeo ($144\/yr). \"+\n    \"If a price has changed, click Edit on that row.\"));\n\n  function render(reorder){\n    var price=num(fPrice.input.value), sales=Math.round(num(fSales.input.value));\n    rows.forEach(function(st){\n      var b=auto(st.pf,price,sales);\n      var e=st.ov||b.e;\n      st.c=cost(e,price,sales);\n      st.plan.textContent=st.ov?'Your numbers':b.p+(st.pf.wp?' + hosting ($36\/yr), domain ($11\/yr), Vimeo ($144\/yr)':'');\n      st.reset.style.display=st.ov?'inline':'none';\n      var typing=st.panel.contains(document.activeElement);\n      if(st.open){ if(!st.ov){ if(!typing){\n        st.fA.input.value=round2(e.a); st.fP.input.value=round2(e.pct*100); st.fF.input.value=round2(e.fix); st.fC.checked=e.card;\n      } } }\n    });\n    var ranked=rows.filter(function(r){return !r.pf.off;}).sort(function(x,y){return x.c-y.c;});\n    var off=rows.filter(function(r){return r.pf.off;});\n    var max=ranked[ranked.length-1].c||1, rev=price*sales, top=ranked[0];\n    sumLabel.textContent='Lowest fees on '+money(rev)+' a year in sales';\n    sumMain.textContent=top.pf.n+': '+money(top.c)+' a year';\n    sumKeep.textContent='You keep '+money(Math.max(0,rev-top.c));\n    ranked.concat(off).forEach(function(st,idx){\n      st.row.style.display=(showAll||LIMIT>idx||st.open)?'block':'none';\n      st.cost.textContent=money(st.c);\n      st.fill.style.width=Math.min(100,Math.max(1.5,st.c\/max*100))+'%';\n      if(reorder) list.appendChild(st.row);\n    });\n    syncMore();\n  }\n  function syncMore(){ more.textContent=showAll?'Show fewer':'Show all '+rows.length+' options'; more.setAttribute('aria-expanded',showAll?'true':'false'); }\n  [fPrice.input,fSales.input].forEach(function(i){ i.addEventListener('input',function(){ render(true); }); });\n  render(true);\n})();\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Enter your course price and how many you sell a year. The list re-ranks every platform in this article by what it would cost you, cheapest first. If a platform has changed its pricing, click <strong>Edit<\/strong> on its row and enter the new numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"frequently-asked-questions\" class=\"wp-block-heading joli-heading jtoc-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1790676541232\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Which online course platform has the lowest fees?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">At $30,000 a year in sales, WordPress with the free Masteriyo plugin had the lowest total at about $1,151, including hosting, a domain, and Vimeo video hosting. Stan Store was the cheapest hosted platform at $1,260. You can check your own numbers with the calculator in this article.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1790676541233\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How much does Teachable take from each sale?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">On the Builder plan and above, Teachable charges no transaction fee, only standard card processing of 2.9% + 30&cent;. The Starter plan adds a 7.5% transaction fee on each sale.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1790676541234\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How much does Udemy take from course sales?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Udemy keeps 63% of sales its marketplace brings in, so instructors receive 37%. When a student buys through the instructor&rsquo;s own coupon or referral link, the instructor keeps 97%.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1790676541235\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Does Gumroad charge fees on top of 10%?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. Gumroad charges 10% + $0.50 per direct sale, and card processing of 2.9% + $0.30 is charged in addition.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1790676541236\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is it cheaper to sell courses on WordPress?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Often, yes. WordPress LMS plugins like Masteriyo don&rsquo;t charge a platform fee, and Masteriyo&rsquo;s free plugin includes Stripe and PayPal. You pay separately for hosting and, if you want private videos, video hosting.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1790676541237\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What&rsquo;s the difference between Masteriyo Free and Pro?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The free plugin includes unlimited courses, Stripe and PayPal checkout, quizzes with 3 question types, and automatic certificates. Pro adds content drip, prerequisites, assignments, a gradebook, coupons, subscriptions, 9 quiz question types, and certificate verification.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<script nowprocket>\n\/* Turns the Yoast FAQ block above into an accordion. Keep this script ASCII-only with no backslash escapes:\n   WordPress rewrote a minus sign here into an HTML entity. The Yoast markup and its FAQPage schema are left untouched;\n   without JavaScript the FAQ simply shows fully open. Styles are set inline on purpose: WP Rocket's\n   \"Remove Unused CSS\" would strip rules for classes that only exist after this script runs. *\/\n(function(){\n  function init(){\n    document.querySelectorAll('.wp-block-yoast-faq-block:not([data-tfaq])').forEach(function(faq){\n      faq.setAttribute('data-tfaq','1');\n      faq.querySelectorAll('.schema-faq-section').forEach(function(sec,i){\n        var q=sec.querySelector('.schema-faq-question'), a=sec.querySelector('.schema-faq-answer');\n        if(!q||!a) return;\n        var id=(sec.id||'tfaq-'+i)+'-answer', b=document.createElement('button'), icon=document.createElement('span');\n        sec.style.cssText='border:1px solid #e6e9ef;border-radius:10px;margin:0 0 10px;background:#fff;padding:0';\n        q.style.cssText='display:block;margin:0;padding:0';\n        b.type='button'; b.setAttribute('aria-controls',id);\n        b.style.cssText='display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;width:100%;margin:0;padding:16px 18px;'+\n          'background:transparent;border:0;border-radius:10px;box-shadow:none;cursor:pointer;text-align:left;text-transform:none;'+\n          'letter-spacing:normal;font:inherit;font-weight:700;font-size:17px;line-height:1.4;color:inherit;min-height:0';\n        var barH=document.createElement('span'), barV=document.createElement('span');\n        icon.setAttribute('aria-hidden','true');\n        icon.style.cssText='position:relative;flex:none;width:14px;height:14px';\n        barH.style.cssText='position:absolute;left:0;top:6px;width:14px;height:2px;border-radius:1px;background:#1267d3';\n        barV.style.cssText='position:absolute;left:6px;top:0;width:2px;height:14px;border-radius:1px;background:#1267d3';\n        icon.appendChild(barH); icon.appendChild(barV);\n        while(q.firstChild) b.appendChild(q.firstChild);\n        b.appendChild(icon); q.appendChild(b);\n        a.id=id; a.style.margin='0';\n        function set(open){\n          b.setAttribute('aria-expanded',open?'true':'false');\n          barV.style.display=open?'none':'block';\n          a.style.padding=open?'0 18px 16px':'0';\n          if(open) a.removeAttribute('hidden'); else a.setAttribute('hidden','until-found');\n        }\n        set(i===0 || location.hash==='#'+sec.id);\n        b.addEventListener('mousedown',function(){ b.style.outline='none'; });\n        b.addEventListener('blur',function(){ b.style.outline=''; });\n        b.addEventListener('click',function(){ set(b.getAttribute('aria-expanded')!=='true'); });\n        a.addEventListener('beforematch',function(){ set(true); });\n      });\n    });\n  }\n  if(document.readyState==='loading') document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',init); else init();\n})();\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"wrapping-up\" class=\"wp-block-heading joli-heading jtoc-heading\">Wrapping up &#127937;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>At <strong>$30,000 a year<\/strong>, most options cost <strong>$1,150&ndash;$2,700<\/strong> in fees.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Percentage fees<\/strong> (Gumroad, Udemy&rsquo;s marketplace) are what make a platform expensive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>WordPress + Masteriyo<\/strong> was the cheapest option in our example, with quizzes and certificates on the free plan.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use the calculator<\/strong> with your own course price and sales, because the ranking changes with your numbers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still deciding where to sell? Our <a href=\"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/teachable-vs-wordpress\/\">Teachable vs WordPress comparison<\/a> goes deeper on features, and <a href=\"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/how-to-price-your-online-course\/\">how to price your online course<\/a> helps you choose the number to put in the calculator.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\t\t<div class=\"ti-tweet-clear\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ti-tweet_wrapper\">\n\t\t    \t<div class=\"ti-tweet_text\">\n\t\t    \t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Selling+an+online+%23course%3F+%F0%9F%92%B8+See+what+14+platforms+charge%2C+with+a+free+fee+calculator&amp;via=themeisle&amp;related=themeisle&amp;url=https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/course-platform-fees\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Selling an online #course? &#128184; See what 14 platforms charge, with a free fee calculator<\/a>\n\t\t    \t<\/div>\n\t\t    \t<div class=\"ti-tweet_sharebtn\">\n\t\t    \t<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Selling+an+online+%23course%3F+%F0%9F%92%B8+See+what+14+platforms+charge%2C+with+a+free+fee+calculator&amp;via=themeisle&amp;related=themeisle&amp;url=https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/course-platform-fees\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Click To Tweet \n\t\t    \t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t    \t<\/a>\n\t\t    <\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Which platform are you selling on? Let us know in the comments! &#128172;<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.ticss-d144f107 strong{font-weight: 700;\n    letter-spacing: -0.2px;\n    line-height: 1.2;\n    display: inline-block;}<\/style>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns speed-guide has-white-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-2f81f6c5526477b5b4d52d1ca4513949 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"background-color:#4267cf\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:40%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium\"><img data-opt-id=30701221  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:300\/h:300\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png\" alt=\"speed guide\" class=\"wp-image-113040\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:300\/h:300\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png 300w, https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:1024\/h:1024\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png 1024w, https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:150\/h:150\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png 150w, https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:768\/h:768\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png 768w, https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:50\/h:50\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png 50w, https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:240\/h:240\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png 240w, https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:397\/h:397\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png 397w, https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:600\/h:600\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png 600w, https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:148\/h:148\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png 148w, https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:195\/h:195\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png 195w, https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:135\/h:135\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png 135w, https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:1080\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png 1200w, https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:1080\/h:1080\/q:mauto\/f:best\/dpr:2\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/e2ce20299a807336c68c2e029640adaa1.png 2x\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center ticss-58e79f2f wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><strong>FREE GUIDE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"ticss-d144f107 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:25px\"><strong>4 Essential Steps to Speed Up Your&nbsp;WordPress Website<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"ticss-3b627beb wp-block-paragraph\">Follow the simple steps in our 4-part mini series and reduce your loading times by 50-80%.&nbsp;&#128640;<\/p>\n\n\n<p><\/p><div class=\"frm_forms  with_frm_style frm_style_themeisle\" id=\"frm_form_4_container\" data-token=\"6067dbc26d1673d2cf2de3d279782bdc\">\n<form enctype=\"multipart\/form-data\" method=\"post\" class=\"frm-show-form  frm_pro_form \" id=\"form_site-speed-guide-below-post\" data-token=\"6067dbc26d1673d2cf2de3d279782bdc\">\n<div class=\"frm_form_fields \">\n<fieldset>\n<legend class=\"frm_screen_reader\">Site Speed Guide - Below Post<\/legend>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"frm_fields_container\">\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"frm_action\" value=\"create\">\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"form_id\" value=\"4\">\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"frm_hide_fields_4\" id=\"frm_hide_fields_4\" value=\"\">\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"form_key\" value=\"site-speed-guide-below-post\">\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"item_meta[0]\" value=\"\">\n<input type=\"hidden\" id=\"frm_submit_entry_4\" name=\"frm_submit_entry_4\" value=\"d1e9cf8389\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119142\">\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"item_meta[18]\" id=\"field_6px6q2\" value=\"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119142\" data-frmval=\"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119142\">\n\t\t<div id=\"frm_field_15_container\" class=\"frm_form_field form-field  frm_required_field frm_none_container\">\r\n\t<label for=\"field_6px6q\" id=\"field_6px6q_label\" class=\"frm_primary_label\">Your Email\r\n\t\t<span class=\"frm_required\" aria-hidden=\"true\">*<\/span>\r\n\t<\/label>\r\n\t<input type=\"email\" id=\"field_6px6q\" name=\"item_meta[15]\" value=\"\" autocomplete=\"email\" placeholder=\"your@email.com\" data-reqmsg=\"Your Email cannot be blank.\" aria-required=\"true\" data-invmsg=\"Your Email is invalid\" aria-invalid=\"false\">\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"frm_field_17_container\" class=\"frm_form_field form-field  frm_none_container vertical_radio\">\r\n\t<div id=\"field_6px6q3_label\" class=\"frm_primary_label\">Subscribe to our newsletter\r\n\t\t<span class=\"frm_required\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n\t<div class=\"frm_opt_container\" aria-labelledby=\"field_6px6q3_label\" role=\"group\">\t\t<div class=\"frm_checkbox\" id=\"frm_checkbox_17-0\">\t\t\t<label for=\"field_6px6q3-0\">\n\t\t\t<input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"item_meta[17][]\" id=\"field_6px6q3-0\" value=\"true\" data-invmsg=\"Subscribe to our newsletter is invalid\"> Subscribe to our newsletter<\/label><\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"frm_field_14_container\" class=\"frm_form_field form-field \">\r\n\t<div class=\"frm_submit frm_flex\">\r\n<button class=\"frm_button_submit frm_final_submit\" type=\"submit\" formnovalidate=\"formnovalidate\">FREE ACCESS<\/button>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"item_key\" value=\"\">\n\t\t\t<div id=\"frm_field_24_container\">\n\t\t\t<label for=\"field_v0tc3\">\n\t\t\t\tIf you are human, leave this field blank.\t\t\t<\/label>\n\t\t\t<input id=\"field_v0tc3\" type=\"text\" class=\"frm_form_field form-field frm_verify\" name=\"item_meta[24]\" value=\"\">\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<input name=\"frm_state\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"tGKtIG19U6wyYcew8uBttd\/F7OcHpnxUAyN5HAHUZ04kdKCs\/l0h48RQnQG\/UFbR\"><\/div>\n<\/fieldset>\n<\/div>\n\n<p style=\"display: none !important;\" class=\"akismet-fields-container\" data-prefix=\"ak_\"><label>&Delta;<textarea name=\"ak_hp_textarea\" cols=\"45\" rows=\"8\" maxlength=\"100\"><\/textarea><\/label><input type=\"hidden\" id=\"ak_js_1\" name=\"ak_js\" value=\"28\"><script>\ndocument.getElementById( \"ak_js_1\" ).setAttribute( \"value\", ( new Date() ).getTime() );\n<\/script>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We compared fees on Teachable, Kajabi, Stan, Udemy, WordPress LMS plugins, and more. Plug your own numbers into our free calculator to see the real cost!","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":119420,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","_has_post_settings":[],"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1319,13],"tags":[],"hashtags":[],"class_list":["post-119142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecommerce","category-wordpress-plugins"],"wppr_data":{"cwp_meta_box_check":"No"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.8 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Course Platform Fees Compared: 14 Platforms + Free Calculator<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We compared fees on Teachable, Kajabi, Stan, Udemy, WordPress LMS plugins, and more. 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