Where to Sell Online Courses for Beginners (7 Best Course Platforms)

Packaging your knowledge into an online course is one of the best ways to monetize your skills and earn passive income. The growth in the digital space and the spread of high-speed internet has increased the demand for online learning and it is a great time to start.

Although the online course space is competitive the demand for online education is even higher. More people are ditching years-long college education for weeks-long online courses to build high-demand skills for faster career growth.

We have also seen tech giants such as Google and Meta offering free and paid online courses to improve knowledge of their technology. The thirst for knowledge and the flexibility of online learning have made people flock to online course platforms.

I know you are asking, “Where can I sell online courses for free? Or how can I sell online courses with no following? Worry not. We’ve made this simpler for you. This article will explain why you need to become a course creator and where to sell online courses even if you have no following.

Why Sell Online Courses?

Most course creators have different reasons for considering selling courses online. First, it is a great way to share your knowledge or expertise in a certain field.

For example, Ali Abdaall has an online course called the Part-Time YouTuber Academy where he teaches how to start and monetize a YouTube channel. The course is based on his experience of over 5 years creating content on YouTube.

Another reason to sell online courses is to increase your revenue streams. It is a good way to earn passive income whether you are a beginner or already have an existing audience. For example, if you are a writer, you can create a course on writing tips for beginners. Aside from your income from writing for clients or your blog, the course will increase your revenue.

Where to Sell Online Courses

Now that you have an idea why you should consider selling online courses you need to know where to sell courses. Before you choose where to sell online courses you should consider the features of the platform such as mode of course delivery or availability of virtual events, the cost to set up, and ease of use for you and your potential clients.

Always remember that you should have your target audience in mind first and not focus on making money. Offer a lot of value so that you can have continued customers. Here are the 7 best platforms you can use to sell online courses.

1. Udemy

The best way to sell online courses for beginners is through a course marketplace with an existing audience. Udemy fits that perfectly as millions of learners are enrolled in the available courses. This makes it easy to get sales for your course as you build your brand online.

The downside is that you may have to price your courses lower because of the competition on the platforms. The best part is that Udemy has an app that makes it easy for users to access the courses.

Cost: It is free to create a course on Udemy with a revenue-sharing arrangement.

Also Read: What Are The Best Online Learning Platforms For Freelancers? 9 Best Places to Learn Freelancing Skills

2. Skillshare

Skillshare is a popular course marketplace where you can create and sell your online course. Just like Udemy, it has an app that allows learners to access the courses on the go.

The advantage of Skillshare over Udemy is that learners pay a monthly or annual subscription and can access all the courses on the platform, unlike Udemy where each course has a different price.

That makes it easy to break in as a beginner because learners can enroll in your course even if you have no following yet because they already have a paid subscription. Furthermore, you are paid according to how many learners joined your course and their watch time.

Cost: free with revenue sharing depending on your course enrollments.

Also Read: Top 10 Best Freelancing Courses for Beginners (Free and Paid)

3. Thinkific

If you don’t want to sell courses on your website and want an easy way to get started, then consider Thinkific. The popular web-based course platform allows you to create multiple courses and have a personalized domain. It allows you to customize landing pages with multiple templates to choose from.

Cost: The free plan allows you to create one course. The basic plan starts at $36 per month when billed annually.

4. Teachable

Teachable is another great web-based online platform to create and sell our online courses. It saves you time to build your website and adds all the features needed to house your course materials. You can offer one-time courses, and subscriptions, or bundle different courses together.

Cost: A free plan for one course. The basic plan costs $39 per month when billed annually.

5. Kajabi

Kajabi is one of the advanced platforms where to sell online courses. It makes it easy to automate the course so that you can focus on marketing. The platform gives you editable templates for courses, and landing pages and also helps you collect emails from your customers, and allows you to create marketing campaigns to boost sales.

Cost: The cheapest plan is $119 per month when billed annually which allows you to sell three courses.

6. Podia

Wondering where to sell online courses with a virtual storefront that allows recurrent payments, then Podia is the best option for you. It allows you to create and sell your online courses and build your community and it is ideal for coaches.

Cost: Free plan available. The basic plan that allows for 3 or more courses starts at $33 per month when billed annually.

7. Sell on your website with LearnDash

If you want to retain most of your course sales and want to build a personal brand around your courses then you should consider selling your course on your WordPress website.

All you need to do is purchase the LearnDash plugin and integrate it into your website. The downside is that you may need to hire a web developer to configure it if you are not tech-savvy. You also need to add a payment getaway to help you receive payment when learners purchase your course. That means it may be expensive to get started.

Cost: LearnDash costs $199 per year to add to your (one) website or $25 per month for their cloud-based platform.

Also Read: Can You Make Money Blogging In 2024? 8 Proven Ways to Monetize Your Blog

FAQs

• What is the best website for selling courses?

Some of the best websites to sell online courses include Thinkific, Teachable, Kajabi, Udemy, Skillshare, or your own website.

• Can you sell a course from your own website?

It is easy to sell online courses from your website without having to pay monthly fees for other platforms. The advantage is that it helps you create a personal brand and gives you more control over the money you make.

• How do I sell an online course with no followers?

It may be challenging to sell an online course with no following. However, it is possible. Ensure to market your course on social media, through your blog or YouTube channel by creating helpful content around your course. You can also use paid ads to reach a wider audience.

• How do I promote my online course on social media?

Promote your online course on social media by creating helpful content related to the course with a call to action directing the audience to your landing page. You can also pay for shoutouts from influencers on TikTok or Instagram or use Facebook ads to reach a wider audience.

Final Thoughts

It is easy to make passive income by selling courses online. However, creating the course is one thing, and making money from it is a different thing. You need to promote your course on social media, through paid ads, build an email list, and through shoutouts from influencers. The best long-term way to make money from your course is to build a personal brand related to your course by sharing helpful content on your blog, YouTube, and social media channels.

If you are wondering where to sell online courses, this article has shared the best 7 platforms to consider. Which platform will you choose to create and sell an online course? Share your thoughts below. Happy earning!

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