How Much Does It Really Cost to Sell an Online Course? (Beyond the Platform)

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By Stefan Vetter · Last updated: October 2026

The course platform's subscription fee is only one line on the real cost sheet. Here's everything else that shows up — including the one fee that applies no matter which platform you pick.

The short version: Beyond the platform itself, the biggest recurring cost is payment processing (Stripe/PayPal, roughly 2.9% + $0.30 per sale in the US) — and that applies whether your platform charges its own fee on top or not.

Cheapest Online Course Platform in 2026: The Real Cost Breakdown​

The Full Cost Stack

• Course platform subscription · Typical range: $0-179/month · Can it be $0?: Yes — see our Cheapest Online Course Platform in 2026: The Real Cost Breakdown​

• Platform transaction fee · Typical range: 0-7.5% per sale · Can it be $0?: Yes, on platforms with 0% fees

• Payment processing (Stripe/PayPal) · Typical range: ~2.9% + $0.30 per sale (US) · Can it be $0?: No — this applies everywhere

• Custom domain · Typical range: $12-20/year · Can it be $0?: No, but low-cost

• Email marketing (if not included) · Typical range: $0-50/month · Can it be $0?: Yes, if your platform includes it

• Design/graphics · Typical range: $0-13/month · Can it be $0?: Yes — Canva's free plan covers most needs

• Video hosting · Typical range: Usually included · Can it be $0?: Yes, on most course platforms

The One Fee You Can't Avoid: Payment Processing

This is the detail that trips people up: a platform advertising "0% transaction fees" is describing its own cut, not the payment processor's. Stripe and PayPal still take their standard rate — roughly 2.9% + $0.30 per successful US card payment[1] — on every platform, because someone has to actually move the money. A platform's "0%" claim means it isn't stacking a second fee on top of that; it doesn't mean payment processing itself is free anywhere.

Quick take: on a $97 course sale, Stripe's standard fee alone is about $3.11. A platform that also charges a 5-7.5% transaction fee adds another $4.85-$7.28 on top of that — nearly doubling what actually leaves your pocket per sale.

A Realistic First-Year Example

A solo creator selling a $97 course, making 100 sales in year one ($9,700 in revenue), using a platform with 0% platform fees on the free plan and a custom domain:

• Platform subscription (free plan) · Cost: $0

• Platform transaction fee (0%) · Cost: $0

• Payment processing (~3.2% avg. incl. fixed fee on $97 sales) · Cost: ~$311

• Domain (1 year) · Cost: ~$15

• Design tools (Canva free) · Cost: $0

• Total · Cost: ~$326 (≈3.4% of revenue)

This is a simplified, illustrative example, not a guarantee — your actual sales volume, price point, and country will change these numbers. Payment processing rates also vary by region (lower in the EEA/UK, higher for international cards).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is payment processing really unavoidable?

Yes — every online payment goes through a processor like Stripe or PayPal, and they charge a standard percentage-plus-fixed fee regardless of which course platform you use.

What's the actual difference between a "platform fee" and a "processing fee"?

The platform fee is what the course/funnel tool itself charges on top of processing — some charge 0%, others charge 5-7.5%. The processing fee (Stripe/PayPal) is separate and applies everywhere.

Can I avoid the domain cost?

Most platforms offer a free subdomain (like yourname.systeme.io) as a fallback, but a custom domain looks more professional for $12-20/year.

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This page may contain affiliate links. If you sign up through this page, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Figures shown are illustrative estimates based on publicly listed rates as of September 2026 and may change — always check current rates before relying on them.