Moving Forward When You are Overwhelmed by Online Course Platform Choices!
I don’t know about you, but the amount of online course platform choices for a new course creator to choose from can be overwhelming!!
This is one reason I recommend this.
One of the keys to starting strong in the online course business world is KISS. Keep It Stupid Simple. Don’t get wrapped up in all the bells and whistles when you are starting out. Your students won’t show up to your course because you have a fancy site. They want simple, easy-to-digest, teaching that solves their problem from someone they know, like, and trust.
That being said, I would encourage you to:
1) Make a budget - how much are you willing to invest in the first year on a platform if you made no sales?
Now you likely knock it out of the park if you put the work in, but until you can prove your course idea with sales, I recommend not going into debt. Also remember you will also need to invest in email support if you don’t pick an all-in-one course platform. As well, you will need a program to produce and edit your videos. You can do this inexpensively on Zoom, Canva, or Loom. Or upgrade to something like Screencast-o-Matic, Camtasia, or Searchie.
Something to consider too before you dive in - you don’t need a platform at all! If you already have a website that can house a landing/sales page and takes payments, you can house your videos on your website, google drive, YouTube Unlisted, or in a private Facebook group for free for your first course launch.
2) Make a list - what are you non-negotiables to start with? Are you wanting a membership site right off the bat in addition to your course? Do you want to be able to drip your course content? Want to do evergreen webinars? Selling other digital products as well? Not sure what to even look for? You can always email me with questions!
3) Research only 2 or 3 options at your budget level that include your non-negotiables. Don’t get sucked down the rabbit hole!
4) Just pick one! Yes, just dive in. No platform is perfect. You can always switch to a different platform as you verify your ideas with sales! Many platforms will transfer all your files for free. So you can worry about that later.
I have linked all the pricing pages here because that is the first place I always go! But don’t go on price alone. That is why it is important to have your budget AND your non-negotiables. Nothing is apples to apples. Every platform is a little different.
Here are a few course-only platforms to check out:
Teachable - most well know and easy to use but they charge a transaction fee on the free plan.
Thinkific - harder to design than Teachable but free for 1 course launch.
MemberVault - free up to 100 users.
Here are some email support options (again there are LOTS out there) so KISS, only research 2 or 3, and just pick one! (Make sure they integrate with the platform you choose. For example, Thinkific and ConvertKit work well together or ActiveCampaign and MemberVault.)
Mailchimp - free up to 500 subscribers. Integrates well with Squarespace.
MailerLite - free up to 1,000 subscribers. Great option if you are just starting out with email.
ConvertKit - starts at $9/mo. for up to 300 subscribers for automation (which you want!)
ActiveCampaign - starts at $15/mo. for up to 500 subscribers.
Flodesk - free for 30 days. $38/mo. for any size list.
Lastly, here are few good options if you want an all-in-one platform and not deal with integrations:
Systeme.io - your first course is free.
New Zenler - has good reviews, free for the first course, add app feature, and is still in beta so the pro price is reasonable.
Podia - easy to use but limited in design and features.
Funnel Gorgeous - women-owned and are offering a founding member deal.
Kartra - another popular one with good reviews.
Samcart- recently added the ability to make courses. Also, good for selling digital products.
Xperiencify - includes gamification options (if you do want some bells and whistles).
10xPro - smaller company with great customer service but on the expensive side.
Kajabi - top of the line and most expensive.
If you are a nonprofit, there are many platforms that offer a significant discount! Thinkific offers 50% off. So be sure to ask!
Hope this was helpful! Did you pick one off this list? Let me know!
Know of a online course platform that a must to include on this list? Let me know!
