Pricing your online course is where confidence tends to wobble. Go too low and you signal low value, leave money on the table, and attract less committed students. Go too high without the goods to back it and you stall. Here's how to land on a number that's both fair and profitable.
Price on outcome, not length The most common pricing mistake is charging by video hours. Students don't buy length, they buy a result. A two-hour course that lands someone their first client is worth far more than a twenty-hour course that meanders. Ask: what is the transformation worth to the buyer?
Understand the rough tiers Course pricing tends to cluster into bands: - Low ($20 to $50): a focused, single-skill course or a tripwire offer - Mid ($100 to $300): a comprehensive course solving a real, valuable problem - Premium ($500+): courses with coaching, community, or a high-stakes outcome like career or income change
Most solo creators underprice. If your course genuinely delivers a meaningful result, the mid tier is often more appropriate than you think.
Factor in support and bonuses Live Q&A calls, a private community, templates, and feedback all justify a higher price and improve results. Bundling these is often better than discounting the core price.
Test before you discount Resist launching at a deep discount out of fear. A modest founding-member price during your first launch rewards early students and gives you proof and testimonials, without permanently anchoring your course as 'cheap.'
A simple gut check - Would your ideal student pay this happily for the result you promise? - Does the price let you afford to market the course profitably? - Are you pricing from fear, or from the value you deliver?
Set your price from the outcome you create, support it with real extras, and you'll find a number that respects both your work and your students.