How to Sell Online Courses From Your Own Website
Most course creators start on Udemy or Skillshare because it is easy. The problem is you do not own the platform, you do not own the customer relationship, and you give up 30 to 60 percent of revenue in marketplace fees. Selling from your own website gives you full control over pricing, branding, and customer data.
This guide walks through exactly how to set up, price, and sell courses from your own site. Whether you are launching your first course or migrating from a marketplace, these steps apply.
Why Sell From Your Own Website?
The marketplace platforms bring traffic, but they also bring constraints. You cannot control pricing, you cannot build an email list from buyers, and you compete against hundreds of similar courses on the same platform. When you sell from your own site, you keep 95 to 100 percent of revenue, own the customer relationship, and build a brand that compounds over time.
- Full control over pricing and promotions
- Own your customer email list for future launches
- Build brand equity instead of marketplace equity
- Higher margins, no platform commission
- Freedom to bundle, upsell, and create membership models
Choose Your Platform
You need three things: somewhere to host the course, a way to take payments, and a way to deliver content to students. Here are the main options.
Teachable
The most popular all in one platform. Handles hosting, payments, and student access. Starts at around $39 per month. Good for beginners who want everything in one place. Limited design customisation on lower plans.
Podia
Simpler than Teachable, with built in email marketing and digital download support. Good if you want to sell courses alongside ebooks, templates, or other digital products. Starts at $39 per month.
WordPress + LearnDash
Full control. You host everything on your own WordPress site. LearnDash is a plugin that handles course delivery, quizzes, and certificates. More technical to set up but you own everything. One off licence fee plus hosting costs.
Gumroad or Lemon Squeezy
The simplest option. Upload a video or PDF, set a price, get a link. No course structure, no student accounts. Good for selling individual lessons or small digital products, not full courses.
Set Up Payments
Stripe is the standard. It handles card payments worldwide, takes 2.9 percent plus 20p per transaction, and integrates with every course platform. PayPal is a useful secondary option for international buyers who prefer it.
Most course platforms handle Stripe integration for you. If you are using WordPress, you will need a Stripe plugin or WooCommerce. Either way, make sure you can accept both cards and PayPal.
Price Your Course
Pricing is where most course creators get stuck. The short answer: start higher than you think. A course priced at $49 feels cheap but signals low value. A course priced at $197 signals expertise and attracts more committed students.
- Under $50: impulse buy, high volume needed, low commitment from students
- $97 to $197: sweet spot for most online courses, balances accessibility with perceived value
- $297 to $497: works well for specialised or professional courses with clear outcomes
- $500+: needs strong brand, testimonials, and a specific result. Consider payment plans.
Offer a money back guarantee. It reduces friction and the actual refund rate is usually under 5 percent.
Build Your Sales Page
Your sales page is the most important page on your site. It needs to clearly explain what the course covers, who it is for, what outcome students will get, and why you are qualified to teach it.
Structure: headline with the outcome, problem identification, what you will learn, who this is for, social proof, pricing, FAQ, and a clear call to action. Keep it focused on the transformation, not the features.
Drive Traffic and Launch
A course without traffic is just a file on a server. You need a way to get people to your sales page. The most effective approaches:
- Email list: build a list before you launch, warm them up, launch to them first
- Content marketing: blog posts and SEO that bring organic traffic over time
- Social media: share valuable content related to your course topic
- Paid ads: Facebook and Google ads work well for course launches when the maths work out
For a detailed guide on building an email list for your course, see our article on email marketing strategy templates.
The Ongoing Opportunity
The real value of selling from your own website is the compound effect. Every student you acquire is yours. You can sell them new courses, offer coaching, create a membership, or build a community. This is how course businesses grow from a single product into a sustainable income.
If you are thinking about building a course business, I offer course creation coaching to help you plan, build, and launch. One to one video calls, practical strategy, and hands on guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sell courses without a platform like Udemy?
Yes. You can sell directly from your own website using tools like Teachable, Podia, or even a simple payment link. You keep full control of pricing, customer data, and branding. The trade off is you need to drive your own traffic instead of relying on a marketplace audience.
What is the best platform for selling courses on your own site?
It depends on your needs. Teachable is best for beginners who want simplicity. Podia is great for combining courses with digital downloads. WordPress with LearnDash gives you full control. Stripe or PayPal handle payments on any platform.
How much can you make selling courses from your own website?
Revenue varies widely. Some course creators make a few hundred pounds per month, others make six figures per year. The key factors are audience size, course quality, pricing strategy, and how well you market. Starting with a focused niche course typically generates revenue faster than a broad course.
Ready to build your course business?
Book a free 15 minute intro call. No pitch, no pressure, just a conversation about what you need and whether I can help.
Book a call →