Pricing Strategy for Online Courses

By Marc Cronin, August 2026

Pricing your course wrong can cost you more than you think. Here is how to get it right.

The Psychology of Pricing

A course at 49 pounds feels like an impulse buy. A course at 197 pounds signals expertise. The right price depends on the value of the outcome, not the hours of content.

Tiered Pricing

Offer 2 to 3 tiers. Basic (course only), Standard (course plus templates), Premium (course plus coaching). Most buyers choose the middle option. This is called anchoring.

Bundles and Upsells

Bundle related courses together at a discount. Offer coaching as an upsell after purchase. One time offers at checkout increase average order value by 20 to 30%.

The Money Back Guarantee

Always offer one. It reduces friction and the actual refund rate is usually under 5%. See our course creation coaching for help with pricing strategy.