Effective Pricing Strategies for Online Courses: How to Maximize Profit While Serving Others
- Brittany Miller
- 1 hour ago
- 7 min read
If you’re a business owner or content creator, chances are you’re already juggling more tasks than hours in the day.
You’re pouring your heart into serving your audience, creating valuable content, and trying to keep your business moving forward and yet when it comes to pricing your online course, everything suddenly feels complicated.
And honestly? It is high-stakes. Set your price too low and it feels like you’re undervaluing all the time and energy you’ve poured into creating your course. Set it too high, and you worry about shutting out the very people you want to serve.
But your pricing isn’t just about numbers on a sales page. It affects your profitability, your student’s ability to access the transformation you’re offering, and even their level of commitment to completing your course.
In other words, pricing has the power to influence not just your income, but your students’ outcomes.
That’s why today, I’m breaking down proven pricing strategies for online courses that allow you to maximize your profit while still staying rooted in service.
My goal is to give you practical options you can test, so you can feel confident knowing your pricing both supports your business and serves your students. Let’s dive into the pricing strategies that can help your online course thrive.
If we haven't met yet, I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.
Table of Contents
Understand Where Your Course Fits in the Customer Journey
Before you start crunching numbers, pause and ask yourself: Where does this course fit in the bigger picture of my business?
Your pricing should reflect the role your course plays in your customer journey and not your personal worth.
Entry-level / funnel starter: These are lower-priced, more accessible courses designed to help new students take their very first step with you. Think of these as trust-builders that remove barriers and open the door for deeper work together.
Flagship or advanced transformation: These are your signature offers that deliver the most impact. Because they provide a bigger transformation, they naturally deserve premium pricing.
For example, you might have a $47 starter course that introduces your audience to your methods, which then naturally leads them into a $497 signature program where the real transformation happens.
It’s all about aligning your course with your audience’s journey so that every step feels intentional, valuable, and easy to say yes to.
6 Pricing Strategies for Online Courses
Offer Tiered Pricing Options
Not all of your students are starting from the same place or at the same budget. That’s why offering tiered pricing can be such a powerful strategy. Instead of forcing your course into a “one-size-fits-all” box, you give students options to engage at the level that feels right for them.
Here’s a simple breakdown of what this could look like:
Basic Tier: Access to the core modules only—perfect for the DIY learner.
Mid-Tier: Modules plus community support, group coaching calls, or bonus resources.
Premium Tier: Everything above, with additional perks like 1:1 coaching, done-for-you templates, or even lifetime access.
This approach expands accessibility for students who are just getting started, while also creating a premium option for those ready to invest more deeply. This way you’re serving a wider audience and increasing your profitability at the same time.
Your students aren’t all at the same budget or readiness level so your course pricing should not be one-size-fits-all.
My Experiment with “Pay What You Can” Course Pricing
One of the most surprising (and heartwarming) pricing strategies I’ve tested in my own business is the “Pay What You Can” model—and yes, it can actually work.
Here’s why this approach can be so powerful:
It removes barriers. Students who might never have had the chance to join suddenly feel welcomed.
It builds goodwill. Offering flexibility shows you truly care about impact, not just profit.
It expands your reach. More students in your program means more lives touched and more opportunities for future growth.
Now, here’s the part most people don’t realize: some students will still pay close to your suggested rate and sometimes even more, because they value your work and want to support you. While others will take advantage of their ability to choose and pay significatly less than the value provided. With this model you will get both sets of people taking your course.
Naturally, this isn’t the right fit for every course. But if your mission includes accessibility and community-building, this model can be a beautiful way to bridge the gap.
Because sometimes the students who most need your course are the ones least able to afford it.
Subscription-Based Pricing
If your course includes ongoing education, regular updates, or community support, a subscription model can be a game-changer.
Instead of asking students to commit to a large one-time payment, you give them a lower barrier to entry while building steady, predictable income for your business.
For example, instead of charging $297 upfront, you might offer a $27/month membership. The smaller monthly fee feels easier for your students to say “yes” to, while the recurring revenue creates more stability for you.
A subscription model encourages long-term engagement. Students are more likely to check in regularly, participate in your community, and take full advantage of your resources because they’re invested month after month.
Value-Based Pricing
One of the most effective pricing strategies for online courses is value-based pricing. Setting your price according to the transformation your course delivers, not the hours you spent creating it.
Ask yourself:
What specific results will my students walk away with?
How much is that solution worth to them?
What makes my course different from others out there?
For example, if your course helps a business owner land just one $1,000 client, it could easily justify a $297 (or higher) price point. The ROI for the student far outweighs the cost.
Bundle Your Courses
If you have more than one course, bundling is a smart way to increase both value for your students and revenue for your business. Instead of asking students to choose between offers, you invite them into a bigger, more complete learning journey.
A few examples:
Pair a beginner course with your advanced course at a discounted price.
Offer a “buy two, get one free” model for students ready to dive deep.
Create themed bundles (ex: a podcasting starter course + content strategy workshop + email marketing basics).
The benefits are twofold: you increase your average order value while giving students a seamless learning path that supports them at every stage. It’s a win-win. Your students feel supported, and you maximize profit without feeling pushy.
Early Bird & Launch Pricing
One of the simplest and most effective ways to drive sales is through early bird or launch pricing. This strategy not only builds excitement but also rewards your most loyal followers for taking action early.
A few ways you can implement this:
“Enroll before launch week ends and save 20%.”
“Exclusive early access price just for my email list.”
“Founding member pricing” for the first group of students.
Early students often become your biggest cheerleaders. They’ll give you feedback, share testimonials, and help you improve your course for future launches. It’s a win-win: they get rewarded for trusting you early, and you get momentum to fuel your launch.
Overcoming Pricing Obstacles (FAQS)
Pricing isn’t just about numbers. The reality is that pricing is emotional, it's often more about psychology than numbers. As course creators, we often tie our self-worth to our offers, and that can make hitting “publish” on a price tag feel terrifying.
Here are a few of the most common struggles (and reframes):
I’m not qualified enough to charge that much.
I bet you are. But also remember that you’re not charging for your worth, you’re charging for the transformation your students receive.
What if no one buys?
Every price point has an audience. Testing and adjusting is part of the process.
What if I get negative feedback?
Feedback isn’t failure. It’s data that helps you refine your course and pricing.
Should I raise prices as my course grows?
This is personal choice but the answer from business coaches is often, yes, especially as you add testimonials, improve content, or expand the transformation you deliver.
Is discounting bad?
Not at all, if used strategically. Limited-time promotions (like early bird or seasonal sales) can drive action. Just avoid constant discounts that devalue your course.
Pricing is a form of service. When students invest, they commit more fully, and that commitment often leads to better results.
It's normal to test different pricing strategies and to make adjustments as you go. What works for one course might not work for another, so don’t be afraid to experiment and find the best approach for your specific audience and business model.
How My Courses Fit In This Framework
If all of this feels overwhelming, you’re not alone. When I created my first course Zero to Inbox Hero (no longer available), I had no idea how to price a course. Since then I've launched several courses and tried all of these pricing options mentioned here. Finding the right price point and pricing strategy can take a little trial and error but it's so worth it in the long run!
I love teaching, and sharing my marketing and business growth expertice with other small business owners, which is why I enjoy course creation. I have created all my courses with busy entrepreneurs like you in mind. I know what it’s like to juggle client work, family life, and the constant pressure to “show up” online. I am a mom of 5 as well as a small business owner.
That’s why my courses are designed to be:
Affordable: Priced to meet you where you are, without sacrificing value.
Practical: Packed with actionable steps you can implement even if you only have 30 minutes a day.
Strategic: Aligned with where you are in your business journey, whether you’re just getting started or ready to scale.
Each course is built around the same principles we’ve talked about in this post: accessible, value-driven, and designed to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
Ready to boost your course sales?
Try one of these pricing strategies today and watch your online course thrive!
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