Most online courses cost between $500 and $25,000 to create, depending on course length, production quality, and the platform you use. Certification-level or enterprise training courses can range from $25,000–$100,000+.
Here’s the quick breakdown:
These numbers include planning, production, editing, platform setup, and initial marketing.
The cost to build an online course depends on 5 key factors:
The above numbers are a huge range.
No wonder people feel confused.
The truth is: both numbers can be right.
It all depends on the type of course you’re building, the level of production quality you want, whether you’re selling to individuals or organizations, and the technology you need to support sales. It’s like asking how much does a new home cost. You can buy tent as “home” for $100 or build a mansion for 1 million dollars. With the advent of AI, groups have started to figure out how to bring the cost down and maintain the integrity of their quality. But that is a blog post for another time.
This guide breaks down the real costs of creating an online course in 2025, with examples, price ranges, scenarios, and what businesses should consider to optimize for revenue, scalability, and ROI.
Whether you're a growing business, independent expert, association, nonprofit, or education company, this article will give you clear cost expectations before you invest your first dollar or hit record.
Businesses often expect a straightforward number. Something like:
“An online course costs $12,000 to produce.”
To get to a realistic number, you need to understand the 5 layers that actually determine cost:
The more “premium,” interactive, or scalable your course, the more you will invest upfront, but the longer it will last and the higher the lifetime revenue.
The length and depth of your curriculum will arguably cost more than anything else.
Simple courses cost less because they require:
Meanwhile, multi-module or certification-level courses require more resources.
Here’s a useful rule of thumb:
For every hour of finished course content, expect 20–60 hours of planning, scripting, filming, and editing.
Common course types by complexity:
If your course is aimed at selling knowledge, higher complexity often equals higher perceived value which means you can command a higher price point.
Production cost is where budgets swing the most, because you have a lot of control over how polished your course looks.
Level 1: Do it Yourself / Lean Production
This is a great way to test demand whether brand new or if you are trying to enter a new market.
Includes:
Cost: $200–$1,000
Level 2: Professional Production
Most small to mid-sized businesses fall here.
Includes:
Cost: $3,000–$15,000
Level 3: Studio-Level / High-End Production
Ideal for certification programs, compliance training, or businesses selling premium-priced learning.
Includes:
Cost: $25,000–$100,000+
What businesses often underestimate
Poor audio, low lighting, and unpolished editing will lower your perceived value.
People will forgive amateur visuals, but they won’t forgive terrible sound.
If you’re selling a course, invest accordingly.
Technology is a major cost component—especially if your online course is meant to generate revenue.
You’ll need to budget for:
Platform cost ranges:
Associations and nonprofits may have added needs like CE tracking, member pricing, or AMS-LMS integrations, but because this article targets businesses selling courses, we'll focus primarily on the commerce-driven stack.
Creating the course is only half the investment.
If you're selling your course, marketing often costs just as much as production, if not more.
Marketing elements to budget for:
Realistic marketing budgets
New e-learning businesses often fail because they create amazing courses but spend very little to market them.
That cost ratio should be about 60% investment into the course and 40% into the marketing for the content.
Once your course is launched, you still have ongoing expenses:
For many businesses, ongoing operations cost $500–$2,500+ per month, depending on scale.
But higher operational cost isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if your course is generating consistent revenue.
These three scenarios cover 90% of businesses selling online courses.
Ideal for:
You’ll likely use:
You should expect:
This is best if you want speed, validation, or proof of concept.
This is where most successful course businesses land.
Ideal for:
You’ll likely use:
You can expect:
This is the “sweet spot” for businesses serious about monetizing education.
Ideal for:
You’ll likely invest in:
Typically, courses like these sell for as low as $500 up to $2,500+. Often multiple seats are sold to businesses in five to six figure sales.
High upfront investment = high long-term revenue potential.
Businesses selling online courses should think like investors, not producers.
Here’s the simplest formula in the industry:
Break-even enrollments = Total cost ÷ Course price
Examples:
Once you break even, every new student is profitable (minus marketing).
Businesses also need to consider:
Tie your costs to your expected revenue and budget accordingly.
Below are some high value strategies used by businesses selling courses:
These can reduce your cost by 30–50% without sacrificing experience.
Here’s a quick snapshot to guide your investment:
Your budget should match your goals, your audience, the price point you want to command, and the revenue you expect to generate.
Most online courses cost $500–$25,000 to create, depending on production quality, course length, your LMS platform, and how much marketing you plan to do. Certification-level programs often range from $25,000–$100,000+.
The biggest cost factors are production quality, course length, and whether you outsource recording, editing, or instructional design. Marketing, platform fees, and ongoing updates also contribute.
You can build a simple course for $500 or less by recording on your phone or webcam, using slide decks, and hosting on a low-cost course platform.
A basic course can take 2–4 weeks, while professional or certification-level courses may take 2–4 months depending on scope and production needs.
Businesses selling paid courses typically budget:
Whether managing CME for physicians or supporting member growth, Oasis LMS helps deliver high-impact education efficiently and at scale.
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