ONLINE COURSE
PROFIT CALCULATOR.
Got knowledge, skills or experience that other people would pay to learn?
Find out how much revenue and profit your own online course could potentially generate based on your course price, student sales and expenses.
Perfect for coaches, educators, consultants, creators and anyone thinking about selling digital courses.
WHAT COULD YOUR
ONLINE COURSE EARN?
Enter your course selling price, expected monthly students and business expenses. Results update automatically as you change the figures.
Estimates assume consistent monthly sales and apply refund allowances to gross revenue. Platform and payment percentage fees are estimated on gross sales, including orders subsequently refunded. Delivery costs are based on non-refunded students. Production costs are spread over your selected planning period. Annual profit is 12 times the monthly estimate, including the selected monthly production allowance, and is not a cash-flow or tax projection. VAT, fixed transaction charges and unentered expenses are excluded.
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HOW TO CALCULATE
ONLINE COURSE PROFIT.
Selling an online course can be an attractive business model because the same digital content can often be sold to multiple students.
However, you'll still need to account for advertising, hosting, payment fees, refunds, customer support and course production.
01. Calculate Course Sales
Multiply the course selling price by the number of monthly purchases to estimate gross sales.
02. Deduct Sales Costs
Account for refunds, platform transaction fees, payment processing and student delivery.
03. Deduct Operating Costs
Subtract advertising, software, staff expenses and your planned course production allowance.
Example: Selling 30 Courses Per Month
Imagine creating an online course priced at £149 and selling 30 places each month.
Your gross monthly course sales would be £4,470.
With a 5% refund allowance, revenue after refunds would be £4,246.50.
After deducting 5% platform fees, 2.9% payment fees, £5 delivery costs per retained student, £600 advertising, £300 other monthly expenses and £100 production allowance, estimated monthly profit would be £2,550.87 before tax.
This is a planning example, not a prediction of student demand or guaranteed earnings.
WHAT DOES IT COST
TO SELL AN ONLINE COURSE?
The costs involved depend on how you create, host and market your course.
🎥 Course Production
Filming, editing, microphones, cameras, presentations, design and course materials.
💻 Course Platform
Website hosting, course delivery, student access, email systems and platform subscriptions.
📣 Advertising
Social media advertising, search ads, promotions, content creation and customer acquisition.
💳 Payment Fees
Card processing, marketplace commissions, transaction charges and refunds.
👥 Student Support
Onboarding, answering questions, tutoring, community moderation and customer service.
🔄 Course Updates
Updating lessons, replacing outdated information, adding new content and ongoing course maintenance.
HOW TO INCREASE
YOUR COURSE PROFITS.
Increasing course sales is one way to grow, but pricing, marketing efficiency and student satisfaction can also affect profitability.
Improve Your Sales Page
Explain who the course is for, what students will learn and what makes the content useful. Clear information can help visitors decide whether to buy.
Build an Email Audience
Share valuable free content and build relationships with potential students before promoting your paid course.
Offer Additional Products
Advanced courses, coaching, workshops and optional memberships can create additional revenue opportunities.
ONLINE COURSE FAQS.
How much money can you make selling online courses?
Earnings depend on your course price, audience, number of students, marketing expenses and other costs. Some courses sell very few places, while others attract regular demand. Use the calculator to explore different scenarios.
How do I calculate online course profit?
Multiply the course price by the number of purchases, deduct refunds and then subtract platform fees, payment processing, advertising, delivery and operating costs.
Is selling online courses profitable?
It can be profitable when course sales cover production, marketing, delivery and support expenses. Digital courses can have relatively low additional delivery costs, but finding paying students may require significant effort.
What should I charge for an online course?
Pricing depends on the subject, depth of training, target audience, competition, support offered and the value students receive. Test different prices using the calculator above.
Does the calculator include course creation costs?
Yes. Enter your initial production cost and the number of months over which you want to spread that cost for planning purposes.
Does this calculator account for refunds?
Yes. You can enter an estimated refund percentage. The calculator reduces revenue accordingly and assumes percentage-based transaction fees are not recovered.
Can I use this calculator for coaching programmes?
Yes, for a simplified estimate. If your coaching programme involves substantial one-to-one time, include those delivery and labour costs in your inputs.
Is this online course profit calculator free?
Yes. It's completely free to use without registration, payment or an email address.
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