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Norvet MSP

Veteran-owned · SDVOSB · Atlanta-based

How much should you charge for an online course?

There is no single right price, and any tool that hands you one is guessing. What you can calculate is your break-even: the floor that covers your costs. Enter a few numbers to find it, then price for value from there.

Free estimate · no sign-up

Find your course break-even price

Enter a few numbers to estimate the lowest price that covers your costs. This is a floor to price above, not a recommended price and not a promise of sales.

Example: 40 hours to build at $50/hour ($2,000), recouped over 12 months, plus $99/month to run, at 15 sales a month and a 5% fee, is a break-even of about $19 per sale. What you charge above that is up to the value you deliver.
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Enter expected monthly sales, a recoup horizon, and at least one cost (build or running).

Start from your floor, then price for value

The break-even price is the honest starting point: below it you lose money at your own assumptions. It comes from four things you actually control.

  • Your one-time build cost, spread across a recoup period
  • Your monthly cost to run the course
  • The sales you expect each month
  • Processing and platform fees taken from each sale

Where you land above the floor depends on the value you deliver, who your audience is, and what comparable courses charge, none of which a calculator can judge. A learning platform makes it easy to set a price, take payments, and test bundles or subscriptions. Start on LearnWorlds, or have Norvet help you price and launch. Neither this tool nor Norvet guarantees a course will sell at any given price.

Common questions

How much should I charge for an online course?
There is no single right number, and any tool that gives you one is guessing. What you can calculate is your break-even: the price that covers your build time and running costs at the sales you expect. Below that you lose money; above it, the right price depends on the value you deliver, who your audience is, and what similar courses charge. Use the break-even as a floor and price for value from there.
What is a break-even price?
It is the price per sale where your revenue exactly covers your costs: the one-time cost of building the course (spread across a recoup period) plus your monthly running costs, divided by the sales you expect, then grossed up for processing and platform fees. It is a floor, not a target or a promise of profit.
Why does the fee percentage matter?
Payment processing and platform fees take a slice of every sale, so the price a learner pays is higher than what you keep. The planner grosses the break-even up by your fee percentage so the floor reflects what you actually net, not the sticker price.
What does Norvet do, versus LearnWorlds?
LearnWorlds is the platform where you set a price, take payments, and sell the course, including subscriptions and bundles. Norvet is the optional help thinking through positioning and setting up pricing, payments, and the launch. This tool estimates a floor; neither Norvet nor the tool guarantees any particular price will sell.

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