The Pros and Cons of Using Free vs. Paid Online Course Builders

Creating and selling online courses can be a rewarding endeavor, but choosing the right online course builder is crucial to your success. Both free and paid platforms offer a range of tools to help you design, market, and deliver your courses, but they come with distinct pros and cons. In this article, we’ll explore the key differences between free and paid course builders to help you make an informed decision.

Free Online Course Builders: The Pros and Cons

Pros:

1. Low to No Cost
   The most obvious advantage of using a free course builder is that you can get started with little or no financial investment. Many platforms, such as Teachable and Thinkific, offer free plans that allow you to create and host a limited number of courses with essential features​.
2. Great for Testing Ideas
   Free platforms are ideal for those just starting out. You can test your course ideas, experiment with different content, and gauge the response of your students without committing to a subscription fee​.
3. Basic Tools to Get Started
   Free builders typically provide fundamental course creation tools such as video uploading, text-based lessons, and quizzes. This is often enough for simple courses or those just trying to build a following​.

Cons:

1. Limited Features
   Free plans usually come with restrictions on the number of courses, users, or content types you can offer. Advanced tools such as email marketing, membership areas, and detailed analytics are often locked behind paid plans​.
2. Transaction Fees
   Some free platforms still charge a transaction fee for course sales, which can eat into your profits. For instance, Teachable’s free plan takes a 5% transaction fee on each sale​.
3. Limited Customization
   Free course builders often have limited design and customization options. This can make it harder to create a professional-looking website or branding to suit your business needs​.
4. Lack of Student Engagement Tools
   Free platforms may lack advanced features for student interaction, such as forums, live lessons, or community building, which are crucial for maintaining engagement in larger or more complex courses​.

Paid Online Course Builders: The Pros and Cons

Pros:

1. Advanced Features
   Paid course builders offer powerful features that help you create a more polished and professional learning experience. These include advanced content delivery options, membership areas, and comprehensive student analytics​.
2. No Transaction Fees
   Most paid platforms eliminate transaction fees, allowing you to keep more of your earnings. For instance, Teachable’s paid plans remove the 5% transaction fee, making it more cost-effective as your business grows​.
3. Greater Customization
   With paid platforms like Kajabi or Thinkific, you get access to more customization options, allowing you to design your site and courses to align with your brand. This includes custom domains, custom page templates, and even the ability to create complex sales funnels​.
4. Student Engagement Tools
   Paid course builders often include tools to increase student engagement, such as live chats, communities, automated emails, quizzes, assignments, and more. These are essential for creating an interactive and immersive learning experience​.
5. Dedicated Support
   Paid platforms often come with dedicated customer support, which can be invaluable when you encounter technical issues or need assistance scaling your course business​.

Cons:

1. Higher Initial Investment
   The most obvious downside is the cost. Paid course builders typically require a monthly subscription fee, which can range from $39 to over $100 per month, depending on the features you need​.
2. Overwhelming for Beginners
   With more advanced features comes more complexity. If you’re just starting out and don’t have a clear strategy for your course, you may find it overwhelming to navigate all the tools and options offered by paid platforms​.
3. Longer Learning Curve
   Paid platforms often offer more robust tools, but they can also require a steeper learning curve. If you’re a beginner, you may need more time to get used to the platform’s full functionality​.

Which Option Is Right for You?

• Start with a Free Course Builder: If you are just beginning and want to experiment with course creation, a free builder is a good starting point. It allows you to test your ideas with minimal investment and decide if you want to continue with a paid platform later.
• Upgrade to a Paid Platform for Growth: As your course business grows and you need more advanced features, analytics, and customization, upgrading to a paid course builder is worth the investment. Paid platforms allow you to scale, improve student engagement, and create a more professional learning experience.

Ultimately, the right choice depends on your goals, budget, and how much you’re willing to invest in your online course business. Whether you start free or pay for premium tools, both options can help you build and deliver an outstanding online course experience.