Frequently asked questions

Common questions about course platform economics and how this tool works.

How is monthly revenue calculated?

We sum the revenue streams you enable: course sales (monthly enrollments × average course price), memberships (recurring members × monthly membership price), plus any monthly amounts you enter for coaching, downloads, and bundles.

Do you include transaction fees?

Yes. Each platform tier in our config includes an approximate platform transaction fee percentage (and a flat per-sale fee where relevant). These fees apply to your modeled gross revenue. Standard payment processor fees are not modeled separately.

Why does Podia or a free tier show $0 platform cost but still have high total cost?

Low subscription price often pairs with higher transaction fee percentages. Total cost includes subscription + modeled transaction fees + your operating costs.

Which platform is best for beginners?

It depends on your budget and what you sell. Teachable and Podia are often the gentlest to start with for simple course + product mixes, while Thinkific offers a strong free entry point for validation. Kajabi is powerful but typically has a higher monthly price point.

Which platform is best for marketing funnels and email?

Kajabi is generally the strongest native all-in-one for email, automations, and funnels alongside courses — but you should still compare against your existing marketing stack to avoid paying twice for the same capability.

Which platform is best for community?

Thinkific and Kajabi both score well for community-oriented use cases in our editorial model, but community quality also depends on how you run the group, moderation, and curriculum — not just software features.

How accurate is this calculator?

It is a planning tool with transparent assumptions. Real results depend on conversion rates, refunds, chargebacks, tax, pricing experiments, and fee changes. Use the output as a directional range, not a guarantee.

Do you use affiliate links?

We may add affiliate links in the future. Recommendations are based purely on fit.