Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Creating and selling learning online is one of the most scalable ways to turn expertise into income. But the moment you set a price you risk two things: undercharging and leaving money on the table, or overpricing and scaring prospective learners away. This guide shows you how to confidently create online course pricing that feels fair, converts, and protects your brand — with practical UK-minded insight, actionable tactics, and suggestions for images to complement each section.
Price signals value. When learners see a price, they’re not only buying content — they’re buying credibility, outcomes and support. But learners today are cost-conscious: the UK market has growing demand for online learning, yet many learners judge courses against perceived value and affordability. Use that to your advantage by being transparent and focusing on outcomes. We would be happy to walk you through the options available during your free discovery call.
When you create online course, it helps to know the market context. Global and UK figures show a booming e‑learning market and a wide range of price points. For creators, a few useful reference points:
In building courses and LMS platforms for clients, we’ve seen both successful and unsuccessful approaches to course pricing. Often times the unsuccessful approach is a result of “perceived value” and not researched market value which is far more important. For that reason, we’ve put together a list of 5 key pricing strategies to help guide your pricepoint so that you can enjoy a greater number of enrolees and less abandoned carts on your platform:
Estimate the value to the learner: what outcome will they achieve? What could they earn or save? Use outcome-based pricing where possible — this makes higher prices feel justified and less arbitrary.
Offer a basic tier (self-study), a mid-tier (guided learning), and a premium tier (coaching + community). This captures learners who are price-sensitive and those willing to pay more for help. When you create online course, tiering reduces the chance of scaring away learners because there’s an affordable entry point.
Show a premium option with high features next to your main offering — this makes your primary course feel like better value (anchoring). Add a decoy option priced close to premium but with fewer benefits to steer buyers toward the option you want to sell.
Use short, purposeful promotions: early-bird pricing, seasonal sales or ‘first cohort’ discounts. Avoid constant discounting which trains learners to wait. When you create online course, set clear expiry dates and be transparent about normal vs promotional prices.
Spread higher prices into monthly instalments. A £300 course becomes three payments of £100 — psychologically easier to buy. Offer clear refund policies and a one-click checkout to reduce friction.
Use price charm (e.g. £97 vs £100) carefully — but pair it with trust signals: testimonials, case studies, money-back guarantees, and a clear curriculum. If learners trust outcomes, price becomes a secondary concern.
Run small A/B tests: show different prices to different segments and compare conversion rates, average order value and refund rates. Track these KPIs:
• Click-through to enrolment • Conversion rate • Refund rate within 7–30 days • Lifetime value of the learner (repeat purchases)
Small sample tests are better than guessing. Iterate fast and keep the most profitable price that still converts.
Starter: £29 — self-paced, 6 modules
Growth: £149 — self-paced + 2 live Q&A calls
Accelerator: £495 or 3×£175 — full course + coaching + community
This structure gives a low-friction entry point, a mainstream option, and a premium outcome-driven product.
Have a clear outcome statement for each pricing tier
Use anchoring to highlight value
Offer a payment plan for higher-priced tiers
Limit the frequency of discounts
Test and measure: conversions, refunds, lifetime value
When you create online course, pricing isn’t a single decision — it’s a continuous optimisation process. Be bold but fair: price to reflect learner outcomes, experiment smartly, and use tiering so you never scare the most budget-conscious learners away.
Reach out to us for a free 15 minute discovery call to explore some options for putting together your own bespoke LMS.
In this chat, we’ll show how we can turn your content into a branded, scalable course—no obligation.