You have expertise to share, an audience eager to learn, and access to platforms that make uploading content easy.
But once the process begins, hidden challenges start to surface. Keeping students engaged becomes difficult, course management takes up valuable time, and sales don’t always come as expected.
Without the right approach, even well-designed courses struggle to attract students and generate consistent revenue.
A well-structured course needs more than good content. It requires community features that keep learners motivated and a course marketplace to increase visibility.
With the right course creation platform, you can focus on delivering value while building a loyal audience and a profitable online course business.
In this guide, we’ll break down the essential features to look for, compare top platforms, and help you find the best tool to create and sell your online course successfully.
Common Struggles Course Creators Face
Creating an online course seems like a great way to share knowledge and earn income, but most course creators hit roadblocks along the way, such as:
- Low student engagement: Students often sign up but don’t complete the course. Studies show that only 3-6% of students finish online courses.
- Lack of marketing knowledge: Many creators spend time building their courses but struggle to attract students.
- Tech headaches: Managing course hosting, video uploads, payment processing, and student access can be overwhelming.
- Inconsistent income: Some courses generate sales at first, but then revenue drops due to poor retention or lack of recurring payments.
These issues make it difficult to turn a course into a profitable business. The solution? The right online course creation tool that does more than just host your content!
How Online Course Creation Tools Solve These Issues
Without the right tools, you’re likely spending too much time on manual tasks, student management, and marketing efforts that don’t convert.
Online course creation tools solve these issues by automating course delivery, engaging students, and simplifying the process of selling and marketing your content.
Increase Student Engagement
If students aren’t completing your courses, they aren’t getting results. That leads to higher refund rates, lower word-of-mouth referrals, and weaker credibility for your business.
A great online course platform should include features that make students want to keep learning, which include:
- Interactive elements: Live Q&A sessions, interactive PDFs, and video responses keep students active
- Gamification: Points, badges, and progress tracking encourage students to complete lessons
- Online community building: Private groups, discussion boards, and mentorship programs create a sense of belonging
- Certificates & rewards: Students feel accomplished when they receive a certificate after completing a course
CustomerHub takes this a step further by integrating engagement automation into your workflow. You can set up triggers that automatically send reminders, progress updates, and incentives to students based on their activity. This means higher engagement without adding to your workload.
Eliminate Marketing Guesswork
You may have an excellent course, but if your marketing isn’t working, your sales will be inconsistent. Many businesses make the mistake of launching a course without a structured sales funnel, leaving them frustrated when enrollments don’t grow.
A strong online course platform simplifies marketing by giving you built-in tools to capture leads with high-converting landing pages.
You can also automate email sequences that nurture potential customers and set up sales funnels to turn cold traffic into paying students.
Rather than relying on expensive ads or complicated third-party software, a platform like CustomerHub allows you to automate sales and marketing within the same system. Your course will have an active system working for you 24/7 to attract and convert leads into customers.
Reduce Tech Headaches
Many businesses avoid launching an online course because they assume the setup will be too complicated. You may be worried about hosting videos, handling payments, and managing student access while making a seamless experience across different devices.
With modern course creation tools, these concerns disappear. Platforms like CustomerHub handle everything from video hosting to payment processing; you don’t have to worry about plugins, servers, or any coding technicalities.
CustomerHub is also useful if your business is already using Keap (Infusionsoft) since it connects with your CRM. This allows you to manage student access, payment plans, and email marketing all in one place without needing additional integrations.
Turn One-Time Course Sales Into Recurring Revenue
A one-time course sale is nice but doesn’t guarantee long-term income. Some may struggle to maintain steady revenue because they rely on single-course purchases instead of subscription-based models.
A reliable course creation tool helps you build a membership or subscription model where students pay monthly for continued access to new content, coaching, or a community. This is how many online course creators transition from inconsistent sales to predictable, recurring revenue.
CustomerHub makes this process simple by automating membership access. You can set up tiers, exclusive content, and automated billing without manually managing sign-ups.
Automate the Repetitive Tasks
If you’re manually enrolling students, answering repetitive questions, and processing refunds, you’re wasting valuable hours that could be spent growing your business.
The right platform eliminates these tasks by automating student onboarding, payment processing, and progress tracking.
CustomerHub lets you set up automatic workflows that handle these processes so you can focus on scaling your business rather than managing daily tasks.
5 Best Online Course Creation Tools in 2025
The right platform is essential for delivering quality education and achieving business success. Below is a comparison of five leading online course creation tools based on their usability, pricing, and features.
1. CustomerHub
Unlike complex course platforms that require weeks of setup and technical know-how, CustomerHub offers a plug-and-play solution that allows you to launch courses, memberships, and digital products.
Whether you're a coach, consultant, or content creator, CustomerHub is the best online course platform that makes it easier to turn your expertise into a scalable business. Here’s why:
Quick and Simple Course Creation
You don’t have weeks to figure out complicated software or hire developers to set up your course. With CustomerHub, you can build and launch your online course in just a few days, even if you’re not tech-savvy.
You get access to prebuilt course templates, a drag-and-drop course builder, and an intuitive dashboard that makes structuring your content simple. If you want to offer self-paced lessons, drip content, or structured learning paths, everything is set up for you to go live fast.
Customizable Student Experience
Your brand is everything, and your course platform should reflect that. CustomerHub gives you full control over the look and feel of your courses and memberships so you can create a unique experience for your students.
Other online course creation platforms force you into generic layouts. But CustomerHub lets you customize colors, fonts, and layouts to match your brand. Every lesson, video, and module looks professional and polished.
And because your students will access your content from different devices, everything is mobile-optimized for a smooth learning experience on a desktop, tablet, or phone.
Integrations With Business Tools
Switching platforms shouldn’t mean rebuilding your entire business tech stack. CustomerHub integrates with the tools you already use, including email marketing platforms, payment processors, and CRMs.
You can automate emails with ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp, process payments through Stripe or PayPal, and connect to over 7,000 apps with Zapier.
If you run a membership site for leadership training and use Keap for customer management, you can connect it to CustomerHub.
It helps you create smooth member enrollment, automated follow-ups, and course access without manual work.
Track Student Progress
Your students should move through your course in a structured way. With CustomerHub, you can set up learning paths with prerequisites, automated content releases, and progress tracking.
If you're a nutritionist selling a 12-week transformation program, you can set up weekly lesson releases to make sure students follow the right sequence without skipping ahead. This improves course completion rates and keeps your audience engaged longer.
Built-In Private Community
Your students need a place to interact, ask questions, and stay engaged. However, depending on Facebook Groups or third-party communities can be messy and distracting.
CustomerHub includes a built-in private customer feed where you can post updates, start discussions, and keep students engaged in your course.
You will no longer lose students to Facebook distractions or need extra software for community management.
Sell and Monetize Your Courses
CustomerHub includes built-in checkout pages, secure payment processing, and sales automation tools so you can sell courses, memberships, and coaching programs without extra software.
You can offer one-time payments, subscriptions, or payment plans to students and even add upsells and cross-sells to maximize revenue. The platform can also automate course enrollments and access immediately after purchase.
Get Personalized Support and Done-for-You Setup
Some course platforms restrict customer support to higher-tier plans, which leaves you on basic plans to figure things out on your own. Some platforms even charge extra for priority support or setup assistance.
With CustomerHub, you get unlimited live chat access, so you're never left waiting for email replies or forced to upgrade just to speak with someone.
A comprehensive help center provides step-by-step guides, video tutorials, and troubleshooting resources to walk you through any setup or issue.
If you're migrating from another platform like Kajabi or Teachable, this online course creation software offers a Done-for-You setup service. This guarantees a quick transition without the risk of losing course content, students, or revenue.
Affordable and Scales With Your Business
If you’re just starting with your first course or scaling a six-figure membership business, CustomerHub is designed to grow with you.
CustomerHub offers a cost-effective solution at $79 per month, providing everything you need to create, sell, and scale your online courses without costly add-ons or restrictions.
Other platforms charge extra for additional products, users, or multimedia uploads.
However, CustomerHub includes unlimited products, unlimited users, and unlimited multimedia in one simple plan. You won’t have to worry about unexpected fees or limitations; you can just focus on growing your business.
Start your journey with CustomerHub today and turn your expertise into a thriving online business. Get your free 14-day trial now!
2. Teachable
Teachable provides a platform for creators to share their knowledge through various formats.
Creators can monetize their expertise by offering online courses, coaching services, digital downloads, memberships, and community interactions.
Teachable offers built-in features for sales and marketing, including customizable sales pages, payment processing, and analytics.
Pros
- Unlimited course creation and student enrollments, even on basic plans
- Schedule course content delivery to keep students engaged over time
- Built-in tools to manage and reward affiliates promoting your courses
- Students can access courses on the go through Teachable's mobile app
Cons
- The Basic plan incurs a 5% transaction fee on sales
- Design customization options are somewhat restricted compared to competitors
- Live chat support requires higher-tier plans
Pricing Plans
- Basic Plan: $59/month, with 5% transaction fees and unlimited product creation
- Pro Plan: $159/month, no transaction fees plus course certification and white label website
- Pro+ Plan: $249/month, with advanced features and custom admin permissions
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing that includes migration assistance, white-glove onboarding, and premium support
3. Thinkific
Thinkific offers a comprehensive platform for creating, marketing, and selling online courses.
It offers a customizable course player to improve the learning experience. You can also create a branded website with drag-and-drop tools and no coding required.
Pros
- Does not charge transaction fees on any plan
- Offer courses as one-time purchases, subscriptions, or memberships
- Engage students with various assessment tools
- Build a learning community with discussion forums and groups
- Collaborate with co-instructors and manage revenue sharing
Cons
- Templates can look basic when modified
- Requires third-party integrations like Mailchimp
- Some users find it expensive for the features provided
Pricing Plans
- Basic plan: $49/month: Includes essential tools to sell courses
- Start plan: $99/month: Adds features to boost engagement and sales
- Grow plan: $199/month: Offers advanced tools for scaling
- Thinkific+: Custom pricing, designed for enterprises with extra integrations and support
4. Kajabi
Kajabi is an all-in-one platform designed to help creators build, market, and sell online courses and memberships.
It includes email marketing, funnels, and automation to simplify promotional efforts. It also allows creators to host and distribute podcasts from the platform.
Pros
- Combines course creation, website building, and marketing tools in one platform.
- Offers pre-designed templates for websites and landing pages
- Provides detailed insights into sales and student engagement
- Dedicated mobile app for better student accessibility
Cons:
- Comprehensive features may require time to master
- Feature overload and some users pay for tools they don’t need
- Reporting tools lack advanced insights
- Only offers a free trial, no long-term free option
Pricing Plans
- Kickstarter plan: $89/month, ideal for launching an online business with essential tools
- Basic plan: $149/month, provides everything needed to sell courses, memberships, and digital products
- Growth plan: $199/month, a popular choice with added features to help expand and increase sales
- Pro plan: $399/month and includes advanced automation, analytics, and customization tools
5. LearnWorlds
LearnWorlds offers a user-friendly course builder that supports various content types, including videos, e-books, quizzes, and SCORM files.
This online course software integrates marketing features like lead generation forms, coupon codes, and sales funnels to help you promote and sell courses.
Pros
- Allows branding for a professional look
- Connects with email marketing and payment tools
- Offers interactive videos, quizzes, and gamification
Cons
- No strong support for offline learning
- Some users experience technical bugs
- Lacks variety in student evaluations
Pricing Plans
- Starter plan: $29/month with a $5 fee per course enrollment and unlimited paid courses
- Pro Trainer plan: $99/month, removing transaction fees and allowing unlimited free and paid courses
- Learning Center plan: $299/month, including interactive videos and the option to remove LearnWorlds branding
- High Volume & Corporate plan: Offers custom pricing with all features, extra data security, and dedicated guidance
How to Create a Course With Online Course Creation Tools
To create a successful course, you need to structure content strategically, keep students engaged, and choose the right platform to support your business model.
With the right online course creation tools, you can speed up this process and scale your expertise into a profitable business.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a course using online course creation tools:
Define Your Course Topic and Audience
Before building your course, you need a clear understanding of what you’re teaching and who it’s for. The best courses solve a specific problem or help students develop a valuable skill.
If you’re a business coach, you might create a course on generating leads using LinkedIn. A fitness trainer might develop a program for building muscle with bodyweight exercises.
- Identify a specific problem or skill your audience wants to learn
- Research what competitors are offering and find gaps you can fill
- Make sure your topic is something you have expertise in and feel confident teaching
If you notice that students drop off in Module 3, you might rework the content by adding more examples and interactive elements or breaking it into shorter lessons.
Outline Your Course Structure
A well-organized course helps students progress logically and stay engaged. A drag-and-drop training module course creator can help you structure your lessons.
You have to break your course into modules that build on each other. Decide whether to release content all at once or drip-feed lessons over time.
To improve retention, you can add quizzes, assignments, or progress tracking.
If you’re teaching social media marketing, your modules might cover strategy, content creation, advertising, and analytics, with each lesson focusing on a different platform like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Create High-Quality Course Content
Students engage better when content is diverse and well-presented. Most course platforms support different formats, so you can mix and match to improve the learning experience.
You can use a combination of video lessons, PDFs, downloadable workbooks, interactive quizzes, and live Q&A sessions to accommodate different learning styles.
For example, a photography course might include step-by-step video tutorials, PDF guides on camera settings, and quizzes on lighting techniques to reinforce key concepts.
Customize the Look and Feel of Your Course
Branding plays an essential role in creating a professional and cohesive learning experience. Choose a platform that allows customization of colors, fonts, and layouts to match your brand identity.
You can add your logo and brand colors to the course portal. Organize lessons in an easy-to-navigate layout and make sure your course is mobile-friendly so students can learn from any device.
If you’re a personal development coach, you might opt for warm, inviting colors and a clean, minimal design to reflect your message of clarity and transformation.
Set Up Pricing and Enrollment Options
Most online course platforms allow you to choose how you want to monetize your course. You can offer:
- One-time payments (ideal for standalone courses)
- Subscription models (great for membership sites with ongoing content)
- Payment plans (helps make high-ticket courses more accessible)
- Free trials or discounted offers (to attract more students)
If you're teaching a six-week sales training program, you might charge $497 as a one-time fee or offer a three-month payment plan of $175/month.
Integrate Your Course With Other Business Tools
A strong online course platform should integrate with your existing tools to simplify marketing, payments, and student engagement.
You must look for integrations with email marketing platforms like Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign, payment processors like Stripe and PayPal, and automation tools like Zapier to create smooth workflows.
You can set up automated welcome emails to onboard new students or create a workflow that sends reminders when students haven’t logged in for a while.
Engage Your Students and Build Community
Keeping students engaged increases course completion rates and student satisfaction. Many platforms offer built-in features to foster interaction and accountability.
You can create a private student feed where learners can discuss lessons and ask questions. Offer certificates of completion to reward progress and motivate students.
For example, if you run a membership site for health and wellness, you can post weekly wellness challenges and encourage students to share their progress in the private community feed.
Launch and Market Your Course
Once your course is ready, it’s time to launch and promote it to your audience.
- Build a landing page with compelling copy that highlights the benefits
- Use email marketing and social media to drive traffic to your course
- Offer early-bird pricing or bonuses to encourage sign-ups
- Run webinars or free workshops to generate interest
Track Performance and Improve Your Course
After launching, monitor your course’s performance to see what’s working and what needs improvement. You can use built-in analytics in your course platform to track student progress, completion rates, engagement levels, and revenue metrics.
Forget Complicated Setups—Create Courses the Smart Way With CustomerHub!
Creating and selling online courses shouldn’t be complicated. Yet, many course platforms overwhelm you with unnecessary features, high fees, and tech barriers that slow you down.
CustomerHub delivers enterprise-level features at an affordable price, so you can invest your time and money into growing your audience—not paying for unnecessary platform upgrades.
With a user-friendly course builder, customizable branding, and a private member feed, you can keep your students engaged while focusing on scaling your business.
Plus, if you’re switching from another platform, its Done-for-You migration service ensures a smooth transition without losing content or students.
Stop struggling with complicated course platforms. With CustomerHub, you can launch faster, automate your business, and focus on delivering real value to your students.
Make your knowledge work for you. Create a course with CustomerHub and start your 14-day free trial today!
FAQs About Online Course Creation Tools
What is an online course creation tool?
An online course creation tool is a platform that allows you to create online courses, host course material, and manage student access. Many platforms also include marketing tools, automation features, and integrations with learning management systems (LMS) to simplify course delivery.
Can I create online courses for free?
Yes! Some platforms offer a free online course platform option, but these often come with limitations, such as restricted features, limited storage, or transaction fees. Free options are great for testing course ideas before upgrading to a paid plan for more customization, automation, and scalability.
Do I need a learning management system (LMS) to create online courses?
A learning management system (LMS) is not required, but it makes managing course material, tracking student progress, and automating enrollments much easier. Platforms like CustomerHub include LMS features that help you scale without manual management.
Can I build membership sites with an online course platform?
Yes! Many platforms allow you to create membership sites where students pay a recurring fee to access exclusive content. CustomerHub, Kajabi, and Teachable offer built-in membership features, making it easy to manage subscriptions and keep members engaged.
