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I tried creating a course ON my website and although it can be done, it is not worth the hassle AND you can’t track progress or send emails.
READ MORE: Should you DIY your course on your website? Why I don’t suggest creating a course on your Showit or WordPress website
After much research, I chose Podia as my initial course platform. Then I moved to ThriveCart (aka I have experience, and trust me TC is worth it for the ONE time payment). Here’s a few other reasons I believe ThriveCart Learn is the best platform for first-time course creators.
AMAZING! I am so glad you’re taking the leap and getting started in the online course world! You have expertise to share, and there are probably people willing to pay for the knowledge (just survey your audience first so you don’t waste their time please).
Here are 4 reasons I suggest using ThriveCart if you’re getting started in the online course space:
It is easy to design on – maybe because I have some design background, but I found it to be very user-friendly in terms of building out the course and creating checkout pages that look branded to my business.
I love that ThriveCart supports bump offers: I sell my Squarespace DIY course and then give a super low, one-time-only price for my Squarespace SEO Course. I loved how easy it was to create a bump offer.
Connect your preferred payment processor – you can also do Authorize.net, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
And I believe having affiliates creates a great ROI! You also aren’t spending loads of money on Meta ads and instead can give it to actual amazing humans (which is so worth it in my opinion!)
100% YES! It’s way cheaper than other platforms. The Standard plan is a one-time fee of $495 (no recurring payments) and if you want the Pro plan, it is $690 and allows you to have partners/ affiliate feature.
Something I don’t love about ThriveCart is that the videos need to be hosted elsewhere. Here is how I remedy that:
I use Tella to record my course videos because it is super user-friendly and branded. Then you download it and upload it to Vimeo or YouTube and then embed it into ThriveCart. GET $24 OFF HERE (if you pay for the yearly plan).
1. The main reason I decided to switch over to ThriveCart was beacuse of the one time fee of $495.
2. I can still track my student’s progress, which is important to me (you can’t make a real difference in peoples’ lives if they aren’t going through the course).
3. Multiple pricing options: ThriveCart has flexible payment models, including subscriptions, trials, and plans. If I decide later on I want to use affiliates, I can upgrade to that.
4. You can create unlimited courses at no extra fee.
5. I can sell physical products. I don’t foresee ever adding this to my business, but if I do I can choose shipping price, shipping weight, product dimensions, quantities and more on the checkout pages.
💥 If you are interested in using ThriveCart, I have a coupon offer for the lifetime account at one price of $495.
I used Loom for a while, but it kept glitching on me so I switched to Tella to record my YouTube videos and course videos and have loved that you can edit and customize your presentations in the tool! GET $24 OFF HERE (if you pay for the yearly plan).
If you want creative freedom, Showit is my favorite website design platform! Get a free month (a credit card is required – cancel at any time) & try it out!
Use code bekah at checkout.
I decided to switch over to ThriveCart (the one time fee of $495 sold me – I was paying $390/ year for Podia). I can still track my student’s progress, connect my PayPal, and it is easy to design on.
Yes, with some of these I get a little commission, (with no extra cost to you) but I would recommend all of them regardless!
Rebekah Read is a creative business owner who educates other solopreneurs on website design, search engine optimization, and how to run a peace-filled business. Bekah loves serving entrepreneurs through website in a day and her Squarespace Courses. She produces weekly blog posts and YouTube episodes.
She finds joy in being entrepreneurs’ biggest cheerleader in getting their website out into the world so it can start ranking on Google. She’s passionate about teaching you the tricks to building your brand online & skipping the marketing rat-race of instagram.
Bekah’s faith and love for a flexible schedule to work around her toddlers is what makes her so passionate to help other business owners find the joy and freedom in running a successful small business.
Her “me-time” is spent running marathons and having heartfelt conversations with friends. Fill out her contact form to work with her for a Squarespace or Showit website.
I’ve got messy hair and a thirsty heart.
I overshare my life, and have an ultra-expressive personality. Some words people use to describe me are: helpful, real, fun, creative, authentic, and kind.
Elphaba from Wicked is kind of my alter-ego as I am always trying to forge my own path and make a difference in the World, somehow, someway, while also constantly criticizing myself and trying to become the better version of me.
Quality conversations + coffee come easy to me.
I’ve never had an issue connecting naturally with others (probs because I can go on and on about my life story, not that it is interesting, I just process externally, anyone else?!)