15 Best Sites That Pay You for Creating and Selling Online Courses

 Turn Your Courses into Passive Income by Selling It with the Rest of The World

So, why create and sell your courses to get an income?

Creating and selling courses on these platforms listed below is completely legal because they are established, regulated businesses that comply with international e-commerce and intellectual property laws. They offer secure payment systems, content hosting, and learner support. For online learners, these platforms provide flexible, remote access to quality education across skills, industries, and languages—anytime, anywhere. So, you too can start today. Here I have listed a few of those best site:

1. Udemy

Massive marketplace with millions of users; great for discoverability. Handles marketing, payments, and hosting, making it easy for beginners to start selling courses. Udemy is ideal for instructors who want visibility without marketing experience. You upload your content, and Udemy promotes it for you. However, they control pricing and take a revenue share.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• Minimum 30 minutes of video content, at least 5 lectures. Must meet quality standards.
• Sign up as an Instructor

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• PayPal or Payoneer
• Udemy collects all payments from students and pays instructors monthly (based on a 30-day refund policy)
• Best part - Revenue share depends on how the user found your course (organic, referral, or affiliate)

2. Skillshare

Focuses on creative and business skills while teachers get paid based on watch time. Built-in audience and smooth publishing tools make it ideal for ongoing course series. Courses are shorter and project based. You earn through royalty pools based on watch time and receive referral bonuses. It’s great if you want recurring income and have content that encourages high engagement.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• Class must include a project, at least 10 minutes long.
• Sign up as Teacher

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• PayPal only
• Skillshare pays royalties monthly based on watch time and referrals
• Best part - Only a Minimum $10 required to receive payments

3. Teachable

Full control over branding and pricing. Ideal for creators who want to host on their own domain and manage marketing, sales, and student data. You can set your own prices, offer coupons, and upsell. It’s not a marketplace, so you'll need to drive traffic, but it gives high flexibility and is great for serious course entrepreneurs.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• No specific requirements, but course content must follow legal standards.
• Creator / School Owner

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• PayPal, Stripe, or manual bank transfer (via Teachable Payments or custom gateway)
• You can let Teachable handle payments or use your own Stripe/PayPal accounts
• Best part - Daily, weekly, or monthly payout options with Teachable Payments (US/Canada only)

4. Thinkific

Thinkific is ideal for educators who want control without coding. It offers a free plan, no transaction fees, and allows you to build beautiful course websites. It supports quizzes, communities, and certificates, making it suitable for business, coaching, and professional development.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• No strict requirements, quality and structure are up to you. 
• Sign up as Course Creator/ Instructor

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• Stripe, PayPal
• You control the payment gateways and receive funds directly from students
• Best part - You can set up your own Stripe/PayPal accounts to get paid instantly

5. Kajabi

Kajabi is a premium, all-in-one solution that offers everything from course hosting to sales funnels, landing pages, and email marketing. It’s best for serious entrepreneurs or coaches who want to build a full digital product business and monetize various content types.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• Paid plans only, no free tier. Must handle your own compliance.
• Sign up as Creator/ Business Owner

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• Stripe, PayPal
• You connect your own Stripe or PayPal account and receive payments directly
• Best part - No transaction fees on paid plans. Offers recurring and subscription billing

6. Podia

Podia is an easy-to-use platform to sell courses, webinars, digital downloads, and memberships. It's beginner-friendly and has strong customer support. Ideal for solo creators who want a clean UI and built-in marketing without dealing with tech-heavy setups.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• No content restrictions but you must comply with their terms.
• Sign up as Creator/ Seller

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• Stripe, PayPal
• You get paid instantly through your own connected accounts
• Best part - Podia does not hold or delay payments

7. Coursera (via Coursera Partner Program)

Coursera partners only with universities and institutions. You can’t just sign up as an individual creator unless you're affiliated with a partner. However, if accepted, your course gains instant global academic credibility and can even be part of degree programs.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• Must be part of an institution or partner organization.
• Sign up as Partner Institution/ Instructor via University

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• Varies by partner agreement (usually bank transfer to the institution)
• Coursera pays the partner institution, which then compensates instructors per their internal policy
• Best part - You get paid if you are affiliated with a university or partner

8. edX (via Open edX platform or partner universities)

Like Coursera, edX is used by top institutions. You can create courses via Open edX (open source) or become an edX partner. It’s a strong option for academic professionals and universities who want global reach and structured online learning.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• Institutional approval or use Open edX software.
• Sign up as Partner Institution/ Instructor

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• Varies (usually bank wire to the partner institution)
• Like Coursera, payments go to the affiliated organization or university
• Best part - For Open edX self-hosting, you control your own payment setup (Stripe, PayPal, etc.)

9. LearnWorlds

LearnWorlds is a white-label platform with advanced interactivity features—like built-in assessments, certificates, SCORM support, and even an app builder. It suits education-focused brands or trainers who want high engagement and control over the learning journey.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• Paid subscription, quality content required.
• Sign up as Course Creator/ School Owner

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• Stripe, PayPal
• You connect your own gateways and receive funds directly
• Best part - Supports subscriptions, one-time payments, and coupons

10. Ruzuku

Ruzuku is a simplified platform designed for non-technical creators. It allows live sessions, email reminders, and easy-to-build structured courses. It’s especially good for coaches, consultants, or educators looking to build step-by-step learning programs without complexity.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• Paid plans only, content must meet guidelines.
• Sign up as Course Creator/ Instructor

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• Stripe, PayPal
• You collect payments directly through your own payment gateway
• Best part - Instant access to funds

11. Gumroad

Gumroad is a digital marketplace where you can sell files, including courses. It’s not a traditional LMS, but if your course is downloadable or includes access links (e.g. Google Drive or private site), it's great. It’s ideal for creators with an existing audience.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• Comply with payment terms and digital goods policies.
• Sign up as Creator/ Seller

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• Direct deposit to bank (via Stripe) or PayPal
• Gumroad processes all payments and pays out every Friday (with a holding period)
• Best part - Global payouts supported via PayPal or bank transfer (Payoneer in some cases)

12. SendOwl

SendOwl is a digital delivery tool that lets you sell course files or access links from your own site. It supports upsells, subscriptions, and affiliate marketing. Best suited for independent creators who want control and integration with other platforms.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• Must provide valid digital content.
• Sign up as Creator/ Vendor

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• Stripe, PayPal
• Payments go directly to your Stripe or PayPal
• Best part - SendOwl doesn’t hold funds—they’re sent immediately

13. ClickBank (for selling access to courses)

ClickBank is a global marketplace for digital products, including online courses. You can list your course and let affiliates promote it for a share of the revenue. It's ideal for creators aiming for high-scale sales via a large affiliate network.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• Product approval and compliance with digital marketing rules.
• Sign up as Vendor

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• Direct deposit, check, or Payoneer
• ClickBank processes payments and pays vendors weekly
• Best part - A minimum payout threshold for security reasons

14. Teachery

Teachery focuses on simplicity. It offers unlimited courses and students for a flat fee. While it doesn’t have built-in video hosting, it integrates with platforms like Vimeo. Great for minimalists who want to launch fast without paying for advanced features.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• Paid plans only, embed or link video content externally.
• Sign up as Creator/ Instructor

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• Stripe
• You link your own Stripe account, payments are sent to you instantly
• Best part - No transaction fees because you control pricing and access

15. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks blends community with course creation. You can sell memberships, courses, and build a private learning space with discussion, live sessions, and posts. Perfect for coaches or niche communities who want recurring engagement.

[All screenshots are used strictly for review or instructional purposes under fair use.]

Meet The Minimum Requirements on Signing up

• Paid plans, content must comply with their policies.
• Sign up as Creator/ Host

Available Payout Method Option(s)

• Stripe
• You connect Stripe and receive payments directly
• Best part - Works for courses, communities, and memberships with flexible pricing models