How to Sell Online Courses with 0% Commission Using Your Own Stripe
What you actually keep on a $1,000 course sale across the platforms people use to sell courses, and how to sell through your own Stripe account instead of a marketplace cut.
Most course-selling platforms take a cut. It's usually described as a small percentage, which sounds fine until you do the math on an actual sale. This post is that math, plus the alternative: connecting your own Stripe account so the platform takes nothing at all.
For the full feature walkthrough of Konstantly's Stripe integration specifically, see our product announcement post. This one is about the fee math across the market generally.
What you actually keep on a $1,000 sale
Payment processing fees (Stripe's own cut, typically around 2.9% + $0.30 per US card transaction, varies by country and card type) apply everywhere regardless of platform. The difference is what the platform takes on top of that.
| Platform | Platform fee structure | Platform fee on $1,000 | Approx. Stripe processing | You keep (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Konstantly | 0% commission, your own Stripe account | $0 | ~$29.30 | ~$970.70 |
| LearnWorlds | Flat $5/sale on lower tiers | $5 | ~$29.30 | ~$965.70 |
| Podia | ~5% commission on lower tiers | ~$50 | ~$29.30 | ~$920.70 |
| Teachable | ~7.5% commission on the basic tier | ~$75 | ~$29.30 | ~$895.70 |
| Thinkific | Charges its own transaction fee on top of Stripe's on lower tiers | Varies by plan | ~$29.30 | Varies, confirm current tier fees |
Fee structures above reflect each platform's lower/entry pricing tiers as published; most of these platforms reduce or remove the platform-side commission on higher-priced plans. Confirm current rates directly before you commit, since course-selling platforms adjust these tiers periodically.
The pattern holds regardless of exact numbers: on every platform except a direct-Stripe setup, you're paying a processing fee plus a platform fee on top of it. On a direct-Stripe model, you only pay the processing fee.
How selling through your own Stripe account actually works
- Connect your own Stripe account to your course platform. It's your merchant account, your business name on the checkout page, your bank account receiving payouts.
- Set a price on the course. Each course can carry its own price and currency.
- Share the purchase link or embed it on your own site, in an email, or on social.
- Buyers pay through Stripe Checkout (hosted, PCI-compliant) and get enrolled automatically the moment payment clears, no manual provisioning.
The platform never touches the money. Stripe routes the payment directly to your account, minus Stripe's own processing fee, the same fee you'd pay accepting a card payment anywhere else.
Why this model is rare
Most "sell your course" platforms are built as marketplaces: they route payment through their own merchant account first, which is exactly what lets them take a cut before it reaches you. A direct-Stripe model is structurally different, the platform is the delivery and enrollment layer, not the payment intermediary, so there's nothing for it to take a percentage of.
The trade-off: you need your own Stripe account (free and fast to set up if you don't have one), and you're responsible for your own Stripe-side compliance and support, same as any business accepting payments directly.
Try it
Konstantly's Stripe integration is live today: 0% platform commission, your own account, auto-enrollment on payment. See the full feature breakdown or start free to connect your own Stripe account and set a price on your first course.
FAQ
Does "0% commission" mean the sale is completely free?
No. Konstantly takes 0% of the sale, but Stripe's own payment processing fee (typically ~2.9% + $0.30 per transaction in the US, varies by region) still applies, the same as it would on any platform. That's a cost of accepting card payments generally, not a platform fee.
Do I need to already have a Stripe account?
No, you can create one during setup. It's free and typically takes a few minutes for a standard account, though full verification timing varies by country and business type.
Can I sell in different currencies to different customers?
Yes, each course can be priced in its own currency, useful if you have an international audience.
Is this the same as a course marketplace?
No. A marketplace typically takes a percentage because it's processing the payment on your behalf and often exposes your course to marketplace-wide search or promotion. A direct-Stripe model has no marketplace layer, the payment goes straight to your account, and you're not listed anywhere except where you choose to share the link.