Which Learning Platform Pays the Most? Real Numbers Revealed

Wondering which learning platform actually pays out the most? You’re not alone. A lot of folks jump into e-learning thinking it’ll be a steady stream of passive income, only to get surprised by complicated payout structures and hidden fees.

Here’s the deal: not all platforms are created equal when it comes to money in your pocket. Some sites like Udemy take massive cuts, while others such as Teachable hand you more control—but leave you hustling for your own sales. Then you’ve got Skillshare with its royalty pool, meaning your income depends on how much time people actually watch your lessons. It’s messy, and the devil’s in the details.

If you’re looking at teaching online as your side gig (or even a main one), you need to know exactly how and when you get paid—not just sign up because it’s popular. We’re digging into the hard numbers, the fine print, and the hacks real instructors use to actually make bank. Let’s see where the money’s really at in 2025.

• How the Big Platforms Compare
• Hidden Fees and Payment Models
• Real Earnings: Instructor Experiences
• Tips to Boost Your Profits
• What’s Worth Your Time in 2025?

How the Big Platforms Compare

Picking the right e-learning platform can seriously affect how much you take home each month. The payouts, fees, and the work you need to put in aren't the same across the board, and that can make or break your decision.

Let’s size up the main players: Udemy, Teachable, Coursera, and Skillshare. These guys all have different ways of splitting cash with instructors. Here’s a breakdown of their basic payment setups and what you can expect:

Here’s what stands out: e-learning platforms like Udemy draw high traffic, so you’ll see lots of enrollments, but their algorithm loves slashing your course price to $11.99 or even less—so your profit per sale can feel tiny, especially after Udemy takes their share.

Teachable flips the script. You keep most of what you charge, but you have to bring in your own students. If you already have a following, this one can pay off big. Skillshare works different—your earnings come from total watch minutes, so stacking a catalog of binge-worthy, short lessons makes more sense than making one monster-length course.

Coursera’s a whole different game. Usually, you need to partner with them as an institution or already be a recognized expert. Instead of a steady drip, you could land a bigger contract, but there’s more red tape and competition just to get started.

• Udemy: Best for beginners, okay with heavy discounts.
• Teachable: Best for self-promoters who want control.
• Skillshare: Good for creatives with lots of short, engaging content.
• Coursera: Best for pros or academic folks with credentials.

Bottom line: The "highest paying" platform depends on your content style, audience, and how much legwork you’re willing to do. Don’t just jump in because your favorite YouTuber mentioned it—pick what fits your strengths and goals.

Hidden Fees and Payment Models

If you want to know where your money really goes on e-learning platforms, you have to look at all the small print—the stuff that chips away at your payout. It’s usually not front and center when you’re signing up. Every platform has its own way of collecting fees and rewarding creators, and a few surprises can pop up along the way.

Instructor earnings can look wildly different depending on the site. Here’s a quick breakdown of how the main players do things:

• Udemy: Takes 63-75% of your course sales if students find your course through their deals or paid ads. If you bring your own customers, you keep 97%.
• Skillshare: Instead of a straight sale, you get paid from a royalty pool based on how many minutes people watch your classes. Premium referral bonuses can add a bit more, but only if you recruit new paying subscribers.
• Teachable: Allows you to set your price and keep up to 95%, but you pay monthly subscription fees (starting at $39/month), plus payment processing fees around 5%.
• Coursera and LinkedIn Learning: Both are invite-only for most instructors, often offering a flat contract or revenue share, which can be decent but info isn’t always public or predictable.

And then there are those extra charges nobody likes to talk about. Here’s what you might run into:

• Transaction or processing fees. Stripe, PayPal, or the platform itself usually takes 2-5% with every sale or payout.
• Currency conversion charges. If you’re outside the US, you could lose a few percent to bank fees.
• Monthly platform fees. Sites like Teachable or Thinkific charge you even if you make zero sales that month.

Check out this table for a snapshot of what you lose to deductions on each site in 2025:

Bottom line: always read the fine print before you bet on any platform. It’s easy to get excited by big numbers in promo videos, but after the dust settles, what lands in your bank could be a lot less than you expect. If you want to really maximize your take-home pay, keep your eye on the total cost, not just the sales pitch.

Tips to Boost Your Profits

If you want to actually see good money from e-learning platforms, you've got to play smart. Even top instructors don't get rich just by tossing a random course online and hoping for the best. Let's break down what really moves the needle.

• Optimize your course for the platform’s search. On Udemy and Skillshare, titles, subtitles, and course descriptions packed with the right keywords help your class appear higher in search. It’s basic, but most skip this step. Think like a student—what would you search if you wanted to learn your topic?
• Promote off-platform, not just on. Platforms reward instructors who send their own traffic by giving them a bigger cut (Udemy gives up to 97% if a student uses your link). Use your social media, email list, or even Reddit groups. Traffic you bring is money you keep.
• Keep making new content. Instructors who regularly add new lessons or entirely new courses get better visibility, more returning students, and usually end up ranking better in platform recommendations. It's not "set and forget."
• Encourage reviews, but keep it legit. A bunch of high ratings early on can push your course up the ranks, but fake reviews are risky and platforms are cracking down. Just ask your real students politely in the last video, and maybe offer a bonus PDF or worksheet as a thank-you.
• Test your pricing—don’t just stick with what the platform suggests. Teachable and Thinkific let you set your own price, but students love discounts. Run flash sales, offer a free preview, or bundle courses to tempt more people in.

Last thing—don’t chain yourself to just one platform. The top earners usually host their courses in at least two places. If you get banned, shadowbanned, or your course just gets buried by an algorithm change, you’ve still got other income streams rolling. That’s the real key to making big money from e-learning in 2025.

What’s Worth Your Time in 2025?

So, what’s the smartest play this year if you want the best bang for your buck as an online instructor? The e-learning world keeps shifting, and some platforms are finally adjusting their pay models—or at least getting more transparent about them.

If your goal is to stack up real income, not just bragging rights for course completions, here’s what you should know right now:

• Online courses on Udemy and Coursera still attract massive student numbers, but Udemy’s revenue share (typically 37% if sold organically by Udemy, up to 97% if you bring the student) means your payoff rides heavily on your marketing effort.
• Teachable and Thinkific let you keep most of your course earnings (after payment and platform fees, usually about 5-10%). But you must drive your own traffic—nobody hands you an audience for free.
• Skillshare ditched one-time sales and pays royalties based on watch time. In 2024, average monthly payouts to top instructors ranged from $2,000 to $5,000, but newbies averaged closer to $100-250 a month.
• Coursera’s partner program pays universities and established organizations well, but average independent creators make less unless they score a partnership or licensing deal.

Check out how instructor earnings stack up on popular platforms (rounded, actual payouts depend on niche and popularity):

Here are a few quick tips for 2025:

• If you’ve got an existing following (YouTube, newsletter, etc.), use Teachable or Thinkific. You’ll keep more of what you earn.
• If you’re just starting and want fast visibility, Udemy or Skillshare make it easy, but don’t expect high pay until your courses catch fire.
• Don’t ignore smaller niche platforms. Sites like Podia or Maven pay off for super-targeted topics and come with less competition.
• Bundle courses and offer memberships to boost your average income per student—this works especially well on direct sales platforms.

Bottom line? The highest payouts land with instructors who control their audience and sales process, not those waiting for magic from a big marketplace. Pick the platform that fits your hustle and never rely on just one. Diversifying across platforms gives you more security and ups your earning ceiling.