Weighing the Pros and Cons Before You Build

If you're thinking about launching an online course, you're not alone.

Coaches, creators, and educators are turning to digital products as a way to scale their impact and their income. But choosing how to deliver your course can be just as important as the course itself.

With dozens of tools promising everything from “all-in-one” marketing to drag-and-drop builders, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

So, let’s break it down.

There are essentially three main ways to host and sell your course:

• Marketplace Platforms
• All-in-One Course Builders
• Custom-Built Platforms

Each option comes with trade-offs. What’s “best” depends on your goals, budget, and long-term vision.

1. Course Marketplaces

(e.g. Udemy, Skillshare)

Marketplaces are the easiest starting point. You upload your course, set a price (within limits), and get access to an existing audience.

Pros:

• Low barrier to entry
• Built-in user base = potential visibility
• Simple setup and publishing

Cons:

• High commission on each sale (up to 50–70%)
• Limited control over branding and experience
• No ownership of customer data
• Competing directly with thousands of other courses

Best for: Beginners with no audience, looking to validate an idea quickly.

2. All-in-One Course Platforms

(e.g. Teachable, Kajabi, Podia, Thinkific)

These platforms let you create your own course site under their umbrella. You can manage content, track users, take payments, and build landing pages all in one place.

Pros:

• Faster setup with ready-made templates
• Email and payment tools built in
• More control over your pricing and sales strategy

Cons:

• Often high monthly subscription + transaction fees
• Platform branding and design limitations
• Still reliant on a third-party system
• Your data may not be easily exportable

Best for: Solo creators looking for convenience over customisation.

3. Bespoke, Self-Owned Platforms

(e.g. ContentFlo or a custom-coded solution)

This approach gives you full ownership. The course lives on your own website, under your domain, with a completely custom design and setup.

Pros:

• 100% of revenue stays with you
• Fully custom experience for your audience
• Own your data and audience list
• Total creative freedom

Cons:

• Higher upfront investment
• Requires more planning and setup time
• You’ll need occasional support or updates

Best for: Creators or businesses who want long-term scalability, credibility, and control.

Comparison Table

So… What’s Right for You?

There’s no single “best” option — only what fits where you are in your journey.

• If you just want to get something out quickly and don’t have an audience yet, marketplaces might be the way to go.
• If you want to start growing your own brand but value convenience over flexibility, an all-in-one builder can do the job.
• But if you're serious about building a brand, owning your experience, and creating something that scales — you’ll likely outgrow both.

That’s where something like ContentFlo comes in.

We’re a small team that helps creators and coaches build custom content platforms that live on their own website. You get full control, your own dashboard, no revenue cuts, and a setup that feels like you.

It’s not for everyone, but if you’re ready to stop renting space on someone else’s platform, and finally own your audience, we’d love to chat.

Curious What That Could Look Like?

Book a free consult with us at HERE or drop us a DM on Instagram at @contentflo.io

You can also email us: hello@contentflo.io

Let's help you build something yours.