Is Selling Online Courses On Beacons Profitable
Last updated: April 2026 ·affiliate disclosure
Most online course sellers on Beacons see net margins between 70% and 85% after all platform fees, assuming you price courses between $29 and $199. This is significantly higher than Udemy (50-70% margins) or Teachable (after their 10% fee plus payment processing). You're not getting rich on volume alone, but the margin structure makes profitability achievable on moderate sales numbers.
Beacons Fees for online courses Sellers
Beacons charges a flat 10% commission on course sales with no additional platform fees for hosting or storage. Payment processing fees add another 2.2% + $0.30 per transaction (standard Stripe rates). So on a $99 course sale, you lose $9.90 (10% commission) + $2.48 (payment processing) = $12.38 total, keeping $86.62. There are no hidden monthly subscriptions, seat licenses, or overage fees.
Profit Margin Benchmarks
Good margins on Beacons: you're hitting 80%+ net margins when your courses cost $79 or more and you're selling at least 10-15 per month. Average margins: $29-$49 courses with 30-50 monthly sales typically yield 75-78% net margins. Poor margins: ultra-low-priced courses ($9-$19) or sporadic sales (fewer than 5/month) drop you below 70% because payment processing fees become a larger percentage of revenue.
Calculate your actual numbers
The margins above are averages. Your real profit depends on your specific price, costs, and volume.
Run Your Beacons Profit Calculation →Verdict: Is It Worth It?
Yes, selling online courses on Beacons is profitable if you can move even modest volume. The 10% commission is competitive, and the margin structure beats most alternatives. However, profitability depends entirely on your ability to drive traffic and convert students—Beacons provides the infrastructure, not the audience. If you already have an email list, social following, or traffic source, you'll be profitable within the first month. Without those, expect to spend 3-6 months building before seeing real returns.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the exact Beacons course fees?
Beacons charges a 10% commission on every course sale, plus 2.2% + $0.30 for payment processing. There are no monthly platform fees, storage fees, or hidden costs. On a $99 course, total fees equal $12.38, leaving you with $86.62.
What profit margins can I expect selling courses on Beacons?
Most sellers see 75-85% net margins depending on course price and sales volume. A $99 course with 20 monthly sales yields roughly $1,733 net profit (after 12.5% total fees). Lower-priced courses ($29) have lower absolute profit but similar percentage margins if you hit 50+ sales monthly.
Is Beacons cheaper than other course platforms for selling courses?
Yes. Beacons' 10% commission is lower than Udemy's 50-70% revenue split, Teachable's 10% + $0-$299/month subscription, and Thinkific's 5% + $49-$499/month. Only Gumroad matches the 10% rate, but Beacons offers better course-specific features.
How many courses do I need to sell to make money on Beacons?
You're profitable from sale one. On a $99 course, you net $86.62 per sale with zero upfront fees. To make $1,000/month profit, you need roughly 12 sales of a $99 course, or 34 sales of a $29 course. Speed to profitability depends on your traffic, not the platform.
Tools that improve these margins
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Related calculators
Compare Online Courses across platforms
Sell Online Courses on other platforms — fee and margin breakdowns for the same product type.
| Platform | Calculator | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| Gumroad | Open calculator → | View full breakdown → |
| Payhip | Open calculator → | View full breakdown → |
| Stan Store | Open calculator → | View full breakdown → |
We monitor platform fees quarterly and email you when something affects your margins.