The Decision That Changes Everything
You've created something valuable. Now comes the question that keeps course creators up at night: How much should I charge?
Price $47 and you might sell thousands—but spend your life answering support tickets. Price $1,997 and you could earn more from 50 students than 2,000 at the lower price—but what if nobody buys?
This isn't just about numbers. Your price point determines your entire business model: who you attract, how they engage with your content, how much support you can offer, and whether you'll still love this work in two years.
Let's break down the psychology, the math, and the strategy so you can choose with confidence.
The Psychology Behind Price Perception
Here's something counterintuitive: a higher price often means higher perceived value.
When someone pays $47, they're making an impulse decision. Low risk, low commitment. They might watch the first video and forget about it.
When someone pays $1,997, something different happens. They've made an investment. They've thought about it. They've justified the expense. They show up differently—more committed, more engaged, more likely to do the work.
The "Cheap" Problem
Low prices attract price-sensitive buyers. That's not an insult—it's psychology. These buyers:
- Often look for quick fixes rather than deep transformation
- Are more likely to request refunds
- May not complete your course
- Rarely become repeat customers
The "Premium" Advantage
Higher prices attract value-seeking buyers who:
- Research before buying (and therefore self-qualify)
- Take the content more seriously
- Complete more of the course
- Often become your best testimonials
The price isn't just what you charge—it's a filter for who you want to work with.
Mini-Course Model ($27-$97): Volume Over Margin
Mini-courses are everywhere, and there's a reason. They work—for the right creator with the right strategy.
When Mini-Courses Make Sense
This model fits you if:
- You're building an audience and need low-barrier offers
- Your topic solves a specific, narrow problem
- You want to test market demand before creating something bigger
- You have (or can build) significant traffic
- You're using the mini-course as a lead magnet for higher-priced offers
The Math Reality
Let's say you want to earn $10,000/month:
- At $47/course, you need 213 sales per month
- That's roughly 7 new customers every single day
- With a 2% conversion rate, you need 10,650 visitors per month to your sales page
That's achievable—but it requires serious traffic and marketing infrastructure.
The Hidden Costs
Volume businesses have hidden costs:
- Payment processing fees eat 3-5% of every sale
- Support tickets multiply with each customer
- Refund rates are often higher (5-15%)
- Marketing costs to maintain that traffic
When It Breaks Down
Mini-courses become unsustainable when:
- You can't maintain the traffic needed
- Support requests consume all your time
- Low prices attract students who don't complete (and then complain)
- You're stuck in constant launch mode just to pay bills
Mid-Tier Courses ($197-$497): The Sweet Spot?
Many successful course creators land here—and for good reason. This price range balances accessibility with profitability.
Why Mid-Tier Often Works
At $297, you need about 34 sales per month to hit $10,000. That's roughly one sale per day—much more manageable than the mini-course math.
Students at this price point:
- Are serious enough to invest meaningfully
- Expect comprehensive content (not just a quick tip)
- Complete courses at higher rates
- Generate fewer support tickets per dollar earned
The Right Content for Mid-Tier
A $297 course should deliver:
- Comprehensive coverage of a specific topic
- Tangible outcomes students can point to
- Quality production (doesn't need Hollywood, but needs professionalism)
- Some form of community or Q&A access
Who This Is For
Mid-tier pricing works well when:
- Your audience has disposable income but isn't affluent
- You want to serve a broader market
- You're not ready to provide high-touch support
- You want reasonable volume without the mini-course grind
High-Ticket Programs ($997-$2,997+): Fewer Students, Bigger Impact
High-ticket isn't about being greedy. It's about delivering transformation, not information.
The High-Ticket Difference
At $1,997, you need just 5 students per month to hit $10,000. That changes everything:
- Personal attention becomes possible
- Completion rates often exceed 70%
- Results improve because students are invested
- Testimonials get stronger (which sells more)
What Justifies Premium Pricing
You can charge $997+ when you offer:
- Direct access to you (calls, coaching, feedback)
- Community of fellow premium students
- Accountability structures (cohorts, check-ins)
- Done-with-you or done-for-you elements
- Certification or credentials that have career value
Who Should Go High-Ticket
This model is ideal if:
- You're an established expert with proven results
- You genuinely enjoy 1:1 or small group interaction
- Your topic leads to high-value outcomes (career changes, business growth, significant life improvements)
- You'd rather work deeply with fewer people than superficially with many
The Challenge
High-ticket requires:
- Longer sales cycles (people don't impulse-buy at this price)
- Sales conversations (calls, applications, or at minimum lengthy sales pages)
- More trust before purchase (testimonials, case studies, free content)
- Real delivery on promises (you can't hide behind volume)
Unit Economics: The Numbers That Actually Matter
Let's compare all three models side by side:
| Metric | $47 Mini-Course | $297 Mid-Tier | $1,997 High-Ticket | |--------|-----------------|---------------|-------------------| | Sales needed for $10K/mo | 213 | 34 | 5 | | Typical refund rate | 8-15% | 5-8% | 2-5% | | Completion rate | 10-20% | 30-50% | 60-80% | | Support hours/student | 0.5-1 hr | 1-2 hrs | 5-10 hrs | | Marketing cost/sale | $10-30 | $50-150 | $200-500 |
The math reveals something important: high-ticket isn't actually more profitable per hour unless you price the support time correctly. But it is often more sustainable because you're working with fewer, more committed people.
Psychological Pricing Tactics That Work
Once you've chosen your tier, these tactics optimize conversion:
Charm Pricing
$47 feels cheaper than $50. This works for lower price points. At high-ticket levels, round numbers ($2,000 vs $1,997) often work better because they signal premium.
Price Anchoring
Show a higher price first, then reveal the actual price. "Programs like this typically cost $5,000. We're offering it at $997."
Why it works: The brain uses the first number as a reference point.
Payment Plans
A $997 course becomes "just $97/month for 12 months." This increases accessibility without lowering perceived value.
Caution: Payment plan defaults can be 15-30%. Price accordingly.
Decoy Pricing
Offer three tiers where the middle option looks like the best deal:
- Basic: $197 (minimal content)
- Standard: $297 (full course + bonuses)
- Premium: $997 (full course + coaching)
Most people choose Standard—which is exactly what you want.
How Price Affects Completion Rates
This might be the most important section in this entire article.
Research consistently shows: higher-priced courses have higher completion rates.
| Price Point | Typical Completion Rate | |-------------|------------------------| | Free | 3-5% | | $0-$50 | 10-15% | | $100-$500 | 25-40% | | $500-$1,000 | 40-60% | | $1,000+ | 60-80% |
Why does this matter?
- Completed courses = better results
- Better results = stronger testimonials
- Stronger testimonials = easier marketing
- Easier marketing = sustainable business
Your price isn't just revenue—it's a predictor of student success.
The "Ladder" Strategy: Start Low, Grow Up
You don't have to choose just one. The smartest course creators build a product ladder.
How the Ladder Works
- Free content (blog, YouTube, podcast) → builds audience
- Mini-course ($47-97) → low-risk first purchase, builds trust
- Core course ($297-497) → main offer for the masses
- Premium program ($997-2,997) → for committed students wanting more
The Genius of the Ladder
Each rung:
- Qualifies buyers for the next level
- Builds trust progressively
- Maximizes lifetime value of each customer
- Creates natural upsell paths
Real Example
- $0: Free YouTube videos on productivity
- $47: "5-Day Productivity Sprint" mini-course
- $297: "Productivity System Masterclass"
- $1,497: "6-Week Productivity Coaching Cohort"
One creator, four products, multiple entry points, maximum revenue potential.
How to Test Your Price Point
Don't guess—test. Here's how:
Pre-Launch Testing
- Survey your audience: "Would you pay $X for this solution?" (Don't trust "yes" 100%—people overstate willingness)
- Pre-sell at the intended price: If you can get 10 paying customers before building, you've validated
- Run a beta cohort: Offer early access at a discount, then raise price for public launch
Post-Launch Testing
- A/B test pricing on your sales page (if you have traffic)
- Test different price points across launches
- Monitor refund rates: Too high = price might be wrong (or content is underdelivering)
- Track completion rates: Low completion at any price = problem with content, not price
The 20% Rule
If fewer than 20% of qualified prospects say your price is "too expensive," you're probably priced too low. Some price resistance is healthy—it means you're capturing value.
Matching Price to Lifestyle
Here's what most pricing guides miss: your price shapes your life, not just your income.
The $47 Life
- Always marketing, always launching
- High volume of customer interactions
- Income fluctuates with traffic
- Can feel like a grind
- Works if you love systems and automation
The $297 Life
- Balanced launch and evergreen sales
- Moderate customer relationships
- More predictable income
- Room to breathe between launches
- Good middle ground for most creators
The $1,997 Life
- Fewer customers, deeper relationships
- Sales conversations are part of the job
- More time per student, more responsibility for their results
- Higher stakes, higher rewards
- Works if you love coaching and transformation
Ask yourself: Which life do I actually want?
Your Action Steps
Here's how to move forward:
Step 1: Calculate Your Freedom Number
How much monthly revenue do you actually need? Be specific.
Step 2: Work Backward
At each price point, how many sales equals your freedom number? Is that realistic given your current audience and traffic?
Step 3: Match to Your Content
- Quick wins and narrow problems = lower price
- Comprehensive transformation = mid-tier
- High-touch, high-outcome = premium
Step 4: Consider the Ladder
Where does this course fit in your overall product ecosystem? Is it an entry point or a flagship?
Step 5: Test Before Committing
Pre-sell or beta-launch before creating the full course. Let the market validate your pricing.
The Bottom Line
There's no universally "right" price. There's only the right price for your content, your audience, your business model, and your lifestyle goals.
The $47 creator and the $1,997 creator can both build thriving businesses. The difference is in how they spend their days—and whether they'll still love this work a year from now.
Price with intention. Your future self will thank you.
Next Step
Ready to structure your course for any price point? Read our guide on how to structure content that students actually complete—because the best pricing in the world won't save a course no one finishes.