How to Sell Online Courses with WordPress and WooCommerce

Updated 2026-06-29 · Hosting Reviews

Hosting Reviews is reader-supported. This page contains affiliate links to Hostinger; we may earn a commission if you sign up through them — at no extra cost to you.

If you have expertise to share, the hardest part isn't creating the content—it's building the delivery system. You might be surprised to learn that the most flexible way to sell online courses with WooCommerce is actually a standard e-commerce setup. Using WordPress combined with WooCommerce gives you total control over your content, students, and revenue without the high monthly fees of dedicated teaching platforms. Here is how you can build a profitable course website quickly.

Choose the Right Hosting and Domain

Before you can sell anything, you need a foundation. This starts with a domain name that reflects your brand and a hosting account to store your website files. For a course site, reliability is key. If your server is slow, your video lessons will buffer, and students will leave.

Deal alert

Get Online Store online

Launch an e-commerce store that sells — the hosting, platform, payment and product setup that gets you from idea to first sale.

Build Your Store on Hostinger →

For most beginners, shared hosting or entry-level cloud hosting is sufficient. You do not need an expensive dedicated server to start. Look for a provider that offers a one-click WordPress installation to save time. Hostinger is a popular choice for this because it is beginner-friendly, offers fast server speeds essential for video hosting, and includes a free SSL certificate to secure transactions. Expect to pay between $3 and $15 per month for a solid starter plan, though be aware that renewal rates often increase after the first term.

Why WordPress and WooCommerce?

You might be tempted to use an all-in-one website builder, but they often limit how you can deliver content. WordPress is free, open-source software that powers over 40% of the web. It gives you access to thousands of plugins, including those specifically designed for education.

WooCommerce is the plugin that transforms WordPress into a fully functional Online Store. While it is typically used for physical products, it handles digital products and subscriptions beautifully. It handles the heavy lifting: inventory management, shopping carts, and tax calculations. If you ever want to add merchandise or physical books to your offering later, WooCommerce can handle that too without needing to switch platforms.

Install a Learning Management System (LMS)

WooCommerce processes the payment, but it does not natively manage student logins or video lessons. To bridge this gap, you need a Learning Management System (LMS) plugin. This is where you will upload your videos, text, and quizzes.

Look for an LMS that integrates specifically with WooCommerce. Popular options include TutorLMS, LearnDash, or LifterLMS. Once installed and activated, the connection process is straightforward:

Create your course content inside the LMS plugin (lessons, topics, quizzes).
Create a Product in WooCommerce.
Link the WooCommerce product to the specific course you created in the LMS.

When a customer buys the product, WooCommerce takes the money, and the LMS automatically grants the user access to the lessons. It creates a seamless experience for the student.

Set Up Payments and Security Basics

To get paid, you need to connect a payment gateway. WooCommerce supports major providers like Stripe and PayPal. These services allow you to accept credit cards and digital payments. They usually charge a flat fee plus a small percentage per transaction, so factor that into your pricing.

Security is non-negotiable for an Online Store. You must ensure your site has an SSL certificate (HTTPS). This encrypts data between the user's browser and your server, protecting credit card info. Most modern hosts, including Hostinger, provide free SSL certificates via Let’s Encrypt. Additionally, choose a strong password for your admin area and consider installing a security plugin to hide your login URL from brute-force attacks.

Adding Content and Going Live

With the technical setup complete, it is time to populate your store. Upload your course videos. While you can host video files directly on your server, it is often better to embed them from a service like YouTube (set to unlisted) or Vimeo to save bandwidth and improve loading speeds.

Create a compelling sales page for your course. Use high-quality images and clear headlines to explain the value of the course. Before you officially launch, run a test transaction. Buy the course yourself to ensure the payment goes through and the access is granted instantly. Once confirmed, your site is ready for students.

FAQ

Do I need coding skills to set this up?

No. If you can use a word processor, you can use WordPress. Both WooCommerce and LMS plugins offer user-friendly interfaces that guide you through the setup process without writing a single line of code.

Is selling courses through WooCommerce expensive?

It is very cost-effective. The software is free. You only pay for hosting (typically $3-$15/month) and payment transaction fees. This is much cheaper than dedicated course platforms that often take a percentage of your revenue plus a monthly subscription.

Can I offer subscriptions or memberships?

Yes. WooCommerce handles subscriptions natively with the appropriate extension. This allows you to charge students a recurring monthly fee for access to your course content, providing you with steady recurring revenue.

Ready to buy?