LearnWorlds supports different ways to offer subscription-based access to courses and learning programs. You can create multiple subscription pricing options for the same product, offer tiered subscriptions within a learning program, or sell separate products through independent subscriptions.
All approaches support recurring revenue, but they are designed for different content strategies and learner experiences. This guide explains how these approaches differ and when to use each one.
Multiple subscription pricing options
With multiple pricing options, you can offer more than one subscription option for the same product.
Each subscription pricing option can have its own price, billing interval, and availability conditions. Learners can choose from the options available to them when enrolling.
For example, the same course could offer:
- Monthly subscription: €20 per month
- Annual subscription: €200 per year
Both options provide access to the same course, but learners choose how they prefer to pay.
Multiple subscription pricing options are useful when:
- You want to offer monthly and annual billing for the same product.
- You want to provide different subscription prices to specific learner groups.
- You want to give learners different payment choices without creating separate products.
Tiered subscriptions
Tiered subscriptions allow you to sell one learning program with multiple subscription tiers.
All tiers belong to the same Learning Program, and learners choose the option that best matches their needs. They can upgrade or downgrade between tiers at any time.
For example, a learning program could offer:
- Bronze, Silver, and Gold access levels
- Monthly and yearly plans for the same Learning Program
- Limited vs extended access to the same course collection
Tiered subscriptions are best suited when:
- Your content represents a single learning experience or journey
- You want to offer different levels of access or value within the same program
- You want to encourage learners to upgrade over time
- Pricing differences are based on access depth, not topic
Tiered subscriptions are available for learning programs only, not individual courses.Separate subscription products
Another approach is to create separate courses or learning programs, each with its own subscription pricing.
Unlike multiple pricing options within a single product, each course or learning program is managed as an independent subscription product.
For example, you could offer:
- Marketing learning program: €25/month
- Design learning program: €30/month
- Development learning program: €35/month
Learners can subscribe to one or more products depending on their interests.
Separate subscription products are useful when:
- Your content is organized into distinct topics or subject areas.
- Each subscription should have its own product page and positioning.
- Learners may want to subscribe to several independent products.
You want to manage each course or learning program separately.
Key differences at a glance
| Aspect | Multiple subscription pricing options | Tiered subscriptions | Separate subscription products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | One product with multiple subscription pricing options | One learning program with multiple tiers | Separate courses or learning programs |
| Available for | Courses and learning programs | Learning programs only | Courses and learning programs |
| Content access | Same product, with different payment options | Different sets of courses based on the selected tier | Each product provides access to its own content |
| Pricing | Different prices and billing intervals | Different prices and billing intervals per tier | Independent subscription pricing per product |
| Learner experience | Choose a subscription pricing option | Choose a tier and upgrade or downgrade | Subscribe to one or more products |
| Best for | Different payment choices for the same product | Different levels of access within one program | Independent content libraries or topics |
Choose the right subscription setup
The right approach depends on whether you want to offer different payment options, levels of access, or subscription products.
- Choose multiple subscription pricing options when learners should access the same course or learning program but have different ways to pay. For example, offer monthly and annual subscriptions for the same course.
- Choose tiered subscriptions when learners should receive different sets of courses depending on their subscription level. For example, offer Basic, Plus, and Premium access within one learning program.
- Choose separate subscription products when your content is organized into independent topics or libraries. For example, offer separate subscriptions for Marketing and Design training.
Can these approaches be combined?
Yes. Different subscription structures can be used across your school. For example, you could create separate learning programs for Marketing and Design, then offer multiple subscription pricing options or tiered subscriptions within each program.
This allows each product to have a subscription structure that matches its content and intended audience.