TL;DR
For Course Creators
Keep more of every course sale.
Run sales through ElasticFunnels checkout, keep the margin, and still use bumps, upsells, and split tests on your own domain.
Stay on a bundled course platform if
- You want lessons, video, and login in one place
- You barely run cold traffic to long-form sales pages
- You prefer boxed themes over designing every section yourself
Add ElasticFunnels for the sale path if
- You run paid ads and need same-URL split tests
- You want full control over sales pages, checkout, bumps, and upsells
- You want customizable pages students hit before the lesson player: welcome, module map, bonuses
- You want funnel revenue dashboards, not only lesson completion stats
- You want 0.5% on ElasticFunnels-hosted checkout instead of a higher platform take
Platform fees
You close the sale. They take another cut.
Some starter plans add a platform fee on top of payment processing. That is money you could keep.
How ElasticFunnels helps
Let your course platform host the lessons.
ElasticFunnels owns the presell, checkout, upsell path, and the pages you fully customize, so more revenue stays with you.
Comparison
Feature comparison.
ElasticFunnels sits in front of your LMS for the revenue path. Honest rows, including where a bundled platform still wins.
| Feature | ElasticFunnels | Typical course platform |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson video hosting & player | Pair with Teachable, Skool, Circle, etc. | Often built-in |
| Sales / landing page depth | Full builder: sections, components, 200+ templates | Theme or block library, depth varies by tier |
| Student-facing portal pages | Custom welcome, module map, resources on your domain | Their student home layout, customization varies |
| Same-URL split testing | Server-side variants | Often separate URLs or not offered |
| Component split testing | Headline, pricing, video, element-level | Rare |
| AI Page Builder + Cloner | 10 AI tools, 30+ page types | Usually none or basic |
| Cursor / VS Code extension | Pages-as-code, git-friendly | No |
| Backend scripts (server-side JS) | Per-page and shared libraries | No |
| Order bumps & one-click upsells | Native on hosted checkout | Some platforms yes; bump-level A/B on one URL is uncommon |
| Bump split tests on one checkout URL | A/B bump offers per product with rules | Not typical |
| Custom CRM & funnel analytics dashboards | 30+ dashboard card types, custom entities | Student progress, funnel revenue views vary |
| Platform fee on hosted checkout (illustration) | 0.5% on ElasticFunnels-hosted checkout | Often 2% to 10%+ before card processing |
| Example: platform fee on $10k sales | ~$50 at 0.5% (card fees extra) | Up to ~$750 at 7.5% before processing, varies widely |
Percentages and features vary by vendor and plan. The 7.5% / 0.5% example is math only, not a quote. Verify current pricing on both sides before you switch.
General comparison only. “Typical course platform” describes common bundled LMS patterns, not one company. ElasticFunnels does not replace lesson hosting unless you integrate one. Product limits and pricing change. Confirm on each vendor’s site.
FAQ
Course creator questions, answered.
What creators ask before running the sale path through ElasticFunnels.
Do I still need my course platform (LMS)?
Yes, for lesson hosting and the video player. ElasticFunnels sits in front of your LMS and owns the sale path: presell pages, checkout, bumps, upsells, and the student-facing pages on your domain. Pair it with Teachable, Skool, Circle, or any platform that plays the lessons.
How does the 0.5% fee compare to bundled course platforms?
Some bundled platforms take 2% to 10% on top of card processing. ElasticFunnels charges 0.5% on revenue through its hosted checkout, so on $10k of sales that is about $50 instead of hundreds. Card processing is separate on both sides.
Can I split test my sales page and pricing?
Yes. Same-URL split testing runs variants server-side, so you can test $497 vs $697, a bonus stack vs no bonus, or a payment plan vs single pay without changing your URL or resetting ad learning.
Can I add order bumps and upsells to a course sale?
Yes. Add a workbook bump on the checkout page and offer coaching or a higher tier as a one-click upsell after the sale. The customer never re-enters card details, so you raise revenue per student without buying more traffic.
Can students hit custom pages before the lessons?
Yes. Build welcome, module map, resource, and bonus pages on your own domain, then link out to wherever the lessons actually play. You control every section instead of living inside a boxed student home.
For Course Creators
Keep more from each course sale.
Sales pages, checkout, bumps, upsells, and split tests on your domain. 0.5% on ElasticFunnels-hosted checkout.
