Course creators who are paying separately for a course platform, an email tool, and a funnel builder are overpaying by $100–300/month compared to what Systeme.io charges to do all three. If you are building your first course or consolidating an existing stack, here is exactly what Systeme.io offers and where its limits are.
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Systeme.io
Build sales funnels, email automations, online courses, and an affiliate program from one dashboard. Free plan up to 2,000 contacts.
What Systeme.io includes for course creators
Every Systeme.io plan — including the free plan — includes:
- Course builder: modules and lessons with drip scheduling
- Video hosting: upload directly or embed from YouTube/Vimeo
- Student management: enrollment, progress tracking, completion certificates
- Sales funnels: sell your course via an order page with checkout, upsells, and order bumps
- Email marketing: automate welcome sequences, lesson delivery, and re-engagement
- Affiliate program: recruit and pay affiliates to promote your course
What is included per plan:
| Plan | Courses | Students | Funnels | Contacts | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 1 | Unlimited | 3 | 2,000 | $0 |
| Startup | 5 | Unlimited | 10 | 5,000 | $17/mo |
| Webinar | 20 | Unlimited | 50 | 10,000 | $47/mo |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | $97/mo |
Note: students are unlimited on all plans. The limit is on the number of distinct courses, not student count.
How to build and launch a course on Systeme.io
Step 1: Create your course
Go to Products → Courses → Create a course. Add your course title, description, and cover image. Create modules (sections) and lessons within each module.
For each lesson, add:
- Video (upload or embed)
- Text content (rich text editor)
- Files (PDFs, worksheets)
- Lesson description
Step 2: Set up drip delivery (optional)
Drip delivery delays lesson access based on enrollment date. Common patterns:
- Day 0: Module 1 available immediately
- Day 7: Module 2 becomes available
- Day 14: Module 3 becomes available
This is useful for pacing students, reducing refund rates, and maintaining engagement over a longer period.
Step 3: Create a sales funnel for your course
Build a 3-step funnel: sales page → order form → thank-you page (or upsell offer). Connect your course as the product on the order form. Systeme handles payment processing (Stripe or PayPal), enrollment, and welcome email delivery automatically.
Step 4: Write and schedule your launch email sequence
Set up a pre-launch sequence to warm your audience, a launch sequence to drive sales during your open cart period, and a post-purchase sequence to onboard new students.
Systeme.io’s email automation handles all of this — triggered by opt-ins, purchases, and tag assignments.
Course creator pricing comparison
| Platform | Entry price | Course limit | Email included | Affiliate manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systeme.io Free | $0 | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| Systeme.io Startup | $17/mo | 5 | Yes | Yes |
| Kajabi Basic | $71/mo | 3 | Yes | Limited |
| Teachable Free | $0 | 1 | No | No |
| Teachable Basic | $29/mo | Unlimited | No | No |
| Thinkific Free | $0 | 1 | No | No |
| Podia Mover | $39/mo | Unlimited | Yes | No |
For a course creator who also wants email marketing and an affiliate program, Systeme.io Startup at $17/month beats every alternative. The next cheapest option with email included is Podia at $39/month — and Podia does not include an affiliate manager.
Systeme.io vs Kajabi for course creators
Kajabi wins on learner experience (cleaner student portal, community features, mobile app) and brand prestige. For courses priced at $500–2,000+, Kajabi’s premium UX can justify the $54/month premium over Systeme.io Startup.
For courses priced under $300 or for creators in their first year, Systeme.io gives you everything you need without the overhead. The $54/month savings is $648/year — enough to fund a paid ads campaign or hire a VA.
See the full Systeme.io vs Kajabi comparison for a detailed breakdown.
Common course creator workflows
Mini-course lead magnet: Create a short free course (3–5 lessons) as a lead magnet. Build an opt-in funnel that grants course access in exchange for an email address. Upsell a paid course or coaching program after completion.
Flagship course with affiliate army: Launch a signature course and recruit affiliates through Systeme’s built-in affiliate program. 30–50% commission on a $297 course creates strong affiliate motivation. Use Systeme’s email automation to nurture affiliates and provide promotional content.
Course bundle funnel: Sell a lower-priced course ($47–97) on the front end with an order bump for a higher-priced course or coaching program. This increases average order value without needing separate tools.
Why most course creators pair Systeme.io with a video hosting tool
Systeme.io allows video uploads but many creators prefer Vimeo Pro or Wistia for better video player control and analytics. Embed from Vimeo and host the course structure on Systeme — a common hybrid approach.
Related free tool: AI-powered BTC signal tool
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FAQ
Can I host a course on Systeme.io for free?
Yes. The free plan includes 1 course with unlimited students, drip scheduling, and completion certificates. No credit card required.
How many students can I have on Systeme.io?
Unlimited on all plans. The course limits (1, 5, 20, unlimited) refer to the number of separate courses — not the number of students per course.
Does Systeme.io pay affiliates for me?
Yes. You set commission rates in Systeme’s affiliate manager and pay affiliates via PayPal directly through the platform. Systeme tracks clicks and conversions automatically.
What video formats does Systeme.io support?
Systeme.io accepts MP4, MOV, and AVI uploads. For better performance and bandwidth, many creators embed from YouTube (unlisted) or Vimeo.
Is Systeme.io good enough for a $500+ course?
For functionality, yes — it handles enrollment, drip delivery, and certificates. For perceived quality of the student experience, Kajabi and Teachable offer more polished learner portals at higher prices.
Related on NeuralMindMastery
- How to Launch a Course on Systeme.io
- Systeme.io vs Kajabi 2026
- Systeme.io Review 2026
- AI for Content Creators and YouTubers 2026
Results depend on your offer, audience, and execution. Tool choice alone does not guarantee revenue.