Want to know how to create a course selling website in 2026 — without paying SaaS platforms like Teachable, Thinkific, or Kajabi a monthly subscription plus 5–10% of every sale? This step-by-step tutorial shows you exactly how to launch a profitable online course business using WordPress + Sikshya LMS, the free WordPress LMS plugin built by our team at Mantrabrain.
You’ll have your first paid course live in under an hour, accept PayPal payments on day one, issue PDF certificates on completion, and keep 100% of every sale — because Sikshya never takes a cut. We’ll walk through it screen by screen.
Why WordPress + Sikshya LMS Beats SaaS Course Platforms
| Cost factor | Teachable (Basic) | Thinkific (Start) | Sikshya LMS (Free) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $39/mo | $49/mo | $0 |
| Transaction fee per sale | 5% | 0% | 0% |
| Annual cost (1 course, 50 sales/mo of $100) | $3,468 | $588 | $0 |
| Data ownership | SaaS controls | SaaS controls | You own everything in WordPress |
What You Need to Create a Course Selling Website
- 1. A course idea — something you can teach
- 2. A domain name (~$12/year)
- 3. WordPress hosting (~$3–$10/month)
- 4. The Sikshya LMS plugin ($0 — free from WordPress.org)
- 5. A PayPal Business account ($0 — free)
Why We Recommend Sikshya LMS for Course Selling Websites
Full disclosure: Sikshya LMS is built by our team at Mantrabrain. We’re recommending it because it’s specifically designed for what this tutorial is about — creating a course selling website — in a way other WordPress LMS plugins aren’t:
- ✅ Native PayPal checkout in the free plugin — no WooCommerce required
- ✅ Course builder + quizzes + certificates included free — LearnDash charges $159/year just to access these
- ✅ 0% transaction fees — every dollar of every sale stays with you
- ✅ Lifetime license option — pay once ($349 for Starter), use forever; no SaaS renewal cycle
- ✅ 31 Pro add-ons when you outgrow free — Stripe, subscriptions, multi-instructor, certificates with QR-verification, marketplace mode, OAuth 2 API for mobile apps
For a full feature-by-feature comparison, see our roundup of the best WordPress LMS plugins for 2026.
Step 1: Install WordPress + Pick a Theme
- Buy hosting + register your domain — Bluehost, SiteGround, or Hostinger.
- One-click install WordPress from your host’s control panel.
- Pick a theme — The default Twenty Twenty-Five works fine. For an education-focused look, install Pragyan (free, native Sikshya LMS pairing) or generic themes like Astra, Kadence.
Step 2: Install the Sikshya LMS Plugin
- In WordPress admin, go to Plugins → Add New
- Search for “Sikshya LMS“
- Click Install Now, then Activate
- You’ll see a new “Sikshya” menu in the WordPress admin sidebar
- Open Sikshya → Settings, run through the onboarding wizard
You can also try Sikshya Pro in a sandbox (no install needed).
Step 3: Connect PayPal to Accept Payments
- Sign up for a PayPal Business account if you don’t have one (free).
- In WordPress, go to Sikshya → Settings → Payments.
- Enter your PayPal email + select your currency. Save.
If you want to accept cards via Stripe (or Razorpay for India, Paystack for Africa, Mollie for Europe), upgrade to Sikshya Pro Growth ($149/year or $499 lifetime) which adds 7 premium gateways + recurring subscriptions.
Step 4: Create Your First Course
- Go to Sikshya → Courses → Add New
- Give your course a title
- Write a compelling description
- Set a featured image (1200×630 px)
- In the Course Settings sidebar set Price, Duration, Difficulty, Category
- Click Save Draft
Step 5: Build Your Course Curriculum
- Click Add Chapter
- Within each chapter, click Add Lesson
- Choose lesson type: text, video, quiz, or assignment
- Drag and drop to reorder
- Set the first 1–2 lessons as free preview
Step 6: Set Up Completion Certificate
Go to Sikshya → Certificates. Use the default template or upload your own. Add placeholders: {learner_name}, {course_title}, {completion_date}. Save.
For shareable verification URLs + QR codes, upgrade to Sikshya Pro Growth tier.
Step 7: Configure Email Notifications
Go to Sikshya → Settings → Emails. Customize the four core templates: enrollment, payment receipt, completion, certificate. Save.
Step 8: Publish Your Course + Create a Sales Page
Change status from Draft to Published. Optionally create a dedicated sales page using Elementor or Gutenberg blocks with hero, curriculum, bio, testimonials, FAQ, enrollment CTA.
Step 9: Test the Full Purchase Flow
In incognito mode, enroll as a new user, complete PayPal checkout, verify enrollment + payment + course access + certificate. Refund the test transaction.
Step 10: Promote Your Course
- Free intro course as lead magnet
- SEO blog content linking to your course
- Social media presence (one platform)
- Email list via Mailchimp
- Founding-cohort discount for testimonials
- Affiliate program (Sikshya Pro Scale tier)
- Paid ads once you have organic conversion data
Types of Online Courses You Can Create
- Self-paced course — Sikshya free version handles this.
- Cohort-based course — needs content drip (Sikshya Pro Starter, $99/yr).
- Membership / subscription — needs recurring billing (Sikshya Pro Growth, $149/yr).
- Coaching + course hybrid — Sikshya Live Class Links (Growth tier).
- Multi-instructor academy — Sikshya Pro Growth tier with multi-instructor + automatic ledger.
- Course marketplace — Sikshya Pro Scale tier ($299/yr 1-site or $599/yr 15-site; $999–$1,799 lifetime) has multi-vendor marketplace built in.
Selling courses B2B? You’ll need proper invoicing
Self-paced courses sold to individuals work fine with PayPal receipts. But the moment you start selling to companies — team training subscriptions, corporate bulk seats, custom course development, coaching contracts, retainer training agreements — PayPal receipts aren’t enough. B2B buyers need proper PDF invoices with their company name, VAT/GST/ABN numbers, line-item tax breakdowns, and credit notes for refunds. Their accounts payable departments literally won’t process payment without one.
Sikshya LMS doesn’t generate compliant tax invoices — it’s a course platform, not an invoicing tool. Pair it with Easy Invoice by MatrixAddons (free on WordPress.org) and you get automated PDF invoices on every course sale plus the ability to send manual invoices for custom B2B deals (corporate training quotes, coaching packages, consulting retainers).
- Free tier (WordPress.org) — unlimited invoices & quotes, automatic PDF generation, PayPal gateway, client database, 10 templates, multi-tax (VAT/GST/sales tax) compliance, 150+ currencies
- Pro from $79/yr or $199 lifetime — 9 payment gateways (Stripe, Razorpay for India, Paystack for Africa, Mollie for Europe), recurring invoices for ongoing training retainers, client portal where corporate buyers view + pay all invoices, Smart Reminders (recovers 30%+ of overdue invoices), two-way QuickBooks/Xero/FreshBooks accounting sync
- Agency $399 lifetime unlimited sites — white-label, team roles, audit log — perfect for training agencies or course marketplaces selling under multiple brands
Comparing self-hosted vs SaaS invoicing tools (FreshBooks, Wave, QuickBooks, Xero) for your course business? See our broader guide: best invoice software 2026 — 10 tools ranked by 5-year cost. Course creators running B2B sales typically save $1,500–$3,100 over 5 years with Easy Invoice Lifetime vs cloud SaaS.
Get Easy Invoice → Free on WP.org Compare invoice software
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to create a course selling website?
Roughly $80–$200/year: domain ($12), WordPress hosting ($50–$120/yr), and optionally Sikshya Pro ($99–$599/yr) when you need Stripe, subscriptions, or marketplace features. The Sikshya LMS plugin itself is free. Compared to Teachable ($468/year minimum, plus 5% transaction fees) or Kajabi ($1,788/year minimum), the WordPress route saves $400–$1,700/year forever.
Which is the best WordPress LMS plugin for selling courses?
Sikshya LMS for most instructors in 2026 — native PayPal checkout in the free version, lifetime license option, 0% transaction fees. LearnDash is the established enterprise alternative ($159/year+). See our full WordPress LMS plugin comparison.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. WordPress + Sikshya LMS is designed for non-developers.
Can I sell courses with PayPal only, or do I need Stripe?
PayPal-only is enough to launch. Sikshya LMS supports PayPal natively in the free plugin. Upgrade to Sikshya Pro Growth ($149/year or $499 lifetime) for Stripe + 6 more gateways and recurring subscriptions.
How do I send invoices for B2B course sales?
Sikshya LMS sends PayPal payment receipts but not compliant tax invoices. For B2B buyers (companies, training departments, corporate teams) you need proper PDF invoices with VAT/GST/sales tax line items. Install Easy Invoice alongside Sikshya — free on WordPress.org for unlimited invoices, or $199 lifetime for Pro features like Stripe gateway, client portal, and accounting sync.
How do I issue certificates on course completion?
Sikshya LMS ships basic PDF certificates in the free plugin. For QR-code verification URLs, upgrade to Sikshya Pro Growth tier.
Can I create a course selling website without WordPress?
Yes — SaaS platforms like Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi, Podia. The tradeoff: monthly fees forever and 5–10% transaction fees. Self-hosted WordPress + Sikshya LMS is dramatically cheaper for a long-term business.
How long does it take to launch?
Technical setup: under an hour. First complete course: 1–3 weeks of focused work.
Ready to Launch?
The hardest part isn’t the tech — it’s deciding to start. The technical setup is genuinely under an hour with Sikshya LMS. If you’re also serving B2B clients, add Easy Invoice ($0 free or $199 lifetime) on day one so you can issue proper PDF invoices the first time a company asks for one.
Related Reading
- Best WordPress LMS Plugin 2026: 6 Tested Picks
- Sikshya LMS — Complete Feature Tour
- Best Free WordPress Education Themes (2026)
- Best Invoice Software 2026: 10 Tools Ranked — essential for course creators selling B2B (companies, training departments, corporate teams)
- Best WordPress Invoice Plugin (2026)
