{"id":4829,"date":"2026-03-24T11:50:04","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T10:50:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nodigitalbrain.com\/articles\/online-course-platform-external-or-proprietary\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T17:31:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T15:31:35","slug":"online-course-platform-external-or-proprietary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nodigitalbrain.com\/en\/membership-and-booking\/online-course-platform-external-or-proprietary\/","title":{"rendered":"Online Course Platform: External or Proprietary?"},"content":{"rendered":"\nYou may already be aware, but <\/span>e-learning<\/b> has now taken hold in Italy as well. And the data confirms it. According to a Eurostat report, <\/span>cited by Orizzonte Scuola<\/span><\/a>, in 2024 <\/span>about 32% of Italian web users<\/b> took <\/span>at least one online course<\/span><\/i> or used digital learning materials.<\/span> \n\nThis is a breakthrough that is a direct consequence of the lockdown period. Since then, <\/span>digital training<\/b> has evolved to become a strategic pillar for Italian SMEs. Today we’re talking about a <\/span>highly profitable market<\/b> and, for this reason, <\/span>user experience quality<\/span><\/i> is now essential to achieve a satisfactory result.<\/span>\n\nNo point beating around the bush though: among the questions we hear most often from <\/span>those who want to invest in online training<\/b>, the same age-old dilemma always comes up. Namely, <\/span>is it better to use an external or proprietary platform?<\/span><\/i>\n\nThe answer\u2014we’ll tell you upfront\u2014is not universal. In this article, therefore, we’ll analyze the <\/span>pros and cons of both approaches<\/b>. By the end, you’ll know exactly which direction to take without risking missteps.<\/span>\n

Where to Publish Online Courses in 2026?<\/span><\/h2>\nToday the <\/span>online course platform market<\/b> is extremely varied. It ranges from SaaS giants (Software as a Service) offering <\/span>turnkey<\/span><\/i> packages and external but adaptable solutions, to the possibility of <\/span>building your own digital <\/b>e-learning<\/b> platform<\/b>.<\/span>\n\nIn both cases\u2014clearly\u2014the choice is not purely technical. Rather, it reflects both the ambition of your training project and your budget capacity. <\/span>\n\nIn a nutshell, we could say this: if the goal is to test an idea (e.g., <\/span>launch an MVP<\/b>), external solutions are indeed a godsend. But if your business is already scaling and <\/span>registering increasing traffic volumes<\/b>, staying “on rent” could become a gilded cage in the long run.<\/span>\n\nLet’s look, however, at the pros and cons of each solution in detail.<\/span>\n

External Platforms<\/span><\/h3>\nBy <\/span>external <\/i><\/b>online course platforms <\/b>we mean SaaS solutions like <\/span>Kajabi, Teachable<\/span><\/i> or the more updated versions of Italian players (e.g., <\/span>Learnn<\/span><\/i>). A choice like this represents a quick route if you’re in a hurry to launch your online course.<\/span>\n\nBut how do they work? Essentially with external platforms you’re, so to speak, “renting.” You’ll pay a monthly fee and receive in return <\/span>a ready-to-use infrastructure<\/b> that handles <\/span>video hosting<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>payment gateways<\/span><\/i>, and IT security.<\/span>\n\nThe main advantage is undoubtedly <\/span>speed<\/b>. Keep in mind that you could potentially upload your lessons in the morning and be ready to sell them by the afternoon\u2014without having to worry about <\/span>technical bugs<\/span><\/i> or server updates (which remain the provider’s problem).<\/span>\n\nMoreover, the standardized interface offers users a <\/span>familiar and reassuring environment<\/b>, similar to that of many other courses they’ve already taken. In short: your students remain within an already defined (and familiar) circuit that can encourage enrollments, especially among those who don’t know you yet.<\/span>\n\nOf course this convenience comes at a price. Like the <\/span>sales commissions<\/b> that <\/span>add to the fixed fee<\/span><\/i> and can erode profit margins. Or even the fact of finding yourself as a “guest” on someone else’s platform, a condition that <\/span>limits your branding strategies<\/b> (including <\/span>personal branding<\/span><\/i>).<\/span> \n\nThink, for example, of the <\/span>predefined structure<\/b> your course will have or even the design elements of the template: on an external platform you’ll always have <\/span>little control over your brand image<\/b>, which can represent a huge limitation for your business scalability.<\/span>\n

Comparison Table of Some of the Most Famous E-Learning Platforms<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nType<\/b><\/td>\nFeature<\/b><\/td>\nCosts<\/b><\/td>\nTechnical Complexity<\/b><\/td>\nData Ownership<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Udemy<\/span><\/i><\/td>\nMarketplace<\/span><\/td>\nLarge organic traffic<\/span><\/td>\nPercentage on sales (from 13% to 63%, depending on sale type)<\/span><\/td>\nLow<\/span><\/td>\nNone<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Skillshare<\/span><\/i><\/td>\nMarketplace<\/span><\/td>\nFocus on creativity and design<\/span><\/td>\nNone, but earnings are based on monthly royalties<\/span><\/td>\nLow<\/span><\/td>\nNone<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Learnn<\/span><\/i><\/td>\nSelection curated by internal team<\/span><\/td>\nQuality guaranteed by team and Italian community<\/span><\/td>\nNone, earnings are based on internal agreements<\/span><\/td>\nNone, everything is managed by the Learnn team.<\/span><\/td>\nLimited, i.e., shared with the platform<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kajabi<\/span><\/i><\/td>\nSaaS<\/span><\/td>\nAll-in-one platform<\/span><\/td>\nSubscription from \u20ac120 to \u20ac320 per month<\/span><\/td>\nMedium-high<\/span><\/td>\nTotal<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Teachable<\/span><\/i><\/td>\nSaaS<\/span><\/td>\nHighly customizable<\/span><\/td>\nSubscription from \u20ac40 to \u20ac140 per month<\/span><\/td>\nMedium<\/span><\/td>\nTotal<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \n

The Proprietary Platform<\/span><\/h3>\nThe <\/span>proprietary platform<\/b>, on the other hand, gives you total control. Choosing a proprietary <\/span>online course platform<\/span><\/i> means, in fact, definitively overcoming the limitations of third-party software. It means starting to make technology “bend” to your vision, adapting it to the business you have in mind.<\/span>\n\nConsider that a proprietary e-learning platform is an <\/span>asset<\/b> in every respect. You can curate the <\/span>user experience<\/span><\/i> (UX) down to the smallest detail, create an environment that 100% reflects your brand authority. You can\u2014in other words\u2014<\/span>finally distinguish yourself from the thousands of other competitors<\/b> present instead on an external platform.<\/span>\n\nLet’s say, for example, that you want to insert a <\/span>particular gamification system<\/span><\/i>. Or <\/span>include a private forum<\/b> with unique logic or an integrated coaching area. Well, with a proprietary platform you can do it without problems: you won’t have to ask anyone’s permission or hope that the SaaS developer releases an update in the short term.<\/span>\n\nNot to mention the issue of <\/span>data ownership<\/b>. When you use an external platform, your students’ data passes through their servers and is subject to their policies. In a proprietary structure, <\/span>the database is yours<\/b>. This allows you to integrate learning data with your CRM, but also create personalized marketing automations (e.g., if a student has been stuck on a lesson for too long or when they’re ready for an upsell).<\/span>\n\nObviously, with a proprietary platform you’ll also have <\/span>maintenance responsibility<\/b>\u2014which can be intimidating, especially on the cost front. However, that level of independence helps you <\/span>scale your business<\/span><\/i> and, therefore, earn more. And once you’ve passed the critical threshold of users, the <\/span>platform management costs<\/b> will even seem more affordable than the commissions to pay to a SaaS.<\/span>\n

What Is the Best Online Course Platform?<\/span><\/h2>\nAt this point, the question arises spontaneously: <\/span>is there really a winning choice regardless?<\/span><\/i> If we look at the <\/span>market evolution over the last two years<\/b>, we realize that the trend has shifted drastically toward <\/span>hybridization<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>customization<\/span><\/i>.<\/span>\n\nAt this point the <\/span>best online course platform<\/b> is simply the one that doesn’t suffocate you while you try to grow your business. In our experience, <\/span>many start with external solutions<\/b> for their disarming simplicity but soon find themselves dealing with the frustration of not being able to scale as they’d like.<\/span> \n\nIt’s clear: if your project is an experiment or a <\/span>side project<\/span><\/i>, SaaS is your lifeline. But if training is the heart of your business, things change. Because then the proprietary platform will be the only one able to let you sleep soundly.<\/span> \n\nNot forgetting that, in 2026, the difference is made by the <\/span>ecosystem<\/b>. The best platform today is the one that manages to make the student feel <\/span>part of an exclusive club<\/b>. A result that requires a brand project and a recognizable structure in the user experience\u2014all things impossible to customize with standardized tools.<\/span>\n

How Much Does a Proprietary E-Learning Platform Cost<\/span><\/h2>\nCosts are often\u2014and we’re aware of this\u2014a sore point for many entrepreneurs. Especially in the initial phase of a project. There’s often a tendency to think that a proprietary platform is an investment reserved only for multinationals. The reality, however, is very different: if we look at the <\/span>medium-long term<\/span><\/i>, a proprietary solution can even lead to <\/span>significant savings<\/b>.<\/span>\n\nBut let’s try to quantify. For a solid, secure, and professional online course platform, the investment is usually divided into two phases: <\/span>\n