In-App purchases & app subscriptions vs Online courses & cohorts (2026): Which Monetization Method Pays Better?
Both are products & services. Here is how In-App purchases & app subscriptions and Online courses & cohorts compare on what they pay, the traffic they need, effort and the properties they suit, and when to pick each.
In-App Purchases & App Subscriptions
Sell upgrades, consumables and subscriptions inside an iOS or Android app through the store's billing, at a 15-30% store cut.
8.0 /10
Earns: $20-150 per 1,000 monthly users; 2-5% of users pay
Pros
- The store handles payment, tax, refunds and renewals in 170 countries
- Subscriptions renew automatically; a good app keeps 40-60% of subscribers past year one
- Pairs with ads: sell the ad-free tier to the users who hate ads
Cons
- Apple and Google take 30% (15% under $1M a year and for renewals after year one)
- Store review, policy changes and refund abuse are outside your control
- Most users never pay; the free experience must be good on its own
Online Courses & Cohorts
Package expertise as a self-paced course or a live cohort and sell it at $50-2,000 through a course platform.
8.4 /10
Earns: 1-2% of readers at $100-500; $30-300 RPM
Pros
- The highest price point most creators can sell without a sales team
- Course platforms handle video, drip, quizzes, checkout, affiliates and certificates
- Cohorts command 3-10x self-paced prices and build a community that renews
Cons
- Months of production before the first sale, and courses need updating
- Launch-driven revenue is lumpy unless you run evergreen funnels
- Completion rates of 10-30% make refunds and reputation a constant concern
In-App purchases & app subscriptions vs Online courses & cohorts at a glance
| In-App purchases & app subscriptions | Online courses & cohorts | |
|---|---|---|
| Editor score | 8.0 / 10 | 8.4 / 10 |
| Typical earnings | $20-150 per 1,000 monthly users; 2-5% of users pay | 1-2% of readers at $100-500; $30-300 RPM |
| Per 1,000 visitors (US, general) | $20-150 | $30-300 |
| Traffic needed | 1k/mo | 5k/mo |
| Cost to start | $100-500 (developer accounts, tools) | $0-200/mo |
| First payout | 1-3 months | 2-4 months |
| Difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Effort | Semi-passive | Semi-passive |
| Family | Products & services | Products & services |
| Blog / content site | No | Yes |
| Newsletter / email list | No | Yes |
| YouTube / video channel | No | Yes |
| Podcast | No | No |
| Mobile app | Yes | No |
| SaaS / web app | No | Yes |
| Community / forum | No | Yes |
| Social account | No | Yes |
| Online store | No | No |
| Directory / listing site | No | No |
| Free tool / utility | No | No |
| Ad & affiliate networks in this directory | 9 | 0 |
| Platforms & tools in this directory | 8 | 22 |
| Marketplaces & brokers in this directory | 4 | 1 |
| Reader upvotes | 0 | 0 |
| Best for | in-app purchase, app subscription, revenuecat | course, cohort, teachable |
Our pick
Online courses & cohorts edges it with a score of 8.4 versus 8.0. Online courses & cohorts is the better fit if you value: the highest price point most creators can sell without a sales team, course platforms handle video, drip, quizzes, checkout, affiliates and certificates. Choose In-App purchases & app subscriptions instead if you need: the store handles payment, tax, refunds and renewals in 170 countries, subscriptions renew automatically; a good app keeps 40-60% of subscribers past year one. Most properties run both: see the planner.
Other products & services to consider
Full ranking →
Digital Products Medium
Sell ebooks, templates, presets, printables, swipe files and toolkits: near-zero marginal cost and 90%+ margins.
SaaS & Micro-SaaS Subscriptions Hard
Charge a monthly or annual fee for software: the highest-margin, highest-multiple revenue on the web, and the most work.
Coaching, Consulting & Services Medium
Sell your time and expertise directly: coaching, consulting, audits, done-for-you work and productised services.
Selling the Site, App or Domain Hard
The exit: content sites sell for 30-45x monthly profit, SaaS for 3-8x annual revenue, through brokers and marketplaces.