Online Teachers should check their credit card platform fees

When was the last time you checked your credit card processing fees?

For many creative course creators and coaches—whether you’re designing, performing, making, or producing—your product and payment platforms are essential. But the sometimes sneaky fees can quietly nibble away at your income if you’re not keeping an eye on them.

Here are a few key systems to review:

Online courses: Platforms like Kajabi, Thinkific, or Teachable may charge a transaction fee plus a percentage of each student payment. And don’t forget your platform tier may have its own baseline cost.

Memberships & Communities: If you run a creative hub on Skool, Circle, or MightyNetworks, those recurring subscription payments can have extra or hidden fees that pile up.

Affiliate payouts: Your referral program might be a brilliant way to grow your audience, but sometimes those partners take a chunky slice before the money hits your account. Good news—you’ve got options! You don’t have to stick to one setup, and you can always renegotiate with partners.

Coaching: You might be using PayPal, HoneyBook, or Stripe invoices for coaching payments. Wherever you land, check their rates—it’s not fun when your platform starts getting greedy.

Digital Products: (ebooks, templates, downloads) Whether you sell through your own shop or platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Samcart, each sale can include a flat fee + percentage. When you zoom out, those little bites can really add up.

One last tip - give yourself a quarterly or yearly “money check-in.” Add it to your calendar, or even better, make it a fun little ritual with a checklist of all your money-making systems. If you’ve got a bookkeeper or CPA, invite them into the process or at least share your notes with them.