How to Set Up Automatic Payments for Your Online Course

Updated 2026-07-02 · Hosting Reviews

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Setting up automatic payments for online courses is essential for a smooth student experience and steady cash flow. In this guide you’ll learn exactly what you need—hosting, a domain, an LMS platform, and a payment gateway—and how to get everything running without over‑paying.

What You Need to Get Started

Before you dive into configuring recurring billing, make sure you have these core components:

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Domain name: Your brand’s address on the web (e.g., yourcourse.com). Register it through a registrar or a hosting provider that bundles a free domain for the first year.
Web hosting: A server where your site lives. For most beginners, shared hosting works, but cloud or VPS options give more resources as you grow.
LMS plugin or platform: The software that delivers video lessons, drip content, quizzes, and student management. Popular choices include LearnDash, LifterLMS, and Tutor LMS.
Payment gateway: A service such as Stripe or PayPal that handles recurring charges and stores customer payment info securely.

Choosing the Right Hosting Plan

When you’re building an Online Course Site, speed and reliability matter because students will be streaming video. Here’s a quick decision matrix:

Shared hosting – Ideal for launch and early sales. Expect costs in the $3‑$10 /month range. It’s easy to set up, especially with providers like Hostinger that include a free SSL certificate and one‑click WordPress installation.
Cloud hosting – Offers scalable resources and better uptime. Prices typically start around $10‑$20 /month and grow with traffic.
VPS (Virtual Private Server) – Gives you dedicated CPU and RAM, useful once you have several hundred active students. Expect $15‑$30 /month for entry‑level plans.

If you’re just testing the market, stick with shared hosting. You can always migrate to cloud or VPS later without rebuilding the site.

WordPress vs. Website Builders

WordPress is the most flexible option for an Online Course Site because it supports dozens of LMS plugins and payment integrations. A website builder (e.g., Wix or Squarespace) is simpler but limits you to the builder’s native ecommerce tools, which often charge extra transaction fees.

For beginners who still want flexibility, choose WordPress on a Hostinger plan. The platform’s one‑click installer means you’re up and running in minutes, and you keep 100 % of your revenue.

Setting Up Automatic Payments

Once your hosting and WordPress site are live, follow these steps to enable recurring billing:

Install an LMS plugin: From the WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New and search for LearnDash, LifterLMS, or Tutor LMS. Install and activate the one that fits your budget and feature set.
Configure course structure: Add lessons, set drip schedules, and define enrollment options. Most LMS plugins have a “Recurring Subscription” toggle for each course.
Connect a payment gateway: In the LMS settings, locate the Payments tab. Choose Stripe or PayPal, then follow the on‑screen prompts to connect your account. Both gateways support automatic recurring payments out of the box.
Enable SSL: Security is mandatory for handling credit‑card data. Hostinger provides a free SSL certificate that you can enable from the hosting dashboard with one click.
Test the checkout flow: Create a sandbox account in Stripe/PayPal, enroll in a test course, and verify that the subscription renews automatically after the billing cycle.
Publish and monitor: Launch your course, then keep an eye on the LMS’s reports and the gateway’s dashboard for any failed payments or cancellations.

Speed, Security, and Ongoing Maintenance

Even with automatic payments set up, you need to keep the site fast and secure:

Cache plugin: Install a caching tool like WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache to reduce load times for video pages.
CDN integration: Many hosts, including Hostinger, offer a free CDN that distributes your video files closer to the learner.
Regular backups: Enable daily backups through your hosting control panel. A snapshot can save you hours of work if something goes wrong.
Updates: Keep WordPress core, your LMS plugin, and all extensions up to date to protect against vulnerabilities.

Following these practices ensures a reliable learning environment and minimizes chargebacks caused by payment‑related errors.

Cost Overview and What to Expect

Here’s a realistic budget breakdown for a new Online Course Site:

Domain name: $0‑$12 /year (often free the first year with Hostinger).
Shared hosting: $3‑$10 /month.
LMS plugin: Free‑$100 /year depending on features; many have a basic tier that includes recurring payments.
Payment gateway fees: Typically 2.9 % + $0.30 per transaction (Stripe/PayPal).

All together, you can launch for under $20 /month while keeping 100 % of your course revenue.

FAQ

Do I need a dedicated server to sell courses?

No. A shared hosting plan from a reliable provider like Hostinger is sufficient for the first few hundred students. Upgrade only when traffic consistently exceeds the limits of shared resources.

Can I offer both one‑time and subscription options?

Yes. Most LMS plugins let you set price types per course—one‑time purchase, monthly subscription, or annual subscription—so you can cater to different learner preferences.

Is the SSL certificate really necessary for automatic payments?

Absolutely. SSL encrypts the data transmitted between a student’s browser and your server, which is required by Stripe, PayPal, and PCI compliance standards.

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