Online Course vs Ebook: Which One Should You Launch?

So, you’re thinking about selling a digital product. That’s exciting! There are plenty of options out there, such as memberships, templates, coaching, and more. But two of the most common starting points are online courses and e-books.

Why? Because both let you package your knowledge into something learners can buy, they’re relatively low-cost to create, and they can keep generating sales long after you’ve made them.

Plus, they’re the highest-grossing digital products globally.

The big question is: should you start with an online course or an Ebook?

Both are great for sharing expertise and building income, but they work in different ways. The right choice depends on your goals, your audience, and how you like to teach.

Let’s dig deeper.

Online Course vs. Ebook at a Glance

Feature	Online Course	Ebook
Engagement	Highly interactive with videos, quizzes, and discussions	Primarily text-based, less interactive
Learning Style	Best for visual and auditory learners, hands-on practice	Best for readers who prefer self-paced learning
Creation Effort	Significant time and technical skills required	Relatively quicker and simpler to produce
Update Frequency	Can be updated, but more complex to implement	Easy to update and distribute new versions
Revenue Potential	Generally, a higher price point and recurring revenue are possible	Lower price point, volume-based sales
Scalability	Highly scalable once created	Highly scalable, easy distribution
Support	Often includes instructor support and community	Typically self-study, limited direct support
Certification	Can offer formal certification upon completion	Rarely offers formal certification
Technical Skills	Requires decent technical skills for platform management	Simple to create, minimal technical skills needed
Profit Margin	High	High

Now that you’ve seen the differences side by side, let’s look at each option a little more closely.

Both Online Courses and Ebooks are Digital Products with High-Profit Margins

One of the biggest upsides of both online courses and e-books is that they’re both digital products. That means:

• No printing or shipping costs
  
• No inventory to manage
  
• Each extra sale is almost pure profit
  

Once you create the product, you can sell it endlessly. That’s why margins are high for both.

But if revenue is your main goal, online courses usually win. They tend to command higher price points because learners see them as more comprehensive and valuable. Ebooks, while profitable, generally sell at a lower price and rely on volume.

Ebooks Are Faster to Create Compared to Online Courses

When it comes to getting started, e-books are the quicker option. You can write your content in a word processor, add some basic formatting and a cover, then export the file. Once it’s ready, you can start selling without much setup. 

The ongoing work is light, too. Updating an Ebook usually just means editing the file and uploading a new version.

Online courses, on the other hand, take more time and effort. You need to record videos, set up lessons, create quizzes, and manage everything on a course platform. It’s more involved and requires some technical skills.

Online Courses Bring in More Revenue Compared to Ebooks

Courses usually sell for a higher price than e-books because they offer a structured, interactive learning experience. You can also add features like live sessions, student support, or certification, which all increase the value. 

Some courses even bring recurring revenue through memberships or tiered access.

The global online courses market size was valued at approximately USD 251.46 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach over USD 1 trillion by 2032. Compared to this, the global Ebooks market was valued at around USD 18-22 billion in 2023-2024, projected to grow to about USD 30-37 billion by 2033-2034.

Managing a Course Online Requires Decent Technical Skills, Whereas E-Books Are Simple to Create

Creating and running an online course usually takes more technical effort than writing an e-book.

For a course, you’ll need to:

• Work with a course platform (uploading videos, setting up modules, adding quizzes).
  
• Handle student enrollments and payments.
  
• Make sure videos, audio, and graphics are good enough for a smooth learning experience.
  

Even if the course selling platform is designed to be user-friendly, there’s still a learning curve. It takes a bit of patience to set everything up properly.

Ebooks, on the other hand, are much simpler:

• Write your content in a word processor.
  
• Do some basic formatting and design a cover.
  
• Export the file into PDF or EPUB format and share it.

That’s it. The barrier to entry is much lower, which makes e-books a good choice if you don’t want to deal with much tech.

Let’s look at the extra miles you need to go if you’re offering courses compared to e-books:

Online Courses Need More Regular Updates, Ebooks Usually Require One-Time Effort

One advantage of digital products is that you can improve them anytime. But the effort required isn’t the same for courses and e-books.

With online courses, updates often mean:

• Re-recording videos
  
• Adding new lessons
  
• Revising existing modules based on student feedback
  

Because courses include multimedia and student interaction, keeping them up to date usually takes more work. If you want your course to stay relevant, expect to revisit it more often.

With e-books, updates are simpler and less frequent. Most e-books are written once and sold as they are. If you do want to make changes, it’s usually just a matter of editing the text, exporting a new file, and sharing it with readers.

So while both formats allow for improvements, online courses tend to demand more ongoing attention, while e-books are often closer to a one-time effort.

Online Courses Often Need Certification, Ebooks Don’t

One thing that sets online courses apart is the option to give learners a certificate of completion. Ebooks don’t really need this;  people read them for information, not credentials.

But for courses, certificates can matter a lot. Learners may want proof they finished, whether to show an employer, add to their resume, or just feel a sense of achievement. Offering a certificate can make your course more attractive and also justify a higher price.

Courses Let You Teach and Interact, Ebooks Deliver Content and Move On

Online courses shine when it comes to engagement. They can include:

• Video lessons
  
• Quizzes or assignments
  
• Worksheets and resources
  
• Community or discussion spaces
  

This means the mix makes it easier for learners to grasp new skills and stay motivated. For example, they might watch a tutorial, test their knowledge with a quiz, reach out to you regarding a query, and then share progress with others in a community.

Ebooks, on the other hand, are simple and flexible. Once downloaded, they can be read anytime, even offline. They work best if you’re targeting people who:

• Prefer learning by reading
  
• Want to go at their own pace
  
• Like having a reference they can revisit
  

Ebooks are great for detailed explanations, step-by-step guides, or frameworks. While they’re less interactive, you need to make sure you answer all the questions readers may have while going through it. And once published, there’s usually no option to add more content.

Online Courses Requires You to Provide Student Support, While E-books Don’t

When you run an online course, support is part of the job. Students will expect you to be present in some way, i.e., answering questions, running Q&A sessions, or hosting a community where they can connect with you and each other.

Ebooks don’t carry the same expectation. Most readers are happy to learn on their own. At most, you might offer an email address for questions or a small private group. But it’s optional, not required.

That’s the difference: courses involve ongoing interaction, and e-books are usually hands-off.

Online Course vs. Ebook: You Can Use AI to Create Both

AI has made it easier to create both e-books and online courses. The tools are there to speed up writing, editing, scripting, or even generating voiceovers.

For Ebooks, AI can:

• Brainstorm topics and outline chapters
  
• Draft or rephrase sections for clarity
  
• Summarize research and complex subjects
  
• Catch grammar and style issues
  

For online courses, AI can:

• Draft lesson scripts and quiz questions
  
• Generate voiceovers with text-to-speech
  
• Create summaries of long video content
  
• Suggest ideas for interactive activities
  

So how does this affect your decision? If you’re worried about the effort involved, AI lowers the barrier for both. Ebooks are already simpler, but AI makes them even quicker to finish. Courses take more work, yet AI can save you time on scripting, content prep, and production.

That means the choice comes back to your goals:

• If speed and simplicity matter most, e-books still win.
  
• If you’re aiming for higher revenue and don’t mind putting in more effort (with AI as backup), online courses are the better bet.

Online Course vs. Ebook: Which One Should You Sell?

There’s no single right answer. It depends on what you want to achieve and how you like to work. Here are a few things to consider:

• Your content: Is it practical, hands-on, and better shown with examples? Go with a course. Is it more theoretical, reference-based, or something people can read at their own pace? An e-book may be a better fit.
  
• Your time and skills: Courses need video recording, platform setup, and ongoing support. Ebooks are quicker to produce and simpler to manage.
  
• Your audience: Do they prefer an interactive learning experience? Then you go ahead with the online course. If they like reading and working on their own, an e-book is the way to go.
  
• Your revenue goals: Courses typically generate more revenue per sale, while Ebooks work better at scale due to higher volume.
  
• Your role: Do you want to actively guide learners and build a community? A course lets you do that. Would you rather create the content and let it stand on its own? An e-book gives you that freedom.

Some creators even do both; they offer an Ebook as a starting point and a course for those who want to dig deeper.

Online Courses Or E-Books, You Can Sell Both With Klasio

Between an online course and an Ebook, whatever you choose to sell, the right platform makes the whole process easier. That’s where Klasio comes in.

With Klasio, you get:

• An AI-assisted course builder for online lessons
  
• Secure hosting for your content
  
• Integrated payments so you can start selling quickly
  
• Option to integrate marketing tools to help you reach more learners

The goal is simple: take the stress out of the technical side so you can focus on creating and teaching.

Starting your digital product journey is exciting. With the right tools and a clear plan, you can launch something that not only earns income but also helps people learn and grow.

FAQs

Is learning through online courses more effective?

Yes, learning through online courses is more effective because they combine videos, quizzes, and interaction, making them more effective for retaining information and practicing skills compared to ebooks.

What are the disadvantages of online books?

The major disadvantages of online books are, they are less interactive, offer no direct support, and can make it harder for readers to stay motivated or apply what they learn.

Are E-Books good for learning?

Yes, e-books are good for learning, but mainly for theory, guides, or reference material. They work best for self-paced reading, not hands-on skills or practical learning.