How to Run a Paid Masterclass Online (Complete Guide)

Let's look at the math.

The 1:1 model:

• You charge $150 per session
• You can handle 10 calls per week (before burnout)
• Revenue cap: $1,500/week, or about $6,000/month

The masterclass model:

• You run one 90-minute masterclass per month
• 200 attendees at $15 each = $3,000
• You still do 1:1 calls the rest of the month
• Combined revenue: $9,000+ per month

Same expertise. Far less time. The key insight is that you have probably answered the same questions 50 times in DMs and 1:1 calls. A masterclass lets you teach it once and get paid by everyone who needs it.

Here is a side-by-side comparison:

Masterclasses do not replace 1:1 calls. They complement them. Run a masterclass to reach hundreds, then upsell 1:1 calls to the attendees who want personalized help.

Types of Masterclasses (And When to Use Each)

1. Skill-Building Masterclass

What it is: A 60-90 minute session where you teach a specific, actionable skill.

Best for: Software tutorials (Notion, Canva, Excel), creative skills (photography, writing, design), business tactics (SEO, email marketing, content strategy).

Format:

• 100-200 attendees
• You teach via screen share and slides
• Live Q&A at the end (15-20 minutes)
• Recorded and sent to all attendees

Pricing: $15-25 per seat

Example: Emma, a Notion expert, runs a monthly "Notion for Creators" masterclass. She gets 150 attendees at $20 each. That is $3,000 for 90 minutes of her time.

2. Live Critique Masterclass

What it is: You review attendees' work live and teach best practices through real examples.

Best for: Portfolio reviews, content audits, design critiques, resume reviews, website teardowns.

Format:

• 100-150 attendees (smaller feels more personal)
• Attendees submit work in advance
• You review 8-10 pieces live on screen
• Everyone learns from each critique

Pricing: $15-30 per seat

Example: Jordan, a UX designer, runs a bi-weekly "Portfolio Teardown" at $25 per seat to 100 attendees. That is $2,500 per session. The recording becomes a best-practices product she sells for $15.

3. Deep Dive Intensive

What it is: A 2-3 hour session where you teach a complete framework, system, or process from start to finish.

Best for: Business coaching, strategy sessions, complete workflows, advanced training.

Format:

• 100-200 attendees
• 2-3 hours with breaks
• Workbook or templates included
• Recorded for replay

Pricing: $25-50 per seat

Example: Tara, a business strategist, runs a quarterly "Revenue Strategy Intensive" at $30 per seat to 150 attendees with a fillable workbook. That is $4,500 per session.

4. Q&A / AMA Masterclass

What it is: Open Q&A where your audience can ask you anything. Lowest prep, highest accessibility.

Best for: Building community, engaging loyal followers, creators with strong personal brands.

Format:

• 200-500 attendees
• 60 minutes of live Q&A
• Casual and conversational
• Minimal prep required

Pricing: $10-20 per seat

Example: Leo, a YouTube creator with 500K subscribers, runs a monthly "Creator AMA" at $10 per seat to 300 attendees. That is $3,000 for 60 minutes with nearly zero prep.

How to Price Your Masterclass

Pricing depends on three factors: your format, your audience size, and your niche.

Per-Seat Pricing by Format

Revenue at Different Audience Sizes

Here is what the revenue looks like at different price points and audience sizes:

The takeaway: even a modest masterclass with 100 attendees at $15 earns $1,500 for 90 minutes. That is an effective rate of $1,000 per hour, which beats nearly every 1:1 pricing model.

Pricing Strategy Tips

Start lower, raise later. Your first masterclass should be priced to fill seats and collect testimonials, not maximize revenue. Start at $15-20, then increase by $5-10 each time you run it.

Offer early bird pricing. Give a 20-30% discount to the first 50 registrants. This creates urgency and gives you an initial burst of sales to build social proof.

Add tiers for premium access. Sell a VIP tier ($50-100) that includes a small group follow-up session or direct Q&A. This lets price-insensitive buyers pay more without raising the base price.

Step-by-Step Launch Process

Here is the timeline for launching a masterclass from scratch.

4 Weeks Before: Plan and Build

Choose your topic. Pick something your audience already asks you about. Check your DMs, comments, and past 1:1 call topics.

Pick your format. If this is your first masterclass, start with a skill-building format. It is the most straightforward to deliver.

Set your price and date. Tuesday through Thursday evenings (6-8 PM in your audience's primary timezone) get the best attendance.

Create your outline. Write a bullet-point outline with 5-7 main sections and clear takeaways. You do not need polished slides yet.

Set up your event page. Create a registration page with the title, description, date, time, price, and what attendees will learn. On Talkspresso, you can set up a workshop with built-in registration, payment processing, and video for up to 500 attendees.

3 Weeks Before: Start Promoting

Announce to your audience. Post on all channels: Instagram stories, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, YouTube community tab, newsletter. Focus the first announcement on the problem you are solving, not the event itself.

Open early bird registration. Offer a limited-time discount to the first 50 sign-ups.

Reach out to partners. Find 2-3 creators in adjacent niches. Offer an affiliate commission (15-20%) or a reciprocal promotion.

2 Weeks Before: Build Momentum

Share social proof. Post registration milestones ("50 seats sold!"). Share testimonials from past sessions or 1:1 clients.

Create content that teases the topic. Publish a short post, reel, or thread that gives a taste of what you will teach. End with "Want the full framework? Join the masterclass."

Send a reminder to your email list. If you have a newsletter, send a dedicated email with the event details, what they will learn, and a direct link to register.

1 Week Before: Final Push

End early bird pricing. Announce the price is going up. This drives a final wave of registrations.

Send "last chance" reminders. Post 2-3 more times on social and send one more email.

Prepare your slides. Finalize your presentation and do a dry run for timing. Aim to finish teaching 15-20 minutes before the end so you have time for Q&A.

Test your tech. Log into the platform, test your camera, microphone, and screen sharing from the same location where you will deliver.

Day Of: Deliver

Go live 5 minutes early. Welcome early arrivals and let people settle in.

Record everything. Make sure recording is turned on before you start teaching. The recording becomes a product you can sell later.

Engage the chat. Acknowledge questions and comments as they come in. Have a moderator if possible.

End with a clear CTA. Tell attendees what to do next: book a 1:1 call, join your community, buy the advanced workshop, or grab a resource you mentioned.

Promotion Strategy That Fills Seats

Promotion is where most masterclasses succeed or fail. Here is how to fill seats without an ad budget.

Email (Your Best Channel)

If you have an email list, this is your highest-converting channel. Send 3-4 emails:

1. Announcement email (3 weeks out): Introduce the topic, explain what they will learn, include early bird pricing.
2. Social proof email (2 weeks out): Share registration numbers, testimonials, or a preview of the content.
3. Last chance email (3-5 days out): Price is going up or seats are running out.
4. Day-of reminder (morning of): "It is today! Here is your link."

Social Media

Instagram: Use stories (polls, countdowns, Q&A stickers), a feed post, and a link in bio.

Twitter/X: Thread about the topic with real value, then mention the masterclass at the end. Pin the announcement.

LinkedIn: Write a post about the problem your masterclass solves. Works well for business and professional topics.

YouTube: Mention it at the end of your videos or create a short dedicated video.

Partnerships and Cross-Promotion

Find 2-3 creators in complementary niches and offer to cross-promote. If you teach SEO, partner with someone who teaches content writing. Their audience needs your expertise, and yours needs theirs.

Offer affiliates 15-20% of each ticket sold through their link. Most platforms (including Talkspresso) support promo codes that make tracking easy.

Community and Word of Mouth

Post in relevant Slack groups, Discord servers, Facebook groups, and subreddits. Share helpful advice related to your topic, then mention the masterclass as a deeper dive.

Tech Setup: What You Actually Need

You do not need expensive equipment. Here is the minimum viable setup.

Platform

You need a platform that handles three things: video, payments, and registration. Stitching together Zoom + Stripe + Eventbrite works but creates friction for both you and your attendees. If you are weighing the DIY route against an all-in-one platform, our Talkspresso vs. Calendly + Zoom + Stripe cost comparison covers the real numbers.

Talkspresso handles all three in one place. Create a workshop, set your price and capacity (up to 500 attendees), and share your registration link. Attendees pay, register, and join the live video from one page. Sessions are automatically recorded for replay or resale.

Audio

Audio quality matters more than video quality. A $50-80 USB microphone (Blue Yeti, Samson Q2U, or Audio-Technica ATR2100x) is a significant upgrade over your laptop mic. Use headphones to prevent echo.

Camera

Your laptop webcam is fine for getting started. If you want better quality, a Logitech C920 or C922 ($70-80) is the standard upgrade.

Slides

Keep slides visual and minimal. Use Google Slides, Keynote, or Canva. Aim for one key point per slide with large text. Nobody wants to read dense bullet points during a live session.

Internet

Use a wired ethernet connection if possible. If you are on Wi-Fi, sit close to the router. Have a phone hotspot ready as a backup, and keep your slide deck downloaded locally.

Post-Masterclass Monetization

The live session is just the beginning. Here is how to keep earning from every masterclass you run.

Sell the Recording

This is the easiest passive income move. After the live session, package the recording as a digital product and sell it on your profile.

Pricing the recording: Charge 50-75% of the live ticket price. If the live session was $25, sell the recording for $15-19.

How to sell it: On Talkspresso, you can turn any session recording into a digital product with one click. Set the price, add a description, and it is available on your profile immediately.

Upsell 1:1 Calls

At the end of your masterclass, offer attendees a discounted rate on 1:1 follow-up calls. "Want help applying this to your specific situation? Book a 1:1 call with me this week for 20% off."

Attendees have already seen your expertise in action, so the conversion rate to 1:1 client is significantly higher than cold traffic.

Create a Follow-Up Series

Turn a single masterclass into a recurring series. "Part 1: SEO Foundations" becomes "Part 2: Technical SEO" becomes "Part 3: Link Building." Offer a bundle discount for all three.

Build Your Email List

Every masterclass attendee is a warm lead. Add them to your email list (with permission) and nurture them toward courses, communities, coaching packages, or future masterclasses.

License the Content

If your masterclass covers a professional topic, companies may pay to license the recording for internal training. A single corporate license at $500-2,000 can multiply your revenue from one session.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overcomplicating the topic. Teach one thing well. "Everything About Marketing" is too broad. "How to Write LinkedIn Posts That Get 10x More Reach" is specific and actionable.

Skipping the dry run. A 5-minute tech check catches problems that would derail a live session.

Not recording. The recording is a product you can sell for months or years. Always hit record.

Underpricing out of nervousness. Charging $5 per seat signals low value. Start at $15 minimum and deliver $50 worth of content.

Ignoring post-event follow-up. Send a follow-up email within 24 hours with the recording link and your CTA for 1:1 calls or the next masterclass.

Your First Masterclass: A Simple Action Plan

If you have never run a paid masterclass before, here is exactly what to do this week:

1. Pick one topic your audience keeps asking about.
2. Choose a date 3-4 weeks from now.
3. Set the price at $15-20 per seat.
4. Create your event page with a clear title, description, date, and price.
5. Announce it on your primary social channel and email list.
6. Prepare your content over the next 2-3 weeks.
7. Deliver, record, and follow up.

That is it. Your first masterclass does not need to be perfect. It needs to exist. You will learn more from running one imperfect masterclass than from spending months planning the perfect one.

The creators earning $3,000-10,000 per masterclass all started with a first session that felt a little rough. The difference is they started.

See how creators use Talkspresso to sell paid video calls and workshops, or explore the Talkspresso for Creators page.

Create your first masterclass on Talkspresso

Trauma informed cultural language tutor & Art Life Coach