How long does it take to create an online course? Without unrealistic expectations

07 Jul, 2025

If you’ve ever asked yourself “how long does it take to create an online course?” – first of all, welcome to the club. It’s one of the most common (and paralyzing) questions new course creators ask. So today, let’s unpack that question honestly and realistically, without fluff, and without setting you up for unrealistic expectations.

Creating an online course can feel overwhelming if you’re jumping in it without any clear plan or vision.

Especially if you’ve just started exploring content creation – there’s still so much to learn in the first place.

How can you plan your creation process, without running into burnout? How to stay motivated throughout a longer process if it ends up taking months?! And is there a way to speed it all up?

Let’s chat all about that!

Listen to this in a podcast episode instead:

How long does it take to create an online course?

The short answer: It depends.

The longer, more helpful answer: it depends on how focused your time is, how prepared you are and how much of the work you’re doing yourself.

Let’s break it down:

The Fast-Track Creator (1–2 Weeks)

If you’ve already got a clear course idea, a content plan, and some experience recording or presenting – you could create a course in a matter of days or a couple of weeks.

This is especially true if:

You’re using tools you’re already familiar with
You’re reusing existing content (like past workshops or client material)
You block out intentional time daily to build and record

I personally often make my ideas happen within a few days as I have well-established systems, I have the templates I can easily re-use and experience in quick recording and editing.

If you wish to make your course happen FAST, it IS absolutely possible but it’s also important not to rush into it, without any clear vision or plan, as it can quickly lead to burnout or a course that is hard to sell.

The Intentional Creator (1–3 Months)

Most people fall into this category. You’re working on your course alongside other projects or commitments. Maybe you’re building on weekends, batching in the evenings, or slowly testing your tech setup.

In this case, one to three months is a totally reasonable (and productive) timeline. You’ll make steady progress, and with a good plan in place, you’ll avoid the usual procrastination traps.

This approach works well if:

You’re balancing course creation with a business or job
You want time to validate ideas or test content
You’re not in a rush, but you still want results

I’d suggest you to create a weekly schedule and give yourself mini-deadlines. Momentum doesn’t just happen – you build it.

Most of my client work projects take 2-3 months. This includes a deep-dive in their existing content and outline creation, brand-aligned slide and workbook prep, recording time and video editing, as well as full funnel setup. It’s a fast-paced but balanced timeline to work with.

The Deep-Dive Creator (3–6+ Months)

Some courses are just… big. Maybe you’re building a signature program with layered content, group coaching, workbooks, slides, video walkthroughs, and bonuses galore.

If you’re creating a high-touch experience or a comprehensive transformation, it’s going to take longer – and that’s totally fine.

But here’s the catch: the bigger the course, the more risk there is of falling into perfectionism or losing motivation. This is where I always recommend pre-selling your course.

When you pre-sell:

You commit to a delivery timeline
You generate momentum (and income!) before you’re finished
You get real validation that people want your offer

Don’t wait until everything is “perfect.” Launch imperfectly, improve as you go, and lean on support (join us inside Your Course Creation Membership for that – inside you’re getting access to Weekly Friday Telegram chats to ask your questions, share any roadblocks you may have and move through your project more easily)

Why so many course creators get stuck?

Let’s talk about the real timeline killer: paralysis.

You get excited about your course idea, open 47 tabs to “research platforms,” spend 3 hours choosing fonts for your slides… and then feel completely overwhelmed.

It is SO easy to get stuck and keep postponing your course progress.

So how to avoid that?

Set mini-deadlines and rewards. I’d focus on having a clear weekly goal, attached to a specific reward. For example, treat yourself to your favorite coffee once your goal is reached. The rewards can change from time to time, depending on the tasks and what motivates you.
Create small, easily reachable goals. For example, instead of “finish module 1” or even “finish lesson 1”, choose a goal like “design first 10 draft slides for lesson 1”.
Outsource the tasks you’re procrastinating on. Outsourcing won’t always mean investing thousands of dollars into support. You can outsource some smaller tasks that are keeping you stuck for Virtual Assistants which often charge $20-$30/per hour or more – depending on the specifics of the project. For 10 hours of support, you may be looking at $300 investment (and it can be invaluable when it comes to actually getting your project going!)