As a teacher on Outschool, understanding how families can pay helps you confidently support them when they have questions about getting started and enrolling in your classes.
Note: This article covers how families pay using membership or paying per class. For information about families using ESA or other public funding programs, learn more here: Managing public funding enrollments: A quick guide for teachers
How families pay on Outschool
Do families need a membership to enroll in classes?
Families do not need a membership to enroll in classes. They can enroll by paying per class using a payment method or by using a membership plan.
What’s the difference between membership and paying per class?
When families pay per class, they enroll in individual classes and pay the listed price plus a marketplace fee. With a membership, families make a monthly payment that goes toward credits they use for class enrollments, along with additional benefits like bonus credits and no marketplace fee.
How will families see my class prices?
Families may see class prices in their local currency or in credits, depending on how they pay. You set your class price in U.S. dollars, and it is automatically shown in credits for families using membership, but your earnings remain the same.
How does how families pay impact me as an educator?
How families pay does not change how you teach, set prices, or earn. Your payout structure remains the same whether families use membership or pay per class.
Why families can choose how they pay
Why can families choose between membership and paying per class?
Previously, a membership was required to enroll in classes. Based on feedback from families and educators, Outschool offers both membership and paying per class to provide more flexibility in how learners enroll.
What does this mean for families who previously needed a membership?
Families can enroll in classes without starting a membership. Membership remains available and can be a good fit for families who take classes regularly, with added benefits like the member library, savings, and Concierge support.
How will families know they can choose how they pay?
Families are informed about their payment options through their experience on Outschool and through ongoing communication. This helps new families understand their choices and supports families who may have stopped enrolling so they can return to participate in classes.
What can I do to encourage families to enroll?
You can continue sharing your classes, offering discounts, and engaging with your learners. With more ways to enroll, you can welcome new families and reconnect with past ones.
What to expect with enrollments
How might this affect enrollments in my classes?
Membership families continue to enroll as they do today. Paying per class also allows additional families to enroll who may not have enrolled before, such as those trying Outschool for the first time or starting with one-time or introductory classes, expanding your potential audience.
Will my classes be shown differently depending on how families pay?
Class discovery works the same way for all families, regardless of whether they use membership or pay per class. Families with a membership may have access to additional benefits, but these do not affect how your classes are shown.
What happens when families switch between a membership and paying per class?
When families switch how they pay, any existing enrollments are not affected. Learners remain enrolled as scheduled. Going forward, enrollments are paid using credits with a membership or a saved payment method when paying per class.
Supporting families
How can I explain why families can choose how they pay?
Families can choose how they pay to provide more flexibility based on feedback from the Outschool community. Membership is still available, and nothing about how it works has changed. Paying per class is an additional option so families can get started in a way that works best for them.
How can I support families who have questions about their options?
Help families understand they can choose between membership and paying per class based on what works best for them. Families who take classes regularly may prefer membership, which includes additional benefits such as the member library, savings, and Concierge support, while those trying one or two classes may choose to pay per class. You can also direct families to the Outschool membership page to learn more about available plans.
Is there information I can share with families who have questions?
Direct families to Outschool’s Parent FAQ for answers to common questions about membership, paying per class, and switching between options. For questions about a specific account or billing situation, families should contact Outschool Support.
How should I use my OUTreach referral code?
The OUTreach referral program is designed for referring new members, and you can continue using your referral code as you do today. Outschool is exploring ways to support OUTreach referrals for families who choose to pay per class.