Online course pricing can often become a barrier—especially for high-value courses. Many potential students want to enroll but hesitate when they see a large one-time payment at checkout. This is where installment payments change everything.
We’re excited to introduce Installment Payments for Academy LMS courses, powered by StoreEngine. With this feature, Academy LMS users can now sell courses in flexible installments instead of forcing a single upfront payment. Course creators get higher conversion rates and steady cash flow, while students enjoy affordable, stress-free access to premium learning.
Whether you’re selling professional training, certifications, or in-depth programs, installment payments make your courses more accessible—without compromising on control or transparency. From flexible payment schedules to clear tracking for both admins and students, Academy LMS installment selling is designed to create a smooth experience on every side.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through how installment payments work with Academy LMS, why they matter for course businesses, and how you can start selling courses in installments with confidence.
Why Installment Payments Matter for Online Courses
One of the biggest challenges in selling online courses today isn’t content quality—it’s pricing psychology. Many learners hesitate when they see a single large upfront price, even if they genuinely want the course and believe it will help them. A one-time payment often feels risky, heavy, or simply unaffordable, especially for students, professionals in developing markets, or early-career learners.
This is where installment payments make a real difference.
By allowing students to split the total course fee into smaller, manageable payments, installment plans significantly reduce hesitation at checkout. Instead of asking learners to fully commit financially on day one, you’re giving them a flexible entry point. The decision feels easier, safer, and more accessible—without lowering the actual value of your course.
From a business perspective, installment payments are not about discounts. They’re about removing friction. When learners can start with a deposit or first payment, they’re more likely to enroll immediately rather than postponing the decision. For many course creators, this directly translates into higher enrollment numbers and faster growth.
In short, installment payments bridge the gap between course value and student affordability, making premium education accessible without compromising your pricing strategy.
Setting Up Installment Payments for Academy LMS Courses
Ready to break down financial barriers and boost your enrollments? Setting up installment plans is a straightforward process that happens right within your WordPress dashboard. By combining the power of Academy LMS and StoreEngine, you can offer flexible pricing in just a few clicks.
Here is how to configure it:
1. Activating the Installment Add-on
Before you can offer flexible pricing, you need to enable the dedicated module within StoreEngine.
- Navigate to the StoreEngine menu in your WordPress sidebar and select Add-ons.
- Use the search bar to find the “Installment Plan” add-on.
- Simply toggle the switch to Active. You will notice that no extra plugins are required to make this work, keeping your site lean and fast.
Configuring Installment Pricing for Your Course
Once the add-on is active, you can apply installment rules to any existing Academy LMS course or a newly created one.
Access the Product: Go to the Products section of StoreEngine. You can either create a new product or edit an existing paid course you’ve already built with Academy LMS and StoreEngine.
Select Pricing Type: In the product edit mode, scroll down to the pricing section. Choose Installment as your Pricing Type.
Set the Base Price: Enter your Pricing Name, then set your Sale Price and a Compare Price to show students the value they are receiving.
Define the Down Payment: In the Deposit (Down Payment) field, enter the percentage the student must pay upfront to gain access to the course.
Define Interval Payment Rules
The final step is to determine how the remaining balance will be collected over time. This gives you full control over your cash flow and the student’s commitment level.
Click the “+” icon under Installment Payment Rules to add new payment milestones.
- Set Payment Amount: Assign a percentage for each subsequent payment (e.g., 10%).
- Set the Interval: Choose the frequency of the payments, such as every day, week, month or year.
- Review Totals: The system will automatically calculate the Total percentage (ensuring it reaches 100%) and the Total Duration of the plan in days.
Once satisfied with the schedule, click Add Price to save your new flexible payment plan.
Final Step: Linking the Integration
Inside the product edit screen where you just configured your pricing, scroll to the Integration section. This is where StoreEngine talks to Academy LMS.
- Select Integration: In the first dropdown menu, choose Academy LMS.
- Assign Course Access: Under Course Access, search for and select the specific course you want to sell.
- Select the Price: From the Select A Price dropdown, pick the installment price you just created.
- Confirm Integration: Click the blue Add Integration button.
Finalize: Once the integration is listed, don’t forget to Update or Save the product at the top of the page.
Your course is now officially ready to be sold in installments! Your students will see the flexible payment options on the course page, making it easier than ever for them to click “Enroll Now.”
Student Experience: How Learners Pay in Installments
Once your installment plan is configured, the student experience becomes incredibly transparent and flexible. When a potential learner visits your course page, they are no longer met with a single, daunting price tag. Instead, they are presented with a clear, professional breakdown of their payment options.
Detailed Payment Schedule
If a student selects the installment option, StoreEngine automatically displays a comprehensive Payment Schedule:
Upfront Cost: It clearly shows the Down Payment amount required to gain immediate access to the course.
Future Milestones: Every subsequent installment is listed with its specific amount, the percentage of the total it represents, and the time interval (e.g., 1 month) until the next charge.
Total Transparency: Students can see exactly how many installments are remaining (e.g., “+9 installments”) before they ever click the “Buy Now” button.
This level of detail builds immense trust with your learners. By showing them exactly what to expect financially over the coming months, you reduce “buyer’s remorse” and create a stress-free enrollment process that focuses on their education, not their debt.
Why Academy LMS + StoreEngine Is a Powerful Combination
The installment payment feature becomes truly powerful because of the deep integration between Academy LMS and StoreEngine. Instead of relying on external platforms or complex third-party solutions, everything works natively inside WordPress.
StoreEngine handles the entire eCommerce logic—pricing, installments, payment tracking, and order management—while Academy LMS focuses on delivering a seamless learning experience. This separation of responsibilities results in a clean, scalable system that’s easy to manage and extend.
Unlike hosted platforms, this setup gives you full ownership and control. You decide how courses are priced, how installments are structured, and how payments are managed—without platform restrictions or revenue sharing.
Because both tools are built with performance and flexibility in mind, they work well for solo instructors, growing academies, and large training platforms alike. Whether you’re selling a single premium course or managing multiple programs with different installment rules, the Academy LMS + StoreEngine combination is designed to scale with your business.
It’s not just about adding installment payments—it’s about building a future-ready course platform that grows with you.
Final Thoughts: Start Selling Courses Without Pricing Barriers
Education should empower learners, not exclude them because of upfront costs. With installment payments for Academy LMS courses, you remove one of the biggest barriers to enrollment while keeping your course value intact.
This feature allows you to meet students where they are financially, encourage faster decisions, and build a more sustainable revenue model—all without complicating your workflow.
If you’re offering premium courses, certifications, or long-term learning programs, installment payments aren’t just a nice addition—they’re a strategic advantage.
Now is the perfect time to enable installment payments, give your students flexible options, and grow your Academy LMS business with confidence.