How long does it take to create an online course?

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.

Listen to this in a podcast episode instead:

Oh, and while we’re on the topic — I’ve got a time-sensitive invite for you: my Live Kickstart Your Course Creation Challenge is starting soon, and it’s your chance to actually get your course out of your head and into action.

Here's what you'll get in the 14-day experience:

Daily video guides (no fluff, and nothing over 10 minutes)
Actionable tasks that move your course idea forward every day
Live Telegram group support support
Unlimited access to the content once the Challenge is done

The challenge is designed to get you out of overthinking mode and into momentum. Because let’s face it — the hardest part of course creation isn’t the tech or the content. It’s getting started and staying in motion.

“The actual building of your course isn’t the hard part. The hard part is thinking about building your course for 6 months without taking action.”

And if you're wondering — can you actually create a course in 14 days?

Technically, yes. Realistically? That depends on a few key factors.

So... How Long Does It Actually 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

This is what the Kickstart Challenge is built for — short bursts of focused action, minimal distractions, and clear steps to follow.

💻 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

Pro tip: Create a weekly schedule and give yourself mini-deadlines. Momentum doesn’t just happen — you build it.

🧠 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 (hello, Kickstart Challenge).

Why Most 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.

Sound familiar?

That’s why the Kickstart Challenge exists. It cuts through the noise and gives you bite-sized, momentum-building tasks to follow each day.

It’s designed to:

Help you start taking action now
Know the exact next step
Show you how to simplify instead of overcomplicate