Launching an online course platform is easier when you have a clear checklist. This guide covers the requirements you need before launch, from tech stack to features and marketing.
Use this checklist to make sure your platform is complete, tested, and ready to scale.
Platform stack requirements
- WordPress installation
- LearnDash for course delivery
- BuddyPress for community
- Reign theme for design
Core pages checklist
- Homepage
- Course catalog
- Course detail page
- Instructor page
- Community hub
- Support and contact
Feature checklist
- Progress tracking and quizzes
- Payment and checkout
- Certificates and downloads
- Member profiles and groups
- Notifications and email
Marketing and launch requirements
- Email onboarding sequence
- SEO content plan
- Analytics tracking
- Launch campaign
Quality and support checklist
- Course content reviewed
- Community guidelines published
- Refund policy defined
- Support workflow set
- Performance optimized
Run a Membership-Based Academy Without a Separate Membership Plugin
Pairing an LMS with a membership plugin means two codebases, two update cycles, and two points of failure. Learnomy includes memberships and content drip in the core free plugin. Create membership tiers, assign courses to each tier, and drip lessons out on your schedule, all from one place.
Best for: Subscription academies, monthly course clubs, and educators who gate content by access level.
- Membership tiers built into the free plugin with no third-party dependency
- Content drip controls when students access lessons after enrolling
- Built-in Stripe checkout handles membership billing directly
Learnomy covers memberships and drip in the free version, and Learnomy Pro extends this with structured learning paths and prerequisite gates.
Conclusion
A complete online course platform needs the right stack, the right pages, and the right launch strategy. With WordPress, LearnDash, BuddyPress, and Reign, you can build a scalable platform.
Launch with Reign + LearnDash + BuddyPress and deliver a professional learning experience.
