Outline: modules, lessons and one outcome each
systeme.io builds a course from modules that contain lectures. Access can be full, drip (lectures unlock over time), partial (selected modules only) or partial with drip. Each lecture's drip delay is measured from the previous lecture, not from the start of the course, and modules, lectures and the course must each be activated before students see them. [2]
Because delays chain, plan them on paper first. In the outline below, lesson 2.1 opens 7 days after lesson 1.3, and lesson 3.1 opens 7 days after the last lesson of module 2, so a 0-day lesson in between does not reset the clock.
| Module | Lesson | Outcome the student can show | Delay after previous lesson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Foundations | 1.1 Set up your workspace | Workspace screenshot | 0 days |
| 1 Foundations | 1.2 Core concepts | Completes 5-question quiz | 0 days |
| 1 Foundations | 1.3 First small project | Uploads project file | 1 day |
| 2 Practice | 2.1 Common mistakes | Fixes a broken example | 7 days |
| 2 Practice | 2.2 Second project | Shares finished project | 0 days |
| 3 Next steps | 3.1 Plan your own project | Written one-page plan | 7 days |
Video files: specs to settle before recording
systeme.io says uploaded videos cannot exceed 2GB, recommends files no larger than 100MB for faster loading, and suggests compressing with a tool such as Handbrake. You can also add a video by URL or embed code instead of uploading. [3]
Worked example: to keep a 10-minute lesson under 100MB, the average bitrate needs to stay below about 1.3 megabits per second (100MB is 800 megabits, divided by 600 seconds). That is why short lessons are easier to keep light than one long recording.
| Decision | Target | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson length | Short enough to stay near 100MB after compression | systeme.io's recommended size for faster loading [3] |
| Hard limit | Under 2GB per upload | Uploads above this are refused [3] |
| Hosting | Upload, URL or embed code | Decide once so lessons behave consistently [3] |
| File names | module-lesson-topic, for example 2-1-common-mistakes.mp4 | Makes replacing a lesson later painless |
Pricing model and plan fit
systeme.io price plans come in three types: one-time payment, subscription (with an optional trial period; enter 0 if there is none) and payment plan, where you set the total number of payments. These are created for digital products on an order form, and the order form will not save without a price plan. [4][5]
The pricing page, read on 30 October 2026, lists Free ($0, 1 course, 2,000 contacts), Startup ($17 a month, 5 courses, 5,000 contacts), Webinar ($47, 20 courses, 10,000 contacts) and Unlimited ($97, unlimited courses and contacts), with 0% transaction fees on all plans. The Free column lists 500 students while an all-plans section says unlimited students, so confirm before you rely on either. [1]
| Model | Fits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| One-time payment | A finished course with a clear end | Revenue arrives only at launch and promotions |
| Payment plan | Higher price where buyers want to spread cost | You must chase or handle failed later payments |
| Subscription | Ongoing content or community | You must keep publishing to justify each renewal |
Refund policy wording you can honour
On systeme.io, refunds are issued from Sales, Transactions, and the platform creates a negative invoice you can send as proof. Partial refunds are not supported, refund availability depends on your payment gateway, and you need enough balance in the gateway to refund. [6] Removing a student's access is a separate manual step (Dismiss in the student's enrollments), and the student stays on your list. [7]
In the EU, consumers generally have 14 days to withdraw from online purchases, but not for digital content they started downloading or streaming after expressly agreeing to lose that right. [10] If you sell to EU buyers, your checkout and policy need to reflect that consent. This is not legal advice.
- State the refund window in days and what starts it
- Say how to request a refund (email address, not only a form)
- Do not promise partial refunds if your platform cannot issue them
- Say that course access ends when a refund is issued, and put the manual removal step in your own process
- Keep the wording identical on the sales page, order form and confirmation email
Launch email sequence
systeme.io campaigns send each email after the one before it: the delay is calculated from the delivery of the preceding email, and you can restrict sending to certain hours or weekdays. An email goes out only when every condition is met. [8] A campaign starts from an automation rule triggered by a funnel form signup, a new sale or a tag being added; a tag must be added after the rule exists to trigger it. [9]
Buyers also receive an automated enrollment email with instructions to set a password, which cannot be customised, so mention it in your own welcome email. [5]
| Delay after previous | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Welcome | 1 hour after signup | What the course covers and when doors close |
| 2 Problem story | 1 day | The mistake lesson 2.1 fixes |
| 3 Proof of method | 2 days | A worked example from the course outline |
| 4 Objections | 2 days | Refund terms, time per week, what is not included |
| 5 Last call | 1 day | Deadline reminder |
Map each planning item to systeme.io
| Planning item | systeme.io feature | Set it where |
|---|---|---|
| Outline | Course, modules, lectures | Courses; activate each item [2] |
| Release schedule | Access type: full, drip, partial, partial with drip | Order form digital product [2][5] |
| Price | Price plan: one-time, subscription, payment plan | Order form price plan [4] |
| Launch emails | Campaign plus automation rule | Emails, Campaigns; Automations, Rules [8][9] |
| Refunds | Refund from transactions; dismiss enrollment | Sales, Transactions; course Students tab [6][7] |
Questions before you decide
What is the maximum video size on systeme.io?
systeme.io says uploaded videos cannot exceed 2GB and recommends keeping them no larger than 100MB for faster loading, suggesting a compression tool such as Handbrake.
Can I give partial refunds on systeme.io?
No. systeme.io's refund article says partial refunds are not currently supported, and refund availability depends on your payment gateway.
How does drip content timing work on systeme.io?
Each lecture has a delay that is measured from the previous lecture, not from the course start. With drip access, students unlock lectures over time according to those chained delays.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- systeme.io pricing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- systeme.io Help: how to create a course Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- systeme.io Help: host videos Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- systeme.io Help: create and configure a price plan Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- systeme.io Help: how to sell an online course Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- systeme.io Help: how to refund a customer Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- systeme.io Help: cancel a student's access to a course Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- systeme.io Help: how to set up an email campaign Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- systeme.io Help: automate sending a series of emails Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Your Europe: returning goods and the right of withdrawal Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.