How to Set Up a Tutor LMS Marketplace with Multiple Instructors

A course marketplace lets other instructors publish and sell courses on your site while you take a share of each sale. Tutor LMS includes the core pieces in the free plugin: instructor registration and approval, revenue sharing, fees and withdrawals. This guide shows how to set them up in Tutor LMS 4.1.3.

Step 1: Enable the marketplace

Go to Tutor LMS > Settings > General:

• Turn on Enable Marketplace (under Others).
• Turn on the Become an Instructor Button so students can apply.
• Decide on Allow Instructors to Publish Courses. For quality control, turn it off: instructors then submit courses and an admin reviews and publishes them.

Step 2: Set up instructor registration

Tutor LMS creates an Instructor Registration page with [tutor_instructor_registration_form]. Add it to your menu or a "Teach with us" page. Applications arrive as pending under Tutor LMS > Instructors, where you approve or reject them. See adding instructors.

Step 3: Choose how courses are sold

Pick an eCommerce engine under Settings > Monetization > Options. Native eCommerce keeps orders and earnings inside Tutor LMS; WooCommerce works too. See monetization options.

Step 4: Configure revenue sharing

Under Settings > Monetization > Revenue Sharing:

• Turn on Enable Revenue Sharing.
• Set the Sharing Percentage: the instructor's share and the admin's share of each sale. Tutor LMS stores these as earning_instructor_commission and earning_admin_commission.

Under Fees, you can Deduct Fees before the split, with a fee description and an amount that is fixed or a percentage. This covers payment processing or platform costs. See commission and revenue sharing.

Step 5: Set up withdrawals

Under Settings > Monetization > Withdraw:

• Minimum Withdrawal Amount.
• Minimum Days Before Balance is Available: a holding period that protects you against refunds.
• Enable Withdraw Method: bank transfer, eCheck and PayPal.
• Bank Instructions shown to instructors who choose bank transfer.

Instructors set their withdrawal method and request payouts from their dashboard. Requests appear under Tutor LMS > Withdraw Requests, where you approve or reject them after paying.

Step 6: Help instructors succeed

• Write course quality guidelines and a short onboarding guide.
• Review each new course before publishing.
• Use the instructor list shortcode to show your teachers.
• With Tutor LMS Pro, enable Multi Instructors for co-taught courses, and the Email and Notifications add-ons to keep instructors informed.

How earnings are recorded

For each sale, Tutor LMS records a row in the tutor_earnings table with the course, order, prices, instructor amount and rate, admin amount and rate, commission type and any fees deducted. Withdrawals are stored in tutor_withdraws. This makes earnings reports possible. For custom splits, developers can use the tutor_new_earning_data filter (in the WooCommerce flow) or build a custom earnings rule. See changing instructor earnings with code.

Frequently asked questions

Can different instructors have different commission rates?

The sharing percentage is a site-wide setting. Per-instructor rates need custom development.

Does Tutor LMS pay instructors automatically?

No. Instructors request withdrawals and an admin pays them by the chosen method, then approves the request.

Can instructors see their students?

Yes, instructors see their students, Q&A, quiz attempts and earnings in their dashboard.

Building a larger marketplace? Our online academy solution and development services can help.