Pricing for online wellness programs
Discover how to price online wellness programs effectively, whether offering them as lead magnets, part of a bundle, or standalone services. Learn how to calculate value, maximize ROI, and leverage Healthie's free, customizable prebuilt programs to grow your practice.
Online wellness programs have become a popular tool for private practice clinicians to engage clients, diversify revenue streams, and scale their services. However, determining how to price these programs can be challenging. Should you charge for them? If so, how much? And how do you ensure your pricing aligns with your goals and reflects the value provided?
This guide will walk you through the process of establishing the goals and pricing for your online wellness programs, and help you calculate a monetary or non-monetary value.
Establishing the goals for your wellness program
Before determining a price, it's essential to clarify the purpose of your wellness program. Ask yourself:
Who is the program for?
Is this program designed for new clients, existing clients, or to reach a new niche?
This answer can affect the content of the program, how you market it, the call-to-action once the program is completed, as well as how you price the program.
What are the outcomes?
Will participants develop long-term healthy habits or lifestyle changes? Will they improve a specific health condition or reach measurable milestones? Will they gain access to exclusive resources, like expert guidance, personalized plans, or a supportive community? Will they experience enhanced mental well-being, reduced stress, or improved focus?
Clients should know the answers to these questions before beginning the program to correctly set expectations for course value and content.
How does it fit into your business?
Will you actively engage with participants throughout the program, or will it be self-paced for asynchronous learning? Is the program designed to support clients during periods when you’re unavailable, such as vacations or off-hours? Will this program serve as a tool to foster community among your clients?
As the clinician running the program, it is important to assess how much clinician-client interaction, if any, will produce the best outcomes for your program. This will not only support the success of your program but also ensure you can monitor progress and budget your time appropriately.
Understanding your program’s goals ensures you align its pricing with its purpose. For example, a short introductory program to build a contact list might be offered for free, while a comprehensive, 12-week program addressing chronic health issues might warrant a higher price tag.
Determining the value of your online wellness program
To confidently price your program, calculate its value by considering:
1. Time and Effort
As a clinician, you likely have a standard hourly rate for clients. To create a price for the program, you will want to first consider what delivering the program has cost you, and use this as the foundation for pricing your program.
Upfront: Track the time you have spent designing the program and creating the content. This will remain a fixed cost, no matter how long you use this program.
Ongoing: Consider how much time you will need to market your program, monitor client progress, and how much time you might spend refining your program as you receive feedback and review outcomes.
Pro Tip → Create a program consisting of “evergreen” content. The purpose of using evergreen, or always applicable, content means that your program will remain current and valuable over time.
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2. Resources Provided
Higher-value resources typically justify higher pricing, as they are more time-consuming to create and can lend themselves to other learning styles. Consider whether you’re including elements such as:
- Videos or webinars
- Worksheets or guides
- Access to group coaching or a community
3. Market Rates
Conducting market research to understand what competitors charge can provide helpful context, but it’s important to remember that the value of your program isn’t solely defined by others' pricing. Use market rates as a reference point to remain competitive, but focus on the unique features, outcomes, and expertise your program offers.
For instance:
- Some 6-week programs with weekly videos and resources might range from $200 to $500.
- Comprehensive programs with one-on-one coaching or personalized plans could be priced at $1,000 or more.
While these examples can guide your thinking, the time, effort, and results your program delivers should be the primary factors in determining its price. What you offer may go beyond—or differ from—what the market provides, and your pricing should reflect that.
4. Client Outcomes
Consider the outcomes clients can expect from participating in your online wellness program, such as improved health, weight loss, or stress management. The more transformative the outcomes, the higher the perceived value and return on investment for clients.
Once you have all of this information, you could consider the following formula:
Distributing your program
How you distribute your program impacts its pricing and accessibility. Here are three common approaches:
Lead generation
If your goal is to attract potential clients, consider offering your program for free or in exchange for an email address. A short wellness challenge or mini-course can serve as a lead magnet. Participants who find value are more likely to invest in your paid services later.
Bundled with other services
Pairing your program with other offerings adds value and can justify higher pricing. You can include the program in a package with one-on-one coaching, meal plans, or telehealth sessions. Bundle pricing can also encourage clients to commit to a broader range of services, likely to produce better outcomes.
Standalone service
For standalone sales, ensure your pricing reflects the program’s value. A program with weekly modules, progress check-ins, group webinars, and valuable resources warrants a price tag equivalent to the effort, thought, and expertise you have put into it. Provide clear details on what’s included and the expected outcomes to help clients see the value of your offerings.
Prebuilt programs with Healthie
Creating a digital wellness program from scratch can be time-consuming, but Healthie simplifies the process with free, customizable, prebuilt programs built by licensed clinicians. These programs are designed to help clinicians:
- Save time on development
- Offer professional-grade content
- Tailor materials to their specific client needs
Clinicians can price these programs as they see fit—whether bundled with other services, offered independently, or used as a lead-generation tool. By leveraging Healthie’s prebuilt programs, you can focus more on delivering exceptional care and less on program creation.