Create an Online Course

Curriculum design, materials, AI-presented video lessons and polished slides — a sellable course.

This workflow takes you from a course idea to a sellable online course with video lessons, polished slides, and structured curriculum. The combination works because each tool handles a distinct phase: ChatGPT for content creation, Notion AI for organization, Synthesia for video generation, Descript for editing, and Canva AI for visual design. You end up with a complete course package that looks professional and saves hours of production time. It's ideal for instructors, creators, and small teams who want to produce a course without hiring a video editor or designer.

The workflow, step by step

1
Design curriculum and draft scripts
ChatGPT
Use ChatGPT to brainstorm course outline, learning objectives, and write first-draft scripts for each lesson. Its conversational ability lets you refine ideas quickly, and it can adjust tone and complexity for your audience.
Hand-off → Curriculum outline and draft scripts in text.
2
Organize and polish course materials
Notion AI
Import your ChatGPT output into Notion to structure it as a course database. Use Notion AI to expand sections, fix grammar, and add summaries. This keeps all your content centralized and collaborative.
Hand-off → Structured course content with polished scripts and notes.
3
Generate AI presenter videos
Synthesia
Turn your scripts into video lessons using AI avatars and voiceovers in over 140 languages. No need to film yourself—Synthesia creates professional-looking presentations that scale with your course length.
Hand-off → Raw video files for each lesson.
4
Edit video by editing transcript
Descript
Import Synthesia videos and edit them by correcting the transcript—deleting, reordering, or adding text automatically updates the video. Add captions, fix timing, and polish audio for a clean final cut.
Hand-off → Edited, captioned video files.
5
Design presentation slides
Canva Magic Studio
Use Canva Magic Studio to generate slide decks that complement your video lessons. AI creates layouts, images, and brand-consistent designs based on your content. Finalize downloadable slides for students.

What this stack costs per month

Running on free tiers$0every tool here has a permanently free plan

All entry paid plans$18/mosum of 1 published starting prices, one seat each, plus 4 tools without published pricing

ChatGPTfreemium, pricing not published
Notion AIfreemium, pricing not published
Synthesiafrom $18/mo · free tier
Descriptfreemium, pricing not published
Canva Magic Studiofreemium, pricing not published

Computed from each vendor's published monthly prices as we last verified them — tap a tool for its full pricing breakdown and price history.

All tools in this stack

ChatGPT

freemium

OpenAI flagship conversational AI with code, writing, analysis, and vision capab...

Rating

4.6

Category

AI chat

Pricing

$20/mo Plus

Notion AI

freemium

AI built into Notion that writes, summarizes, and answers questions across your ...

Rating

4.3

Category

AI writing

Pricing

$10/mo per member add-on

Synthesia

freemium

Enterprise AI video platform for turning scripts into professional avatar-presen...

Rating

4.5

Category

AI video

Pricing

Free plan; $18/mo Starter

Descript

freemium

AI video and podcast editor that lets you edit media by editing the transcript, ...

Rating

4.4

Category

AI video

Pricing

Free tier; $24/mo Hobbyist

Canva Magic Studio

freemium

Canva's suite of AI design tools for generating images, text, and full designs, ...

Rating

4.5

Category

AI design

Pricing

Free tier; $15/mo Pro

Frequently asked questions

How much does the full stack cost?

The total cost varies: ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo), Notion AI ($10/mo), Synthesia (starts at $29/mo), Descript (free tier available, Pro at $24/mo), Canva Pro ($12.99/mo). You can start with free tiers, but serious course creation likely needs paid plans for Synthesia and Descript to remove watermarks and access full features.

Are there free alternatives for any of these tools?

Yes: Use Claude or Google Gemini instead of ChatGPT, LibreOffice or Google Docs for organization instead of Notion AI. For video, you can record yourself with OBS and edit with DaVinci Resolve (free) instead of Synthesia/Descript. For slides, Google Slides with free templates works, but Canva AI's generation features are unique.

Where should I start if I'm new?

Start with ChatGPT to outline your course—it's free and low risk. Once you have a solid script, move to Synthesia for a sample video to see if the workflow fits. You can always upgrade tools later; don't pay for everything upfront.

What's a common mistake when using AI for courses?

Assuming the AI video will be perfect without editing. Always run Synthesia output through Descript to fix pacing, filler words, and add captions. Also, don't skip the curriculum design step—a clear outline prevents scattered content.

Can I use these tools for a team?

Yes. Notion AI supports team workspaces, Descript has collaboration features, and Canva Teams works for shared branding. ChatGPT and Synthesia are single-user by default but allow sharing outputs. Consider enterprise plans for larger teams.