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Hire an instructional designer, or outsource?

Should you hire an instructional designer or outsource? If you hire, you pay a salary all year. An agency charges per course. A freelancer is in between. The best pick depends on how much training you build each year.

By , founder of buildmacourse · 89 five-star reviews · Updated

Finished minutes of training you need a year
Change the numbers
USD a year
USD an hour
hours (Chapman 2010 average, interactive)

OptionPer finished minuteYour yearTime to launchWatch out

In-house includes 30% for taxes and benefits and one Articulate 360 seat (1,749 USD a year, checked 9 Oct 2026). Build time uses the Chapman Alliance 2010 average of 184 hours per finished hour of interactive eLearning.

See lesson 1 built free

Not sure an agency is worth it?

Judge the work, not the pitch. We build lesson 1 of your course free in 7 days, from your own material. Then you decide.

See what an agency delivers: lesson 1 free

A few quick questions, then pick a time to talk.

Who builds your training today?
A full course build starts at 2,000 USD. Could that fit this year?

Next, you pick a 20-minute call time. We build 5 free lessons a week.

Thanks, . Pick a time to talk.

20 minutes. We pick lesson 1 together and you send your files. 7 days later, we show you the lesson.

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When each option makes sense

Hire someone

  • You build training all year, more than about 6 hours of finished content.
  • You change courses often.
  • You can wait 2 months to hire.
  • You will also pay for tools and their time between projects.

Outsource

  • You need 1 to 5 courses, not a full-time pipeline.
  • You want a clear plan and a date.
  • You need script, design, voice and SCORM from one team.
  • You want to start this month.

Questions about hiring or outsourcing

How long does it take to build one hour of eLearning?

The Chapman Alliance 2010 study found 49 to 125 hours for basic eLearning and 127 to 267 hours for interactive. The calculator uses 184, the interactive average.

Is a freelancer cheaper than an agency?

Often per hour, not always per course. You also manage them, review the work and fill the gaps they do not cover, such as voice or SCORM testing.

What does an agency cost per minute?

Our own range is 100 to 180 USD per finished minute for click-and-try lessons. See the cost calculator for other options.

Compare more

Sources

  • Chapman Alliance, "How Long Does it Take to Create Learning?", September 2010 (249 organizations)
  • Articulate, "Articulate 360 pricing": www.articulate.com

Checked 23 Oct 2026.