The online education market is flooded with self-proclaimed experts making unverified income claims, leading to distrust and wasted resources for learners. Meanwhile, legitimate instructors struggle to differentiate themselves. A subscription-based platform could address this gap by offering courses exclusively from experts whose earnings are rigorously verified through documentation like tax returns or payment processor statements.

How It Could Work

Learners would pay a monthly fee for access to courses taught by vetted experts. Instructors would undergo a revenue audit—either manually or through automated tools like Plaid—to confirm their income claims before being approved to teach. The platform could start with a simple MVP by partnering with 10-20 pre-vetted experts in high-demand niches like e-commerce or freelancing, using existing no-code course platforms.

Why It Stands Out

Unlike platforms like Udemy or Skillshare, which lack rigorous vetting, this approach ensures learners only access content from proven experts. For instructors, the platform offers a way to monetize their knowledge without competing against unverified claims. Revenue-sharing (e.g., 70/30 splits) and featured placements could incentivize experts to join.

Potential Challenges and Solutions

Scaling audits manually might be difficult, but integrating third-party financial APIs could automate verification. Competing with free content could be addressed by emphasizing measurable outcomes, such as "students of audited courses earn income faster." A tiered subscription model (e.g., $20/month for basic, $50/month for coaching) could cater to different learner needs.

By focusing on verified expertise, this idea could create a trusted space in an otherwise noisy market.