| name | cohort-vs-evergreen-comparison |
| description | Use when choosing cohort or evergreen model. Trade-offs in revenue + intensity.
|
Cohort vs Evergreen Comparison
Cohort: scheduled, finite, intense. Evergreen: always-on, ongoing. Hybrid (cohort + evergreen) often best.
Cohort characteristics
- Scheduled — specific start/end
- Limited seats — exclusivity
- Premium price — $497-2,497 typical
- High instructor time — concentrated
- High completion — accountability
- Strong community — cohort bonding
- Annual cadence — 2-4 cohorts/year
Evergreen characteristics
- Always-on — anyone enrolls anytime
- Unlimited capacity — scales infinitely
- Lower price — $99-497 typical
- Low instructor time — async
- Lower completion — no accountability
- Weaker community — students at different stages
- Constant marketing — ongoing promotion
Hybrid model (best of both)
Combine:
- Evergreen core — self-paced content available anytime
- Quarterly cohorts — intensive community + live sessions
- Self-paced enrollment anytime for evergreen tier
- Cohort upgrade for live access
- Long-term community — alumni continue
Result: scalable revenue + premium tier + community.
Where this fits in the X3 empire
Cohort/evergreen decision for CardPrepAI Academy.