cohort-vs-evergreen-comparison

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

1. Scheduled — specific start/end
2. Limited seats — exclusivity
3. Premium price — $497-2,497 typical
4. High instructor time — concentrated
5. High completion — accountability
6. Strong community — cohort bonding
7. Annual cadence — 2-4 cohorts/year

Evergreen characteristics

1. Always-on — anyone enrolls anytime
2. Unlimited capacity — scales infinitely
3. Lower price — $99-497 typical
4. Low instructor time — async
5. Lower completion — no accountability
6. Weaker community — students at different stages
7. Constant marketing — ongoing promotion

Hybrid model (best of both)

Combine:

1. Evergreen core — self-paced content available anytime
2. Quarterly cohorts — intensive community + live sessions
3. Self-paced enrollment anytime for evergreen tier
4. Cohort upgrade for live access
5. Long-term community — alumni continue

Result: scalable revenue + premium tier + community.

Where this fits in the X3 empire

Cohort/evergreen decision for CardPrepAI Academy.