Live Classes Online
Virtual Classroom Software for Your WordPress Site
Set up your class, let students in, and keep the lessons.
Run live classes on your WordPress site. Only enrolled students can watch. You can also turn recordings into a course library and see how virtual classroom software fits your needs.
Thursday Certification Prep Class
Broadcast from Your School WebsiteTeach live, then keep the lesson
Set Up the Class
Create a channel for your class. Decide who can watch: students in your members' area, those who paid, or course subscribers.
Go Live on Your Site
The teacher goes live using a browser, OBS, or Zoom. Students watch on the class page of your WordPress site.
Keep the Lesson
The class records automatically. The organizer switches the product to Video on Demand and selects the recording, adding it to your course library.
Students watch lessons on your WordPress site, with your school's logo in the player. Keep the same branding for live classes and published replays.
Three Types of Tools
Which of the three tools does your class need?
Classroom software puts students on camera with a whiteboard, breakout rooms, and polls. An LMS organises courses, quizzes, and progress. Live streaming sends one teacher to many students on your site and keeps a recording for replay.
A school can use two of the three options.
Search for a WordPress virtual classroom plugin, and most connect your site to external two-way software.
WpStream is the third type: a one-to-many live class on your WordPress page, open only to enrolled students, and recorded for replay.
If students need to talk, use your virtual classroom software.
If the class needs to be sold, stream it to your site for enrolled students and keep a replay.
If only the teacher speaks, the broadcast alone works fine.
| Tool type | What it does | What it does not do | When a class needs it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tool type: Two-way virtual classroom software or meeting tool (for example Zoom, BigBlueButton) | What it does: Students on camera and mic, whiteboard, breakout rooms, polling, chat | What it does not do: Not built to sell a class on your own WordPress pages | When a class needs it: Discussion classes, small groups, any class where students talk |
| Tool type: LMS or course platform | What it does: Course structure, quizzes, grades, progress and completion | What it does not do: Not a live video service on its own | When a class needs it: Graded courses, certificates, completion records |
| Tool type: Live broadcast on your own site (WpStream) | What it does: One teacher to many enrolled students on your page; membership, pay-per-class or subscription access; recordings as video on demand | What it does not do: No quizzes, grades, certificates or named attendance (the viewer count is a number); students don't join on camera | When a class needs it: Lectures, demonstrations, certification prep, members-only sessions with a replay library |
| Tool type: Zoom class streamed to your site (Zoom + WpStream) | What it does: The class runs in Zoom; Zoom's custom live streaming sends it to the class page on your site | What it does not do: Needs a Zoom Pro, Business, Education or Enterprise account with the setting enabled | When a class needs it: A discussion class that is open only to enrolled students and needs a replay |
How to Run a Live Class on Your Site
The organizer sets up the channel and decides who can watch. After class, the recording becomes a lesson in your course library.
Setup happens in WordPress and WpStream settings, so students watch on your site, not on another platform.
Channel
Create the Class Channel
In WpStream, add a new Free-To-View Channel or a Pay-Per-View Channel for a class you sell.
In Channel Settings, turn on "Record Live Stream" before you press TURN ON to record the entire class.
Access
Let Only Enrolled Students In
Put a free channel on a members-only page protected by your membership plugin. Or sell the class as a WooCommerce pay-per-view product or part of a course subscription.
Go Live
Teach from the Browser, OBS, or Zoom
Browser: Go Live with Your Webcam and then Start Broadcast.
OBS: Paste the server and stream key, then start streaming.
Zoom: Select Live on Custom Live Streaming Service in the meeting.
Replay
Publish the Recording
After class, the recording appears under WpStream > Recordings. Create a Free-To-View or Pay-Per-View VOD from it.
For classes that students bought, the organizer switches the product from Live Stream to Video on Demand and selects the recording.
Choose Who Can Watch Each Class
Access control decides who can watch a class. The class page is a regular WordPress page, so your membership plugin or WooCommerce products decide access.
However, WpStream does not track who watched or for how long.
Members-Only Class Page
Add a free channel to a page restricted by your membership plugin. Members have already paid, so they don’t need to buy the class again.
The docs mention MemberPress, Paid Membership Pro, Restrict Content Pro, Ultimate Membership Pro, and ARMember.
Pay Per Class
Add a new Pay-Per-View Channel. Set Product data to Live Channel and assign a price. A student who hasn’t purchased will see the Add To Cart button.
After buying, they can access it from the confirmation email or My Orders in their account.
One Subscription Per Course
With Multiple Subscription Plans, each course gets a separate plan linked through Attach to Subscription.
The docs use a tutoring example: a student who wants help with History will "subscribe to the 'History' plan and have access to all the content related to this subject." Other subjects remain closed. Requires WooCommerce Subscriptions.
One Subscription for Everything
Global Subscription Mode allows access to every live class and recorded lesson with one subscription. Turn it on under WpStream Settings > Subscription Options, then paste the subscription product's ID.
Keep Classes on Your Site
With Lock to Website on, the class plays only on your site. No one can take the player and embed it elsewhere. It restricts the domain but isn’t DRM, so use it with the access options above.
Front-End Broadcasting
Teachers Go Live Without Admin Access
With front-end broadcasting, non-admin teachers can go live from a page on your site.
In WpStream Settings, grant permission to roles like Editor, Author, Contributor, or Subscriber. Place the WpStream Start Streaming element on a page.
The teacher broadcasts from the browser or an external app and sees their live metrics.
Each teacher gets a channel, and hours come from your account. If three channels run together, it uses three times the hours.
Video unavailable. Please try again later.
Recordings to Library
Turn Each Class into a Course Library
For classes students have already bought, the organizer switches the product to Video on Demand and selects the recording. Buyers keep access without paying twice.
The WpStream Video on Demand List widget lists every lesson on one course page, free or pay-per-view, with options for items per page and sort order. Replays use viewer hours.
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What WpStream Does Not Do
WpStream manages live classes and replays. Grading, attendance, and two-way discussion belong to other tools, such as an LMS or virtual classroom software.
Not an LMS
No quizzes, tests, grades, certificates, learning paths, or tracking. Pair WpStream with an LMS plugin for coursework and progress.
No Attendance Record
Display Viewer Count shows "the number of viewers that are watching your live stream in real-time", but does not track names or duration.
No CE Attendance Proof
A monthly members-only webinar runs well. However, ACCME requires CME providers to verify participation. Keep this in your registration system or LMS.
Not a Two-Way Room
Virtual classroom software allows students on camera. WpStream is one-to-many: students don’t join on camera and there are no whiteboards, breakout rooms, or polls. Keep Zoom or your preferred software for interaction.
No Live Captions Built In
Live captions aren’t built in. A third-party player can display them, but WpStream doesn’t create captions.
No SSO or Class Reminders
No single sign-on or built-in reminder emails. Your membership plugin or WooCommerce handles sign-up, and your email tool sends reminders.
Three Classes That Run This Way
on Their Own WordPress Site
Certification-Prep Class
A training company offers two 90-minute classes weekly, selling each per class or as a subscription. Students can watch replays if they miss a class.
Evening Language Lessons
A language or music school has three teachers live on three channels, each streaming from the front end with one subscription per level. This setup can also stream end-of-year concerts or graduations.
Cohort Course with Replays
A course creator runs a weekly live session for one cohort on a page restricted by a membership plugin. Every session is published to the course library.
Plans count broadcast, viewer and recording hours. Pick the step your term needs.
Lite
Lite is $24 a month or $190 a year. It gives you 100 broadcast and 500 viewer hours a month, 25 recording hours, 200 students watching at once and 5 live channels.
Lite One Time costs $36.
Plus
Plus is $59 a month or $490 a year, for 250 broadcast and 2,000 viewer hours a month, 100 recording hours, 1,000 students at once and 15 live channels.
Pro is $169 a month or $1,490 a year, for 1,000 broadcast and 10,000 viewer hours a month and 500 recording hours. Each step up costs more and adds hours.
The trial
The free trial gives you 100 viewer, 20 broadcast and 10 recording hours with all features, and no credit card. Hours from one-time purchases do not expire. Compare the plans.
Plan Sizing
How many hours does a 12-week term need?
Broadcast hours include the time the channel is live, plus sound checks and test runs.
Viewer hours are calculated by multiplying the number of students by the hours watched, both live and replay.
Recording hours refer to the total length of recordings kept. This is a fixed cap, not monthly.
Example: For two 90-minute classes a week, with the channel on for 1 hour 45 minutes, 25 students live, 5 replays per class, and 10 classes in the busiest month: 17.5 broadcast hours, 450 viewer hours, and 17.5 recording hours.
So, Lite fits this month, but its 25 recording hours cover about 7 weeks of classes. Switching to Plus allows you to keep the whole 42-hour term.
Example: For three 60-minute lessons every weekday evening, with the channel on for 70 minutes, 12 students each, 2 replays per lesson, and 23 weekdays: 80.5 broadcast hours and 966 viewer hours.
Lite runs out of viewer hours, but Plus fits the month and keeps nearly six weeks of lessons. Pro allows for the entire 210-hour term.
| Measure | Certification prep (example) | Language school (example) |
|---|---|---|
| Measure: Broadcast hours, busiest month | Certification prep (example): 17.5 | Language school (example): 80.5 |
| Measure: Viewer hours, busiest month (live and replay) | Certification prep (example): 450 | Language school (example): 966 |
| Measure: Recordings kept after a 12-week term | Certification prep (example): 42 hours | Language school (example): 210 hours |
| Measure: Students at once / live channels | Certification prep (example): 25 / 1 | Language school (example): 36 / 3 |
| Measure: Plan for the monthly classes | Certification prep (example): Lite: 100 broadcast and 500 viewer hours a month | Language school (example): Plus: 250 broadcast and 2,000 viewer hours a month |
| Measure: Plan to keep the whole term | Certification prep (example): Plus instead of Lite (100 recording hours), or Plus One Time on its own, $89 | Language school (example): Pro instead of Plus (500 recording hours), or Pro One Time on its own, $249 |
Checklist for Your First Live Class
Run these checks the week before your first class, in the order you’ll meet them.
Nine Checks Before Class One
01
WpStream plugin is installed on your WordPress site and linked to your WpStream account.
02
One channel for each class that runs at the same time, within your plan’s live channel limit.
03
Record Live Stream is turned on under Channel Settings before activating the channel.
04
Access is set: a members-only page, a pay-per-class product, or a course subscription.
05
Access is tested with a student account in a private window, not with your admin login.
06
Teachers have broadcast permission, and the WpStream Start Streaming element is placed on a page.
07
Source chosen: the browser, OBS with server and stream key, or Zoom with custom live streaming enabled.
08
A short test run is done, noting that it uses broadcast hours.
09
Course page is ready with the lesson list, and a home is decided for quizzes and attendance (your LMS or registration system).
Then teach the class and publish the replay when it ends.
More on Teaching Online
How to Build an eLearning Livestream on WordPress
A guide to running lessons as live streams on your own WordPress site.
How to Sell Online Courses on WordPress
Learn how to package and sell a course on WordPress, from product page to what students receive after payment.
How to Sell Webinar Replays on WordPress
Sell the recording of a live session to students who missed it or want to watch again.
Before you teach live
No. It lacks quizzes, tests, grades, certificates, learning paths, and completion tracking. WpStream runs the live class on your WordPress site, restricts access to enrolled students, and records it for replay. For coursework and progress, use an LMS plugin alongside it. The LMS handles course structure and grading, while the streaming plugin manages live lessons and recordings.
No. WpStream shows a live viewer count in the corner of the player without names. There’s no attendance or watch-time export. For continuing-education credit, track attendance in your registration system or LMS. Accrediting bodies like ACCME require recording and verifying each participant’s attendance, which a live viewer count cannot do.
Yes. Create a free channel on a members-only page, sell the class as a pay-per-view product, offer a subscription per course, or use Global Subscription Mode. WpStream’s Lock to Website setting keeps the player on your domain, preventing embedding on other sites. Test the page with a student account before class one.
Yes. Assign broadcast permission to roles like Editor, Author, Contributor, or Subscriber in the plugin settings. Place the WpStream Start Streaming element on a page. The teacher can go live from the browser or an external app like OBS and view their live metrics without accessing wp-admin. Their broadcast hours count against your account, so plan for each teacher’s channel.
Virtual classroom software allows two-way interaction: students use cameras and mics, and features include a whiteboard, breakout rooms, and polls. Live streaming sends one teacher to many students on your site and saves a replay. This is what WpStream does. You can combine both by running the class in Zoom and using Zoom’s custom live streaming to send it to the restricted class page.
Yes, if the class was recorded. Remember to turn on Record Live Stream before activating the channel. After class, switch the product students purchased to Video on Demand and select the recording, or create a new VOD from Recordings. Replays use viewer hours from your WpStream plan, so factor in replay viewing when sizing a term.
Yes. Zoom remains your two-way virtual classroom software, and Zoom’s custom live streaming can send the class to a WpStream channel on your class page. Zoom requires a Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise account, a host with a Zoom Workplace Meetings license, the Zoom desktop app for Windows or macOS, and custom live streaming enabled by the account admin.
Yes. You can sell a single class as a WooCommerce pay-per-view product, a course as its own subscription with Multiple Subscription Plans, or a single subscription for everything with Global Subscription Mode. WpStream uses WooCommerce for paid access, and recurring plans need WooCommerce Subscriptions. Recordings can be sold later as pay-per-view videos on demand.
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