contao academy
Contao Academy is a bootstrapped German online training platform offering self-paced video courses, an annual membership, and a backend-integrated training extension for users and agencies of the Contao open-source CMS, operated by a two-person team based in Kempten.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersKempten, Germany
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What contao academy does
Contao Academy is a privately held, bootstrapped German online education provider operating from Kempten and founded in 2016 by Christian Feneberg, who has worked with the Contao open-source CMS since 2010. The company delivers self-paced video training for the Contao CMS, organized into a Basiskurs (199 videos, 21 modules, €150), a Contao für Redakteure course (116 videos, 15 modules, €100), and an annual membership (€340) granting access to 600+ videos with priority and future releases; a separate Videohandbuch extension integrates training videos directly into the Contao backend and is sold as a per-domain license, while free tutorials and a downloadable Crashkurs e-book function as lead magnets. The platform is built and hosted by Feyer Media GmbH & Co. KG in Wuppertal, with Vimeo serving as the privacy-friendly (Do Not Track) video delivery layer and Digistore24 processing all order, payment, and invoicing operations as official reseller.
The business generates revenue through three streams: one-time course purchases (€100–€150), an auto-renewing annual subscription at €340 with a 14-day money-back guarantee, and an AWIN-powered affiliate program paying publishers up to 25% commission per sale. Marketing is conducted primarily through content channels — a YouTube presence (youtube.com/@contaoacademy), a LinkedIn company page, an email newsletter via Klick-Tipp, and free community contributions (GitHub, blog posts, conference participation) — with the company holding Contao Premium Partner status and founder membership in the Contao Association. Pricing tiers include student and apprentice discounts subject to verification, and Contao 5 version upgrades are bundled for orders from 1 January 2026.
Customer segments span individual web designers, frontend developers with prior HTML/CSS experience transitioning into Contao, non-technical content editors (Redakteure), and agencies that build Contao websites for clients. The company is operated by founder Christian Feneberg with freelance support from web designer Maren Lange, and has no institutional funding, no parent entity, no disclosed revenue figures, and no mobile app presence. A 2026 product roadmap announces multiple new courses (Twig-Templates, Contao 5 Basiskurs, Contao 5 Redakteure, MetaModels, Catalog Manager, Eigene Erweiterungen entwickeln, Mehrsprachige Websites) aligned with the upcoming Contao 5 release cycle, indicating an offensive content-expansion strategy within the existing niche.
contao academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- contao academy
- Legal name
- Contao Academy
- Website
- https://contao-academy.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Contao Academy is a bootstrapped German online training platform offering self-paced video courses, an annual membership, and a backend-integrated training extension for users and agencies of the Contao open-source CMS, operated by a two-person team based in Kempten.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
contao academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online CMS Training
- NAICS
- Computer Training (61142)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cohort-Based Course Platforms (EDAFAIAB)
Keywords
Where contao academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kempten
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
contao academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Individual Course Sales: One-time payment for single courses including Basiskurs (150€), Contao für Redakteure (100€), and Videohandbuch (domain license)
- Annual Membership Subscription: Yearly subscription (340€) providing full access to 600+ videos with automatic renewal. Members receive priority access to new courses and all future content releases.
- Affiliate Partner Program: Partners earn up to 25% commission per sale through AWIN affiliate network
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual membership with full access to all 600+ videos |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Website mit Contao erstellen (Basiskurs) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Contao für Redakteure course |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Videohandbuch domain license |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
contao academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Contao Academy provides online video courses, tutorials, and email support for users of the Contao open-source CMS. It sells an annual membership granting full access to 600+ videos, individual one-time courses (Basiskurs, Redakteure), and a domain-licensed backend-integrated Videohandbuch extension that embeds training videos directly into the Contao admin panel for agencies.
Product overview
Contao Academy is an online learning platform offering self-paced video courses focused on the Contao CMS. The portfolio includes three main paid products: the Basiskurs (€150, base course with 199 videos for website creation), the Redakteure course (€100, 116 videos for content editors), and the Videohandbuch (per-domain license, backend-integrated video handbook). The Academy Mitgliedschaft (€340/year) provides full access to all 600+ videos plus early access to new releases. Free resources include tutorials, FAQ articles, and a downloadable Crashkurs ebook. A partner program offers up to 25% affiliate commission. All courses are delivered via Vimeo in a privacy-friendly member area, with purchases processed through Digistore24.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Academy Mitgliedschaft Annual membership subscription priced at €340/year providing full access to all 600+ video courses on the Contao Academy platform. Includes priority access to new course releases, all future content, and Praxis-Anleitungsvideos. Renews automatically and can be cancelled up to one day before renewal.
- Contao Basiskurs (Website mit Contao erstellen) Comprehensive beginner video course on creating websites with the Contao CMS. Contains 199 videos across 21 modules totaling 15 hours of training covering installation, theming, content elements, responsive design, forms, news, events, calendars, newsletters, and SEO. Priced at €150 one-time with a free upgrade to the Contao 5 version for orders from 1.1.2026.
- Contao für Redakteure Video course designed for non-technical content editors covering Contao backend operations. Contains 116 videos across 15 modules (7 hours), including a 2-hour crash course module for quick start. Covers managing website content, editing pages, uploading images, and using the TinyMCE editor. Priced at €100 one-time.
- Videohandbuch für Anwender Domain-licensed Contao extension that integrates 116 training videos (7.5 hours) directly into the Contao backend admin panel. Sold under a per-domain license with one-time payment; additional licenses at €49 each. Contains no Contao Academy branding or advertising. Designed for agencies to provide in-system training to their content editors.
Quantifiable outcome
- Create first Contao website in 2 weeks with 3 hours of video training per day
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use contao academy
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
contao academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature1 record
contao academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Digistore24 GmbHcoreDigistore24 serves as the official reseller for all Contao Academy products, handling payment processing, order fulfillment, and invoicing. All purchases redirect to Digistore24 checkout.
- AWIN AGminorAWIN affiliate network manages publisher partnerships, tracking referrals and commission payments for the partner program offering up to 25% per sale.
- Feyer Media GmbH & Co. KGcoreExternal hosting provider for the Contao Academy website, located in Wuppertal, Germany. Data processing agreement (AVV) in place per GDPR requirements.
- Vimeo Inc.coreVideo hosting and delivery platform for course content in the protected member area. Implemented in privacy-friendly 'Do Not Track' mode without tracking cookies.
- Contao AssociationminorFounder Christian Feneberg is a member of the Contao Association, supporting the open-source CMS project and community.
- Contao (Open Source CMS)coreContao Academy is a Premium Partner of Contao. The platform is built with Contao itself and specializes exclusively in Contao CMS training.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
contao academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- WPBeginner: WPBeginner is the largest WordPress resource and training platform for SMBs and beginners. Like Contao Academy, it focuses exclusively on training for a single CMS, monetizing via courses, memberships, and affiliate partnerships.
- OSTraining: OSTraining provides structured video training for multiple open-source CMSs including Joomla, WordPress, and Drupal. Like Contao Academy, it serves web designers and content editors with subscription-based CMS training content.
- Drupalize.me: Drupalize.me is the leading subscription-based Drupal training platform, offering video tutorials and written guides for Drupal site builders and developers. It is the closest analog to Contao Academy in business model and CMS-specialist positioning.
- Kinsta Academy: Kinsta Academy offers free WordPress education including courses, blog tutorials, and the Kinsta blog. It is comparable to Contao Academy as a CMS-focused educational resource bundled with broader commercial offerings.
Broad incumbents
- Frontend Masters: Frontend Masters is a subscription video training platform for professional web developers covering JavaScript, React, CSS, and modern web tooling. It overlaps with Contao Academy's web designer audience and self-paced video format at much broader scope.
- Egghead.io: Egghead.io offers bite-sized video courses for web developers covering modern frameworks and tools. Like Contao Academy, it relies on practitioner-led video instruction and subscription monetization, but serves a broader developer audience.
- Pluralsight: Pluralsight is a large-scale technology skills platform offering courses, assessments, and learning paths for IT and developer professionals. It is comparable as a subscription-based video training platform targeting technical professionals.
- LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) is a broad incumbent offering thousands of video courses across business, technology, and creative topics. It includes general CMS and web development content that overlaps with Contao Academy's audience.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
contao academy social profiles
Digital presencecontao academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
contao academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
contao academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
contao academy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about contao academy
What does contao academy do?
Contao Academy provides online video courses, tutorials, and email support for users of the Contao open-source CMS. It sells an annual membership granting full access to 600+ videos, individual one-time courses (Basiskurs, Redakteure), and a domain-licensed backend-integrated Videohandbuch extension that embeds training videos directly into the Contao admin panel for agencies.
Is contao academy a public or private company?
contao academy is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was contao academy founded?
contao academy was founded in 2010.
Where is contao academy based?
contao academy is headquartered in Kempten, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does contao academy make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Course Sales are the primary driver. The others are annual Membership Subscription and affiliate Partner Program.
Who are contao academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WPBeginner, OSTraining, Drupalize.me and Kinsta Academy. Broad incumbents are Frontend Masters, Egghead.io, Pluralsight and LinkedIn Learning.
Does contao academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for contao academy.
What industry is contao academy in?
contao academy's product category is Online CMS Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFAIAB, Cohort-Based Course Platforms. Its NAICS code is 61142 and its SIC code is 8200.