Video Course Platform with Subscriptions

We're building a video-based online course platform (similar to Udemy/Teachable model) where each course can have its own subscription/pricing plan. We need an experienced full-stack developer or agency to design and build the platform end-to-end, including a learner-facing website, an admin/CMS dashboard for course management, secure video delivery, authentication, and subscription billing. We are open to your recommended tech stack — please propose the stack you believe is best suited for performance, security, and cost-efficiency, along with your reasoning. Core Requirements 1. Authentication & User Management Secure sign-up/login (email + social login), password reset, email verification Role-based access: Admin, Instructor, Student Session/token-based auth (JWT or managed auth provider) 2. Course Structure Courses → Sections → Lectures (video, quizzes, downloadable resources) Progress tracking per student (resume playback, completion %, certificates) Course catalog with search/filter/categories 3. Video Hosting & Delivery Secure video upload and processing (adaptive bitrate streaming — HLS/DASH, not raw MP4) Protection against unauthorized downloading/sharing (signed URLs, optional DRM/watermarking) Fast playback across devices/bandwidths 4. Subscription & Payments Per-course subscription model (students can subscribe/pay per individual course, not just one global plan) Support for monthly/annual plans, free trials, coupons Integration with a payment gateway (e.g., Stripe or regional equivalent) Automated access revocation on failed payment/cancellation 5. Admin / CMS Dashboard Course creation and management (drag-and-drop content builder) Bulk video upload with processing status Pricing/plan management per course User and enrollment management, refunds Basic analytics: revenue, enrollments, watch time, completion rates 6. Performance & Infrastructure Optimized for fast page loads and smooth video streaming (CDN-backed) Scalable architecture that can grow from a few hundred to many thousands of users Secure, GDPR-conscious data handling What We Need in Your Proposal Please include the following so we can evaluate your approach: Recommended tech stack (frontend, backend, database, video hosting/streaming solution, hosting/cloud provider) with brief reasoning for your choices. Proposed architecture — how you'd handle video transcoding/delivery and subscription/entitlement logic. Project timeline — broken into phases/milestones (e.g., auth & course catalog, video pipeline, payments, admin dashboard, testing/launch), with estimated duration for each. Budget — fixed-price quote (preferred) broken down by milestone, or hourly rate with estimated total hours. Please specify what's included vs. considered out of scope. Infrastructure/hosting cost estimate (monthly, at MVP scale) separate from your development fee, since services like video CDN/transcoding have ongoing costs. Relevant experience — links to similar projects you've built (course platforms, video streaming apps, or subscription-based SaaS products). Team composition — if agency, who will be assigned (roles, seniority), and your typical communication/reporting process. Post-launch support — availability for bug fixes, maintenance, or ongoing feature development after initial delivery. Nice-to-Have Skills Experience with video DRM/anti-piracy solutions Experience with Stripe Billing or similar subscription billing systems Experience optimizing web performance and SEO Prior work on e-learning/EdTech platforms Engagement Details Project type: [Fixed price / Hourly — specify your preference] Estimated duration: [Fill in if you have a target, or leave open for bidders to propose] Start date: [ASAP / specific date] Communication: [Weekly calls, async updates via Slack/email, etc.] How to Apply Please respond with your proposal covering the points above, along with 2–3 examples of similar past work. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a call to discuss the architecture in more detail. A few things worth deciding before you post this, since they'll affect the quality of bids you get: Fixed price vs. hourly: Fixed price gets more comparable quotes but works best once scope is well-defined; hourly is better if you expect scope to evolve. Platform to post on: Upwork/Toptal (broad freelancer pool) vs. a specialized agency marketplace (Clutch, GoodFirms) if you want a vetted agency rather than an individual. NDA/IP: Consider whether you want an NDA before detailed technical discussion, and make clear in the post that all code/IP transfers to you on payment.