<p>As Kitsune Cavalry noted, organisations like Khan Academy are non-profits that are supported by donations and run for the public good.</p>

<p>To address your second question (why would you start a project that requires so much time and not charge anything for it?): the fact that the organisation is a non-profit doesn't mean that the people working there don't make any money. Part of Khan Academy's costs are paying \$12,000,000 in salaries to its employees. This includes \$548,116 per year (2014 figure) to founder Salman Khan. You can read more about Khan Academy's finances <a href="http://pdfs.citizenaudit.org/2015_09_EO/26-1544963_990_201412.pdf" rel="nofollow">on their 2014 IRS 990 filing here</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-03T09:51:02.897Z
2016-02-03T09:51:02.897Z
Ubiquitous
<p>Khan Academy is a 501c non-profit. They do some fundraising, they have some regular backers, and some <a href="https://www.khanacademy.org/about/our-supporters" rel="nofollow">big time contributors like these</a>.</p>

<p>I imagine it's a similar case for Anatomy Zone. They are affiliated with a bunch of other non-profits that you can see on the bottom of their front page.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-04T05:54:12.623Z
2016-01-04T05:54:12.623Z
Kitsune Cavalry
<p>I've noticed that most educational websites do not charge for their services, even if they are maintained by only one or very few people.</p>

<p>Some of these websites are so comprehensive that they require almost a full time job to maintain.</p>

<p>Why do these websites not charge for their services? (I doubt they make enough money from youtube to make it profitable).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-04T05:52:29.887Z
While they do not charge the user for their educational services (which is commendable) Khan Academy gets quite a lot of money from their supporters:
https://www.khanacademy.org/about/our-supporters
Anatomy Zone does not provide a comparable list but also accepts donations:
http://anatomyzone.com/support-us/
Giskard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-04T05:58:11.110Z
But why would you start a project that requires so much time and not charge anything for it? It baffles me. I doubt donations can make enough money to survive, unless you make world news like Khan did (accidentally, he never thought it would be this big).
Paze
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-04T06:04:14.453Z
People are utility maximizers, not money maximizers.
Kitsune Cavalry
<microeconomics><corporate-finance><profit-maximization>
How come websites such as Khan Academy and Anatomy Zone do not charge for their services?
Paze
# How come websites such as Khan Academy and Anatomy Zone do not charge for their services?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-01-04)

I've noticed that most educational websites do not charge for their services, even if they are maintained by only one or very few people.

Some of these websites are so comprehensive that they require almost a full time job to maintain.

Why do these websites not charge for their services? (I doubt they make enough money from youtube to make it profitable).

**Tags:** microeconomics, corporate-finance, profit-maximization

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: While they do not charge the user for their educational services (which is commendable) Khan Academy gets quite a lot of money from their supporters: https://www.khanacademy.org/about/our-supporters Anatomy Zone does not provide a comparable list but also accepts donations: http://anatomyzone.com/support-us/  
> **username_0**: But why would you start a project that requires so much time and not charge anything for it? It baffles me. I doubt donations can make enough money to survive, unless you make world news like Khan did (accidentally, he never thought it would be this big).  
> **username_2**: People are utility maximizers, not money maximizers.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-02-03. Score: 1

As username_2 noted, organisations like Khan Academy are non-profits that are supported by donations and run for the public good.

To address your second question (why would you start a project that requires so much time and not charge anything for it?): the fact that the organisation is a non-profit doesn't mean that the people working there don't make any money. Part of Khan Academy's costs are paying \$12,000,000 in salaries to its employees. This includes \$548,116 per year (2014 figure) to founder Salman Khan. You can read more about Khan Academy's finances [on their 2014 IRS 990 filing here](http://pdfs.citizenaudit.org/2015_09_EO/26-1544963_990_201412.pdf).


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### Answer by username_2 on 2016-01-04. Score: 1

Khan Academy is a 501c non-profit. They do some fundraising, they have some regular backers, and some [big time contributors like these](https://www.khanacademy.org/about/our-supporters).

I imagine it's a similar case for Anatomy Zone. They are affiliated with a bunch of other non-profits that you can see on the bottom of their front page.


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