Cheapest course platform
Counting the subscription, transaction fees and card processing, and selling $49 courses: with one course, Systeme.io Free (500 students, 2,000 contacts) costs least at every volume up to 400 sales a month. With 5 courses, Payhip Free Forever costs least up to 6 sales a month and Systeme.io Startup ($17 a month; 5,000 contacts) from 7. With 20 courses, Payhip Free Forever costs least up to 11 sales a month and Stan Store Creator ($29 a month) from 12.
The cheapest platform at each size
Sales a month of $49 courses, and how many courses you sell:
| Sales | 1 course | 5 courses | 20 courses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ($490) | Systeme.io Free $17.21 a month | Systeme.io Startup $34.21 a month | Payhip Free Forever $41.71 a month |
| 20 ($980) | Systeme.io Free $34.42 a month | Systeme.io Startup $51.42 a month | Stan Store Creator $63.42 a month |
| 50 ($2,450) | Systeme.io Free $86.05 a month | Systeme.io Startup $103.05 a month | Stan Store Creator $115.05 a month |
| 100 ($4,900) | Systeme.io Free $172.10 a month | Systeme.io Startup $189.10 a month | Stan Store Creator $201.10 a month |
| 200 ($9,800) | Systeme.io Free $344.20 a month | Systeme.io Startup $361.20 a month | Stan Store Creator $373.20 a month |
Total cost a month: subscription, transaction fees and US card processing, monthly billing, on the plan that leaves the most and allows that many courses. Caps on students and contacts aren't applied; check them on each fee page.
What every platform costs at 50 sales a month
50 sales of $49 ($2,450) across 5 courses, each platform on its cheapest plan for that.
| Platform and plan | Costs a month | Of sales |
|---|---|---|
| Systeme.io Startup | $103.05 | 4.2% |
| Stan Store Creator | $115.05 | 4.7% |
| Thinkific Basic | $140.05 | 5.7% |
| Payhip Plus | $164.05 | 6.7% |
| Teachable Builder | $175.05 | 7.1% |
| Podia Shaker | $185.05 | 7.6% |
| LearnWorlds Pro Trainer | $185.05 | 7.6% |
| Skool Pro | $185.05 | 7.6% |
| Circle Professional | $224.05* | 9.1% |
| Mighty Networks Launch | $230.05 | 9.4% |
| Kajabi Basic | $265.05 | 10.8% |
| Gumroad Direct sales | $356.05 | 14.5% |
* Only yearly billing is listed. Card processing is the same 2.9% + $0.30 a sale on most of them, so the difference is the subscription and the platform's cut.
Quick answers
What is the cheapest course platform?
It depends on how many courses you sell. With one course: Systeme.io Free (500 students, 2,000 contacts) costs least at every volume up to 400 sales a month. With 5 courses: Payhip Free Forever costs least up to 6 sales a month and Systeme.io Startup ($17 a month; 5,000 contacts) from 7. With 20 courses: Payhip Free Forever costs least up to 11 sales a month and Stan Store Creator ($29 a month) from 12, selling $49 courses.
What is the cheapest platform to sell one course?
Systeme.io Free: at 20 sales of $49 a month it costs $34.42, nothing but card processing, against $63.42 on the next cheapest, Stan Store Creator. It allows 500 students and 2,000 contacts.
What is the cheapest course platform with no transaction fees?
At 50 sales of $49 a month across 5 courses, Systeme.io Startup ($17 a month), then Stan Store Creator ($29 a month). Card processing still applies on every sale.
What is the cheapest course platform with no monthly fee?
Payhip, Systeme.io and Gumroad have a plan with no subscription; they differ in what they take from each sale. See the free course platforms compared.
Which is cheapest: Teachable, Thinkific or Kajabi?
At 50 sales of $49 a month across 5 courses, Thinkific Basic costs $140.05, Teachable Builder costs $175.05 and Kajabi Basic costs $265.05 a month.
What does the cheapest plan leave out?
Systeme.io's Free plan allows 1 course, 500 students, 2,000 contacts; Startup allows 5 courses, 5,000 contacts. Payhip's Free Forever plan has no such caps but takes 5% of each sale. Stan Store's Creator plan has no payment plans, discount codes, upsells/order bumps, Afterpay/Klarna, funnels, affiliate management, email broadcasts/flows; those come with Creator Pro.
Try your own numbers in the calculator, or see free course platforms, platforms with no transaction fee and Teachable vs Thinkific vs Kajabi.
Prices checked against each platform's own pricing page on .