Free course platforms
3 of the 12 course platforms we price let you sell without a subscription: Systeme.io Free (no transaction fee, 1 course), Payhip Free Forever (5% of each sale) and Gumroad (10% + $0.50 per sale). On a $49 sale they leave you $47.28, $44.83 and $41.88 after card processing. Udemy is free to host on too, but pays you 37% of the sales it finds. Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi, Podia, LearnWorlds, Skool, Circle, Stan Store and Mighty Networks have free trials only.
Every way to sell a course without a subscription
| Platform | Cut of each sale | Keep of $49 | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systeme.io Free | None | $47.28 | 1 course, 500 students, 2,000 contacts |
| Payhip Free Forever | 5% | $44.83 | Unlimited courses |
| Gumroad | 10% + $0.50 per sale (5% after $20,000 a month) | $41.88 | Unlimited courses |
| Udemy | 3% through your link, 63% otherwise, processing included | $47.53 or $18.13 | Free to host, unlimited courses |
Card processing comes on top of the cut, 2.9% + $0.30 a sale on US cards, and is taken off what you keep. Gumroad's Discover marketplace takes 30% instead, processing included. Udemy's shares are of what the student paid less tax and app-store fees.
When paying leaves you more
- Payhip: selling $49 courses, Plus ($29 a month, 2% of each sale) leaves more than Free Forever from 20 sales a month ($980).
- Systeme.io: every plan takes no transaction fee, so the Free plan never costs more per sale; you pay when you need a second course or more students. Startup costs $17 a month for 5 courses.
- Gumroad: there is no paid plan to move to, but a $29-a-month plan with no transaction fee, like Stan Store Creator, leaves more from 6 sales of $49 a month. See the Gumroad fee calculator.
Platforms with a free trial only
| Platform | Trial | Cheapest plan | Cut of each sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teachable | 7-day free trial | Starter, $39 a month | 7.5% |
| Thinkific | 30-day free trial | Basic, $54 a month | None |
| Kajabi | 14-day free trial | Basic, $179 a month | None |
| Podia | 14-day free trial | Mover, $49 a month | 5% |
| LearnWorlds | 30-day free trial | Starter, $29 a month | $5 per sale |
| Skool | 14-day free trial | Hobby, $9 a month | 10% + $0.30 per sale |
| Circle | 14-day free trial | Professional, $89 a month* | 2% |
| Stan Store | 14-day free trial | Creator, $29 a month | None |
| Mighty Networks | Free trial on the Growth plan | Launch, $95 a month | 2% |
* Only yearly billing is listed. Trial lengths from each platform's own pricing or help pages.
Is it free?
What is the best free platform to sell courses?
On what it leaves you, Systeme.io Free: it takes no transaction fee, so a $49 sale leaves $47.28 after card processing. It allows 1 course (500 students, 2,000 contacts) and never expires. For more courses without paying, Payhip Free Forever takes 5% of each sale ($44.83 of $49) with no limit on products.
Does Teachable have a free plan?
No. Teachable has a 7-day free trial; its cheapest plan, Starter, costs $39 a month ($29 billed yearly) and takes 7.5% of each sale. Teachable says: "Teachable is a paid service that includes a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee."
Is Thinkific free?
No. Thinkific has a 30-day free trial; its cheapest plan, Basic, costs $54 a month ($40 billed yearly) and takes no transaction fee. Asked about a free plan, Thinkific answers: "No, instead, you can explore the whole platform with a 30-day free trial."
Is Kajabi free?
No. Kajabi has a 14-day free trial; its cheapest plan, Basic, costs $179 a month ($143 billed yearly) and takes no transaction fee.
Is Skool free?
No. Skool has a 14-day free trial; its cheapest plan, Hobby, costs $9 a month ($7.50 billed yearly) and takes 10% + $0.30 per sale, card processing included. Groups themselves can be free for members to join.
Is Stan Store free?
No. Stan Store has a 14-day free trial; its cheapest plan, Creator, costs $29 a month ($25 billed yearly) and takes no transaction fee. Asked whether it offers a free plan, Stan answers: "Not at the moment!" Its free affiliate-only accounts don't include Stan Store features.
Is Gumroad free?
Free to start: there's no monthly fee, but Gumroad takes 10% + $0.50 per sale and card processing adds 2.9% + $0.30, so a $49 sale leaves you $41.88.
Is Udemy free for instructors?
Hosting is free, and Udemy is paid through its share of each sale: you receive 97% of a sale through your own coupon or link ($47.53 of $49) and 37% of the rest ($18.13).
Ready to pay? See the cheapest course platform at your size, platforms with no transaction fee, or work out what you'd keep on all 12.
Sources: each platform's pricing page and help center; Systeme.io's free plan from its pricing page.
Prices checked against each platform's own pricing page on .