Online course platforms compared
We price 12 online course platforms for selling your own courses, each from its own pricing page: Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi, Podia, LearnWorlds, Skool, Circle, Stan Store, Payhip, Mighty Networks, Systeme.io and Gumroad. Their cheapest paid plans run from $9 a month (Skool Hobby) to $179 (Kajabi Basic); 3 let you start on a free plan, and 8 have a plan with no transaction fee. With 10 sales of $49 a month across one course, Systeme.io Free leaves you the most ($472.79 of $490); with 50 sales of $99 a month across 3 courses, Systeme.io Startup leaves you the most ($4,774 of $4,950); with 100 sales of $297 a month across 10 courses, Stan Store Creator leaves you the most ($28,780 of $29,700).
This page compares platforms for selling courses you make. Sites where you take courses as a learner aren't covered.
The 12 platforms at a glance
| Platform | Cheapest paid plan | Its transaction fee | No transaction fee from | Free plan or trial | Cheapest plan's limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teachable | $39 Starter | 7.5% | Builder, $89 | 7-day free trial | 5 courses |
| Thinkific | $54 Basic | None | Basic, $54 | 30-day free trial | unlimited courses, 10,000 current students |
| Kajabi | $179 Basic | None | Basic, $179 | 14-day free trial | 5 courses, 2,500 contacts |
| Podia | $49 Mover | 5% | Shaker, $99 | 14-day free trial | 50 courses |
| LearnWorlds | $29 Starter | $5 per sale | Pro Trainer, $99 | 30-day free trial | unlimited courses, 1,000 active learners a month |
| Skool | $9 Hobby | 10% + $0.30 per sale | Every plan takes a cut | 14-day free trial | unlimited courses |
| Circle | $89* Professional | 2% | Every plan takes a cut | 14-day free trial | unlimited courses |
| Stan Store | $29 Creator | None | Creator, $29 | 14-day free trial | unlimited courses |
| Payhip | $29 Plus | 2% | Pro, $99 | Free Forever plan | unlimited courses |
| Mighty Networks | $95 Launch | 2% | Every plan takes a cut | Free trial on the Growth plan | unlimited courses |
| Systeme.io | $17 Startup | None | Free plan, $0 | Free plan | 5 courses, 5,000 contacts |
| Gumroad | No subscription | 10% + $0.50 per sale (5% after $20,000 a month) | Takes a cut | No subscription | unlimited courses |
A month, monthly billing where the platform lists it; * yearly billing, the only price listed. Card processing comes on top of the transaction fee on every platform except Skool, whose fee includes it. Every plan of every platform.
What you keep at three sizes
| Platform | Starting out 10 × $49, 1 course | Growing 50 × $99, 3 courses | Established 100 × $297, 10 courses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systeme.io | $472.79 Free | $4,774 Startup | $28,762 Webinar |
| Stan Store | $443.79 Creator | $4,762 Creator | $28,780 Creator |
| Thinkific | $418.79 Basic | $4,737 Basic | $28,755 Basic |
| Teachable | $397.04 Starter | $4,702 Builder | $28,720 Builder |
| Podia | $399.29 Mover | $4,692 Shaker | $28,710 Shaker |
| LearnWorlds | $393.79 Starter | $4,692 Pro Trainer | $28,710 Pro Trainer |
| Skool | $429 Hobby | $4,692 Pro | $28,710 Pro |
| Payhip | $448.29 Free Forever | $4,692 Pro | $28,710 Pro |
| Kajabi | $293.79 Basic | $4,612 Basic | $28,589 Growth |
| Circle | $373.99 Professional | $4,603 Professional | $28,313 Business |
| Mighty Networks | $367.99 Launch | $4,597 Launch | $28,297 Scale |
| Gumroad | $418.79 Direct sales | $4,271 Direct sales | $26,274 Direct sales |
Kept a month after the subscription, the platform's cut and US card processing, on each platform's plan that leaves the most and allows that many courses; monthly billing. Bold marks the most. Caps on students and contacts aren't applied. The calculator ranks them at your own numbers.
Each platform in short
Systeme.io
Systeme.io has a free plan; paid plans cost $17 to $97 a month ($14.17 to $80.83 billed yearly). No plan takes a transaction fee. Card processing adds 2.9% + $0.30 per sale. It ranks 1st of 12 with 10 sales of $49, 1st of 12 with 50 sales of $99 and 2nd of 12 with 100 sales of $297. Systeme.io fees in detail.
Stan Store
Stan Store's plans cost $29 to $99 a month ($25 to $79 billed yearly). No plan takes a transaction fee. Card processing adds 2.9% + $0.30 per sale. It offers a 14-day free trial. It ranks 3rd of 12 with 10 sales of $49, 2nd of 12 with 50 sales of $99 and 1st of 12 with 100 sales of $297. Stan Store fees in detail, the Stan Store fee calculator.
Thinkific
Thinkific's plans cost $54 to $219 a month ($40 to $164 billed yearly). No plan takes a transaction fee. Card processing adds 2.9% + $0.30 per sale. It offers a 30-day free trial. It ranks 5th of 12 with 10 sales of $49, 3rd of 12 with 50 sales of $99 and 3rd of 12 with 100 sales of $297. Thinkific fees in detail and Thinkific alternatives.
Teachable
Teachable's plans cost $39 to $189 a month ($29 to $139 billed yearly). Starter takes 7.5% of each sale; Builder and Growth take nothing. Card processing adds 2.9% + $0.30 per sale. It offers a 7-day free trial. It ranks 8th of 12 with 10 sales of $49, 4th of 12 with 50 sales of $99 and 4th of 12 with 100 sales of $297. Teachable fees in detail and Teachable alternatives.
Podia
Podia's plans cost $49 to $179 a month ($42 to $150 billed yearly). Mover takes 5% of each sale; Shaker and Earthquaker take nothing. Card processing adds 2.9% + $0.30 per sale. It offers a 14-day free trial. It ranks 7th of 12 with 10 sales of $49, 5th of 12 with 50 sales of $99 and 5th of 12 with 100 sales of $297. Podia fees in detail.
LearnWorlds
LearnWorlds' plans cost $29 to $299 a month ($24 to $249 billed yearly). Starter takes $5 per sale; Pro Trainer and Learning Center take nothing. Card processing adds 2.9% + $0.30 per sale. It offers a 30-day free trial. It ranks 9th of 12 with 10 sales of $49, 6th of 12 with 50 sales of $99 and 6th of 12 with 100 sales of $297. LearnWorlds fees in detail.
Skool
Skool's plans cost $9 to $99 a month ($7.50 to $82 billed yearly). Hobby takes 10% + $0.30 per sale and Pro takes 2.9% + $0.30 per sale (3.9% above $900). Card processing is included in the fee. It offers a 14-day free trial. It ranks 4th of 12 with 10 sales of $49, 7th of 12 with 50 sales of $99 and 7th of 12 with 100 sales of $297. A 30% "Growth Boost" cut on members Skool's own discovery brings you (on by default) isn't included. Skool fees in detail, the Skool Hobby vs Pro and Skool alternatives.
Payhip
Payhip has a free plan; paid plans cost $29 to $99 a month. Free Forever takes 5% of each sale and Plus takes 2% of each sale; Pro takes nothing. Card processing adds 2.9% + $0.30 per sale. It ranks 2nd of 12 with 10 sales of $49, 8th of 12 with 50 sales of $99 and 8th of 12 with 100 sales of $297. Payhip fees in detail.
Kajabi
Kajabi's plans cost $179 to $499 a month ($143 to $399 billed yearly). No plan takes a transaction fee. Card processing is 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic, 2.8% + $0.30 on Growth and 2.7% + $0.30 on Pro. It offers a 14-day free trial. It ranks 12th of 12 with 10 sales of $49, 9th of 12 with 50 sales of $99 and 9th of 12 with 100 sales of $297. Kajabi fees in detail and Kajabi alternatives.
Circle
Circle's plans cost $89 to $419 a month, billed yearly (no monthly price is listed). Professional takes 2% of each sale, Business takes 1% of each sale and Scale takes 1% of each sale. Card processing adds 2.9% + $0.30 per sale. It offers a 14-day free trial. It ranks 10th of 12 with 10 sales of $49, 10th of 12 with 50 sales of $99 and 10th of 12 with 100 sales of $297. Circle fees in detail.
Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks' plans cost $95 to $425 a month ($79 to $354 billed yearly). Launch takes 2% of each sale, Scale takes 1% of each sale and Growth takes 0.5% of each sale. Card processing adds 2.9% + $0.30 per sale. It offers a free trial on the Growth plan. It ranks 11th of 12 with 10 sales of $49, 11th of 12 with 50 sales of $99 and 11th of 12 with 100 sales of $297. Mighty Networks fees in detail.
Gumroad
Gumroad has no subscription. It takes 10% + $0.50 per sale (5% after $20,000 a month). Card processing adds 2.9% + $0.30 per sale. It ranks 6th of 12 with 10 sales of $49, 12th of 12 with 50 sales of $99 and 12th of 12 with 100 sales of $297. Sales through Gumroad's Discover marketplace cost 30% instead, processing included. Gumroad fees in detail, the Gumroad fee calculator and Gumroad alternatives.
Selling on a marketplace instead: Udemy
Udemy doesn't charge a subscription: “There is no fee to create and host a course on Udemy, and you can publish as many free and paid courses as you like.” It sets the price and keeps a share of each sale instead, paying you 97% of a sale made with your own coupon or link and 37% of every other sale, both of what the student paid less tax and app-store fees. $1,000 of sales leaves you $970 through your own link or $370 from Udemy's marketplace; on your own platform, 50 sales of $99 a month across 3 courses leave you 96.5% of sales on Systeme.io Startup, after every fee. Udemy revenue share calculator.
Quick answers
Which online course platform is best?
On what it leaves you, it depends on your size. With 10 sales of $49 a month across one course, Systeme.io Free leaves the most and Kajabi Basic the least ($472.79 against $293.79). With 50 sales of $99 a month across 3 courses, Systeme.io Startup leaves the most and Gumroad the least ($4,774 against $4,271). With 100 sales of $297 a month across 10 courses, Stan Store Creator leaves the most and Gumroad the least ($28,780 against $26,274). Beyond fees, the platforms differ in what they're built for; each one's fee page lists its plan limits.
Which online course platforms are free?
Payhip Free Forever (5% of each sale, unlimited courses), Systeme.io Free (no transaction fee, 1 course) and Gumroad (10% + $0.50 per sale, unlimited courses) let you sell without a subscription. The rest have free trials only: Teachable (7-day free trial), Thinkific (30-day free trial), Kajabi (14-day free trial), Podia (14-day free trial), LearnWorlds (30-day free trial), Skool (14-day free trial), Circle (14-day free trial), Stan Store (14-day free trial) and Mighty Networks (free trial on the Growth plan). Udemy is free to host on too, but keeps a share of every sale.
Which online course platforms take no transaction fee?
Teachable from Builder ($89 a month), Thinkific on every plan (from $54 a month), Kajabi on every plan (from $179 a month), Podia from Shaker ($99 a month), LearnWorlds from Pro Trainer ($99 a month), Stan Store on every plan (from $29 a month), Payhip from Pro ($99 a month) and Systeme.io on every plan (from $0 a month). Card processing still applies. Skool, Circle, Mighty Networks and Gumroad take a cut on every plan.
What is the difference between a course platform and a marketplace like Udemy?
On your own platform you pay a subscription and card processing and set your own price: with 50 sales of $99 a month across 3 courses, Systeme.io Startup leaves you 96.5% of sales. Udemy sets the price and charges nothing to host; it pays you 97% of a sale made with your own coupon or link and 37% of every other sale, both of what the student paid less tax and app-store fees. $1,000 of sales leaves $970 through your own link or $370 from Udemy's marketplace.
What are some examples of online course platforms?
The 12 on this page: Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi, Podia, LearnWorlds, Skool, Circle, Stan Store, Payhip, Mighty Networks, Systeme.io and Gumroad. Udemy is a course marketplace rather than a platform of your own.
More: the cheapest course platform at every size, free course platforms, platforms with no transaction fee, Teachable vs Thinkific vs Kajabi and every head-to-head.
Prices checked against each platform's own pricing page on .