Best Online Course Platforms in 2026
Compare 9 online course platforms for creators and educators. Pricing, transaction fees, features, and use-case analysis for Teachable, Kajabi, Thinkific, Podia, Skillshare, Udemy, LearnWorlds, Mighty Networks, and Gumroad.
Affiliate Disclosure
This post contains affiliate links. If you sign up through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions are based on independent research and user feedback.
Why You Can Trust This Guide
We created test courses on all 9 platforms – uploading video lessons, setting up drip schedules, configuring payment gateways, and testing the student experience. We analyzed pricing, transaction fees, features, and scalability for creators at different revenue levels.
Quick Summary: Best Online Course Platforms
| # | Platform | Best For | Starting Price | Transaction Fees | Free Plan | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teachable | Course-first creators at scale | $29/mo (Starter, annual) | 7.5% (Starter), 0% (Builder+) | No | 4.4/5 |
| 2 | Kajabi | All-in-one course business | $143/mo (Basic, annual) | 0% | 14-day trial | 4.5/5 |
| 3 | Thinkific | Multi-course academy | $36/mo (Basic, annual) | 0% (Thinkific Payments) | No | 4.4/5 |
| 4 | Podia | Simple selling of courses & digital products | $33/mo (Mover, annual) | 5% (Mover), 0% (Shaker) | No | 4.3/5 |
| 5 | Skillshare | Marketplace exposure (creators) | Free to join | Royalty pool (watch-time based) | N/A | 3.2/5 |
| 6 | Udemy | Marketplace validation & reach | Free to join | 50-97% revenue share | N/A | 3.0/5 |
| 7 | LearnWorlds | Interactive, video-rich courses | $29/mo (Starter, annual) | $5/sale (Starter), 0% (Pro) | No | 4.5/5 |
| 8 | Mighty Networks | Community-first course business | $79/mo (Content & Community, annual) | 0% | 14-day trial | 4.4/5 |
| 9 | Gumroad | Direct digital product sales (no monthly fee) | $0 (pay-as-you-go) | 10% + $0.50/sale | Yes (pay per sale) | 4.2/5 |
Detailed Reviews
1. Teachable – Best for Course-First Creators
Teachable remains one of the most popular course platforms, offering a clean course builder, integrated payment processing, and a professional student experience.
The Starter plan ($29/mo annual) is affordable but carries a 7.5% transaction fee – at $1,000 in sales, that’s $75 in fees alone. The Builder plan ($69/mo) eliminates transaction fees and offers unlimited courses, coaching, and advanced quizzes. The Growth plan ($139/mo) adds affiliate management, advanced theme customization, and 0% transaction fees.
Teachable’s course player is polished with a clean UI, progress tracking, and note-taking. The built-in quiz engine supports multiple question types. The native affiliate program (on Growth and above) is solid.
Teachable eliminated its free plan in 2025, so there is no way to try the platform without paying.
Pricing: Starter $29/mo (7.5% fees) | Builder $69/mo (0% fees) | Growth $139/mo | Advanced $309/mo (annual).
Rating: 4.4/5 – The standard for straightforward course hosting. Transaction fees on lower plans are punitive.
2. Kajabi – Best All-in-One Course Business Platform
Kajabi is the most comprehensive all-in-one platform for course creators. It combines online courses, email marketing, sales funnels, community, website building, and payment processing in one ecosystem.
The Basic plan ($143/mo annual) supports unlimited courses, one website, email broadcasts, and 10,000 contacts. The Growth plan ($199/mo) adds 25,000 contacts, more funnels, affiliate management, and live chat support. The Pro plan ($399/mo) extends to 100,000 contacts and advanced analytics.
A January 2026 price increase moved Basic from $119/mo to $143/mo. Kajabi charges 0% transaction fees on all plans, and its email system, pipeline builder, and community features eliminate the need for separate subscriptions.
Pricing: Basic $143/mo | Growth $199/mo | Pro $399/mo (annual). 14-day trial available.
Rating: 4.5/5 – Best for established creators who want to consolidate tools. The $143/mo entry price is steep for beginners.
3. Thinkific – Best for Multi-Course Academies
Thinkific offers the strongest course management features among dedicated course platforms. It supports drip scheduling, prerequisite lessons, assignments, quizzes, surveys, and completion certificates.
The Basic plan ($36/mo annual) supports unlimited courses and students with 0% transaction fees when using Thinkific Payments. Using your own Stripe account adds a 5% surcharge on Basic, 2% on Start, and 1% on Grow.
The Start plan ($74/mo) adds advanced course-building features like bundles, live lessons, and more assessment options. The Grow plan ($149/mo) unlocks community, affiliates, and priority support.
Thinkific’s course builder is the most flexible for structuring multi-module, multi-instructor academies. The platform supports learning paths, cohorts, and membership communities.
Pricing: Basic $36/mo | Start $74/mo | Grow $149/mo | Plus Custom (annual). Free plan removed in 2026.
Rating: 4.4/5 – Best LMS features among direct competitors. Stripe surcharge is a hidden cost to watch.
4. Podia – Best Simple All-in-One for Digital Products
Podia is the most beginner-friendly platform for selling a mix of online courses, digital downloads, coaching, and memberships in one place. The interface is minimal and easy to navigate.
The Mover plan ($33/mo annual) supports courses, digital downloads, email marketing, and a website – all with a 5% transaction fee. The Shaker plan ($75/mo) removes transaction fees, adds affiliate management, community features, and live chat support.
Podia’s course builder is simple: upload videos, organize into sections, add text and downloads. There are no advanced LMS features like quizzes, assignments, or certificates. The email marketing is basic but functional.
Pricing: Mover $33/mo (5% fees) | Shaker $75/mo (0% fees). Annual billing available.
Rating: 4.3/5 – Best for solopreneurs who want a simple store for courses and digital products. Not for complex course structures.
5. Skillshare – Best for Marketplace Exposure
Skillshare is a subscription-based learning marketplace where creators earn based on watch time. It is free to join as a teacher, and you can publish unlimited classes.
Skillshare pays creators through a royalty pool model – your earnings depend on total minutes watched across all your classes divided by total minutes watched on the platform. This makes earnings unpredictable and heavily dependent on marketing.
The platform has 10+ million members, giving potential reach that no self-hosted platform can match. The trade-off is zero control over pricing, limited student relationship, and unpredictable income.
Pricing: Free for teachers. Revenue share based on royalty pool from member subscription revenue. Students pay $14/mo (annual) or $32/mo (monthly).
Rating: 3.2/5 – Useful for exposure and passive income, but not a sustainable primary revenue source.
6. Udemy – Best for Course Validation & Reach
Udemy is the largest online learning marketplace with 70+ million students. Publishing is free, and you can upload unlimited courses.
The revenue model is unfavorable to instructors: 50% revenue share when students come through your referral link, but only 3-5% (Udemy keeps 95-97%) when students come through Udemy’s own marketing and ads. Courses are frequently discounted to $10-$15, meaning even at 50%, you earn $5-$8 per sale.
Udemy is useful for validating a course idea and building authority, but not for building a sustainable course business. Most serious creators use Udemy for exposure while hosting their premium courses on Teachable, Thinkific, or Kajabi.
Pricing: Free for instructors. 50-97% revenue share depending on traffic source. No monthly fee.
Rating: 3.0/5 – Massive reach but unfavorable economics. Use for validation and exposure only.
7. LearnWorlds – Best for Interactive Video Courses
LearnWorlds is built for interactive, video-heavy courses. Its interactive video player lets you add clickable elements, questions, and CTAs directly inside video content – no other platform matches this depth.
The Starter plan ($29/mo annual) includes interactive video, assessments, certificates, and a built-in social community. The transaction fee is $5 per course sale. The Pro Trainer plan ($99/mo) removes transaction fees and adds advanced gamification, SCORM compliance, and e-commerce capabilities.
The Learning Center plan ($299/mo) supports multi-instructor academies and advanced analytics. LearnWorlds also offers a native mobile app builder on higher plans.
Pricing: Starter $29/mo ($5/sale) | Pro Trainer $99/mo (0% fees) | Learning Center $299/mo | Corporate custom.
Rating: 4.5/5 – Best for interactive video content. The $5/sale fee on Starter adds up quickly at scale.
8. Mighty Networks – Best for Community-First Course Businesses
Mighty Networks combines online courses with a built-in community platform. It is the best choice if community engagement is central to your course offering.
The Content & Community plan ($79/mo annual) includes full course hosting, community spaces, member profiles, and event tools. The Growth plan ($189/mo) adds advanced analytics, automation, and member onboarding flows.
Mighty Networks has hosted massive creator communities including Mel Robbins and Tony Robbins. The AI-powered features (course outline generator, member matching) are genuinely useful. The mobile app experience is excellent for student engagement.
Pricing: Community plan ~$39/mo (basic) | Content & Community $79/mo | Growth $189/mo | Mighty Pro custom (annual).
Rating: 4.4/5 – Ideal for community-driven courses. Not the cheapest option but community features are unmatched.
9. Gumroad – Best for Direct Sales (No Monthly Fee)
Gumroad takes a completely different approach: no monthly subscription, just a per-transaction fee. You pay 10% + $0.50 per sale for direct traffic sales. Discovery sales (through Gumroad’s marketplace) cost 30%.
For creators who already have an audience, Gumroad is the cheapest option. If you sell $1,000/mo in courses, you pay $100 + $5 in fees – no monthly platform cost. At $5,000/mo, you pay $500 + $2.50 in fees – cheaper than any monthly subscription.
Gumroad’s course player is basic but functional. The platform supports video lessons, text content, and file downloads. The built-in email tools are limited.
Pricing: Free (pay-as-you-go, 10% + $0.50/sale) | Premium plans available with lower fees and extra features.
Rating: 4.2/5 – Best for established creators with their own audience. No monthly fees means lower risk.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Teachable | Kajabi | Thinkific | Podia | Skillshare | Udemy | LearnWorlds | Mighty Networks | Gumroad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $29/mo | $143/mo | $36/mo | $33/mo | Free | Free | $29/mo | $79/mo | $0 (10% fees) |
| Transaction fees | 7.5%-0% | 0% | 0%* | 5%-0% | N/A | 50-97% | $5/sale-0% | 0% | 10%+$0.50 |
| Unlimited courses | Yes (Builder+) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Drip content | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Quizzes/Assessments | Yes | No | Yes | No | N/A | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Community | No | Yes | Yes (Grow) | Yes (Shaker) | No | No | Yes | Yes (core) | No |
| Email marketing | Basic | Included | Basic | Basic | No | No | Basic | Yes | Basic |
| Affiliate program | Yes (Growth+) | Yes (Growth+) | Yes (Grow) | Yes (Shaker) | N/A | N/A | Yes (Pro+) | Yes (Growth) | No |
| Mobile app | Student | Student | Student | No | Yes | Yes | Yes (paid) | Yes | No |
| Free trial | No | 14 days | No | 14 days | N/A | N/A | 30 days | 14 days | N/A |
*Thinkific charges 5% surcharge for using own Stripe instead of Thinkific Payments.
Which One Should You Choose?
For Course-First Creators
Teachable Builder ($69/mo, 0% fees) is the most focused course platform. Thinkific Basic ($36/mo) is cheaper if you’re okay with Thinkific Payments.
For All-in-One Business (Courses + Email + Funnels)
Kajabi ($143/mo) is the most comprehensive platform. The monthly cost replaces multiple separate subscriptions.
For Interactive Video Courses
LearnWorlds ($29/mo) has the best interactive video tools. The $5/sale fee on Starter is tolerable for lower-volume creators.
For Community-Driven Courses
Mighty Networks ($79/mo) combines courses and community better than anyone else.
For Simple Digital Product Sales
Gumroad (10% fee, no monthly) is cheapest for creators who already have an audience. Podia Mover ($33/mo) is better for beginners.
For Marketplace Reach
Udemy (free to publish) for validation and exposure. Skillshare (free) for passive royalty income.
FAQ
Which platform has the lowest fees?
Gumroad (10% + $0.50 per sale, no monthly fee) is cheapest at lower volumes. Teachable Builder ($69/mo, 0% fees) and Thinkific Basic ($36/mo, 0% fees) are best at higher volumes.
What is the transaction fee impact?
On Teachable’s Starter plan, selling $2,000/mo costs $150 in transaction fees plus the $29 subscription = $179 total. The same sales on Teachable Builder cost $69 total. Always calculate total cost including transaction fees.
Do I need my own audience?
Gumroad, Podia, Teachable, and Kajabi require you to bring your own audience. Udemy and Skillshare provide marketplace traffic but take significant revenue shares.
Which platform is best for live courses?
Mighty Networks, Kajabi, and Thinkific all support live sessions and cohort-based courses. LearnWorlds also supports live via Zoom integration.
Can I sell memberships and subscriptions?
Kajabi, Mighty Networks, Podia, Thinkific, and Teachable all support subscription-based access to courses and content.
Final Verdict
Your choice depends on your business model and budget:
- Under $100/mo budget? Thinkific Basic ($36/mo) or LearnWorlds Starter ($29/mo).
- Want to eliminate transaction fees? Thinkific Basic ($36/mo, 0%) or Teachable Builder ($69/mo, 0%).
- Need an all-in-one business platform? Kajabi ($143/mo) – the cost replaces email marketing, funnels, and website tools.
- Community-first approach? Mighty Networks ($79/mo).
- No monthly budget, existing audience? Gumroad (10% per sale).
The best strategy: start on a cheaper platform (Thinkific or Podia), validate your course, and upgrade to Kajabi or Mighty Networks when you have consistent revenue to justify the higher subscription cost.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you sign up through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions are based on independent research and user feedback. Prices verified July 2026.