Choosing the best online course platform comes down to two questions most comparisons rush past: how much of each sale you keep after fees, and whether the platform helps you actually sell. Great course-building tools mean little if the platform skims a transaction fee off every sale or leaves you to handle marketing with duct tape.
I have built and sold courses on the major platforms. The ones worth your time balance solid learning tools, fair fees, and enough marketing capability to grow. For most creators, Thinkific is the best overall choice, thanks to strong course tools and zero transaction fees. Here is how it compares to the main alternatives, so you can match a platform to your goals.
Quick picks:
Best overall: Thinkific
Best for beginners and simplicity: Teachable
Best all-in-one for marketing: Kajabi
Best budget all-rounder: Podia
Best for interactive learning: LearnWorlds
What actually matters in a course platform
Transaction fees. A platform that takes a percentage of every sale can cost far more than a slightly pricier plan with no fees, once you are selling real volume. This is the first number to check.
Course-building and learning experience. Clean lesson structure, quizzes, completion tracking, drip content, and certificates keep students engaged and finishing, which drives reviews and referrals.
Marketing and selling tools. Sales pages, coupons, order bumps, affiliate programs, and email either live in the platform or force you to buy them elsewhere. Bundled tools save money and setup.
Memberships and community. Recurring memberships and a community turn a one-time course sale into ongoing revenue, which is where many course businesses find durable income.
Price against your stage. A beginner testing an idea and an established creator running launches need very different plans. Match the tier to where you are now, with room to grow.
Course platforms compared
| Platform | Best for | Transaction fees | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thinkific | Overall value & course tools | 0% on paid plans | Free tier; from ~$49/mo | 4.6/5 |
| Teachable | Beginners, simplicity | Fee on Basic; 0% higher up | Free tier; from ~$59/mo | 4.3/5 |
| Kajabi | All-in-one marketing | 0% | From ~$89/mo | 4.3/5 |
| Podia | Budget all-rounder | 0% on paid plans | Free tier; from ~$39/mo | 4.2/5 |
| LearnWorlds | Interactive learning | 0% (higher plans) | From ~$29/mo | 4.3/5 |
Pricing and fee structures change, so confirm current plans and any transaction fees on each provider's site.
1. Thinkific: Best Overall
Thinkific is the platform I recommend to most course creators because it does the core job well and lets you keep your revenue. It charges no transaction fees on any paid plan, so beyond the payment processor's standard cut, every dollar a student pays is yours.
The course-building tools are among the best in the category: a clean curriculum builder, quizzes and assignments, drip scheduling, completion certificates, and strong student-progress tracking that helps people finish what they buy. Beyond individual courses, Thinkific supports memberships and communities, so you can add recurring revenue on top of one-time sales, and it includes the sales pages, coupons, and order bumps you need to sell without extra tools. Unlimited courses on paid plans and a genuinely usable free tier make it easy to start and scale. For a creator whose product is the course itself, this combination of quality and value is hard to beat.
The consideration is marketing breadth. Thinkific focuses on courses and does not bundle a full email-marketing and funnel suite the way Kajabi does, so you may pair it with a dedicated email tool. For most creators that is a feature, since you keep your email platform of choice and pay less. If you want everything including email and funnels under one roof, weigh Kajabi below.
Pros
- Zero transaction fees on all paid plans
- Excellent course-building and completion tools
- Memberships and communities for recurring revenue
- Unlimited courses and a usable free tier
Cons
- Less built-in email and funnel marketing than Kajabi
- Advanced selling features sit on higher tiers
- You may add a separate email tool
2. Teachable: Best for Beginners and Simplicity
Teachable is the easiest place for a first-time creator to launch a course. The setup is guided, the interface is friendly, and you can go from idea to published course quickly without touching anything technical.
The catch is fees on the lower plans. Teachable charges a transaction fee on its Basic tier, which can quietly cost more than a fee-free plan once your sales volume grows, so you often need to upgrade to remove it. When Teachable wins: you want the smoothest possible start and are testing an idea. When Thinkific wins: you want zero fees from the start and stronger course tools at a similar price. Teachable is a fine on-ramp that many creators outgrow on cost.
3. Kajabi: Best All-in-One for Marketing
Kajabi is the premium all-in-one, bundling courses, email marketing, sales funnels, a website, and automations into a single platform with no transaction fees. For a creator who wants to run the entire business in one place, that consolidation can replace several separate subscriptions.
The trade-off is price. Kajabi starts higher than the course-focused tools, so it makes sense once the value of its bundled email and funnels exceeds what you would pay for them separately. When Kajabi wins: you want courses plus full marketing under one roof and will use the funnels and email. When Thinkific wins: you want the best course tools and value and prefer your own email stack. Kajabi is the business hub; Thinkific is the course specialist.
4. Podia: Best Budget All-Rounder
Podia is the simple, affordable option for selling courses, digital downloads, and memberships from one clean storefront. It bundles email and a website builder at a lower price than the premium platforms.
For a creator who wants an inexpensive place to sell a course and a few digital products without complexity, Podia is strong value. When Podia wins: budget and simplicity matter and your course catalog is small. When Thinkific wins: you want deeper course and learning tools as you scale. Podia is the easygoing budget pick.
5. LearnWorlds: Best for Interactive Learning
LearnWorlds goes deepest on the learning experience, with interactive video, assessments, certificates, and SCORM support that suit serious education, professional training, and academies.
For a creator or organization where course quality and accreditation-style features matter more than the lowest price, LearnWorlds delivers. When LearnWorlds wins: interactive, assessment-heavy, or professional training. When Thinkific wins: you want excellent standard courses at better value. LearnWorlds is the specialist for advanced learning design.
How to choose the right course platform
You want the best balance of course tools, value, and zero fees: Thinkific. The right default for most creators.
You are launching your first course and want the simplest start: Teachable, with an eye on its Basic-plan fee.
You want courses plus email and funnels in one platform: Kajabi.
You want an affordable all-rounder for courses and digital products: Podia.
You need interactive, assessment-heavy learning: LearnWorlds.
The number that trips up new creators is the transaction fee, which feels small until you are doing real volume and it quietly outweighs a higher monthly plan. Compare platforms on total take-home at your expected sales, not the sticker price, and lean toward fee-free plans. For most people, Thinkific is where that math lands, and its free tier lets you build a course before you commit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best platform to sell online courses in 2026?
Thinkific is the best online course platform for most creators in 2026 because it combines strong course-building tools, memberships and communities, and zero transaction fees on all paid plans at a fair price. Teachable is the simplest for beginners, Kajabi is the best all-in-one for creators who also want email and funnels, Podia is the best budget all-rounder, and LearnWorlds is best for interactive, assessment-heavy learning.
How much does Thinkific cost?
Thinkific has a free plan to start, and its main paid tiers commonly begin around $49 per month for the Basic plan with unlimited courses, rising to about $99 per month for the tier that adds memberships and more advanced selling. Crucially, Thinkific charges no transaction fees on any paid plan, so you keep all of your course revenue minus the payment processor's cut. Confirm current pricing on their site.
Do course platforms take a cut of my sales?
It depends on the platform and plan. Thinkific and Kajabi charge zero transaction fees on paid plans, so you keep all revenue beyond the payment processor's standard fee. Teachable charges a transaction fee on its lower plans, which can cost more than a higher fee-free plan once you sell a meaningful volume. Always factor transaction fees into the comparison, because on real sales volume they often outweigh the monthly price difference.
Is Thinkific or Kajabi better?
Thinkific is better if your priority is course creation and value, with excellent learning tools, memberships, and no transaction fees at a lower price. Kajabi is better if you want a single platform that also runs your email marketing, sales funnels, and website, and you are willing to pay a premium for that consolidation. Course-focused creators usually pick Thinkific; creators who want an all-in-one business hub lean Kajabi.