Best Online Course Platforms in 2026: Complete Comparison Guide
Your course platform is your digital campus—where students learn, you earn, and your teaching business grows. With dozens of options available, choosing the right platform can make or break your course business. This comprehensive guide compares the top platforms to help you make the right choice. Also explore our detailed platform comparison and learn how to sell courses effectively.
Two Types of Course Platforms
Self-Hosted Platforms
You pay a monthly fee and keep 100% of your course sales (minus ~3% payment processing). You control pricing, own student data, and build your own brand.
Examples:
Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi, Podia, LearnWorlds
- Keep 100% of sales
- Own student email list
- Control pricing
- You handle marketing
Marketplace Platforms
Free to create courses, but the platform takes 50-97% of your revenue. Built-in audience of millions, but you don't own student relationships or control pricing.
Examples:
Udemy, Skillshare, Coursera
- Built-in audience
- No upfront costs
- Platform takes 50-97%
- No student email list
Quick Comparison: Top 6 Self-Hosted Platforms
| Platform | Starting Price | Transaction Fees | Best For | Free Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thinkific | Free - $199/mo | None | Customization | Yes |
| Teachable | $59 - $249/mo | None (paid) | Beginners | No |
| Kajabi | $149 - $399/mo | None | All-in-one | No |
| Podia | $39 - $89/mo | None | Simplicity | No |
| LearnWorlds | $29 - $299/mo | $5 (Starter) | Interactive | No |
| Udemy | Free | 50-97% | Quick start | Yes |
Platforms by Budget
Thinkific Free
Best Free OptionThe only legitimate free plan among self-hosted platforms. Create up to 3 courses with unlimited students, no transaction fees, and access to core features. Perfect for testing your course idea or getting started without risk.
- Up to 3 courses
- Unlimited students
- No transaction fees
- Limited features
Udemy (Marketplace)
Built-in AudienceFree to create, with instant access to 70+ million students. Udemy handles marketing and payment processing, but takes 50% (or 97% on their promotions). Good for quick validation, not for building a business.
- 70+ million students
- No upfront costs
- Udemy takes 50-97%
- No student email list
LearnWorlds Starter
$29/month
The most affordable full-featured platform. Includes interactive video tools, but charges $5 per course sale. Good for beginners who want advanced features at a low monthly cost.
- Interactive video features
- Unlimited courses
- $5 transaction fee per sale
Podia Mover
$39/month
Best ValueSimple, clean, and affordable. No transaction fees, unlimited courses and students, built-in email marketing, and support for digital downloads and memberships. Perfect for creators who want simplicity.
- No transaction fees
- Built-in email marketing
- Very simple interface
Thinkific Basic
$49/month
Upgrade from the free plan to unlock coupons, drip content, memberships, and priority support. Good balance of features and affordability with strong customization options.
- Unlimited courses & students
- Good customization
- No transaction fees
Teachable Basic
$59/month
Best for BeginnersThe most beginner-friendly platform with simple setup and excellent course player. Unlimited courses and students, no transaction fees, and built-in payment processing. Limited customization but very easy to use.
- Very easy to use
- No transaction fees
- Good course player
- Limited customization
LearnWorlds Pro Trainer
$99/month
No transaction fees at this tier. Includes interactive video, social learning community, and advanced assessment tools. Best for creators who want engaging, interactive courses.
- No transaction fees
- Interactive video tools
- Community features
Kajabi Basic
$149/month
All-in-OneComplete business platform with courses, website builder, email marketing, sales funnels, and automation. Expensive but eliminates the need for multiple tools. Best for serious course creators building a business.
- Complete business platform
- Built-in email marketing
- Sales funnels & automation
Premium tiers for established course creators who need advanced features and want to scale their business.
Teachable Pro
$159/month
Advanced reports, graded quizzes, course compliance, and priority support. Good for creators with established courses who need better analytics.
Kajabi Growth
$199/month
More products, more contacts, advanced automation, and affiliate program. Best for growing course businesses with multiple products.
Thinkific Grow
$199/month
Advanced customization, assignments, certificates, priority support, and onboarding. For creators who need maximum control.
Which Platform Should You Choose?
Choose Thinkific if:
- You want to start for free
- You need customization control
- You want memberships and communities
- You're comfortable with third-party tools for marketing
Choose Teachable if:
- You're a complete beginner
- You want the simplest setup
- You prioritize ease of use over customization
- You want a great course player
Choose Kajabi if:
- You want an all-in-one solution
- You need built-in email marketing
- You're building a serious course business
- Budget isn't your primary concern
Choose Podia if:
- You want simplicity and affordability
- You sell multiple product types
- You don't need heavy customization
- You want built-in email marketing
Choose LearnWorlds if:
- You want interactive video features
- You need SCORM compliance
- You're creating corporate training
- You want a white-label mobile app
Choose Udemy if:
- You want to test your course idea quickly
- You don't want to handle marketing
- You're okay with 50-97% revenue share
- You don't need student email lists
Cost Comparison (First Year)
Budget Tier:
• Thinkific Free: $0
• Podia: $468/year
• Thinkific Basic: $588/year
Mid Tier:
• Teachable Basic: $708/year
• LearnWorlds Pro: $1,188/year
Premium Tier:
• Kajabi Basic: $1,788/year
• Teachable Pro: $1,908/year
• Thinkific Grow: $2,388/year
Related Resources
Udemy Instructor Guide
Complete guide to becoming a successful Udemy instructor and maximizing your course revenue.
Read More →Sell Online Courses Blueprint
Proven strategies for marketing, pricing, and selling online courses to maximize your income.
Read More →Course Platform Comparison
Detailed comparison of Kajabi, Teachable, Thinkific and other platforms to help you choose.
Read More →Udemy vs. Teachable
Head-to-head comparison of Udemy and Teachable to help you decide between marketplace and independent platform.
Read More →How to Populate Any Course Platform with VideoToPage
Choosing the right platform is only half the battle. The real challenge is filling it with high-quality course content. Most creators spend months recording, transcribing, and writing lessons—but it doesn't have to be that way.
VideoToPage works with every course platform. Upload your video lectures and automatically generate:
Complete Lesson Transcripts
Accurate transcripts with timestamps, ready to paste into Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi, or any other platform.
Lesson Summaries & Key Takeaways
Automatically generated summaries and key points that enhance student learning and course completion rates.
Quizzes & Assessments
Auto-generated quiz questions based on your video content to boost engagement and validate learning.
Whether you choose Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi, Podia, or any other platform, VideoToPage is the content engine that fills your courses in a fraction of the time. Record once, repurpose everywhere.