Best Online Course Platforms (2026): Pricing, Features, and How to Choose

Pick the wrong course platform and you’ll waste months. I’ve watched creators spend six weeks migrating content, lose their SEO, and pay double what they should — all because they chose based on a slick demo video instead of actual math.

The platform comparison trap is real. You open twelve tabs, read comparison posts from creators who’ve never actually used half these tools, compare feature grids, join Facebook groups to ask opinions, and three months later you still haven’t recorded a single lesson. I’ve seen this pattern play out hundreds of times across the 39,000+ professionals I’ve trained.

I’ve researched every major platform. Tested the ones that matter. And I’m going to give you the straight numbers so you can pick the right one the first time — then get back to what actually matters: building your course.

If you want to cut straight to a guided recommendation, Pick Your Platform walks you through it step by step.

Quick Comparison

Platform	Starting Price	Free Plan	Transaction Fees	Best For
GoHighLevel	$97/mo	No	0%	Full business suite
Teachable	$39/mo	Limited	Up to 7.5%	Simple course sales
Kajabi	$89/mo	No	2.9%+30¢+0.7%	All-in-one premium
Thinkific	$0/mo	Yes	0%	Budget course delivery
Podia	$0/mo	Yes	Up to 5%	Digital downloads + courses
LearnWorlds	$29/mo	No	$5/enrollment (Starter)	Interactive learning

Now let’s get into the details.

GoHighLevel

GoHighLevel is not a course platform. It’s a complete business operating system that happens to include course hosting. And that distinction matters more than you think.

Pricing: The Starter plan runs $97/month and includes 3 sub-accounts, a full CRM, funnel builder, email marketing, SMS, calendar booking, course hosting, and workflow automations. The Unlimited plan is $297/month. SaaS Pro is $497/month for agencies. There’s a 14-day trial. Add-ons run $20–150/month depending on what you need.

Why it stands out: GoHighLevel replaces your CRM, email marketing tool, funnel builder, course platform, SMS platform, and calendar app. If you’re currently paying for ActiveCampaign ($49/mo), ClickFunnels ($147/mo), Teachable ($39/mo), and Calendly ($12/mo), you’re spending $247/month on tools that GoHighLevel replaces for $97. That’s not a small difference. That’s $1,800/year back in your pocket.

Who it’s for: Course creators who are building a real business — not just uploading a course and hoping. If you need lead capture, email sequences, sales funnels, and automated follow-ups alongside your course, this is the play. I cover exactly how to Set Up Your Course in GoHighLevel and Build Funnels & Automations in GoHighLevel in separate guides.

Drawbacks: The interface is dense. There’s a learning curve, especially if you’ve never used a CRM or built a funnel. Support can be slow during peak hours. And if you only need to host one course with zero marketing infrastructure, it’s overkill. The course player itself is functional but not as polished as dedicated platforms like LearnWorlds or Kajabi — you won’t get interactive video elements or sophisticated drip schedules. But here’s the thing: most course creators don’t need those features. They need students to find their course, buy it, and consume it. GoHighLevel handles all of that.

Teachable

Teachable has been around since 2014, and they’ve earned their reputation as a straightforward course hosting platform. They don’t try to be everything. They host your course, process payments, and get out of your way.

Pricing: The Free plan costs $0 but charges $1 + 10% per sale and limits you to 1 course — though this tier may have been dropped in 2025, so check current availability. Starter is $39/month ($29 billed annually), with a 7.5% transaction fee and 1 product. Builder is $89/month ($69 annual), eliminates transaction fees, supports 5 products, and includes an affiliate program. Growth runs $189/month ($139 annual). Advanced is $399/month ($309 annual).

Why it stands out: Teachable is dead simple. You upload your content, set a price, and you’re live. Their payout system is reliable. The course player is clean and doesn’t confuse students. For pure course delivery without the complexity, it works.

Who it’s for: Creators who want to sell a course and nothing else. No funnels. No email marketing. No CRM. Just a course on a page with a buy button. If that’s you, Teachable is a solid choice, especially on the Builder plan where transaction fees drop to zero.

Drawbacks: Once you need marketing tools — landing pages, email sequences, upsell funnels — you’re adding third-party tools and their monthly costs. At minimum, you’ll want an email tool ($20–50/mo) and a landing page builder ($25–50/mo), which pushes your real monthly cost to $85–140 before you’ve sold anything. The Free plan’s 10% transaction fee will eat your margins alive if you do any volume — on a $297 course, that’s nearly $30 per sale going to Teachable instead of you. And their page builder is limited compared to dedicated funnel tools.

Kajabi

Kajabi raised their prices in January 2026, and I want to be upfront about that because a lot of comparison posts online are still showing 2024 pricing. Here’s what it actually costs now.

Pricing: Kickstarter is $89/month for 1 product and 250 contacts. Basic is $149/month with 3 products and email included. Growth is $249/month ($199 annual). Pro is $499/month ($399 annual). All plans come with a 14-day trial. Kajabi Payments charges 2.9% + 30¢ + 0.7% on subscriptions.

Why it stands out: Kajabi gives you course hosting, website builder, email marketing, landing pages, and a community feature in one package. It’s genuinely all-in-one. The templates look polished. The email builder is capable. And their customer support is among the best in the industry.

Who it’s for: Creators who want everything under one roof and are willing to pay a premium for it. If you’re making at least $2,000–3,000/month from your course and want to consolidate tools, Kajabi justifies the price.

Drawbacks: The January 2026 price increase stings. At $149/month for Basic, you need real revenue to justify it — that’s $1,788/year before you’ve sold a single seat. The 0.7% surcharge on subscription payments through Kajabi Payments is an extra nibble on top of standard processing fees, which means on a $49/month subscription you’re paying roughly $2.29 per month per student just in processing and Kajabi fees. Their course player, while clean, hasn’t evolved much in the last few years. You’re paying for convenience, not cutting-edge features.

Thinkific

Thinkific is the budget pick that doesn’t feel like a budget pick. Their free plan is genuinely useful, not a bait-and-switch that charges 10% per sale.

Pricing: Free is $0 with 1 course, 0% transaction fees, and unlimited students. Basic is $49/month ($36 annual). Start is $99/month ($74 annual). Grow and Expand tiers scale up from there for larger operations.

Why it stands out: Zero transaction fees on every plan. Including the free one. That alone makes Thinkific the smartest entry point for new course creators. Upload your course, price it at $200, sell 10 copies, and you keep $2,000 minus standard payment processing. No platform taking a cut. The course builder is intuitive, student management is straightforward, and their quizzes and completion certificates work well.

Who it’s for: Anyone starting their first course who doesn’t want to get nickel-and-dimed. Also works well for established creators who want a clean, reliable course host and handle their marketing elsewhere.

Drawbacks: No built-in email marketing or funnel builder on lower plans. You’ll need to integrate with a separate email tool if you want automated sequences, which adds cost and complexity. The free plan lacks advanced features like bundles, prerequisites, and completed course certificates. Their theme customization is more limited than Kajabi or GoHighLevel — your course site will look functional but won’t win any design awards.

Podia

Podia positions itself as the friendly, simple platform for creators who sell digital products — courses, downloads, coaching, and community access.

Pricing: Free plan available with limitations. Mover is $39/month ($33 annual) with a 5% transaction fee. Shaker is $89/month ($75 annual) with 0% transaction fees.

Why it stands out: Podia lets you sell courses, digital downloads, and coaching sessions from the same dashboard. The interface is the simplest of any platform here. If you want to bundle a PDF guide with your course, or offer 1-on-1 coaching as an upsell, Podia handles it without making you duct-tape three tools together.

Who it’s for: Creators with a mix of digital products — not just courses. If you’re selling an ebook, a mini-course, and coaching packages, Podia keeps it all in one place without overwhelming you.

Drawbacks: The 5% fee on the Mover plan is brutal if your course is priced above $100. At $500 per sale, you’re handing Podia $25 per student. The course builder is basic — no advanced drip schedules, no prerequisites, no quizzes worth mentioning. And their marketing tools are thin compared to Kajabi or GoHighLevel.

LearnWorlds

LearnWorlds is the platform for creators who care deeply about the learning experience itself — interactive videos, assessments, SCORM compliance, and student engagement.

Pricing: Starter is $29/month ($24 annual) but charges $5 per enrollment, which adds up fast. Pro Trainer is $99/month ($79 annual) with no per-enrollment fees. Learning Center is $299/month ($249 annual). All plans include a 30-day trial.

Why it stands out: The interactive video player is genuinely impressive. You can add clickable hotspots, inline quizzes, and branching scenarios inside videos. Their assessment engine supports a wide range of question types. If you’re building a course where the learning experience is the product — certification programs, corporate training, compliance courses — LearnWorlds is the most capable tool here.

Who it’s for: Educators and trainers who need SCORM support, interactive assessments, and a polished learning experience. Corporate training programs. Anyone selling accredited or certification-based courses.

Drawbacks: The $5-per-enrollment fee on Starter makes it a trap for anyone with real volume. At 100 students, you’ve paid $500 in enrollment fees on top of your $29/month. The Pro Trainer plan eliminates this, but at $99/month you’re competing with Teachable Builder at $89/month with zero per-student costs. The interface takes time to learn, and their marketing tools are minimal.

How to Choose

Four scenarios. Four answers.

Scenario 1: You’re just starting and have no audience

Go with Thinkific Free. Host one course. Pay zero transaction fees. Keep every dollar you earn. Use the free tier until you hit $1,000/month in revenue, then decide if you need to upgrade or switch platforms. Don’t spend money on tools before you’ve proven people will buy your course.

Scenario 2: You’re building a course business with marketing

GoHighLevel at $97/month. You get a CRM, email marketing, funnels, SMS, and course hosting. The alternative is paying for 4–5 separate tools at $200+/month total. If you’re serious about building a business — not just posting a course — this is the mathematically correct choice.

Scenario 3: You want everything in one polished package

Kajabi at $149/month. Yes, it’s expensive. But you get a website builder, email, landing pages, community, and course hosting that all work together without integration headaches. The premium is for convenience and a cohesive experience.

Scenario 4: You need advanced learning features

LearnWorlds at $99/month (Pro Trainer). The interactive video tools and assessment engine justify the price if student engagement and learning outcomes are your selling point. Skip the Starter plan — the $5 enrollment fee is a bad deal.

For most course creators building a real business, GoHighLevel is the strongest choice. Not because it’s the best course player — it’s not. LearnWorlds beats it there. Not because it’s the cheapest — Thinkific Free wins that. But because it replaces five other tools you’d otherwise be paying for separately, and that matters more than most creators realize when they’re starting out.

The biggest trap in course creation isn’t picking the “wrong” platform. It’s spending three months comparing platforms instead of building and launching your course. I’ve trained 39,000+ professionals, and the creators who succeed are the ones who pick a tool, build their course, and start selling. Period.

If you want a budget pick for pure course delivery with no nonsense, Thinkific Free is the answer. Zero fees. Unlimited students. Hard to argue with that.

Ready to decide? Pick Your Platform will walk you through it based on your specific situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest online course platform?

Thinkific Free. $0/month, 0% transaction fees, unlimited students, 1 course. Nothing else comes close for a true $0 cost. Podia also has a free plan, but it charges transaction fees and has more limitations on course content.

Do I need an all-in-one platform?

Not necessarily. If you already have email marketing (ConvertKit, Mailchimp), a funnel builder (ClickFunnels), and a CRM (HubSpot), then a standalone course platform like Teachable or Thinkific makes more sense than paying for duplicate features in an all-in-one tool. But if you’re starting from scratch, GoHighLevel or Kajabi will save you money and integration headaches.

How much should I budget for a course platform?

For your first course: $0–$50/month. Thinkific Free, Podia Free, or Teachable Starter. Don’t go higher until you’re generating revenue.

For an established course business: $97–$150/month. That covers GoHighLevel Starter or Kajabi Basic with room to grow.

The wrong move is spending $299/month on Kajabi Pro or GoHighLevel Unlimited before you’ve sold your first course. I see this constantly. Don’t be that person.

Can I switch platforms later?

Yes, but it’s painful. Expect to spend 2–4 weeks migrating content, rebuilding your sales pages, and redirecting your audience. Student data (progress, certificates) usually doesn’t transfer cleanly. You’ll likely need to offer returning students free access on the new platform while you sort things out. Pick a platform you can grow with for at least 12–18 months to avoid this hassle.

Which platform has the best course player?

LearnWorlds, hands down. Their interactive video player with embedded quizzes, hotspots, and branching is in a different league. Kajabi and Teachable have clean players but nothing interactive. GoHighLevel’s player is functional but basic.

Do free plans have hidden costs?

The ones with transaction fees absolutely do. Teachable Free charges $1 + 10% per sale. On a $200 course, that’s $21 per student. Sell to 100 students and you’ve paid $2,100 in fees — more than a year of most paid plans. Thinkific Free is the exception: 0% fees, no per-sale charges, just standard payment processing (Stripe/PayPal).

Still not sure which one fits? Take five minutes with Pick Your Platform and get a recommendation based on your actual situation — not generic advice.

More platform comparisons: For my deep-dive reviews, see GoHighLevel Review, Teachable Review, Kajabi Review, Thinkific Review, Podia Review, and LearnWorlds Review. For head-to-head comparisons, check out GoHighLevel vs Kajabi and GoHighLevel vs Teachable. If you’re on a budget, see Best Free Course Platforms.