Best online course platforms 2026
Top picks for online course platforms 2026: Teachable (creators who want one of the most established course platforms and don't mind starting on a paid plan, no free plan; Starter from about $39 per month ($29 billed annually) with a 7.5% transaction fee, Builder from about $89 per month ($69 annually) with 0% transaction fees, Growth from about $189 per month ($139 annually)), Thinkific (creators who want the lowest-cost entry point with zero transaction fees and don't need a permanent free tier, no free plan; Basic from about $54 per month ($40 billed annually), Start from about $109 per month ($82 annually), Grow from about $219 per month ($164 annually), all with a 30-day free trial and 0% transaction fees), Kajabi (established creators who want an all-in-one business platform and can absorb the highest entry price here, no free plan; Basic from about $179 per month ($143 billed annually), Growth from about $249 per month ($199 annually), Pro from about $499 per month ($399 annually), all with a 14-day free trial). All 4 tools here are compared on pricing, free plans, features and platforms, verified against vendor sources.
Pricing and features verified against each vendor's published information on 2026-09-21. Sources linked below.
At a glance
| Tool | Free plan | Pricing from | Best for | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teachable | No | No free plan; Starter from about $39 per month ($29 billed annually) with a 7.5% transaction fee, Builder from about $89 per month ($69 annually) with 0% transaction fees, Growth from about $189 per month ($139 annually) | creators who want one of the most established course platforms and don't mind starting on a paid plan | Web |
| Thinkific | No | No free plan; Basic from about $54 per month ($40 billed annually), Start from about $109 per month ($82 annually), Grow from about $219 per month ($164 annually), all with a 30-day free trial and 0% transaction fees | creators who want the lowest-cost entry point with zero transaction fees and don't need a permanent free tier | Web |
| Kajabi | No | No free plan; Basic from about $179 per month ($143 billed annually), Growth from about $249 per month ($199 annually), Pro from about $499 per month ($399 annually), all with a 14-day free trial | established creators who want an all-in-one business platform and can absorb the highest entry price here | Web, iOS, Android |
| Podia | No | No free plan since October 2024; Mover from about $49 per month ($42 billed annually) with a 5% transaction fee, Shaker from about $99 per month ($84 annually) with 0% fees, Earthquaker from about $179 per month ($150 annually), all with a 30-day free trial | small creators wanting courses, email marketing and community bundled into one plan without an add-on | Web |
The shortlist
1. Teachable
Paid onlyFounded 2013
No free plan; Starter from about $39 per month ($29 billed annually) with a 7.5% transaction fee, Builder from about $89 per month ($69 annually) with 0% transaction fees, Growth from about $189 per month ($139 annually). Best for creators who want one of the most established course platforms and don't mind starting on a paid plan.
- No free plan since a 2025 pricing restructuring removed the old $1-plus-10%-per-transaction free tier
- Launched in 2013 under the name Fedora, rebranded to Teachable in 2016, acquired by Hotmart in March 2020 for about $250 million
- Transaction fees apply only on the entry Starter plan; Builder and above charge 0%
- Every paid plan includes a 7-day free trial rather than a permanent free tier
2. Thinkific
Paid onlyFounded 2012
No free plan; Basic from about $54 per month ($40 billed annually), Start from about $109 per month ($82 annually), Grow from about $219 per month ($164 annually), all with a 30-day free trial and 0% transaction fees. Best for creators who want the lowest-cost entry point with zero transaction fees and don't need a permanent free tier.
- Charges 0% transaction fees on every plan, the only platform in this comparison that never takes a cut of course sales
- About a 10% price increase took effect 13 August 2026 across all paid plans
- 30-day free trial on every plan except the custom-priced Plus tier
- No permanent free plan as of 2026, only the free trial
3. Kajabi
Paid onlyFounded 2010
No free plan; Basic from about $179 per month ($143 billed annually), Growth from about $249 per month ($199 annually), Pro from about $499 per month ($399 annually), all with a 14-day free trial. Best for established creators who want an all-in-one business platform and can absorb the highest entry price here.
- The highest entry price of the four platforms compared here by a wide margin
- Separate student app and Creator app, both on iOS and Android, unlike the web-only platforms in this comparison
- No transaction fees when using Kajabi's own built-in payment processor, Kajabi Payments
- Positions itself as an all-in-one business platform, courses plus email marketing, websites and sales pipelines, not just a course host
4. Podia
Paid onlyFounded 2014
No free plan since October 2024; Mover from about $49 per month ($42 billed annually) with a 5% transaction fee, Shaker from about $99 per month ($84 annually) with 0% fees, Earthquaker from about $179 per month ($150 annually), all with a 30-day free trial. Best for small creators wanting courses, email marketing and community bundled into one plan without an add-on.
- Removed its long-standing free plan on 14 October 2024, replacing it with a 30-day free trial across all plans
- Only the entry Mover plan charges a transaction fee (5%); Shaker and Earthquaker charge 0%
- Products are capped at 50 on Mover and 150 on Shaker; only Earthquaker is unlimited
- Bundles email marketing and an on-platform community into every plan rather than selling them as add-ons
Head-to-head comparisons
- Teachable vs Thinkific
- Teachable vs Kajabi
- Teachable vs Podia
- Thinkific vs Kajabi
- Thinkific vs Podia
- Kajabi vs Podia
FAQ
- What are the best free online course platforms?
- None of the online course platforms compared here offer a permanent free plan; all require a paid subscription after a free trial. Compare trial length and pricing before committing.
- How many online course platforms did this list compare?
- This page compares 4 tools, each linked to its own site.