Best Online Course Platforms in 2026

Last updated: February 2026

Online course platforms let you create, host, and sell courses without coding. Top options include Kajabi ($89/month, best all-in-one), Teachable ($39/month, best for beginners), Thinkific ($49/month, best value), and Skool ($99/month, best for community). Marketplaces like Udemy and Skillshare offer built-in audiences but take 20-63% of revenue.

The e-learning market is projected to reach $325 billion in 2026. Whether you are a coach, creator, or expert, there has never been a better time to monetize your knowledge.

This guide covers 12 platforms from simple course hosting to full business-in-a-box solutions.

Online Course Platform Comparison Table 2026

Best For Each Use Case

All-in-One Platforms

Kajabi

The premium all-in-one solution. Website, courses, email marketing, funnels, automations, and payments in one platform. Eliminates the need for separate tools. Most expensive but potentially most economical when you factor in replaced subscriptions.

Best for: Serious course creators who want everything in one place

Key features:

• Unlimited courses and products
• Built-in email marketing (up to 100,000 contacts)
• Sales funnels and landing pages
• Affiliate program management
• Marketing automations
• Mobile app (add-on)
• Podcast hosting
• Coaching products
• Community features

Pricing:

• Kickstarter: $89/month (250 contacts, 1 product)
• Basic: $149/month (10,000 contacts, 3 products)
• Growth: $199/month (25,000 contacts, 15 products)
• Pro: $399/month (100,000 contacts, 100 products)

Strengths: True all-in-one, no transaction fees, excellent marketing tools, strong support Weaknesses: Most expensive, contact limits force upgrades, mobile app costs extra ($99/month)

Who should choose Kajabi: Creators earning $5,000+/month who want to consolidate tools and scale.

Kartra

Marketing-focused alternative to Kajabi. Strong on funnels, email automation, and conversion optimization. Good for creators who prioritize marketing over course features.

Best for: Marketing-savvy creators

Key features:

• Page and funnel builder
• Email marketing and automation
• Membership sites
• Video hosting
• Helpdesk and live chat
• Affiliate management
• Split testing
• Behavioral automation

Pricing:

• Starter: $119/month (2,500 contacts)
• Silver: $229/month (12,500 contacts)
• Gold: $549/month (unlimited contacts)

Strengths: Powerful marketing automation, good funnels, behavioral triggers Weaknesses: Course features less developed than Kajabi, steep learning curve

Course-Focused Platforms

Teachable

The beginner-friendly option. Guided course creation process, clean interface, best-in-class checkout with automated tax/VAT handling. Good for first-time course creators.

Best for: Beginners creating their first course

Key features:

• Drag-and-drop course builder
• Integrated payment processing
• Automated tax and VAT calculation (handles global compliance)
• Affiliate program (Pro and higher)
• Quizzes and certificates
• Mobile app for students
• Upsells and order bumps

Pricing:

• Free: $1 + 10% per transaction
• Basic: $39/month + 5% transaction fee
• Pro: $119/month (0% fees)
• Pro+: $199/month (0% fees, advanced features)

Strengths: Easiest to start, excellent checkout experience, handles tax compliance, good for beginners Weaknesses: Transaction fees on lower tiers, limited marketing features, email requires integration

Who should choose Teachable: First-time course creators who value simplicity over features.

Thinkific

Best balance of features and price. Unlimited courses and students on paid plans. No transaction fees. More customization than Teachable. Good for creators who want control without paying Kajabi prices.

Best for: Course creators wanting value and flexibility

Key features:

• Unlimited courses (paid plans)
• No transaction fees
• Course completion certificates
• Community features (Thinkific Communities)
• Assignments and quizzes
• White-label options
• Student surveys
• Bundles and memberships
• Advanced reporting

Pricing:

• Free: 1 course
• Basic: $49/month (unlimited courses)
• Start: $99/month (+ memberships, bundles)
• Grow: $199/month (+ communities, advanced analytics)

Strengths: Best value, no transaction fees, good feature set, flexible customization Weaknesses: Marketing features require integrations, some features locked to higher tiers

Thinkific vs Teachable: Thinkific offers more features and no transaction fees. Teachable is easier to start and has better checkout. Choose Thinkific for value, Teachable for simplicity.

LearnWorlds

Best for interactive, engaging courses. Strong on assessments, certifications, and student engagement. Video interactions, progress tracking, SCORM support. Good for professional training and compliance courses.

Best for: Professional training and certification courses

Key features:

• Interactive video (notes, questions in video)
• SCORM compliance
• Assessments and certifications
• Progress tracking and reporting
• White-label mobile app
• Advanced analytics
• Built-in community
• Drip content
• Surveys and feedback

Pricing:

• Starter: $24/month + $5 per enrollment
• Pro Trainer: $79/month (0% fees)
• Learning Center: $249/month (premium support)
• High Volume: $499/month (dedicated success manager)

Strengths: Most interactive course features, professional certifications, SCORM support, strong analytics Weaknesses: Per-enrollment fee on Starter, gets expensive at scale, learning curve

Who should choose LearnWorlds: Corporate trainers, compliance training, certification programs.

Podia

The simplest option. Courses, downloads, webinars, and coaching in one clean interface. No complicated features to learn. Good for creators who want to start fast without overthinking.

Best for: Creators who want simplicity

Key features:

• Courses and digital downloads
• Webinars (live and replays)
• Coaching products
• Email marketing (basic, included)
• Community features
• Affiliate marketing
• Custom website builder
• No transaction fees (paid plans)

Pricing:

• Free: Limited features, 8% transaction fee
• Mover: $33/month (0% fees)
• Shaker: $75/month (+ affiliates, third-party code)
• Earthquaker: $166/month (priority support)

Strengths: Simplest to use, fair pricing, no transaction fees on paid plans, email included Weaknesses: Limited advanced features, basic email marketing, fewer integrations

Community-Focused Platforms

Skool

Community-first with courses built in. Gamified engagement, leaderboards, and cohort-style learning. One simple price with all features. Growing fast among coaches and community builders.

Best for: Community-based courses and coaching

Key features:

• Community with gamification (points, levels, leaderboards)
• Course hosting (classroom feature)
• Calendar and events
• Direct messaging
• All features at one price
• Simple, distraction-free interface
• Mobile apps

Pricing:

• $99/month (everything included)
• 2.9% transaction fee (Stripe)

Strengths: Strong community features, simple pricing, growing ecosystem, gamification drives engagement Weaknesses: Less course-building depth than dedicated platforms, 2.9% transaction fee, one-size-fits-all

Who should choose Skool: Coaches, community builders, cohort-based courses, membership programs.

Mighty Networks

Build a community with courses, events, and content. Native mobile apps included. Good for creators building a brand around community rather than just courses.

Best for: Community-first creators and membership businesses

Key features:

• Community spaces and subgroups
• Courses and content
• Events and livestreams
• Native mobile apps (iOS + Android)
• Membership tiers
• Challenges and cohorts
• Member directory
• Activity feeds

Pricing:

• Community: $41/month
• Business: $119/month
• Path-to-Pro: $360/month
• Mighty Pro: Custom (white-label app)

Strengths: Strong community features, native apps included, good for memberships, subgroups Weaknesses: Course features less developed than Teachable/Thinkific, learning curve

Marketplaces

Udemy

The largest course marketplace with millions of students. Built-in audience means no marketing required. But Udemy controls pricing (heavy discounting) and takes 37-63% of revenue.

Best for: Reaching a large audience without marketing

Key features:

• Built-in marketplace audience (67+ million students)
• No upfront costs
• Student reviews and ratings
• Q&A and messaging
• Mobile apps
• Udemy Business (corporate sales)

Pricing:

• Free to publish
• 37% revenue share (instructor promotions with coupon)
• 63% revenue share (Udemy organic sales)

Strengths: Massive built-in audience, no marketing needed, easy to start, Udemy Business potential Weaknesses: Heavy discounting ($200 courses sold for $10), low revenue share, no student data, no pricing control

Strategy tip: Use Udemy for audience building and visibility. Funnel students to your own platform for premium offerings.

Skillshare

Subscription-based marketplace. Students pay monthly for access to all courses. Instructors earn royalties based on minutes watched. Good for passive income, less control.

Best for: Passive income from creative and skills content

Key features:

• Subscription marketplace model
• Royalty-based earnings
• Built-in audience (12+ million members)
• Project-based learning
• Classes (shorter format than courses)

Pricing:

• Free to publish
• Royalties based on minutes watched (~$0.05-0.10/minute)
• Monthly pool divided among teachers

Strengths: Passive income potential, no marketing required, good for short creative classes Weaknesses: Low per-student earnings ($0.05-0.10/min), no pricing control, competitive

Self-Hosted Options

WordPress + LMS Plugin

Full control with WordPress and plugins like LearnDash, LifterLMS, or Tutor LMS. Requires more setup but no platform fees. Own everything.

Best for: Technical creators wanting full control and ownership

Options:

• LearnDash: $199/year (most popular, feature-rich)
• LifterLMS: Free / $99/year (good free tier)
• Tutor LMS: Free / $149/year (modern interface)

Strengths: Full control, one-time or low annual costs, own your platform, unlimited customization Weaknesses: Technical setup required, hosting costs, maintenance responsibility, no built-in payments

Pricing Comparison

True cost calculation: Factor in email marketing ($30-100/month if not included), community tools ($50-100/month), landing pages, and payment processing (2.9% + $0.30).

How to Choose

By Budget

By Creator Type

By Feature Priority

Which Online Course Platform Should You Choose?

For beginners: Teachable or Podia. Start simple, upgrade later. Both have free tiers.

For value: Thinkific. Best features for the price, no transaction fees, unlimited courses.

For all-in-one: Kajabi. Expensive but replaces email, funnel, and landing page tools.

For community: Skool. Growing fast, simple pricing, gamification drives engagement.

For audience: Udemy. Built-in students, but give up control and revenue.

For professionals: LearnWorlds. Best interactive features, certifications, SCORM compliance.

For coaching: Kajabi (all-in-one) or Skool (community-focused).

Start with a platform that matches your current needs. You can always migrate as you grow. Most successful creators eventually move to their own platform for premium offerings while using marketplaces for reach.

FAQs About Online Course Platforms

What is the best platform to sell online courses?

Depends on your needs. Kajabi for all-in-one business tools. Teachable for beginners. Thinkific for value. Skool for community-based courses. Udemy for built-in audience. There is no single best platform.

How much do online course platforms cost?

Free options exist (Udemy, Podia Free, Teachable Free) but take transaction fees or revenue share. Paid plans range from $24-99/month for basic features to $149-399/month for premium all-in-one solutions.

Should I use a marketplace (Udemy) or my own platform?

Marketplaces: Built-in audience, no marketing, but low control and 37-63% revenue share. Own platform: Full control, keep all revenue, but you handle marketing. Many creators use marketplaces for visibility and their own platform for premium offerings.

What is the difference between Kajabi and Teachable?

Kajabi is all-in-one: courses, email, funnels, automations in one platform ($89+/month). Teachable focuses on course creation with simpler features ($39+/month). Kajabi replaces more tools but costs more. Teachable is easier to start but you will need additional tools for email, funnels, etc.

Do I need a community feature?

For cohort courses, coaching, or membership programs: yes, community increases engagement and retention. For self-paced courses sold as one-time purchases: optional. Platforms like Skool and Mighty Networks excel at community; others add it as a feature.

Can I migrate my courses between platforms?

Yes, but with effort. Most platforms let you export student data and course content. Video files can be downloaded and re-uploaded. Student progress and completion records may not transfer. Plan for 1-2 weeks of migration work for a course library.

What transaction fees do course platforms charge?

Varies by platform. Kajabi, Thinkific, and Kartra: 0% (you pay your own payment processor ~2.9%). Teachable: 5% on Basic, 0% on Pro. Skool: 2.9%. Udemy: 37-63% revenue share. Free tiers often charge 8-10% per sale.

Which platform is best for coaching and 1-on-1 sessions?

Kajabi and Podia include coaching product types. Skool works well for group coaching with community. For calendar scheduling and video calls, most platforms integrate with Calendly and Zoom. Kajabi has the most built-in coaching features.

How do I choose between Thinkific and Teachable?

Teachable: easier to start, better checkout experience, 5% fee on Basic plan. Thinkific: more features for the price, no transaction fees, more customization. Choose Teachable if simplicity is priority. Choose Thinkific if you want more value and zero transaction fees.

Automate Your Course Business

Running a course business involves more than just hosting content. With Miniloop, you can build workflows that:

• Automate student onboarding and welcome sequences
• Sync enrollments with your CRM and email tools
• Generate course completion certificates
• Send engagement reminders to inactive students

Describe what you want in plain English. Miniloop builds the automation. Try it free or browse templates.

Related Reading

• Best AI Chatbots
• Best AI for Coding
• AI Automation for Business

Related Resources

• AI Automation Tools – Connect your apps and automate with AI
• AI Agent Platform – Build and deploy autonomous AI agents
• Browse Templates – Pre-built workflow templates