Best Course Platforms
Short answer
The best course platforms are Kajabi, LearnWorlds, Thinkific. Kajabi is our top pick at 8.5/10. If budget is tight, Thinkific has the best free plan.
Our top picks
Kajabi
8.5/10
Tops our course platforms rankings at 8.5/10 — best for Course creators doing $5k+ MRR who want simplicity.
- ✓Truly all-in-one — replaces 5+ tools
- ✓Excellent course and coaching product builder
Thinkific
8/10
The strongest capability-per-dollar in the category — value score 8.5/10.
- ✓No transaction fees on any plan
- ✓Strong free tier (1 course, unlimited students)
Teachable
7.8/10
The best course platforms option you can start on for $0 and upgrade when you grow.
- ✓Free plan to start
- ✓Clean, proven student experience
All 5 course platforms, ranked
Kajabi
Top pickEverything you need to run your creator business
Kajabi is the all-in-one platform for creators who sell knowledge: courses, coaching, podcasts, communities, and memberships. It replaces multiple tools with one subscription — website, email marketing, payments, checkout, and analytics all included. Expensive but eliminates integration complexity.
Strengths
- ✓Truly all-in-one — replaces 5+ tools
- ✓Excellent course and coaching product builder
- ✓Strong email marketing and automation included
Watch-outs
- ✗Expensive — starts at $89/month
- ✗No free plan or trial without credit card
- ✗Less customizable than standalone tools
LearnWorlds
Interactive course platform with white-label mobile apps
LearnWorlds is a premium course platform distinguished by its interactive video features — creators can embed quizzes, hotspots, and branching questions directly into course videos, not just alongside them. It also offers a white-label mobile app option, a built-in website and course landing page builder, and strong SCORM support for corporate e-learning. LearnWorlds is positioned above Teachable and Thinkific on features, competing more with Kajabi on price but with a more education-focused feature set.
Strengths
- ✓Interactive video — embed quizzes and branching questions inside videos
- ✓White-label mobile app option (iOS and Android)
- ✓SCORM and xAPI compliant for corporate training use cases
Watch-outs
- ✗No free plan — requires a paid subscription to launch
- ✗Transaction fees on lower-tier plans
- ✗Steeper learning curve than Teachable or Thinkific
Thinkific
Create and sell online courses without the technical headache
Thinkific is a well-established course platform focused on ease of use and creator control. It offers a strong free tier, a clean course builder, and no transaction fees on paid plans. Good middle ground between Teachable and Kajabi.
Strengths
- ✓No transaction fees on any plan
- ✓Strong free tier (1 course, unlimited students)
- ✓Clean, modern course builder
Watch-outs
- ✗Marketing automation weaker than Kajabi
- ✗Email features limited compared to dedicated tools
- ✗App integrations thinner than Teachable
Teachable
Sell courses and coaching online
Teachable is one of the original course platforms and remains one of the most popular. It focuses on courses and coaching products, with a clean student experience and good instructor analytics. More affordable than Kajabi but you'll need separate tools for email marketing and community.
Strengths
- ✓Free plan to start
- ✓Clean, proven student experience
- ✓Easy course builder
Watch-outs
- ✗Transaction fees on free plan (10%)
- ✗No built-in email marketing or community
- ✗Less monetization flexibility than Kajabi
Podia
Sell courses, memberships, and digital downloads
Podia is a creator platform covering courses, memberships, digital downloads, webinars, and community. It's positioned as a more affordable Kajabi alternative. The UI is clean and beginner-friendly. Email marketing is included but basic.
Strengths
- ✓Very beginner-friendly
- ✓Good value vs Kajabi
- ✓Covers courses, downloads, and memberships
Watch-outs
- ✗Email marketing is basic
- ✗Community features limited
- ✗Fewer integrations than ConvertKit/Kajabi
Course Platforms compared
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Ease | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kajabi | 8.5/10 | $89/mo | No | 8/10 | 6.5/10 |
| LearnWorlds | 8.3/10 | — | No | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Thinkific | 8/10 | — | Yes | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Teachable | 7.8/10 | — | Yes | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Podia | 7.5/10 | — | Yes | 9/10 | 8.5/10 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best course platforms?
Kajabi is our top-rated pick, scoring 8.5/10. Tops our course platforms rankings at 8.5/10 — best for Course creators doing $5k+ MRR who want simplicity.
What is the best free course platforms option?
Thinkific offers the best free plan among the course platforms we reviewed — a genuine way to start at $0 before upgrading.
How much does course software cost?
Paid plans in this category start around $89/month (Kajabi). Pricing scales with usage, team size, and feature tier — see each review for the full breakdown.