Best Online Course Platforms
The best platforms to create and sell online courses, ranked on ease of use, fees, and marketing features for creators and educators.
We ranked 5 picks for Online Course Platforms. Teachable takes the #1 spot at 4.4/5 (from $39/mo). Entry pricing runs $29–$89/mo. 3 offer a free tier. 4 have a public API.
Our picks at a glance
Teachable
Genuine free tier — test it before committing budget.
LearnWorlds
4.6/5 across 1,400 reviews.
LearnWorlds specializes in highly interactive, branded course experiences with assessments, certificates, and a built-in course player. Ideal for training businesses and schools that need depth.
The full ranking
| # | Tool | Starts at | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teachable Create and sell online courses easily | $39/mo | 4.4/5 | Creators & coaches |
| 2 | Thinkific Build a course business, no code | $49/mo | 4.5/5 | Course creators & educators |
| 3 | Kajabi All-in-one platform for knowledge commerce | $89/mo | 4.4/5 | Established creators & coaches |
| 4 | Podia Sell courses, downloads & memberships | $33/mo | 4.5/5 | Solo creators |
| 5 | LearnWorlds Interactive courses for serious educators | $29/mo | 4.6/5 | Training businesses & schools |
Side-by-side comparison
| Comparison | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 |
| Starting price | $39/mo | $49/mo | $89/mo | $33/mo |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium | Paid | Freemium |
| API available | ||||
| Best for | Creators & coaches | Course creators & educators | Established creators & coaches | Solo creators |
| Course builder | ||||
| Built-in checkout | ||||
| Coaching products | ||||
| Drip content | ||||
| Student analytics | ||||
| No transaction fees | ||||
| Course & community builder | ||||
| Memberships | ||||
| Quizzes & certificates | ||||
| App store | ||||
| Courses & products | ||||
| Website builder | ||||
| Email marketing | ||||
| Sales funnels | ||||
| Communities | ||||
| Courses & downloads | ||||
| Storefront | ||||
| Visit | Visit | Visit | Visit |
What to look for in online course platforms
- Check whether pricing is per seat — it multiplies with team size.
- Headline prices usually assume annual billing; monthly costs more.
- Confirm the integrations you already depend on are supported.
- Start on a free tier or trial before committing to a year.
How we rank: we weigh user ratings, feature depth, pricing value, and fit for this specific use case — not rating alone. Rankings are updated as products and prices change, and affiliate relationships never affect the order.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best online course platforms?+
Teachable is our #1 pick, rated 4.4/5 and starting at $39/mo. Very easy to start The full ranked list with pricing and trade-offs is above.
Is there a free online course platforms option?+
Yes — Teachable, Thinkific, Podia offer a free tier, so you can start without paying.
What is the cheapest online course platforms?+
LearnWorlds at $29/mo. Across our picks, entry pricing runs $29–$89/mo.
Which of these is rated highest by users?+
LearnWorlds, at 4.6/5 across 1,400 reviews. We rank on overall fit for the use case, not rating alone, which is why it is not automatically #1.
How did you rank these tools?+
Rankings weigh user ratings, feature depth, pricing value, and fit for this specific use case — not rating alone. We update them as products and prices change.