We analyzed the Best 5 Platforms to Sell your Courses Online. We studied 120 reviews of real user reviews from Capterra, Trustpilot, Product Hunt, and G2 for each platform to give you all the info you need to decide on the best platform to sell your online courses.
Top Performing Platforms to Sell Courses Online
- 🥇 Fitune - Best overall (Free Website & Client App included)
- 🥈Teachable - Good for not tech savvy creators
- 🥉Thinkific - Good for basic course creation
Other Top Platforms to Sell your Courses Online
1. 🥇 Fitune - Best one
Best overall (Free Website & Client App included)
Has Free Trial: Yes, + Free Forever Plan + Free Client App
Transparent Pricing: Yes, $0-$249/month
Requires Demo Call: No
Ideal for Online Course Creators or Teachers: Yes
Most loved by users:
- Free Website & App: Every Fitune plan includes a complimentary website and app, helping you attract more clients and boost bookings without the added costs. While others might charge $200 to $400 extra per month, Fitune delivers an all-inclusive solution.
- All-in-One Platform: Say goodbye to the hassle of using multiple tools. Fitune brings everything together—from booking to payments—into one easy-to-use platform. This integration streamlines your processes, making management a breeze and improving overall efficiency.
- Exceptional Support: Known for rapid and helpful responses, Fitune’s customer service team is dedicated to resolving your issues quickly, ensuring a smooth experience for you and your clients.
- Intuitive Design: Designed with simplicity in mind, Fitune caters to both tech-savvy and tech-shy course creators. Our platform is easy to set up and navigate, making it accessible for everyone in your community.
Most hated by users:
- Early Feature Limitations: Initially, some users noted missing features that impacted scheduling. We’ve listened and responded with continuous updates, significantly enhancing the platform’s versatility and user-friendliness.
- Pricing Adjustments: The initial launch pricing raised some eyebrows, but we’ve since introduced a 'Free Forever' plan that offers great value, particularly for those just starting out.
Fitune's course page example
Fitune's course builder
In conclusion, Fitune offers a comprehensive, cost-free website and app that streamline client acquisition and booking rates. Despite initial feature gaps and pricing debates, ongoing updates have significantly improved functionality and affordability, supported by responsive customer service and a user-friendly interface tailored for all course creators.
2. Teachable
Has Free Trial: Yes, + Free Plan
Transparent Pricing: Yes, $0-$665/month
Requires Demo Call: No
Ideal for Online Course Creators or Teachers: No, limited customization
Most loved by users:
- User-Friendly Interface: Teachable offers an intuitive platform that simplifies the course creation process, allowing you to focus more on crafting engaging content and less on technical complexities.
- Robust Marketing Tools: With Teachable, you gain access to a variety of marketing features such as customizable sales pages, promotional coupons, and affiliate marketing capabilities, empowering you to effectively promote and sell your courses.
- Community Support: Beyond just a platform, Teachable fosters a supportive community of course creators through resources like TeachableU and dedicated Facebook groups, providing valuable insights, advice, and networking opportunities to help you succeed.
Most hated by users:
- Transaction Fees: While Teachable offers a range of pricing plans, including a free option, transaction fees can eat into your earnings, especially for those just starting out or selling lower-priced courses.
- Limited Customization: Despite its user-friendly interface, Teachable's customization options may feel restrictive to some, particularly if you have specific design preferences or branding requirements for your course.
- Customer Support: Although Teachable provides resources like knowledge bases and tutorials, some users have reported mixed experiences with customer support, citing delays or scripted responses, which can be frustrating when encountering technical issues or needing assistance.
In summary, Teachable offers a user-friendly interface and robust marketing tools, supporting course creators in content creation and promotion. However, transaction fees, limited customization options, and mixed customer support experiences present challenges for some users. Prospective creators should carefully consider these factors before choosing Teachable for their courses.
3. Thinkific
Has Free Trial: Yes, for a limited time
Transparent Pricing: Yes, $49-$499/month
Requires Demo Call: No
Ideal for Online Course Creators or Teachers: No, expensive for starters
Most loved by users:
- User-Friendly Platform: Thinkific offers an intuitive interface that makes it easy for course creators to upload content, design engaging course materials, and set up payment options without requiring advanced technical skills. It allows you to focus more on crafting your course content rather than wrestling with the platform.
- Flexible Pricing Options: With Thinkific, you have the flexibility to choose from a range of pricing plans that suit your budget and business needs. Whether you're just starting out with a limited budget or looking to scale up your online course business, Thinkific offers pricing plans that cater to various stages of growth.
- Responsive Customer Support: Thinkific provides excellent customer support to help you navigate any challenges or questions you may encounter while setting up and running your online courses. Whether it's technical assistance or guidance on optimizing your course for better sales, their support team is there to assist you every step of the way.
Most hated by users:
- Limited Customization Options: While Thinkific offers decent customization features, some users may find its design templates somewhat restrictive, especially if they're looking for highly customized branding or layout options. This limitation might affect the visual appeal and uniqueness of your online course.
- Complexity in Integrations: Integrating third-party tools or applications with Thinkific can sometimes be challenging, particularly for users who require extensive integration with marketing automation tools, analytics platforms, or other software. This complexity may hinder seamless workflow automation and data synchronization.
- Costly Transaction Fees: Thinkific charges transaction fees on certain pricing plans, which can eat into your profits, especially for lower-priced courses or high-volume sales. These transaction fees may impact your overall revenue margins and affect the profitability of your online course business.
Thinkific offers a user-friendly platform with intuitive features tailored for individuals looking to sell online courses. While it provides flexible pricing options and responsive customer support, some drawbacks exist. One notable downside is the platform's limited customization options, which may restrict users seeking highly personalized branding and layout choices for their courses. Additionally, integrating third-party tools with Thinkific can be complex, potentially hindering workflow automation and data synchronization. Moreover, the platform's transaction fees, particularly on certain pricing plans, can significantly impact profitability for course creators, especially those offering lower-priced courses or experiencing high-volume sales.
4. Podia
Has Free Trial: Yes, + Limited Plan
Transparent Pricing: Yes, $0-$75/month
Requires Demo Call: No
Ideal for Online Course Creators or Teachers: No, it incorporates high fees for creators
Most loved by users:
- User-Friendly Platform: Podia offers an intuitive interface that makes it easy for creators to set up and manage their online courses without needing extensive technical knowledge. It's designed to streamline the course creation process, allowing you to focus more on content creation and less on technical details.
- All-in-One Solution: With Podia, you get everything you need to sell online courses in one platform, including course hosting, payment processing, email marketing, and more. This comprehensive approach eliminates the need to juggle multiple tools and subscriptions, saving you time and money.
- Excellent Customer Support: Podia provides responsive and helpful customer support to assist you at every step of your journey. Whether you have questions about setting up your courses, troubleshooting technical issues, or optimizing your sales strategy, their support team is there to provide guidance and assistance.
Most hated by users:
- Limited Customization Options: While Podia offers simplicity and ease of use, some users may find its customization options somewhat limited. If you have specific design preferences or advanced customization needs for your online courses, you may find Podia's flexibility lacking compared to other platforms.
- Occasional Technical Glitches: Like any software platform, Podia is not immune to technical glitches or occasional downtime. While these issues are usually resolved quickly by their support team, they can still cause inconvenience and disrupt your course delivery or sales process.
- Pricing Structure: While Podia's pricing is competitive and transparent, some users may find it slightly higher compared to other similar platforms, especially if you're just starting out or have a limited budget. It's essential to carefully evaluate your pricing options and consider your long-term growth plans before committing to a subscription.
In summary, Podia provides a user-friendly platform with comprehensive features that cater to individuals seeking to sell online courses. Its intuitive interface and responsive customer support ensure a smooth experience from course creation to sales. However, users should consider potential drawbacks, such as limited customization options and occasional technical glitches. Additionally, Podia's pricing structure, though competitive, may be a concern for those on tighter budgets.
5. Kajabi
Has Free Trial: Yes, for a limited time
Transparent Pricing: Yes, $69-$399/month
Requires Demo Call: No
Ideal for Online Course Creators or Teachers: No, expensive for starters
Most loved by users:
- All-in-One Platform: Kajabi simplifies the process of selling online courses by offering everything you need in one place, from course creation tools to website hosting and marketing features. It's like having your own digital storefront ready to go.
- User-Friendly Interface: Even if you're not a tech-savvy person, Kajabi's intuitive interface makes it easy to navigate and use. You can focus more on creating valuable content for your courses and less on struggling with complicated software.
- Excellent Customer Support: Whenever you encounter an issue or have a question, Kajabi's customer support team is there to help. Their prompt and helpful assistance ensures that you can overcome any obstacles and keep your course business running smoothly.
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Most hated by users:
- High Price Point: While Kajabi offers a robust set of features, its pricing may be prohibitive for some course creators, especially those just starting out. The cost might eat into your profit margins, making it challenging to justify, particularly if you're on a tight budget.
- Limited Customization: Despite its user-friendliness, Kajabi's customization options are somewhat limited, especially in terms of design and branding. You may find yourself wanting more flexibility to tailor your courses and sales pages to match your unique brand identity.
- Learning Curve for Advanced Features: While basic functionalities are easy to grasp, mastering advanced features like automation and optimization may require a significant learning curve. This could slow down your course creation process initially, impacting your time-to-market and overall efficiency.
In conclusion, Kajabi presents a compelling option for individuals eager to dive into the world of selling online courses. Its comprehensive suite of tools, user-friendly interface, and responsive customer support make it an attractive choice for course creators looking to establish their digital presence quickly and efficiently. However, it's essential to weigh the positives against the negatives. While Kajabi streamlines many aspects of course creation and management, its high price point and limited customization options may pose significant challenges, particularly for those operating on tighter budgets or seeking extensive branding control.
Concluding the Top Platforms for Course Creators in 2024
In our analysis of the best platforms for selling online courses in 2024, Fitune emerges as the standout option. With a comprehensive suite of features and a user-friendly interface, Fitune caters to the needs of course creators looking to establish their digital presence seamlessly. The inclusion of a free website and client app, along with transparent pricing and responsive customer support, sets Fitune apart from its competitors. While initial feature gaps and pricing adjustments posed concerns, Fitune has continually evolved to address these issues, demonstrating a commitment to enhancing user experience. For course creators seeking an intuitive platform that streamlines operations and fosters client engagement, Fitune stands out as the top choice in 2024.
