An online course platform — also called a digital course platform or learning commerce platform — can cover four separate jobs: creating the learning product, selling access, delivering it to learners and running the surrounding relationship. Vendors combine those jobs differently. The best choice is therefore not one universal winner, but the product whose centre of gravity matches yours.
A current orientation map
The figures below were checked on the vendors’ own pricing pages on 20 August 2026. They are orientation points, not a quote: billing period, currency, tax, sales fees, limits and regional terms matter.
| Platform | Published entry point we verified | Product emphasis |
|---|---|---|
| Kajabi | Basic $179/mo monthly or $143/mo on annual billing | Broad all-in-one for established creator businesses |
| Teachable | Starter $39/mo, with a published 7.5% sales fee on that plan | Course selling, memberships and checkout |
| Thinkific | Basic €53/mo monthly or €39/mo annually for a European visitor | Course-led learning products and site tools |
| Podia | Mover $42/mo on annual billing, with a published 5% Podia fee | Simple storefront for courses, downloads, coaching and community |
| Skool | Hobby $9/mo or Pro $99/mo, with different transaction fees | Community-first product with courses inside it |
| Circle | Professional $89/mo on annual billing | Community-first product with courses and events |
| Idun Blue | By invitation during internal beta; SEK 1,000/month excl. VAT | Courses, community, pages, email, offers, payments and operations in one workspace |
Do not compare these entry prices as if the plans were equivalent. Teachable’s Starter sales fee, Podia’s Mover fee, Skool’s transaction model, Circle’s separately priced Email Hub and Kajabi’s plan limits all change the relevant total. Payment processing and tax may be additional.
Which shortlist should you make?
Start with course delivery: shortlist Teachable and Thinkific, then compare the learner journey, assessments, support and the checkout you need.
Start with a community: shortlist Skool and Circle. Test moderation, notifications, events, member discovery and what happens when a subscription fails.
Want a finished all-in-one today: compare Kajabi and Podia at the plans that include your requirements. Kajabi covers a wider operating surface; Podia deliberately favours simplicity.
Want to evaluate Idun Blue: note that it is not a self-serve alternative yet. It is in internal beta and external creators will be invited from the waitlist. Evaluate it as an upcoming product, not as something available for immediate migration.
Seven tests that expose the real differences
- Build one complete lesson, not an empty course shell.
- Make a test purchase and read every email it triggers.
- Continue the lesson on a phone after leaving midway.
- Add captions, a download and an accessible text alternative.
- Test a refund, cancellation and failed subscription payment.
- Export contacts, consent records, orders and course assets.
- Price the full twelve-month stack at your expected contacts, products and team seats.
Our platform decision framework turns those tests into a scorecard, while the tool-stack calculator calculates your own annual total.
Questions a pricing table cannot answer
- Does the learner experience work for your audience’s devices and accessibility needs?
- Can support see the right purchase and progress context?
- Where are original media, consent and transaction records kept?
- Can your team understand and repair an automation six months later?
- Does the vendor document tax, refunds, data processing and cancellation clearly?
- Which parts leave with you if you migrate?
Run the same scenario on no more than three candidates. Keep the evidence, not just impressions. A platform that completes your actual flow reliably is a better choice than one that wins an abstract feature count.
For deeper, dated source notes, see our individual comparisons of Kajabi, Teachable, Thinkific, Podia, Skool and Circle.