Creating an online course sounds like the hard part.

It isn’t.

The hard part is getting someone actually to pay for it.

I learned that pretty quickly while looking at the different ways creators can sell courses. Some platforms host everything for you, marketplaces that already have an audience, community-based platforms, and simple storefronts where you can sell a course with very little setup.

At first, they all seem pretty similar.

They’re not.

Some are excellent if you already have an audience. Others are better when you have no audience at all. Some give you almost everything you need to run a business, while others are intentionally simple.

So instead of treating this as another “top 10 course platforms” list, I looked at the process from the perspective of someone who actually wants to make sales, not simply upload videos.

I compared the major options, looked at the current 2026 pricing and features, and tested the selling methods that make the most sense for different types of course creators.

My biggest takeaway?

The platform matters, but your sales system matters more.

You can have a beautiful course on an expensive platform and sell almost nothing.

You can also start with a simple setup and make your first sales surprisingly quickly.

Here’s what I’d do if I were starting from scratch today.

The First Thing I Would Change About Selling Courses

If I were creating my first course, I wouldn’t start by recording 40 videos.

I’d start by asking:

“What problem will someone pay me to solve?”

That sounds obvious, but it’s one of the easiest mistakes to make.

It’s tempting to create a course around everything you know.

For example:

“My Complete Guide to Digital Marketing”

That sounds impressive.

But compare it with:

“How to Get Your First 100 Leads From Facebook Without Running Ads”

The second one is much easier to understand.

The customer knows what they’re getting.

That’s what you want.

Your course isn’t valuable because it contains 30 hours of videos.

It’s valuable because it helps someone get from where they are now to where they want to be.

The Platforms I Looked At

I focused on the platforms that make the most sense for independent creators and small businesses:

• Kajabi
• Teachable
• Thinkific
• Podia
• Udemy
• Skool
• Gumroad

I also considered the difference between owning your own course business and using a marketplace.

That’s important because these platforms aren’t really competing for the same customer.

Current 2026 comparisons show significant differences in pricing, transaction fees, marketing tools, and whether the platform operates primarily as a standalone course business or marketplace.

My Quick Comparison

Platform	Best For	My Take
Kajabi	Serious course businesses	Best all-in-one option
Teachable	Beginners and course-first creators	Easy place to start
Thinkific	Creators wanting flexibility	Strong value
Podia	Courses + digital products	Simple and affordable
Udemy	Creators without an audience	Useful marketplace exposure
Skool	Courses built around community	Excellent community model
Gumroad	Testing a simple digital product	Very easy to launch

One 2026 comparison found that Thinkific, Teachable, Kajabi, Podia, and marketplace options occupied very different positions depending on whether the creator prioritized control, marketing infrastructure, simplicity, or built-in audience reach.

And that’s exactly what I found when comparing them.

There isn’t one universally “best” platform.

There’s a best platform for your situation.

1. Kajabi — Best If You’re Building a Real Business

Kajabi is the platform I’d look at if I weren’t just selling one course but building an entire business around my knowledge.

It combines course hosting with things like:

• Website building
• Email marketing
• Landing pages
• Sales funnels
• Automations
• Offers
• Community
• Customer management

That’s the major appeal.

You’re not just buying course hosting.

You’re buying a system for selling the course.

Kajabi currently positions itself as an all-in-one platform for knowledge businesses, and its plans include tools for courses, websites, email marketing, funnels, and other business functions.

What I liked

The biggest advantage is convenience.

You can build a funnel like:

Free guide

↓

Email signup

↓

Welcome sequence

↓

Course offer

↓

Checkout

↓

Student access

without stitching together a bunch of unrelated systems.

What I didn’t like

The price.

Kajabi is significantly more expensive than basic course platforms.

Current 2026 comparisons put its entry-level paid offering well above platforms such as Thinkific and Teachable.

So I wouldn’t recommend Kajabi just because you’re excited about creating your first course.

I’d recommend it when you’re serious about building the business around the course.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best for: Established creators, coaches, consultants, and serious course businesses.

2. Teachable — Best for Keeping Things Simple

Teachable is one of the platforms I’d consider if I wanted to launch an online course without building an elaborate marketing machine.

It’s more course-focused.

That can actually be a good thing.

You don’t necessarily need 50 features when you’re launching your first product.

You need:

Course + checkout + student access + payment + basic marketing.

Teachable is widely positioned as a relatively straightforward option for creators getting started with online courses.

What I liked

It’s easier to understand than some of the more comprehensive platforms.

What I didn’t like

Once you start wanting more sophisticated marketing automation, you may find yourself needing additional tools.

That’s not necessarily a problem.

It just means Teachable and Kajabi are solving slightly different problems.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Best for: Beginners who want a proper course platform without unnecessary complexity.

3. Thinkific — Best Balance of Features and Cost

Thinkific was one of the platforms I found particularly interesting for creators who want more control without immediately paying for an all-in-one marketing platform.

Thinkific’s current platform includes course creation, student management, payments, communities, and other tools, with paid plans designed for creators and businesses at different stages.

One advantage is that Thinkific is very focused on the actual learning experience.

You can create structured courses rather than simply uploading a collection of videos.

What I liked

It feels like a good middle ground.

You don’t have to go completely basic, but you also don’t have to jump immediately into an expensive all-in-one platform.

What I didn’t like

If your main priority is sophisticated marketing automation, you may still need additional tools.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Best for: Creators who want a strong course platform without paying primarily for an all-in-one marketing ecosystem.

4. Podia — Best for Courses and Digital Products

Podia is interesting if your business won’t consist solely of courses.

Maybe you want to sell:

• Courses
• Ebooks
• Templates
• Downloads
• Coaching
• Memberships

That’s where a simpler digital-product platform can make sense.

Current 2026 comparisons place Podia among the lower-cost options for creators who want to sell multiple types of digital products.

What I liked

It’s straightforward.

You don’t need to build a huge technology stack to start selling something.

What I didn’t like

It’s not the platform I’d choose if my priority were building an extremely sophisticated marketing operation.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best for: Solo creators selling courses alongside ebooks, templates, downloads, or other digital products.

5. Udemy — Best If You Don’t Have an Audience

This is where things get interesting.

Selling through your own website means you have to find the customers.

Udemy is different.

It’s a marketplace.

That means you’re potentially putting your course in front of people who are already looking for online learning.

That’s a huge advantage if you’re starting with zero audience.

But there is a trade-off.

You have less control over customer relationships, pricing, and the overall business experience compared with selling directly through your own platform. Marketplace models can also involve significant revenue sharing.

My biggest warning

I wouldn’t build my entire business around a marketplace.

I’d use it strategically.

For example:

Udemy course

↓

Build credibility

↓

Get students

↓

Build expertise and testimonials.

↓

Develop premium course/coaching elsewhere.

That gives you a way to use the marketplace for discovery while eventually building something you control.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best for: New instructors who don’t yet have an audience.

6. Skool — Best for Community-Based Courses

Skool takes a different approach.

Instead of thinking:

“Here is my course.”

The model is closer to:

“Here is the community, and the course is part of it.”

That’s a major distinction.

This can work extremely well for courses where students benefit from:

• Discussion
• Accountability
• Networking
• Group challenges
• Feedback
• Peer support

If you’re teaching something that requires motivation and interaction, community can be incredibly valuable.

The downside

If your course is completely self-paced and doesn’t need community interaction, you’re potentially paying for something you don’t need.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best for: Coaching communities, accountability programs, creator communities, and cohort-style education.

7. Gumroad — Best for Testing an Idea

If you’re not sure whether anyone will buy your course, I wouldn’t necessarily spend months building a sophisticated website.

I’d test the idea first.

You can create an offer, upload your product, set a price, and start sharing the link.

That simplicity is its biggest advantage.

What I liked

There’s very little friction.

What I didn’t like

You don’t get the same complete course-business infrastructure you’d get from something like Kajabi.

And transaction fees can become more significant as sales grow.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best for: Testing your first course or selling a relatively simple digital product.

The Biggest Lesson: Don’t Start With the Platform

This is probably the most important advice in this entire article.

Don’t spend three weeks comparing platforms before you know whether anyone wants your course.

I’ve seen creators spend more time choosing between Kajabi, Thinkific, Teachable, and Podia than actually talking to potential customers.

That’s backward.

I’d validate the idea first.

For example:

Step 1

Create a simple course outline.

Step 2

Talk to 10–20 people who fit your target audience.

Step 3

Ask what they’re struggling with.

Step 4

Change your course based on their answers.

Step 5

Create a simple landing page.

Step 6

Offer an early-bird price.

Step 7

See if anyone actually pays.

Only then would I invest heavily in production and technology.

The Selling Method That Made the Most Sense to Me

If I were starting today, I’d build around email + useful content.

Not because social media doesn’t work.

It does.

The problem is that you don’t own your social audience.

An algorithm can change tomorrow.

Your reach can suddenly drop.

Your account can get restricted.

Your followers may never see your post.

An email list is different.

You have a direct communication channel with people who have voluntarily expressed interest.

Recent 2026 guidance for course creators continues to emphasize email as a core channel for nurturing leads and selling courses, particularly through pre-launch sequences and automated funnels.

My Simple Course Sales Funnel

Here’s the funnel I’d use.

Step 1: Create Something Free

Don’t make it enormous.

Create something directly related to your paid course.

Examples:

• Checklist
• Mini guide
• Template
• Short video
• Free lesson
• Calculator
• Workbook

The free resource should solve one small problem.

Step 2: Collect Email Addresses

The person receives the free resource in exchange for their email address.

Now you have something more valuable than a social-media follower.

You have a potential customer.

Step 3: Give Them Useful Information

Don’t immediately bombard them with:

“BUY MY COURSE!”

Instead:

Email 1 — Deliver the free resource.

Email 2 — Teach something useful.

Email 3 — Explain a common mistake.

Email 4 — Share a case study or example.

Email 5 — Introduce the course.

Email 6 — Answer objections.

Email 7 — Make the offer.

That’s a much more natural selling process.

Social Media Still Matters

I’m not suggesting you ignore TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or LinkedIn.

Quite the opposite.

I’d use social media as the traffic engine.

For example:

TikTok video

↓

“Get my free course checklist”

↓

Landing page

↓

Email

↓

Course offer

That’s much stronger than:

TikTok

↓

“BUY MY COURSE”

↓

Nobody buys

↓

Creator decides TikTok doesn’t work.

The problem wasn’t necessarily TikTok.

There was no sales system behind it.

YouTube Is Particularly Interesting

If your course topic can be explained through tutorials, YouTube can be extremely useful.

You can create free content around the same subject as your course.

For example, if your paid course teaches:

How to Start an Online Business

Your free YouTube content could cover:

• How to choose a niche
• How to find your first customers
• Common beginner mistakes
• How to price a product
• How to create a simple sales funnel

The free content demonstrates your expertise.

The paid course provides the complete system.

Don’t Underestimate Webinars and Live Workshops

One method I particularly like for higher-priced courses is the live workshop.

Instead of immediately asking someone to buy a $297 course, invite them to:

“Free 60-Minute Workshop: How to Build Your First Online Course”

During the workshop, you teach something genuinely useful.

Then, at the end, explain that people who want the complete process can join your paid program.

Webinars, testimonials, partnerships, and evergreen marketing are among the commonly recommended methods for scaling course sales.

The important part is that the free workshop needs to be valuable.

If the entire presentation feels like a 60-minute advertisement, people will notice.

How Much Should You Charge?

This is where creators often panic.

They either charge:

$9

because they’re afraid nobody will buy,

or:

$997

because they saw somebody else do it.

Neither approach is necessarily right.

I’d start with the value of the outcome.

Ask:

• How painful is the problem?
• How much time does the course save?
• Can it help the student make money?
• Does it help them avoid an expensive mistake?
• How much support is included?
• How much transformation can realistically happen?

Then create a price that matches the promise and experience.

One Course Can Have Multiple Prices

You don’t necessarily need one product.

For example:

Package	Example Price	Includes
Basic	$49	Course
Premium	$149	Course + templates
VIP	$399	Course + group coaching
Private	$999+	Course + 1:1 support

This gives people options.

Someone who only wants the information can buy the basic package.

Someone who wants implementation help can choose the premium or VIP option.

The Biggest Mistake I Would Avoid

Don’t create the course first and figure out marketing later.

Build the marketing into the course from the beginning.

If you’re teaching:

“How to Start a Successful Etsy Store”

you should already know:

• Who needs this?
• What are they struggling with?
• What content attracts them?
• What free resource would interest them?
• What questions do they ask?
• What objections stop them buying?
• Why is your course different?

Those answers should influence the course itself.

What I Would Choose Based on My Situation

Here’s my personal decision guide:

“I have no audience.”

I’d look at Udemy or start with a very simple direct-selling setup.

My priority would be to validate demand rather than build expensive infrastructure.

“I have an audience, but I’m new to courses.”

I’d look at Teachable or Thinkific.

I’d keep the technology simple and focus on sales.

“I sell multiple digital products.”

I’d consider Podia.

“My business revolves around a community.”

I’d seriously consider Skool or another community-first platform.

“I already have an audience and want a serious course business.”

I’d consider Kajabi.

That’s where its all-in-one approach starts becoming much more attractive.

The Platform Isn’t What Sells the Course

This is the conclusion I kept coming back to.

A beautiful checkout page doesn’t create demand.

A fancy course dashboard doesn’t create demand.

An expensive microphone doesn’t create demand.

The thing that sells the course is the combination of:

Right audience + real problem + strong offer + trust + consistent marketing.

The platform makes it easier to deliver that offer.

And that’s why I wouldn’t spend $200 a month on software without knowing who my customer is.

I’d rather have:

100 genuinely interested email subscribers

than:

10,000 random followers.

My Recommended Course-Selling Setup

If I were starting from zero today, I’d keep the first version incredibly simple.

Phase 1 — Validate

Create a course outline.

Talk to potential students.

Collect emails.

Pre-sell.

Phase 2 — Build

Record the course.

Create worksheets and templates.

Set up the student experience.

Phase 3 — Launch

Email your list.

Create social content.

Run a live workshop.

Collect testimonials.

Phase 4 — Improve

Look at where students struggle.

Update the course.

Improve the sales page.

Answer objections.

Phase 5 — Automate

Build an evergreen email funnel.

Create consistent content.

Introduce partnerships or affiliates.

Consider paid advertising only after the funnel is converting.

My Final Ranking

After comparing the major options and thinking about them from the perspective of actually selling, rather than simply hosting, I’d rank them like this:

Rank	Platform	Best Use
🥇	Kajabi	Complete course business
🥈	Thinkific	Strong value + course experience
🥉	Teachable	Beginner-friendly course selling
4	Podia	Courses + digital products
5	Skool	Community-driven education
6	Udemy	Marketplace discovery
7	Gumroad	Quick product validation

These rankings aren’t universal. Current platform comparisons similarly emphasize that the right choice depends heavily on whether you’re prioritizing audience discovery, ownership, community, simplicity, or an all-in-one business setup.

Final Verdict: How I’d Sell an Online Course Today

If I had to start again tomorrow, I wouldn’t obsess over finding the “perfect” course platform.

I’d do this:

1. Pick one painful problem.

2. Talk to potential customers.

3. Build a small course around a specific result.

4. Create one useful free resource.

5. Start collecting emails.

6. Publish helpful content on one or two social platforms.

7. Sell the course to my warm audience.

8. Collect feedback and testimonials.

9. Improve the offer.

10. Automate the parts that are already working.

Only after I started getting consistent sales would I worry about upgrading to a more sophisticated platform.

That’s because there’s something I think gets lost in all the discussions about Kajabi vs. Teachable vs. Thinkific:

Your students don’t care which platform you used to build the course.

They care whether the course helps them.

And your business cares whether the right people are willing to pay for that result.

So if you’re wondering how to sell online courses, don’t start with:

“Which platform should I use?”

Start with:

“Who has a problem I can solve well enough that they’re willing to pay me for the solution?”

Once you have that answer, choosing the technology becomes much, much easier.

The platform delivers the course. Your offer sells it. Your marketing gets people to see it. And your results determine whether they tell someone else about it.

That’s the system I’d build around.